QUESTION
I’ve enjoyed your busy operator and rat6 in the past.
I’ve been out of the army for 4 years and have been schizophrenic with staying in shape, alternating between lifting emphasis and running emphasis, but id like to find a balance. I have a couple questions before purchasing a plan.
Does the 25k training plan ever incorporate barbell work?
Do you have any suggestions for plan that have both barbell work and long distance running?
ANSWER
No on the 25K Ultra Plan – it’s a limited equipment plan.
Yes on the running & Lifting:
– Max Effort Strength + Aerobic Base Fitness Training Plan (Running is time based)
– Max Effort Strength + 6-Mile Run Training Plan (Running is distance based and includes threshold work)
– Meathead Marathon Training Plan – designed for guys how are arm-twisted into running a marathon by their wives/girlfriends/buddies – but don’t want to lose all their muscle. Emphasis is on lifting.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a 24 year old in the Navy who has used some of the MTN Tactical Institute plans in the past and am looking for a recommendation as I am having trouble joining some plans together. I currently work out 6 days a week, often with a cardio and a weightlifting workout every day. Most of the plans have either one or the other on the same day, so I was looking to combine plans.
I am currently training for a 3 mile run while still improving main lifts (mainly bench press, squat, deadlift, and weighted pullups). Are there any plans you recommend combining?
ANSWER
You can double up this plan with more training – but there will be a cost. The cost is you won’t make the gains you would if you didn’t double up.
You don’t improve fitness by training – you improve fitness by resting after training.
Push yourself in the 1RM assessments, and the follow on strength progressions will be no joke. Push yourself in the 3-mile run assessments, and the 1-mile intervals will be no joke.
– Rob
QUESTION
In addition to the Fat Loss workout plan, is there another workout plan that would be beneficial to do in addition to the Fat Loss program?
ANSWER
95% of Fat Loss is diet related. You can’t outwork a shitty diet.
Clean up your diet, and you’ll shed fat.
Most important – cut all refined sugar – and you’ll cut fat.
– Rob
QUESTION
June 2 and 3 are test day for PFT/Modified PST respectively. Finishing Week 4 of NSWDG PST + Planks and then i was going to start on Pirates. I dont have enough time to get through the whole series because I’ll need to start NSWDG PST + Planks again on 28 April. Which programs from Pirates would you recommend?
PFT Day 1
PST Day 2 (500m Swim/3mi Run)
ANSWER
I’m not too sure I understand your question.
I think I understand that you’re finishing the PST plan now, and have a few weeks before you start it again for your assessment train up. And you want to know what Pirate’s plan you should do between PST plans.
If this is right – Barbossa
– Rob
QUESTION
I am looking for a plan that will help me prepare for a foreign jungle warfare course I will be attending. I do not have a lot of details yet, I should be receiving more info next week when I talk to a guy who went last year, but what I do know is that I will be carrying loads upwards of 90lbs through arduous terrain that is hilly and mountainous. I have about 7 weeks to train up for it. For now I was thinking about jumping into your SFOD-D Build plan since there is a good bit of rucking in it. I can reach back out once I get more details for a more fine tuned approach.
ANSWER
I’d recommend the Sapper Leader’s Course – and increase the ruck weight for the assessment from 35# to 60#. If you’re not in rucking shape, do a 6-mile initial ruck assessment and 2-mile intervals. Then, for the mid-cycle assessment, do a 9-mile assessment and 3 mile intervals.
This course includes training for a “gate” assessment, long mini-events, etc. – it’s more than just rucking – and might be more well-rounded until you know more about the course.
As prescribed it’s a 8 week plan. Do weeks 1-6, then skip forward and do week 8 directly before your course.
Email questions.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m about to finish up military on ramp in a week and I’m looking into getting a running plan. My cardio isn’t great and the only mileage I have is the little bit that military on ramp has. I’ve tried previous running plans from others but they break me off after two weeks. I am required to run a 5 mile in under 40 minutes and I am trying to get back into that shape. What plan would you recommend for me?
I’m male, 29 years old and weigh 220#
ANSWER
5 miles under 40 minutes is no joke. This plan starts at 1.5 mile assessment and builds from there.
Fix your diet … losing fat will help everything. Here are our recommendations. Cut sugar and you’ll shed weight.
There are no shortcuts. Just.Keep.Grinding …
Questions?
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m a 58 year old combat vet and current Forester for the BLM. I have some minor service related injuries that will make it a bit harder, but I have set a goal to complete the Combat Standards Test (synopsis below) before I turn 60. I’m working with Dan Dobyns, Superintendent of the Diamond Mountain Hotshots, in coming up with a general plan progression. Dan suggested that I contact Rob to see if he might be willing to offer a little more in-depth advice or suggested training plan.
Is this something that you would be interested in helping with?
