QUESTION
Good Morning Coach,
I just wanted to thank you for your programming over the years. I was first
introduced to your Operator Sessions in 2009 and they really improved my
fitness. I purchased your hypertrophy program today and have one question.
Should I wait until next Monday to start or should I jump right in? Thanks
again for everything.
v/r,
– B
ANSWER
I’d wait until Monday. – it just keeps things tidy with the 5/2 training sched.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I purchased your Ruck Based Selection Program a number of years ago. I’m sure you have altered the plan since then and I was just curious as to what has changed. Would it be beneficial to get the new program or will the old one do just fine? Thanks for any info you have.
V/r
– J
ANSWER
We’re on Version 4 of the plan and the latest version represents the most recent evolution of my programming theory.
But you don’t need to buy it. Plenty of guys used the older plans successfully.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I need your advice on where you think I should start. I’m 6’3", 230lbs and 32 years old. I crossfit 5x’s a week but I find that I usually need to work twice as hard as others for the same physical gains . My APFT score is always 240-260 range.
I struggle the most with upper body strength and long distance running. I can deadlift or power clean big, but I have trouble doing more than a couple pull ups. I can run decent two or three mile speed, but beyond that I lose speed.
i’ve been offered ranger school in 2014, and I’m not sure where to start, or how/what I should be doing along with my Crossfit routine. Crossfit is the only training that I do. I know that part of the problem is the 30lb ‘weight vest’ I wear around my mid-section and I stick to your diet recommendations but I dont seem to see much of a difference.
What are your thoughts?
-C-
ANSWER
I’d recommend you take a break from CrossFit and complete our Endurance Training Cycle – it’s specific for military athletes – i.e. running and rucking, and includes significant upper body work focused on bodyweight bench presses and pull ups. The plan is full on: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=56&&cart_ID=111
Another option would be to complete our Patrol Officer Training Plan (http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=58&&cart_ID=64) which includes significant upper body work. You could complete this plan and concurrently complete the Run Improvement Training Plan: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=56&&cart_ID=104. Lift in the AM. Run in the PM.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Good day
I am a big fan of your military athlete
program and the specialized programs that you offer.
I am emailing you today because I’d like some more information on your
squad pt program and if you have any payment options available for a
joint squad and personal pt purchase.
Currently I am working on developing a PT program for my company. We
just returned from 5 weeks at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training
Centre in Northern California, and needless to say it was a gut check,
every soldier felt it and I know that we could have been better
physically prepared as a unit.
To give you a bit of background I, and all my soldiers are Canadian
Light Infantry. I am a platoon commander and my
company has been mandated by the Canadian Army to become the mountain
warfare specialists for the entire Canadian Armed Forces. As you can
tell our task of being soldiers as well as mountaineers lends our pt
needs very well to what you offer with the mtn athlete and military
athlete. As I have said before I have used several of your programs and
I much prefer them to anything else I have tried in the past be it
crossfit or some other training program.
I am interested in the squad PT for morning PT with my platoon and the
individual pt for that extra challenge for those who want to workout
outside of morning PT.
Thank you for your time
– M
ANSWER
On the website we don’t update the Squad PT programming. What’s available is several years of archives.
I’m thinking a better place for you and your Company to start would be our Afghanistan Pre-Deployment Training Plan: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=52&&cart_ID=83
I developed this plan specifically to prepare military athletes for patrols in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan. It’s 6 weeks long and no joke, and would be a great company-wide fitness program for you to complete together. It also does not require extensive equipment.
I’d recommend you personally work through the Afghan Plan with your company – but if not, you should join and complete the Operator Sessions.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Sir,
First off, thank you for everything you do. I was first introduced to Military Athlete in 2010 while deployed to Afghanistan. A friend and I worked through your operator sessions and it made a lot of difference physically between us and many of the other members of our company, especially during foot patrols.
I’m writing to ask you for tips on using Creatine. I remember a while back browsing the facts section and seeing that regarding supplements you recommended taking protein shakes as well as doing periodic creatine cycles. I’ve been on a few sites that suggest different ways to use the supplement. I was wondering how you personally use creatine, and if you could give me an idea of how to use it (dosages, time frames) and when to use it (strength cycles only?).
Finally, I’m currently a police officer working uniform patrol. I am wondering if anyone else has written to you about which plans to use for selection to a tactical team (S.W.A.T.), and what suggestions you gave them.
Thank you in advance,
– K
ANSWER
My thoughts have changed on supplements. Every once in a while I’ll drink a whey protein shake after training, but haven’t taken creatine for some time, and really can’t offer much here. I’m sorry.
SWAT selection – the closest I have right now is the FBI HRT Training Plan: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=52&&cart_ID=105
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I’ve been in law enforcement for just over 5 years. I was introduced to your website by a friend of mine in the special forces community about the time I got out of the academy. I went from following your programming on Mountain Athlete to joining a CF gym for a while but for the last two years have been working out in my garage.
As of late it seems to me that CrossFit is becomming more and more geared toward athletes who want to be in the games.
I recently purchased your 8-week program to reintroduce myself back to Military Athlete and love it. I am finishing that up here shortly. After I get this program done what do you suggest I do? Should I join your website and just do the Operator Sessions? Or is there another program I should purchase before doing the operator sessions?
I have not tried Operator Ugly yet but some of my numbers are as follows:
My BW fluctuates between 175-180#
Front squat: 225#
Deadlift: 315#
Bench: 235#
Push Press: 180#
Squat Clean: not established
Thanks,
– J
ANSWER
Joining the Operator Sessions is the next logical step. However, it might do you some good to take a month and do something different. Check out our Endurance Training Cycle: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=56&&cart_ID=111
This thing is no joke – hard running and rucking intervals, awesome, focused upper body work (bench press, pull ups), and once/week long run/ruck "brick" sessions. We (the Lab Rats) really enjoyed the change.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
Thanks for the 3-5-7 strength plan a couple months back. I added 25 lbs to my squat clean, 20 lbs to my push press, and 30 lbs to my hang squat snatch, and this is directly because of your program. My lifts are as strong as ever.
Here is my question:
Have you ever stumbled upon someone that can squat clean more than they can front squat? I’ve always coached that in order to get out of the hole, you must have the confidence and strength to front squat the weight. Without turning it into a fairly complicated physics/engineering problem, do you have a rule of thumb for squat clean to front squat % that you would classify as optimal or at least efficient?
Thanks for your time.
– J
ANSWER
Thanks for the note about 357!
No experience that I can recall with someone who can squat clean more than they can front squat. I don’t have a rule of thumb, but my front squat is 245-250#, and my 1RM squat clean is around 200#.
– Rob
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