KUDOS
Just finished RAT 6 about 2 weeks ago and saw a huge leap in my overall fitness and my Oly lifts technique. I’m new to lifting (or at least, lifting smart) and I weigh right around 165. When I started the plan, I could Bench 185# and Squat around 265#. I’m up on everything now, probably in large part due to just learning the proper technique through your videos. My Bench is now at 215#, and my Squat is at 360#. I had never done Power or Hang Cleans before, and now they’re a regular part of my workout. I’m planning on either going through another of your plans, or subscribing to the Operator Sessions, now that I feel more ready for them.
Great job with an awesome program!
Gratefully,
C
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QUESTION
I was told about you guys from a friend who went through SF selection and was curious if we could utilize your Afghan Training Program in a different way other than to just Afghanistan.
I am attached to a military organization who is called upon to conduct operations basically anywhere at any time. The problem we are working with is devising a program for all of our investigators to stay ahead of the power curve physically to accomplish tasks ranging from an hour of proactive operations in the city to 7 hours of trekking through the north west forests.
What would we need to develop this?
– R
ANSWER
You need deployment orders to Afghanistan to receive the plan for free. I’m sorry. You can also purchase the plan from the website store: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=52&&cart_ID=83
Another option is to purchase and complete our Patrol Officer Training Plan: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=58&&cart_ID=64
Day to Day Training – Your best bet right now would be subscribing to the Operator Session at militaryathlete.com. I am in the process of developing day to day programming for Law Enforcement athletes, and hope to have it up and running this fall.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I have a quick/random question for you. What do you feel adequate enough rest time prior to taking an APFT (e.g. how many days off). Thanks for the help and programming.
Very Respectfully,
– B
ANSWER
Two days if you completed our train up, or do the Operator Sessions.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I’ve been doing you’re plan for BUD/S so far and it’s awesome I just wanted to express my gratItude. On another note I have a roommate who wants to be a rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard, I was wondering if there was a specific plan you had on the site for him? Or are y’all working on one? If not, should he use the BUD/S one with me?
Very respectfully,
– K
ANSWER
I don’t have a Rescue Swimmer plan yet – yes, I’d recommend the BUD/s Plan for your roommate.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I am interested in your program. A few of my friends have been doing it for the last couple years and they seem to really like it.
It seems kind of expensive at $300 for the year. I’m going to try the week trial and see how I like it. Do you offer any specials for active duty "operators"?
Please don’t take this the wrong way, I’m not trying to down play your program. I’m just curious about it, $300 is a lot to me. I’m not into crossfit so will I like this?
Thanks for answering any of my questions and for your time.
– C
ANSWER
No specials. Same price for everyone.
Will you like it? I recommend you try the free training sessions.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
Bottom line up front, I am desperately trying to quit dipping right now while deployed. Horrible idea right. I have dipped since my first deployment to Iraq back in 2008. I know it is bad for athletic performance and negatively effects stamina, but wanted to get your take on the problem. I know it is prevalent in the special operations community and for me whether it is a real or percieved effect, helps alleviate stress and control my appetite. Just wanted to get your take on the problem as I know there are other guys that struggle with the same issue. Thanks in advance Rob.
L.
ANSWER
Sorry
Can’t offer you anything here. Never dipped myself, and never smoked, so dealing with nicotine addiction is something I’ve never experienced. I”ll spare you the lecture about it’s bad health effects.
I did have a buddy several years ago, in his mid-30’s, who decided to quit when the price of a can of Skoal went above $4. He quit cold turkey, and for 2 weeks chewed sunflower seeds like crazy, and was super irritable. Lance was a mechanic with his own shop and one employee, and his employee begged Lance to start dipping again so he would calm down. Lance didn’t though – and gave up the habit.
Good luck.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I’m sure you get these emails all the time, but I have been so impressed with your programming, I wanted to send you a quick thank you. I first heard about Military Athlete last year from one of the ODAs I worked with in Afghanistan. When I got back, I ended up joining a Crossfit gym for a few months (but the workouts seemed random and lacking structure), and then I PCS’d to Missouri. When I got here, I was looking for something new to try, and immediately thought of Military Athlete. I’ve been following your Operator Sessions for the past couple of months and love it. I’ve seen significant strength gains (PRs every time we do 1RM, situps on the APFT, max pull ups), and my run times are getting faster and more consistent (finally got me under 14:00 for my two mile). I genuinely look forward to the workouts every day and have never seen such significant improvements with any workout regimen.
The second part of this email is just a few questions. Do you only have one physical location in Jackson? If not, where are the other locations/coaches? Also, how do you find your lab rats? There is nothing I would like more than to be able to train with you guys. Granted, right now, my time is pretty restricted, but are there any opportunities to train with you (or could there be over the next couple of years)?
Thank you again for absolutely everything!
– S
ANSWER
Thanks for the great note! Glad our stuff has worked for you.
Answers – We work with some coaches in Colorado Springs as at Driven Strong, who follow our programming, but the Jackson location is the primary gym.
There is no real process to being a lab rat for us here in Jackson, but you have to be invited. We’re a small group – 6 all together – and most of the 4 who aren’t coaches started training with us on the Mountain Athlete side, and showed commitment, a high level of gym rat, and are simply just great guys. Sometimes military guys come through Jackson on vacation and we’ll throw them in with us, but to be an official "Lab Rat" you have to be invited. Understand we make a lot of mistakes on the Lab Rats …. we develop the programming, test it on ourselves, and modify/fix it before it goes out as an Operator Session.
