QUESTION
Today I started the Ranger School Prep package and it is the first time I have ever ran 5 miles.. I haven’t done much up to this point to get myself ready, but I know I will not be going for awhile as of right now. During the 5 mile run, I had to do about 1/2 mile and take a short break and continue until I completed the run. I didn’t do a whole lot of this the first half, but mostly the second half. Is this something that could be “normal” from someone who has never ran like this before? Any insight or direction would be badass. Thank you
ANSWER
Complete the Ranger School Plan now, as prescribed. The volume/distances are going to push you in many ways. Don’t let your mind make it harder than it is.
Just. Keep. Grinding.
Use the plan know to test your commitment to Ranger School and ensure your ladder is up against the right wall. This is an opportunity for you.
– Rob
QUESTION
Sir,
I had a question about the ruck-running in the Fortitude V2 plan. I am currently following the Ruck Based Selection Training Packet and have already completed Humility and the Big 24. I wanted to know what you personally suggest for footwear when it comes to the ruck-runs. I’m training for IBOLC and Ranger School (will start in August and January, respectively). Thank you very much!
Very Respectfully,
ANSWER
I currently use Hoka One One running shoes – Super Cushy. I’ve also ruck run in trail running shoes and light hiking boots.
However, for all Selection and school train ups – you should wear the boots you plan to wear at selection/school. The train up also serves as a test of your gear, and you’ll know if you need to change before the real thing.
– Rob
QUESTION
Hi,
I am interested in purchasing a training program. I learned about your website through friend that coaches CrossFit. I did CrossFit for about a year and really really enjoyed it (wish I could continue it, but it just got to be a little too expensive otherwise I would have continued!). So, I know how to properly perform a good amount of exercises. But I’ve fallen off the fitness train a little recently, so I am looking to get back in shape. I’m a skier in the winter and a mountain biker in the summer.
The biggest problem I have is equipment. I have a couple kettlebells, some dumbbells, and a spin bike…in my living room. I can figure out/make a plyo box and purchase a couple more cheap items if needed (like one of those doorway pull up bar thingys). But, right now a gym membership is little expensive (the cheap ones in Aspen are over $100/month!! 🙂 I know there’s a lot you can do with just kettle/dumbbells and bodyweight. It looks like you have a few programs that would fit the bill.
Which if your programs would you recommend to get started?
Thanks! I look forward to giving a few of your programs a go!
ANSWER
Start our stuff with Bodyweight Foundation: http://mtntactical.com/shop/bodyweight-foundation-training-plan/
– Rob
QUESTION
Hello,
I had been planning on spending some time in the mountains this summer before my work requirements dictated that I spend peak outdoors season in New York City where I currently live. Until I have a chance to properly plan my new trip dates for 2018 I’m simply looking to challenge myself and achieve a high level of fitness while I keep your Greek Heroine packet in the back of my mind for the period preceding my eventual backpacking trips.
Here is my current plan that I was hoping to get some input on:
I’m a 5’11” and 185# former distance runner. I recently completed your hypertrophy for skinny guys plan and was immediately laid low by the flu for the past week. Now that I’m feeling a bit better I was thinking about using your bodyweight training plan as an on-ramp to the greek hero packet.
Does the bodyweight foundation plan make sense as an on ramp to that packet? Again, I’m only really looking for a challenge to keep me occupied until I can reach a more sport specific training cycle once I know my 2018 trip dates.
Thank you,
ANSWER
Use the Military On-Ramp Training Plan (http://mtntactical.com/shop/on-ramp-training-plan/) to ramp up for the Greek Hero Packet.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a high school student in California, and have been pursuing mountain activities for years. However thinking about my future and I was wondering about the military prep courses. Which one is most suited to SFAS course prep?
Thanks,
ANSWER
Several have use the Ruck-Based Selection Training Program (http://mtntactical.com/shop/ruck-based-selection-training-plan-v5/) successfully for SFAS.
