QUESTION
I am a 24 year old male, who are interested in joining the police and then hopefully joining the Swat team.
I am in decent shape, I run blot and have done some home training since corona shut down the country I live in. But I want to start in fitness agian and train up for swat. I just manna know which program to start with ?
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
My SWAT academy is currently is about 33 weeks out. What would be the best way to prepare for this in conjunction with your preparation plan. Thank you
ANSWER
Weeks Plan
26 Total Rest
– Rob
QUESTION
I am currently trying to train my body to succeed in performing the PFT standards to get into the US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer school.
I saw your website has a training program to help people train for the events, but I don’t know too much about this program all together.
I wanted to ask if this is a program that can be done at home or are all programs performed where your gym is located?
Hope to hear from you soon and hope you have a great rest of your day.
ANSWER
It’s done at home. Obviously, you’ll need pool access.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a hunter who wants to be able to go on backpack hunts in the next couple of years. My fitness level is not yet ready for the Backcountry program you have but I want to do something to better my general fitness. Where should I start or which one of your programs do you recommend? I can walk for miles just fine and can do moderate hikes. My stats are: 28 years old, 5’9”, 295lbs.
I appreciate your help and time,
ANSWER
Email back on the other side of Bodyweight Foundation.
– Rob
QUESTION
Six weeks ago, I had surgery for a rotator cuff tear and just started physical therapy. Problem is …. I have an OGA PT Test coming up in eight weeks.
It includes:
1) 31 sit-ups in 1 minute
2) 1.5 mile run in 13:30
3) 25 push-ups in 1 minute
4) 300-meter sprint in 68 seconds
5) Dummy crossover (exit front passenger seat, remove 185 lbs dummy from the rear seat of suburban, drag the dummy 50 feet and place and place in the trunk of another suburban, and return to the front passenger seat of that suburban) in 62 seconds.
5) 4 pull-ups in no time limit.
Thank you,
I’m not looking to be on the Leader Board, but HAVE to pass. What plan do you recommend?
ANSWER
1) Do max rep pull ups as the first event and follow the same progression as the push ups.
2) Add a 1-minute time limit to the push ups.
This plan doesn’t include training for the Dummy Crossover event – but my guess is this event is as much technique as fitness. I’d recommend practicing it 2-3x weekly.
Shoulder? This plan doesn’t accommodate for your shoulder and I’m not a doctor. I wouldn’t recommend completing the shoulder work in this this plan (push ups, pull ups and dummy crossover) until you’re cleared from PT. Re-injuring your shoulder would be stupid.
What does OGA stand for?
– Rob
QUESTION
I have a question about the “Training for Athletes Suffering from a Leg Injury” program. I’m a climbing/ski guide and recently had surgery for an ACL with meniscus repair and am in a knee immobilizer with leg fixed straight for 6 weeks. I’m not allowed to do pushups or plank type exercises at this point in my rehab, but can otherwise weight-bear as tolerated with my leg locked straight in the brace. Is the Leg Injury program something I will be able to pursue with these limitations?
ANSWER
The plan does include single leg push ups – so you’d need to replace those with bench press or similar. Click the “Sample Training” tab at the
product page to see the first week of programming. Try it and see how you do before purchase.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am trying to get a slot for RTAC on January 14th because my unit makes us go before we can actually get a slot for Ranger school. From my knowledge it’s a 3 week preparation for ranger school. It does include a RPFT and I would assume rucks aswell but I can’t really find too much info on it
I was looking at the ranger school training packet, however january 14th is only 24 weeks away and we have a good amount of training coming up. I was curious if you guys had any other training program recommendations you guys offer or if i were to buy the training packet what is the best way i should schedule the training?
ANSWER
I’d recommend completing the Ranger School Training Plan the 8 weeks before RTAC.
Between now and then try to work through Fortitude, then Valor – given your schedule ….
So …
Weeks. Plan
8 Week of Rest
16 Week of Rest
– Rob
QUESTION
I had recently started Resilience after finishing fortitude and then Valor. About for days in to the first week of Resilience I got sick. That was last week, turns out I have covid so this week I have been in bed and only getting up for food and water. I’m doing better and think I may be able to get back to working out by Monday. If I’m well enough to start training again on Monday should I restart Resilience or go another route? If I need another week to recover what program would you recommend for me after recovery?
ANSWER
I’d recommend the first couple weeks of the
Military OnRamp Training Plan after you finally recover, then move over to Resilience once you feel you have your feet underneath you.
– Rob
QUESTION
Getting after the Apex plan beginning tomorrow.stoked!
I’m tempted — even though I know there’s no better way to piss off a coach — to substitute deadlift for back squat with same sets and reps. Why shouldn’t I?
More: I saw in the readout of the article that you might tweak the next lab rat run to use deadlift instead of back squat so it gives me a glimmer of hope that it’s not all bad.
Deadlift seems better for what I need and I still look at 2.5x deadlift as the “apex” goal for an athlete since talking it through with Mark Twight in 2009.
Aside from my iceberg that tweaking a plan makes it no longer the plan, any reason I shouldn’t I use deadlift?
Thanks,
ANSWER
You can absolutely sub in the deadlift instead of the Back Squat. I feel the back squat is a better overall test of total body strength, but many coaches think the deadlift is better. You would need to use 2.5x Bodyweight as the goal as a 2x bodyweight deadlift is not that impressive.
– Rob
QUESTION
Im active army and putting a team together to compete in the Bataan death march heavy division. I have 8 months from Aug to Mar to train; Nov will have to be light body weight as ill be at JRTC (field training). Ive done it before and finished 8th with a time just under 8 hours, ideally id like to be deep in the 6s or high 5s for a time. What training plans and order would you recommend?
ANSWER
I don’t have an 8-month train up for this event.
The 12-week
Max Effort Marathon Training Plan is designed to do your personal best on a marathon – which is the same distance as the Bataan event. If you want to do your personal best, I’d recommend this plan and ruck instead of run.
So …
Now: I’d recommend the 8-Week Bataan Death March Training Plan
At JRTC – Bodyweight Foundation Training Plan
After JRTC –
Fortitude, then
Valor until you’re 12 weeks out from the event, then drop into the Max Effort Marathon Training Plan the 12 weeks directly before the event.
– Rob
QUESTION
Im contemplating buying your jtf2 selection prep program, but I am wondering what insight into their selection do you have? Or is it more of a prep for what you assume will be thrown at the candidates?
ANSWER
Our selection program process is the same across the board.
We learn what we can from what is publicly available.
Those who ask us for the plan – we ask them for any insight or info they may have such as “gate” pfts, long events. overall duration, etc.
Then we design the program based on these outcomes and our decade and a half of doing this successfully.
Then, we ask for feedback from those who have used the plan for selection. As you know, candidates can’t say a lot about details, but we ask them to be as specific as allowed in terms of our program’s strengths and weaknesses for preparation. Then we update the plan and start the process again.
– Rob
QUESTION
Any advice for a training plan for completing the Spartan beast race (25k 30 obstacles). I want to keep as much of my current power/strength as possible.
Current 450 back squat, 475 dead, 240 bench. I generally am solid with mtbing 2 hours and moderate effort.
I’ve done your St Elias program, BC ski program and core programs prior all with good results.
ANSWER
Maintaining Strength – little tricky as this is an endurance event. You could work in 1 strength day/week – and just lift heavy back, dead and bench. 6×4 or 8×3 set/rep scheme.
– Rob
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