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QUESTION
I’ve seen some of the vids of your LE athletes in action and want more.
I’ve been in corrections for the last 8 years. For 7 of those years I was a member of the emergency response team. I am now making a push for the states Special Operations Response Team (Colorado’s version of HRT). I was wondering if you all had some specific training plans for this type of athlete. If so, what and how much.
Tryouts are May 29th with the 10 day academy at the end of August into Sept.The pft is a mile and a half run in under 16 min. 4 + dead hang pullups, 50 + sit ups in 2 min., 35 + push ups in 2 mins. They also throw in the marine cft at times to mix it up.
I would appreciate some direction and advice.
Thank you for your help, keep up the good work and the vids are awesome.
-J
ANSWER
Hi J-
You’re a little close to the tryout for anything other than a PFT-Specific plan. Closest I have to your PFT is the APFT Training Plan available at militaryathlete.com: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=101&cart_ID=30.
You’ll need to add in pull ups – but you can follow the same progressions. Also this plan’s run is 2 miles, but it should work for your 1.5 Mile run.
If you make it through tryouts, I’d recommend either the FBI HRT Plan: http://www.leathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=71&cart_ID=115 prior to your 10-day Academy at the end of summer.
Good luck!
– Rob
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QUESTION
Hi Rob,
I had a quick question. Does your DEA PTT training program have a section of training specifically for the female style pull ups that are required? Thank you in advance!
A
ANSWER
Hi A-
Yes – you can use it for the female style pull ups.
Our DEA PTT (http://www.leathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=69&cart_ID=118) training plan has you take the test, and then used progressions based upon your initial test results for your train up.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Hey Rob,
I’ve been doing your program for close to a year now and I’ve loved every single minute of it. I’m a veteran myself and I am now a personal trainer at our local gym here in town. I would love to attend one of your programming courses for designing workouts for your athletes, but unfortunately that’s easier said than done. I was curious if you had the material of your courses available for purchase. I have been wanting for some time now to learn the philosophies of your program design. I am hoping to start a program here at the gym for the LE/EMS/Military community out here, as well as for my individual clients. Thanks again for all that you do.
Sincerely-
-N
ANSWER
Hi Nick –
No, not right now. We are investigating video courses, but haven’t gotten there yet.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I have been a military athlete guy for the last 2 years. First I love the stuff and thanks for the hard work to help us all be safe.
I am a Police Officer in Arizona and just noted you started leathlete.com.
What is the difference between the two, I looked around the leathlete website but could not look at the workout sessions?
If you need more lab rats let me know I am sure some of the guys on my team would be interested.
Have you ever looked into going to the National Tactical Officers Association Conference to get your stuff out there? Just a thought, I have been a member for years and started as an instructor last year, it is every September.
Thanks,
-J
ANSWER
Hi J-
Fitness demands for LE Athletes differ from the military in a few significant ways:
– No need for endurance or extended stamina
– Upper body mass can be a professional advantage (intimidation)
– Greater focus on sprinting, and explosive power
– Day to day tactical load is lighter, and with few exceptions, rucking isn’t necessary
– Athletes, in general, are older – extending into late 40s and 50s
A great way to get a taste of the focus is the SWAT/SRT Kickstart Plan: http://www.leathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=70&cart_ID=121
We deployed this plan while working with several Border Control BORTAC and BORSTAR officers at El Paso in December.
Hadn’t heard of the Tactical Officers Association Conference. Thanks! – I’ll look into it.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I currently subscribe to the Operator Sessions and am planning on doing them until I’m six weeks out from my FBI Phase II PFT evaluation (which is when I would begin the FBI PFT plan I purchased a few weeks ago). My plan was to purchase the HRT Selection program from the site after that and see how I stand (figured it wouldn’t hurt to be at that level prior to the Academy).
Is this HRT plan still available for sale? I noticed it has been removed from the Mil Athlete store. If not, which do you recommend in place of it?
Thanks for the great programming!
ANSWER
Hi M-
Yes – we started programming specifically for Law Enforcement Athletes at leathlete.com. Here’s the link to the FBI HRT Plan: http://www.leathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=71&cart_ID=115
– Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
Did body weight I and just finishing II.
I have a SWAT PFT coming up consisting of the following. Any recommendations would be helpful.
Event 1: Pursuit/Rescue Climb
The “Pursuit/Rescue Climb” consists of two “pull-ups” with the hands facing outwards. The “pull-ups” will start from a “dead hang” position. The student will be wearing a tactical vest with 25lbs of weight in it. The chin must cross over the bar and the candidate must return to the “dead hang” position before repeating.
Event 2: Tactical Obstacle Course
Wearing “work out” clothing, the candidate must complete an 880 yard course, consisting of two laps and three job related tasks on a 440 yard oval running track. At the 220 and 260 yard marks, the candidate must negotiate a forty (40) yard running weave consisting of nine (9) cones placed five (5) yards apart, with a lateral dispersion of five (5) yards. Candidates must run to the left of the cones positioned on the inside of the track and to the right of the cones positioned on the outside of the track.
At the 440 yard mark, the candidate must drag a supine victim ten (10) yards to “safety.” The candidate must complete the drag with no assistance from the victim. The victim should weigh between 175lbs and 225lbs attired in his/her SWAT body armor and equipment. Only the victim’s feet may contact the track during the drag.
At the 660 yard mark, the candidate must renegotiate the running weave, this time dropping to the prone position (chest and hands in contact with the track) at each cone.
Passing Time is 4 minutes 45 seconds.
Event 3: Assault Dash
The candidate will begin in the prone position carrying an unloaded Remington 870 shotgun. The student will have 7.70 seconds to run forty yards with the shotgun.
-D
ANSWER
Hi D –
Based on the event descriptions, you can sport-specifically practice this. All you need is a buddy in his body armor and equipment. You could practice with each other.
My first suggestion would be to run the 3 events, in order, exactly like you would at the PFT, and see how you do. If you crush it, I’d recommend running the entire thing 2-4x/week, leading up …. to work on technique and to know you’ve got it “cold.” Seems there might the cones on the runs could be easy to mess up under the pressure of the PFT – so practice to give yourself confidence.
Running the test will show you where you’re losing time, or where your fitness needs improvement. Running 400m repeats will help with the run. Doing weighted pull ups, super strict, will help there. Losing weight will help everything.
My thinking is the pull ups could be the part that could trip you up. It takes time to improve these if you can’t meet the standard, and there’s no short cut – you have to do pull ups.
– Rob
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QUESTION
Hey Rob, myself and another officer just purchased your swat/srt program. We are both on Swat, however we are both on patrol working 12’s. It would be really hard to do the program 5 straight days. Can you tell me more about the patrol program? We both want to do the swat program but currently life won’t allow it.
-S
ANSWER
Hi S-
Both programs are 5 day/week programs, but you can also train them as time allows. In other words, follow the sessions in order (don’t skip around), but train when you can – perhaps Mon, Wed, Friday,Saturday…. through the entire plan.
You’ll still get big benefits and the extra rest won’t hurt.
All the sessions are designed to be completed in 60 minutes.
I’d recommend fighting to train before your shift – not after or during. Things always get in the way, as you know…
– Rob