However, for you now, I’d recommend you start our stuff with Humility: http://mtntactical.com/shop/humility/
– Rob
QUESTION
Hi,
I purchased Mountain Athlete bodyweight training plan in May 2013 and recently saw on Mountain Tactical Institute website bodyweight foundation plan.
What is the difference in these plans and should I purchase the new plan or is using the old version good enough?
Main difference is the duration of each plan 4 weeks vs 6 weeks.
Thanks in advance
ANSWER
The plans are significantly different. Our programming is always evolving and Bodyweight Foundation is deploys initial assessments and progressions based on your assessment results – so it scales to the incoming fitness of the athlete.
Should you buy it? Only unless your completing the older plan multiple times/year. But if you’re only completing it once or twice a year, save your money for plane tickets – as Yvon Chouinard would advise.
– Rob
QUESTION
I just wanted to reach out to you and ask for advice on programming for a bulging disc back injury. I attended your programming course in Southern Pines and have had great success programming for our Police academy. Since the course I injured my back doing a hinge lift and was diagnosed with a bulged disc. I was told by a chiropractor that I do not ever need to do deadlifts or back squats again. I wanted to ask your advice in this matter and see if you had any motivating advice that could assist me in getting back to training.
thanks,
ANSWER
Low Back injuries are a mystery, with every PT, back MD, and Chiropractor with his/her own opinion.
I don’t have a quick fix for you.
We do have a Low Back Fitness Training Plan Here: http://mtntactical.com/?s=low+back+fitness+training+plan
– This plan is designed to bring back athletes like you from low back “episodes” … and several have used it successfully. It doesn’t prevent future injury, but does show the athlete that he/she can come back, and helps build confidence.
I’m not sure where you are in your injury – this plan isn’t designed for folks who are still severely limited after their injury, but those past that who, who are active, but “vulnerable” – both physically and mentally to low back issues.
The plan is progressive – it starts easier and increases difficulty as you work through it. But it could still be too much. Another Option is our Core Strength Bodyweight Only Plan (http://mtntactical.com/shop/core-strength-bodyweight-only/) – which is just core exercises, or our Bodyweight Foundation Plan (http://mtntactical.com/shop/bodyweight-foundation-training-plan/) – which trains the full body with bodyweight strength, plus work capacity and distance running.
QUESTION
Sir/ma’am,
I was just wondering how the subscription works.
After purchasing, say I wanted to try the sfod-d assessment program and then decided it started too easy, am I only given one workout/day and I just have to wait it out until I get to a difficult point or is it given all at once?
Also, should I decide to test out different programs, is there a limit to how many I can experiment with?
Thank you for your time!
ANSWER
You get access to all our training plans as long as you have a subscription – we have like 200 of them – and you can navigate wherever you want.
– Rob
QUESTION
Rob,
I’m a big fan of your work and how you try to update your philosophy over time. Very few people do that. I have also found out that very few people take time to respond to customer questions. Thank you very much for both! I have two questions:
#1. In your “My Biggest Programming Mistakes” article, you said that you are a recent convert to foam rolling. I have never done it before, and my local sports stores don’t have any equipment to look at before purchasing. Could you tell me a few brands, products, types of items, etc. that have worked for you?
#2. I am in the National Guard, and I scored 287/300 on my last APFT in November. I recently decided to do my first triathlon this August. I am not overly concerned about my biking ability, I don’t really swim at the present, and I only run about 30 miles a week. With about seventeen weeks left, would it be more advantageous for me to do a combined plan (e.g. “MARSOC A&S”) or two separate plans at the same time (e.g. “Ultra Running” and “Swim Improvement”)? I know I’m not going to win the race; my goal is to finish.
