QUESTION
I was looking at your 3 mile running and 6 mile ruck improvement plan. Does it include mobility work in the program?
ANSWER
The run/ruck improvement plan has limited mobility work within the program. However, it does have dedicated time at the end of each session for specific durability movements, some of which could be considered mobility, such as the
pigeon stretch.
If you have a particular mobility issue you want to address, let us know. It could be as easy as factoring it into the end of a session with the durability movements. Thanks.
QUESTION
Trying to find an ideal training program. I do a sport called run n gun aka centerfire biathlon. The courses vary but usu 4-7 miles with 5-7 shooting stations spread throughout. You carry rifle, pistol, ammo, and water/snacks/support equipment. Minimum weight is about 20-25 lbs, so it’s essentially a light ruck run. I’ve tried running longer distances, but I just get weak and slow and becoming a better runner isn’t worth having a 205 max back squat. I’ve tried running intervals, but I can’t sustain much of a pace at the events, and I would prefer not to do intervals at the events (unless you think that would work, I’ve never tried it). Ruck running beats the shit out of my knees, even on soft top (the events are on soil so they don’t hurt my knees, but I’m not really near any trails where I live) So there’s probably some kind of blending there that will be optimal. Also do CrossFit on days that I don’t run. Would love to hear your thoughts. I’m also in Texas where it’s hot AF all the time this time of year, and I’ll be 40 in October, so I don’t see myself able to sustain more than 1 workout/day, unless it’s very low intensity. I’m already a top-10 run time finisher at these events, but I’m coming in to the shooting stages so overheated and with such a high HR that my shooting and stage memory is crap. I need to be coming in at a lower HR but even faster run times.
ANSWER
Try our Big 3 Strength + 6 mile Ruck.
QUESTION
Currently working with a relative with a 13 JAN 25 ship date for an 11 X-Ray Option 40 (RASP) contract.
With ship date of 13 JAN 25, what training plans and what order do you recommend?
Male-17 years old
6’1”
190 lbs
Has not taken the ACFT for record, but works out on regular basis- needs focus on push-ups, pull ups and run times (currently at an 8 min mile pace)
Let me know if you have any questions.
ANSWER
Recommend the following programs in order:
You’ll be one week short on your timeline to complete all of these, so I recommend dropping week 7 in the RASP program and completing week 8 (de-load/taper). Begin 1 July.
QUESTION
I have been looking at the SF40 programs and wanted to know if there are any substitutions for the running and sprinting portions of the program. I had a nasty knee injury two years ago where my ACL, MCL, and meniscus were reconstructed. Even though the injury and surgery were a while ago, running does not make my knees feel good. What exercises could be swapped for running? I have access to a variety of cardio equipment including a C2 rower.
ANSWER
Check out our run or ruck substitution option. Thanks.
QUESTION
I’m reaching out to ask for some insight on which plan to go with. I’m currently doing a 3x/week full body workout with some cardio mixed in. M/W/F are full body and T/Th/Sat are running days. I work for a federal LEO Agency and am looking to get on the SWAT team. I don’t have a timeframe on the screening, but likely within the next year and want to be good to go when the opportunity comes.
I’m looking to see if I should add a program in a 2-a-day aspect, or consider replacing my current workouts all together with the FBI SWAT plan/packet or something similar all together.
I’ve always been a sprinter, so distance running is not a strong suit of mine. Similar for pushups since I’ve had shoulder surgery when I was younger, so those will need to improve. I can pass the SWAT PFT, but would like it to just be easier.
Any insight would be much appreciated.
ANSWER
I think you have the right idea. It’s probably time to get a formal training plan with your future goals in mind. The sooner you have an idea of the SWAT PFT date, the better.
I recommend you begin our
Daily LE SWAT/SRT subscription, which is our balanced cycle for SWAT/SRT Operators. Once you have a more refined date, we can plan for the SWAT PFT.
QUESTION
Dad / Son summer goal is to complete a Spartan Sprint in August 17th
Which plan would you recommend for us to follow?
ANSWER
Begin this plan on 1 July and follow it until your competition. The plan has a built-in taper on the 7th week, so there is no need to add additional rest before the event.
QUESTION
I have recently graduated from the Basic Reconnaissance Course and was looking through some of your training plans and subscriptions for Military SOF/Tactical Athletes. Having used the Basic Recon Training Plan in preparation for BRC back in December, I know your training plans work and as I enter into the Reconnaissance community, I wanted to be on a plan/subscription that not only focuses on strength, endurance, and chassis work but specifically deep-end fitness and sustaining finning.
Would the Pirate Training Packet 1 be the best plan for me? One of the things I struggled with the most during RTAP and BRC were the deep-end cards (not treading, but going down 16ft and doing retrievals/bottom samples), and that’s one area I want to be able to be fully confident in going forward.
I thank you in advance for your help and again wanted to give appreciation to the Basic Recon Prep plan as that definitely put me amongst the top performers both during RTAP and BRC. Would probably give recommendations for it to be updated as many things have changed the Recon training pipeline and what physical events candidates do during the pipeline, but overall the plan set me up for success. Looking forward to your guidance and recommendations—have a great weekend!
ANSWER
Congrats! So happy for you!!
Pirates Packet – yes … this programming is specifically designed for military/tactical SOF with water based mission sets and concurrently trains strength, work capacity, military endurance (run, ruck, swim), chassis integrity and tactical agility.
However, the swim programming is endurance-based. If I remember correctly, there is some treading, but no water confidence work like the deep-end drills you describe. You’d need to add these drills to the programming.
