QUESTION
I’m looking for a plan to focus on running times (at least 6+ miles) as well also focusing on bodyweight strength/calisthenics, and lifting. Kind of a total all around program. What program of yours would you recommend for this?
ANSWER
Options:
Max Effort Strength + 6-Mile Run Training Plan. – laser focused on improving max effort strength (heavy barbell) and 6-Mile Run time. No bodyweight work.
Willie – Still has a 6-mile run focus and concurrently trains strength, work capacity, chassis integrity, etc. Not as narrowly focused.
Which one?
I’d recommend Max Effort Strength + 6 Mile Run – still multi-modal, but more focus and likely better gains over 2 modes.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a college student, long time MTN customer and an Army National Guardsman preparing to work a summer job as a camp counselor at a state park. I will be living at the camp Monday- Friday. My days will be very busy from morning to evening, leaving my fitness time to early morning before work. I will not have access to any form of actual gym, just the ground, tree branches for pull-ups and my rucksack. I want to spend the summer away from the city increasing my overall bodyweight fitness.. strength, endurance, cardio and ruck time. I was looking at the bodyweight plans as I am currently doing bodyweight peak but I wanted to consult you and see what plan you recommend for my situation. Thank you!
ANSWER
Kiowa – you’ll need a 60# sandbag – but it would be a great compliment to bodyweight.
Busy Dad Limited Equpment 2 – Another option
Both limited equipment options to our standard bodyweight training.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am interested in going to SFAS roughly this time next year. I am about to finish the virtue series and was wondering what a good next step would be program wise? I was thinking about continuing to rotate through the virtue series until I leave but am not sure if that’s the best move.
ANSWER
After finishing your current plan, complete the Ruck-Based Selection Training Plan.
This is our focused SFAS prep plan and doing it now will give you a good no-shit snapshot of your physical and mental selection-based fitness.
After the RBSTP, take a full week’s rest, then drop into the Daily Operator Stream. This will be your day to day programming throughout most of the year.
15 weeks out, re-do Valor (7 weeks), then repeat the Ruck-Based Selection Training Plan the 8 weeks directly before selection.
Questions?
Excited for you!
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m currently working the Max Effort Strength +1.5 Mile plan, primarily to get some gains in squat and bench. Progress has been good in both – I’m back to my max squat from many moons ago and have a PR in bench of 185. Can’t wait to work my way to 225.
My only problem is that I feel like my left arm just hasn’t caught up with my right. When hitting my new max, or when working some of the latter heavy sets of 4, my left arm tends to fail and I have to destroy my form to finish the rep.
I was wondering if I could supplement some dumbbell work during the week to work on individual strength (i.e. DB bench instead of barbell during the Monday strength session). If so, how do you recommend adjusting weight? Is it as simple as splitting the prescribed weight in half, or is it more like 2×35% of the prescribed weight?
I imagine the solution is either that, or dropping weight and focusing on strict form.
Curious to hear your thoughts.
ANSWER
You won’t be able to use barbell weight for dumbbells.
Options …
1) Do 6 rounds of 5x reps – increase load rapidly until 5x is hard but doable – Dumbbells.
2) When your left arm starts failing doing a barbell bench press, turn your head to the left and look at it.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a LE officer here in Charlotte, NC. I wanted to inquire about the SWAT selection V2 training. I have until October until the tryouts start. Do you think it would be advisable to do this training now, back off with the daily patrol work, then prior to selection do it again? Open to any thoughts you have on this. ‘
Thank you for your time.
ANSWER
Now – SWAT Selection Plan, then … full week off, then … drop into the Daily SWAT/SRT Stream until your 8 weeks from selection, then repeat the SWAT selection plan the weeks directly before selection.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m coming off of ski season, where I used the backcountry preseason plan. Looking to purchase a general program with strength emphasis for the spring and summer. I’m 58 years old and have no specific athletic events to train for until next ski season. I reviewed the sample SF55 plan and completed the day 1 sample. The day 2 sample used many of the same exercises as the backcountry plan in a different format. Does the SF55 plan eventually progress to using more barbell lifting than the hinge lift? Eg squats and bench press?
ANSWER
I’m 57 and am the OG SF55 lab rat …. and until the fall had avoided the heavy deep squatting lifts simply because of my own, and others our age with joint pain issues. I have a hip replacement and knee arthritis … but in December started messing with what I call Gen-X Polar Training: Zone 2 endurance on 1 end, Max effort strength on the other – including back squats, bench press, hinge, etc..
Zone 2 endurance can be long – 40-90 minutes, and the strength training is short in terms of sessions – under 30 minutes, but heavy.