Thank you for your time,
ANSWER
1. Don’t overthink this. I buy 3-foot long hard foam rollers from Rogue Fitness, and cut them into 1-foot sections for my athletes. Why these are so expensive, I have no idea. Here’s a place to start – our Foam Roll Complex: http://mtntactical.com/exercises/foam-roll-complex-2/
2. You’re like the 6th guy the past month to ask me about a tri plan…. I don’t have one, and cobbling together stuff from our training for mountain and tactical athletes isn’t the best approach. There are a bazillion free tri plans on the net, for every distance, as well as many books and coaches. Best would be for you to take 6-8 weeks and train sport-specifically for your tri – this is what I’d recommend if we did have a tri plan…. perhaps we’re gonna have to build one.
– Rob
QUESTION
Question about cutting length of plans …
I wanted to train up for GoRuck Selection this year – 9-21-17 – I’ll start your programming the first full week of April (April 3).
By my count that’s 24 weeks of prep available …
Was going to do Humility, Fortitude, then your 10-week GoRuck Selection plan.
Humility is 7 weeks, Fortitude is 7, and GoRuck Selection is 10 weeks. That’s actually 24 total … but … I see you usually include a rest/deload week in between plans.
From reading all your past Q&A’s you seem to always recommend never cutting the final selection/sport-specific plan because it has the deload weeks built in …
So …
1. Should I cut one week from the end of both Humility and Fortitude and replace with a deload?
Or try to run them all back to back with no deload/planned off weeks?
2. When you have someone putting together strategic, month-after-month periodized training leading up to a specific event like this — how do you have them account for something that pops up out of nowhere? Like sickness or business travel, etc?
Thanks!
ANSWER
I just updated Humility and Fortitude and Week 7 for both plans is an assessment/unload week – so you can run the plans into each other.
Unexpected stuff?? Don’t skip ahead … start again where you left off. The most important plan is your final one – the Selection Plan. The last week is a taper … and you don’t want to skip the taper, if you need to cut, you’ll want to cut days from the middle of the plan to get the full taper.
– Rob
QUESTION
Hey Rob,
I purchased both the tacp and USAF past programs. My concern right now is passing my first past test to qualify for tacp. I was wondering how I could incorporate longer runs in the program to build a base for long runs. What days would you do them and how many times per week. Thanks for the help and great products!
Regards,
ANSWER
I’m not sure you need to add anything to the PAST plan, Phil, but if you did I’d add your longer runs in as 2-a-days on Tuesday and Thursday, and another on Friday.
Enter your 1.5 mile assessment time into our Running Calculator to get your “Easy per mile pace for Longer Runs.” http://mtntactical.com/exercises/running-calculator/
I’d recommend 4-7 mile runs on Tues and Thurs, at this pace, and another 7-10 mile easy run on Saturdays.
Good luck!
QUESTION
Hi Rob
1. Just checking out your V2 of Fortitude. I wondered why you removed the hinge lift component and also decided to go with back squats. I read your research a lot and those two changes seem to be counter intuitive to your previous methodologies. I know you have excellent reasons for the changes (each iteration of the plans you update are always better), just wondering if you would share them for V2 of Fortitude. You’ve mentioned V1 is one of your favourite plans you have developed.
2. I have been using your gym-based, multi-modal endurance programming you posted. I have done each one a number of times now, and love them. Just wondering if you were gonna put them into a plan and create more. Not sure if they are still a work in progress. They are perfectly brutal! hah!
Hope you can help
ANSWER
1. Monday’s Craig Special does a pretty good job of covering front squats, and doing them again later in the week would be redundant – so I went with back squats. Monday’s Craig Specials also have a very similar motion to the hinge lift, so I replaced the hinge with walking lunges – which I also consider a posterior chain strength exercise.
2. I just finished “Gratitude” – which is the 5th plan of the Virtue Series and incorporates the gym-based endurance stuff we’ve been working on for several months now. We should have it up on the site this week.
– Rob
QUESTION
Rob,
I have a Marine getting ready to attend A&S MARSOC on 2 April. He
is in the waiting period & is curious what type of training he should do in
the downtime. He finished the Marine Corps A&S Training plan & has been
working with our Marine Recon guys lately. Do you have any suggestions on
what he can do to stay active/fresh? Thanks.
