QUESTION
I purchased the ACFT plan, but I only have six weeks until I take it. Should I still start at session 1, or skip to session six to allow for the deload leading up to the ACFT? For context, I’m 42, and scored a 545 on my last test six months ago.
ANSWER
Mike – Start on Session 1, Go through weeks 1-5 as prescribed, skip week 6, and complete week 7 before your ACFT. Week 7 is a taper week.
– Rob
QUESTION
I have been attempting to use a variety of your programs for several years and continually get stuck.
As someone who lives a regular mountain lifestyle, I am constantly impacting my mountain efforts with gym training sessions AND constantly impacting my gym training sessions with my mountain efforts.
I seem to have been at a plateau for years on a cycle of never increasing strength, having a physique that doesnt appear to represent my actual fitness level and struggle with knowing how much to eat. This is exhausting and endlessly annoying.
It seems that unless I want to move away from the mountains and train in a gym fulltime, I cant figure out how mountain athletes train and make improvements. I also dont understand why the training plans for peakbagger, endurance athlete, mountaineer, etc are sooo different. Isnt this all the same athlete?
We have messaged before and any plan we have come up with seems to be great….as long as I stay out of the mountains 100% of the time and just train. However, that will NEVER happen. There is no offseason, there is no weekend. If the weather is good, its mountain time!
ANSWER
Training Plan difference? Differences are in the details and these are based on the duration of the events or mission-direct fitness demands of the sport. For example, the step ups for the peak bagger plan might have a lower total volume than one of the big mountain training plans, and the pack will be lighter. No pack for the ultra running plans, etc.
Gym vs. Mountain. In general – don’t let gym training impact mountain performance because of fatigue or soreness. So, if you have a big mountain trip planned, don’t train hard in the gym the day before. This is mostly common sense.
In terms of year-round mountain athletes …. like the mountain guides I worked with who guided the tetons in the summer and backcountry-ski guided in the winters … their gym-training was 1-2x week of Strength and Chassis Integrity. They didn’t need to work on their uphill endurance.
The gym-based strength and chassis integrity was aimed mostly at durability and addressing potential overuse injuries from uphill hiking/skinning.
However, this time of year they would be bc ski guiding, but in the gym wanted to train for rock climbing – because of their planned April climbing trip to Moab. They would do the Rock Climb Pre-Season Training Plan – which is 90% finger strength training – this wouldn’t impact their bc ski guiding.
Many of the mountain-based event-specific plans I’ve build are for people who don’t have your lifestyle and don’t live in the mountains …. thus the intensity.
Best to email me back with a specific description of your current mountain schedule and if you have any spring and/or early summer trips or goals set up – I can direct you to programming from there.
– Rob
QUESTION
I just picked up the RASP training packet. I think I’ll have about 30 weeks to prep for RASP starting from today. I was going to start with the military onboarding but wanted to see what you recommend as far as progression based on that proposed timeline vs. the 52 weeks. Obviously, no rush as I work through the 7 weeks. Thanks in advance. You guys have been my go-to for years for programming and training while operating throughout SOCOM. Sadly, I’m a MD now and not a operator anymore but still have to get through selection.
I was doing the old 2013 SFOD-D train up packet from you guys and had done the body weight section and moved on to the RAT 6 Strength and was about 4 weeks into it. But I have been out of town doing some medical training for the last three weeks and basically am back at zero after a cold.
I have a decent home gym with most of the equipment to do the programming. I don’t have some large items like the GHD. So I don’t think I have too many restrictions.
Let me know your thoughts and thank you again for the support.
ANSWER
Here’s what I recommend:
Good luck!
QUESTION
I am a 23 year old Army reserve chaplain candidate who will be an active duty chaplain in a couple years, and I will be going to BOLC this summer. I was looking at your website for a plan to fit me, but there are so many options.
I am pretty fit. I usually workout 6 times a week and run about 10 miles a week. I can run 5 miles in 40 minutes, about 55 pushups in 2 mins, and I can do 11 pull-ups. I am 215 and 6’2” and would like to keep the weight or maybe drop a couple pounds. I need to work on my calisthenics but mostly my pushups and plank.
Any ideas for a training plan? I have 8 weeks.
ANSWER
Repeat weeks 2 and 5 to stretch this plan to 8 weeks.
– Rob
QUESTION
I was hoping you could recommend a training plan for me. For context, I’m a 40 year old mountain biker, who normally rides 3-4 days per week. My focus is on enduro, freeride, and I coach at a bike park, so my emphasis would be durability, and power and strength…with durability being the priority at my age. I get enough work capacity from riding, although rounds for time training is still beneficial.
I have a small home gym, but should have everything required, equipment wise. Thanks!
ANSWER
Option 2:
Busy Dad Daily Stream Subscription – all modes are trained – strength, work capacity, chassis integrity (core) and endurance (but no longer than 45 minutes). As prescribed a 5 day/week plan – short, 45 minute sessions.
As a rule, don’t let gym-based fitness training negatively impact your MTB riding. It should complement it …. so as you choose from these keep this in mind. If you’re more fit, the Busy Dad sessions should be manageable with your MTB, and will make you more well rounded. But … if you’ve have a big MTB day planned, skip the session the day before and the day of.
Option 1 you can deploy now. These are designed to be completed 1-2x days/week.
– Rob
QUESTION
Good afternoon. I am a SSG active army and myself and a couple soldiers are struggling with weight and general fitness. I want to help myself and them get back into shape but I’m not sure which plan to follow. I am 34 5’10 around 235
And my soldiers are in earlier 20s but roughly around same height and weight
The only limitation I can think of is we don’t have those big ass sandbags yet
And as far as training now, it’s normal unit pt which honestly is lacking
Myself and my soldiers are on no running profiles but I’m looking to improve my running as well
Any recommendations?