I just published the Gen-X Polar Plan this month and is what I’d recommend you try.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’ve entered the application process for the RCMP and am looking for a prep program leading into the academy. The 12-week program they provide is relatively rudimentary (not in a good way). I’m a bit of an a-typical candidate – I’m entering as my second career at the age of 40. I’m a regularly in the gym for strength training but have not consistently run in several years.
I am 40/5’9/184
Predominantly 2-3 full body strength sessions/wk (only about 40-45mins to train so I move quickly through 3-4 movements. 2 aerobic days – mostly intervals (run/bike/row) with no specific progression.
The facility I train in has everything I can think of.
Do you have an existing program that would be relevant to the expectations of the program?
ANSWER
Now through June 1 … follow the sessions in the Daily LE Patrol/Detective Stream. These are 45-min, day to day training for operational officers.
June 1 complete the LE Academy Training Plan, then drop back into the Daily LE Patrol/Detective stream until you’re 7 weeks out, then repeat the LE Academy plan into the academy.
Questions?
Good luck!
– Rob
QUESTION
I am currently working on this program and I enjoy it. Do you have any recommendations for programs I could use for maintenance both on/off season (once I finish this one) ?
ANSWER
Our Daily Mountain Elite subscription is designed as day-to-day training for multi-sport mountain athletes between seasons (off season).
In Season? This depends on how much bc skiing you’re doing weekly. If you’re getting in 3-5 days/week of bc skiing, do the In-Season Strength Plan for Endurance Athletes.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am a monthly subscriber and had a question about programming for a 50 mile ultra in September and a 100 mile ultra sometime next year. I am currently finishing a 20 week hybrid athlete strength marathon program for my marathon in a few weeks and want to go back to more tactical/mountain athlete training for my ultras. I have a good base for mileage and want add rucking in. The programs I looked at 50 mile ultra and 100 mile ultra are 10 and 17 week programs. The question I have it.
How would you recommend I keep adding my weekly mileage in between programs? While building my rucking and strength/work capacity?
ANSWER
Answers:
1) I wouldn’t. You can’t continuously keep adding running mileage – even. pro ultra runners pull back on volume significantly during the off season.
It’s best to start far out from the event, build volume into it to peak for the race, then unload.
Don’t discount the training time and fitness it takes to complete one of these events. The training time alone to get in the weekly mileage, esp. for the 100-mile, is significant, – like 20+ hours/week. You can get away with multi-modal training for a marathon, but an ultra is different – if you want to do more than just “survive” the event.
Both these plans have strength and chassis integrity programmed – but the primary focus is on running and running volume.
Adding in rucking? You don’t want to add volume so you’d need to replace some of the programmed mileage with rucking … but rucking is slower than running and you still need to log the mileage – which means your training time will increase. Just know that and understand that ultras are running events and it’s not clear that the rucking will transfer to your performance in the ultra.
Work capacity? If you felt the need to add any I’d keep it sprint based and do 4 rounds of a 300m shuttle on a 2:30 interval 1-2x/week.
Between Plans? I’d recommend our Mountain Elite Daily Stream – this programming is multi-modal – and includes strength, work capacity, chassis integrity – but it has a greater endurance emphasis than our tactical programming – which reflects the reality of most mountain sports.
You can also add in focused cycles between – like our Max Effort Strength + 5-Mile Run Training Plan or similar to still train multi-modal, but add focus.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am sure you get these type of questions quite often, but here is my goals/scenario and am wondering if you can give me your recommendation on what program or programs to buy and start out with and hopefully keep continuing on with it or move to the next.
I do live in a smaller rural town in ND and there isn’t a gym in town so I need something that can be done at home. I have a pull up bar, resistance bands, set of adjustable dumbbells and a pair of adjustable kettlebells. Wouldn’t be opposed to getting different or other equipment but really don’t have the room yet, for a full rack and gym
I have let myself go a little bit that last couple years so have gotten out of shape, but getting back on track. Just turned 39
I do go on couple week long back country hunts a year otherwise hunting big game and upland in ND which doesn’t get to rugged. So with that my goals are mainly to look good move good, have enough strength, endurance, etc to be able to play with the kids and do the back country hunts without getting beat up to much.
Haven’t been training much lately last six months or so, just some walking on treadmill or walking to work.
Up until then I was doing a little bit of random kettlebell workouts I found online or YouTube, did the simple and sinister program for a bit and did ddp yoga.
Sorry for the long questions and all the info.
Looking forward to your reply.
ANSWER
Busy Dad Limited Equipment 1 to start.
Also – Fix your diet. You need to lose 50lbs … and you can’t outwork a shitty diet. Eating clean isn’t complicated – it’s just hard. Here are our recommendations.
There are no short cuts. Show up every day and Just, Keep, Grinding.
– Rob
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