ANSWER
Have him do Sessions #49 and #50 tomorrow and Friday. Take Saturday off, then starting Sunday, have him repeat Week 8’s sessions so he ends on Wednesday. That should give him 3 days rest before he reports.
– Rob
QUESTION
Hello,
I’m just hoping that you can help me out with an answer to a quick inquiry.
I am up here in the great white north and I am moving into the final 10 weeks before my next training course. I have been quite consistent with my physical training up until this point but I am looking to really push myself into high gear before the summer hits.
I will be going on Dp1.1 also known as my dismounted infantry platoon commanders course, I am not exactly sure if there is a direct equivalency in the states but I would assume that there must be something incredibly similar. The course is 12 weeks long and is considered the most physically demanding of all the courses leading to full qualification as an infantry officer.
I was wondering, which if any of the programs that you offer that you think might best suit my needs. Seeing that you have everything from special forces selection to mountain warfare and ranger school I feel that you must have something suitable for my needs.
Thank you for your time,
ANSWER
I’d recommend the Ranger School Training Plan: http://mtntactical.com/shop/ranger-school-training-plan/
Complete this plan the 8 weeks directly before your course.
If you want to extend it to 10 weeks, do weeks 2 and 3, twice.
Good luck!
– Rob
QUESTION
Hey Rob,
Been a follower of your training and plans for several years now – I think I’ve worked through 11 of your programs?
Though that time my body has gained size, lost size, become more durable, increase in endurance and strength. So thank you for that!
I was curious if you had a recommendation on a plan that could give me some size (think thicker mid-section and body all around) but still, keep me in overall well-rounded shape. That way if given the planned or random spur of the moment opportunity to hit the mountains for a 1-2 overnighter trip, go spear fishing, snowboarding, etc. I still can without having to second guess my physical capabilities/stamina/durability/fitness levels.
Thanks in advanced for any recommendation you can offer!
ANSWER
You’ve done our stuff so you know I’m not an appearance coach. Given that, I’d recommend Achilles: http://mtntactical.com/shop/operator-achilles/
This is an awesome plan from our tactical side which trains strength, work capacity, chassis integrity, agility and endurance, concurrently. The strength work deploys our version of “Super Squat” progression for both the back squat and bench press, and we also throw in heavy power cleans. Work capacity stuff combines short, intense bodyweight efforts (think box jumps + burpees), sprint repeats and sandbag get ups. Endurance wise, long, easy runs which push to 10 miles.
– Rob
QUESTION
Rob,
I am a 46 year old that is in the process of changing careers. Last June, I became a full time EMT for a 911 service in Central West Virginia and am now a FT Paramedic student as well.
I weigh 280#… my weight has yo-yo’d the past 4 years. I dropped from 325 down to 230 with just focusing on fitness and my diet. I felt really good but wasn’t happy with my strength numbers. We started doing CrossFit. I gained back about 20# of muscle… then we moved from Ohio to here in West Virginia. We tried a couple of the CF boxes here and they were not satisfactory but my weight stayed around 260.
Now we are working out at the local YMCA that have a good weightlifting & functional fitness/ Olympic lifting area. I do like rucking and using sandbags & kettlebells as well.
We are looking at doing weekly day hiking trips in the mountains here in West Virginia. Also, starting Memorial Day weekend… we are going to take long weekends and visit different parks and set up basecamps and then go hike all day long each day.
With all that said… we would like to be able to do the above plus lose weight. We know we need to get our diets back under control… but what other programs do you recommend for me for hiking/ backpacking, as an EMT/ Paramedic and better overall GPP?
ANSWER
To start out I’d recommend our Fat Loss Training Plan: http://mtntactical.com/shop/fat-loss-training-program/
Dropping 30-50# is the best thing you can do … everything will get better – including hiking/backpacking.
Follow it up with Humility – a limited equipment training plan from our tactical side: http://mtntactical.com/shop/humility/
Humility is a limited equipment plan with a slight emphasis on work capacity and endurance. It will help improve your overall fitness, and continue to help you shed weight. The endurance work will help greatly in the mountains.