Other than the guys at Driven Strong, we don’t have remote lab rats.
We often have active duty guys come to town to mentor and train with us for a week or two at a time. Often these guys are mid-level to senior level officers and NCO’s, and come on their own dime. This could be an option for you.
We’ve also drafted the outline of a an official mentorship program only open to active duty military or LE. Athletes would come and stay for a couple weeks, learn how to program, train with the lab rats, perhaps participate in Range Fitness events, etc. I’d hoped to have it started by now but with the sequester, we have doubts interested athletes could get funding. The instruction would be free – but you’d have to get travel and per diem funding. This might also be an option for you.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Coach,
Your programs are truly unparalleled. I have completed several of your programs from the military athlete side and met if not surpassed the program’s defined goals. My greatest satisfaction is that my relative strength has never decreased, and in some cases increased after completing programs that are heavy in rucking and running. Moreover, I’ve seen a decrease in injury as a result of your programmed mobility and durability. Kudos to you on achieving such well rounded programs that can achieve so much with little time.
I have a quick question for you, what are the physical goals of your Ultra Program and your Big Mountain program? I am considering one of them for a unique ultra I have coming up and I was wondering what they are programmed to have an athlete achieve. Thanks for all you do and I look forward to purchasing your Hypertrophy for Skinny Guys after I’m done with this event.
– D
ANSWER
The Big Mountain Program (http://www.mountainathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=49&&cart_ID=22) is designed to prepare an athlete for a non-technical, but major, summit attempt such as Denali, Ranier, Everest, etc. It includes gym-based strength sessions built around building durability, and deploys loaded step ups, rucking, etc. to prepare the athletes.
The Utra Pre-Season Plan (http://www.mountainathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=51&&cart_ID=65) uses gym-based strength training, and aerobic base-bulding paced running to prepare a Ultra runner for faster paced, focused running training which would be part of a peak cycle running plan.
The Ultra Plan would be a better bet for you.
– RoB
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QUESTION
Hi Rob,
I was wondering if there is a recovery type workout for days when the muscles are sore that its difficult to complete a session for a given workout. Program? Or is it better to just so the session just at a lesser intensity/lower weight?
Thank you.
– P
ANSWER
Sorry. You have to suck it up. As you’re fitness increases, the soreness will decrease.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Hey Rob,
I went ahead and purchased the new program, as i trust your programming and wanted the latest and greatest that you had to offer. I was thouroughly surprised and almost dissapointed by the simplicity of the program. I know beauty is in the basics but the IBA runs seem confusing in the sense that they are not an intergral part of selection and possibly could hinder running form tremendously while unloaded. Also, there are no rope climbs anymore and no more LSD runs. I am aware they serve little training value but i believe the 5 mile run is still a tested event that we need to train for. Suffice it to say, I think V3 of the Ruck based program looks more relevant to the training ahead. I was wondering if you could offer any insight into this training methodology and correct my azimuth. Just a tad confused but more so let down by an expensive program that seems a little water down in variability (though not watered-down in intensity, ill give you that). Thanks in advance and I by no means am questioning your programming just would like a little more insight if possible.
– A
ANSWER
Not sure what to tell you A. V4 is less equipment dependent, and more sport-specific to the events most guys will face at SFAS. The progressions for the timed runs/ruck and APFT events are lab-rat proven. I believe the plan has plenty of running. It is no friggin’ joke.
As a professional athlete, you are ultimately responsible for your fitness and preparation for SFAS. If you feel V3 is the right plan for you, it is. Crush selection!!
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I am currently enrolled in American Military University and I am writing an informative essay. I chose the topic of functional fitness for the military athlete because I have been using the operator sessions for a couple of years and want to inform as many people as I can about the benefits of this type of fitness as opposed to the "get big, get ripped" style many people use. If you can give me any advise on how to properly relate this to the normal person or resources I may use to accomplish this, I would be greatly appreciative.
Respectfully,
– T
ANSWER
This is a really general question/request, and I’m not sure where to point you on the civilian side other than the obvious – CrossFit.
Understand "Functional Fitness" is a term pregnant with meaning, and marketing, and other crap. There are multiple definitions and applications for this very general term.
I would caution you that our approach is what I feel is appropriate for the fitness demands of a deployed soldier. It may not be appropriate for a soccer mom, stock broker, or amateur body builder. There is no panacea program that works for everything – mine included.
It seemed on the military side there was a convergence of a ramp up in the Iraq and Afghan wars and the explosion of Crossfit which drove the change – esp. in the SOF units (which the line units eventually follow). Gym Jones and I followed soon thereafter. SOF guys came to our programming first, followed by line unit guys and LE guys.
I’d encourage you to focus on the change in the military side, – esp. how that change started with the SOF units. In general, my understanding is SOF units deployed, found their fitness lacking, found Crossfit – which worked really well, and things evolved from there. Because SOF units have "big boy rules" – the guys had the liberty to develop/train on their own – and were responsible for the results. Now SOF units are also leading the way with their own functional fitness gyms staffed by dedicated strength coaches.
There are several resources which point to a shift in military fitness (away from distance running) and can do a better job of telling the story than I did above. – Good places to start would be the RAW program the Rangers deploy, origins of the Green Beret THOR program, and the story behind the Marine CFT. Even the new Army PRT isn’t bad and reflects this shift.
Good Luck!!
– Rob
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