Thank you for the consideration,
Combat Standards Test (not an actual test used by the military, it’s designed to simulate the land warfare training phase of Seal training)
ANSWER
I’ve never heard of event until today and see it’s an influencer test – not an official Navy event. We may consider designing a training plan specifically for this assessment, but I don’t have one for you currently.
I can give you some advice on scaling.
Best would be to start the event unloaded, and if necessary, scale the front squat loading to 95#, and the burpee pull ups to 50 reps. I’d recommend starting there – unloaded, 25x front squats at 95#, run 1.5 miles, 50x burpee pull ups, run 1.5 miles time.
Just do that and see if you can make the 60 minute time limit.
If so, I’d run it again later in the week, then the next week increase the front squat load to 115# and burpee pull ups to 75x reps. Do this 2x/week until you can get it in 60 min, – then increase the burpees to 100x reps and run 2x/week until you can get it in 60 minutes.
Then, bump the front squat load up to 135# and 25x front squats, run 1.5 mile run, 100x burpee pull ups, 1.5 mile run 2x week until you can get it in 60 minutes.
Then, put on the 25# vest, drop the burpee pull ups to 50x reps for until you can get it in 60 min, then 75x burpee/pull ups, then finally, 100x Burpee pull ups.
This whole thing won’t take 2 years, but 3-4 months. You’ll do it by 59.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m a big fan of your programs. I’ve done Fortitude, Valor, and will complete Resilience soon. Seen a lot of strength and endurance gains in that time and I appreciate a lot of the new movements you’ve introduced me to.
I plan on doing a 50 mile ruck in June. It’ll be with a 35# pack and will have about 9500′ of elevation gain/loss over the 50 miles. I was wondering if you could recommend a plan for me to train up with after I complete Resilience.
ANSWER
50-Mile Ultra Plan – 10 week plan. Complete the plan as prescribed, except complete the Saturday & Sunday mileage rucking @ 35#.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a 48-year-old male that has currently completed 3 50K ultramarathons (1 Spartan OCR and 2 trail) and am interested in completing a 50 mile ultra on my 50th birthday. In order to do this I will need to become a faster runner as I tend to be a back of the pack runner, largely because while I have taken a structured approach to strength I never followed a structured running program and overly relied on having a high level of general fitness. My idea is to spend this year working on improving my 50K time and scale up to 50 miles next year (just looking to finish my first one).
- I am 5’8” and weigh 185 lbs and have the following strength metrics:
- BP – 230 lbs 1RM
- Squat – Squat 290 lbs 1RM
- Deadlift – 340 lbs 1RM
- OHP – 140
Over the course of my training, I’d like to try to push these numbers up a bit more and get myself into the 1000lb club. I understand there may be a need to periodize and maintain one attribute for a given block (e.g. strength) while I focus on improving the other (e.g. endurance). My question is what MTI programs would best help me to meet these goals and how to best arrange them? I don’t mind repeating programs/blocks if warranted. I am currently running Tactical Barbell’s Green Protocol which I will complete before starting any MTI programs. I’m aiming for 2 years from now. Not looking to rush it and leaving myself a realistic time frame.
ANSWER
You’re saying a couple contradictory things – you want to improve max effort strength, but also spend more time running.
I’ve built several plans that train max effort strength and running concurrently, but the issue for you is your running distances … training for 50ks and 50-milers takes a lot of training time to do it well – and this impacts time for strength training. The plans I’ve built have shorter running distance goals (1.5 – 6 mile) with the exception of 1.
So … what I recommend for you is to work through 2-3 of our strength + running plans until you start your build up to your 50-miler.
Now: Max Effort Strength + 6-Mile Run Training Plan – this will introduce you to both assessed and progressed strength and run training.
Then, Max Effort Strength + Aerobic Base Training Plan, then
Follow it up with the Meathead Marathon Training Plan – strength, and run distance increase to be able to complete a marathon / 50k … then …
Drop into our 45+ Daily programming for a month or two to step back from max effort strength and running unload …
Then start your build up to your 50 miler … beginning with the Ultra Pre-Season Training Plan followed by the 50-Mile Ultra Plan into your targeted 50-mile race.
Know that for these ultra plans, you’ll pull back significantly from max effort strength work.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m wondering if you could help me out with a couple of questions I have.
When programming contains a “ruck run,” what exactly should that look like? Should it be at a pace which I can continuously run or should it be a mix of running and walking?
Also, your plans dictate a “moderate” effort for a lot of the runs. What heart rate range or zone should that be?
Thank you for your help.
ANSWER
Ruck Run = a jog or trot. Not walking. Don’t overcomplicate it.
Moderate Effort – “comfortable but not easy.
The HR zone for easy = within 5 bpm of 180-age. For a 30-year old, 180-30 = 150 so the “easy” pace (if you have a HR monitor) is 145-155.
In this case, moderate pace would be 155-170 bpm or so. Comfortable, but you can’t speak in full sentences while moving.
– Rob