Fix your diet. Here are our nutritional guidelines: http://mtntactical.com/inside-strong-swift-durable/frequently-asked-questions/#nutrition
– Rob
QUESTION
Hi Rob: I am coming off Bodyweight Training Foundation (BTF) in a few weeks,
and am looking at your LE Spirits Training packet. Question: can I move into
the Training Packet (or any of the individual plans) upon completion of BTF,
or would you recommend something else first, ex. LE On-ramp?
I am civilian but think I would enjoy the challenge of your tactical athlete
plans. The increased focus on upper-body hypertrophy has me leaning toward
the Grey training over Green.
Please advise. By the way, I found MTI by way of your Art of Manliness
podcast; you did a great job representing yourself and your brand. Thanks,
ANSWER
You should be good. Those plans are awesome, hard, and actually fun.
Enjoy the TAC SEPA work.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a Swedish marine that follow your Busy operater 1 plan. Now i have an ongoing inflamation in my right foot and cant run or ruck. What can i do for cardio endurence? Rowing?
Have a good day
ANSWER
Spinning on a stationairy bike would be better than rowing … but rowing
will work. So will swimming.
The Swimming Improvement Training Plan is swimming only:
http://mtntactical.com/shop/swim-improvement-plan/
It includes treading work, under water repeats, and long swims and
short, hard intervals based on an assessment.
The BUD/s V2 Training Plan
(http://mtntactical.com/shop/buds-training-program/) includes swimming
in a 6 day/week plan which also trains PFT work, work capacity,
running and rucking. You swim 2-3x/week.
– Rob
QUESTION
Hello Coach,
I came up with a weird idea (in my scales; for you ppl it might be a nice
warm-up for bigger events taking place):
In mid October there´ll be a 62mile hike challenge in my area which you have
to finish within 24 hrs.
And I have this idea in participating; maybe because of the issues I had
with my knees for the last six months, which stopped me from doing any
sports at all,
besides the usual rehab cycling and light strength training programme. In
Other words: No sports……
I am frustrated with this situation, of course- counterproductive!!!- I put
on additional weight, which I am trying to lose now.
But I want to be back in the ring and this hike should be my cartharsis.
Now my question: Which kind of programme would you recommend for me, a
former fit, now overweight (1st grade) female of 42 yrs with Cartilage
issues in both knees,
who loved to trailrun and has now a pretty sedentary job in my FD (light
duties, the knees…..), who hungers to be back and wants to take on the
challenge in October.
Any Tips will be much appreciated!!
Thank you for your kind support and with best regards,
ANSWER
1) Start our stuff with Bodyweight Foundation
(http://mtntactical.com/shop/bodyweight-foundation-training-plan/).
Don’t be fooled by “bodyweight” – this plan is no joke.
It includes bodyweight squats, and lunges, sprinting and distance
running and is a great way to kickstart your fitness and start to
toughen up your mind and knees.
2) Fix your diet. Loosing weight will help everything – especially
your knees. Here are our recommendations:
http://mtntactical.com/inside-strong-swift-durable/frequently-asked-questions/#nutrition
Email back on the other side of Bodyweight Foundation.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am 53 and I am having some issues with my Right knee. I need to put
together a program to strengthen and lengthen the soft tissue supporting and
surrounding the knee. An active life has led to a few meniscus tears, cysts,
spurs, the works, but none of it adds up to mandatory surgery. Even if I was
to have elective surgery to clean it up, I’d still love to have a program
for recovery.
What do you prescribe? Let me know.
Thanks,
ANSWER
I’m not sure if I can help, Geoff. My legs are strong, but both my
knees hurt – I’m 48. Given that, one plan you could try is the
Post-Rehab Leg Injury Training Plan:
http://mtntactical.com/shop/post-rehab-leg-injury-training-plan-ssd/
I built this for athletes coming back from ACL and other injuries who
are done with physical therapy, but still too weak to start full on
training.
– Rob