ANSWER
Sandbag – You’ll need a 60#. You can order from us, amazon, etc. – or make your own. My first was an old duffle bag filled with gravel. Be resourceful.
Cut sugar and start eating clean and you’ll shed fat.
There are no shortcuts. Fix your diet, train hard & consistently, and you’ll shed weight and get fit.
Just. Keep. Grinding.
Good luck and mail any questions.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am currently prepping for RASP at my unit and am starting to run through the RASP prep 1&2 V3 program. I’ve hit a road block because of my current station and schedule.
Main 2 issues:
- My base pool will not open until 1st week of April.
- ︎I have *roughly* 15 weeks rather than 8
Is there an alternative I can do to the pool for the first couple weeks?
And how should I use the remaining 7 weeks before RASP?
Thank you for youre time. You were highly recommended by my peers, I hope to see the other side of RASP with yalls help.
ANSWER
1) You can either row or just do an easy run. Nothing replaces swimming – but these will at least help with aerobic base development.
2) The problem with running the Full RASP Plan back to back is it’s designed to peak your fitness directly before selection, which means it’s intense … and doing back to back you risk overtraining.
Options:
1) Do
Fortitude now, then complete the
RASP plan the 8 weeks directly before selection. Fortitude is a 7 week plan.
2) Do RASP back to back, but with modifications.
Weeks Plan
1-6 Complete the RASP Plan weeks 1-5, however, skip the Saturday mini sessions.
7 Total Rest
8-15 Complete the full RASP Plan
Know that at some point you’ll begin to plateau in your numbers … so you’ll see most your gains in the assessments the first time through the plan. Gains will be slow – or you might just maintain for the second time through.
Questions?
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m a mid 20s climber/skier/etc, in what I thought was pretty good shape. I manage to keep up with my guide friends climbing and touring all winter. I got your mtn base Helen to keep up my fitness this summer while working, to try instead of the uphill athlete plans I’ve done in the past. The first day absolutely wrecked my legs, to the point where I have taken a few days off so I don’t continue at a pace to injure myself. Do you have a recommendation for a plan that uses the full gym and maybe is a bit less brutal? Or maybe just do one workout from Helen every other day to ease into it? I have not done much strength training, just zone 2 endurance work, so I want to keep training my weakness but also work a physical job where I can’t wreck myself in a gym every evening.
ANSWER
Helen’s strength work is assessment-based, but if you’ve never front squatted, or haven’t in a while, I could see how it could make you sore.
Couple Options … keep grinding through Helen – and as you suggest, take a day off between sessions for a couple weeks, to get tuned up.
Another option is to do the Bodyweight Foundation Training Plan, then do Helen – but then you’d have to purchase another plan.
Understand that soreness decreases as fitness improves …. and just be smart with the loading on Helen’s work capacity efforts – drop down to the female loading for the first couple of weeks.
In a couple weeks you should be able to take the volume and be reasonably used to the new movements.
– Rob
QUESTION
My Son is planning to enlist in June (After college graduation).Here are his IFT Bests;
18 Pull-Ups
61 Push-Ups
61 Sit-Ups
9:54 1.5 Mile Run
9:30 500 Meter Swim
2 x 25 Meter Underwater Swims (Self-Reported Easy Pass)
He does not have a contract. Has not enlisted as of this time. Graduates from college in May. He has been in conversation with Recruiter but I dont have all those details. Has been training since the football season ended. Running, Swimming, Calisthenics, Moderate amount of lifting. Four years of Rigorous Lifting, Carrying, Dragging, Running in our Football program and was a Top-Performer in training and competing in that over four years.
Wanted to know if you have programming for Prep. Thank you.
ANSWER
Now I’d recommend your son drop into the plans/order in the
CCT/PJ/CRO Training Packet, doing the first 4 weeks of Military OnRamp and then jumping ahead to the AFSPECWAR OFT Training plan. .
Pls check back with me after he gets his contract and boot camp date.
I’m not sure how it works for the Air Force, but if he heads to selection directly after boot camp he’ll want to complete the selection plan directly before bootcamp.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am an Army cadet, about to be commissioned as an EOD 2LT. Currently, I am checking out your ACFT 7-week program. My last ACFT score was 595, missing 5 points from the SPT. I was wondering if you genuinely think that the program would help me max the movement? I am not worried about the money aspect, I am worried about time. I do not have a lot of time before my next ACFT (5 weeks from now), and I am afraid that drastically changing my training may negatively affect my score. Do you think I should wait to start your program until I have a full 7 weeks to dedicate to it? I was wondering your thoughts on the matter.
ANSWER
In general, the less fit the athlete, the more they’ll improve from the training. Unfit athletes have more room to improve. Fit athletes coming into MTI programming, have less room to improve – as they are already closer to their genetic potential.
My plan or yours? Two contrary things to think about.
First, everything works, but nothing works forever. This means that if you continue to train like you always have, your gains will taper and eventually plateau. You simply need to change things up at some point to continue to improve.
On the other hand, I’m not sure how you’ll react to MTI training. It could be it pushes you further than before, but every athlete reacts a little differently to the programming.
I will tell you that my ACFT training plan is assessment-bases. Day 1 you’ll take the ACFT and you’ll use your assessment scores for the follow-on progressions. This means, even if you come in fit, the plan will push you.
The short timeline – 5 weeks – isn’t a reason no to buy the MTI Plan – it includes a mid-cycle re-assessment and will continue to push you. However, you wall to skip ahead after week 4 and complete week 7 the week direclty befoe your ACFT. Week 7 is an unload taper week.
– Rob
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