– Rob
QUESTION
I recently found the MTI Fighter Pilot Fitness Assessment. Here are my results:
Age: 37
Body Weight: 220
Front Squats: 25
Bench Press: 17
Pull-Ups: 12
1/2 Mile ruck run: 19:08
Thoughts:
-With the exception of backpack weight, I did this exactly as written, including the warmup.
-I used a 30 pound ruck for the run, as that’s just what I have available (GoRuck Rucker with 30 lbs plate)
-I am a USAF fighter pilot. I flew the A-10 for 8 years. I’ve been in a non-flying assignment and am trying to get back to flying after a significant break. I tried getting into the F-35, but it requires pilots to pass a 9G centrifuge training program, and I couldn’t do it. I go back for a retraining for the A-10 which is a lower G aircraft. I have lifted weights to prepare for my training, but I really kicked into high gear in the last 2 months with weightlifting and CrossFit training together. I think training for increased AGSM performance is a combination of the lower body at high intensity (like the front squats in the test) and the cardio/endurance aspect (the run). You have to do both. There is also a significant amount of technique involved with the AGSM- it isn’t just lower body strength. Height matters too- I’m a tall skinny dude, which is the worst for pulling Gz.
-I’d be interested to know how my scores stack up against others. I was pretty disappointed by the front squats. Those are going to get worked a lot more. FWIW: bench press and pull-ups have no effect on AGSM performance. If you are doing it right, your upper body isn’t used at all. It’s all calves, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and some abs.
ANSWER
Thanks for sending. I haven’t had enough fighter pilots take our assessment to give you any objective feedback on how you compare.
Concerning the assessment – it’s not a AGSM-only assessment, but rather designed to test not only AGSM fitness, but also general fitness for fighter pilots. This is why the upper body and ruck run events are included.
The front squat event is designed to specifically test AGSM fitness – the front squat naturally requires lower body and core contraction, and we tested the interval and used the insight of a career F-18 pilot to approximate how pilots experience g-force in the turn, have a release, then need to tense up again for the next turn. It’s a no-joke assessment.
Thanks for sending your scores.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m considering a LE swat subscription. But Iam unsure of what program to chose and don’t have a sandbag at my current gym. I’ve been a paramedic for 12 years and am transitioning to security/personal protection. I would consider myself somewhat athletic and running is something I don’t like but did a random 5k in 27min a month ago. I weigh 165 and am 44 years old. I deadlift 2x. Body weight on a 5×5. And struggle to do body weight front squat for a 5×5 but get it done. Bench is 185 for a 5×5. I’m currently getting 8 rounds of 18 burpies every 90sec. In an average week I get 3 workouts in. My goal is to be strong, athletic, and durable for grandkids in 20 years. I do like to push myself as well but am considering my longevity more when it comes to heavy lifting.
Do you have any suggestions for a program and a sandbag substitute at your convenience?
Thank you your programming has blessed, personal and the trickle down effect to my family and those I serve. As well as empowered me for years now and I recommend you as often as I can. Your a blessing and helping be keep a strong culture and legacy of fitness and activity for my family.
ANSWER
Yes on the
LE SWAT Daily subscription. This will prepare you for your job, but also includes more endurance programming than the LE Patrol/Detective programming – which you’ll want for longevity.
Sandbag sub? There isn’t one – you’ll see when you start training with it. Others get their own sandbag and take it to the gym with them. Do the same. We sell sandbags
here, and amazon has many options.
– Rob
QUESTION
Dear coach. I was looking at doing denali next yr. Can you help me put together a training regiment? I have climbed several of the cascade summits. So my need is training. Also. I live in Florida so no real hiking options. Willing to buy equipment.
(Male, 51, 5″9″, 177lbs)
Current – weight training, 45 minutes 5 times a week, legs once sometimes twice a wk – would love more focused and single leg exercises – easy to set up -currently squats, deadlifts, leg ext / curl and calf raises as well as leg press
Cardio, very little since Rainier -which was 2 months ago. 30 minutes 2 times a week and walk a few days in between (this is where I need work, prior I was doing 70lbs last month or two before Rainier on stairmaster for 1 hr or just on a greenway here 2 to 3 miles about 3 times a wk)
Plan is for June 2025 climb, do not have date locked as looking at Alpine Ascents vs RMI. I could push training out, but wanted to at least start on building a solid base – nothing killer as I could start pushing in January to push into full training mode.
ANSWER
You have 46 weeks until June 1, 2025. You need to start building back endurance now and as we move into the event-specific training, schedule in more rest to accommodate for your slower recovery at age 51.
Here’s what I recommend:
Weeks Plan
1-21 Plans Order in the
SF50 Packet, beginning with SF50 Alpha, with some changes. (1) Use 45 for the prescribed endurance for the first 4 weeks of SF50 Alpha, then push to 60 minutes for weeks 5-7 of Alpha. Use 60 minutes for the prescribed endurance for Week 1-2 of SF50 Bravo, then push to 90 minutes for weeks 3-7. Use 105 minutes for the prescribed cardio for weeks 1-3 of SF50 Charlie then push to 120 minutes for weeks 4-7. (1) Cardio – running, rucking, step ups or biking.
22-29
Alpinist Fitness Assessment Training Plan – as prescribed this is a 5-week, 6-day/week plan, but I want you to stretch it to 9 weeks by completing all the training sessions in order, but change from 6 days/week to 4 days/week. Your age will benefit from the less aggressive schedule and allow recovery. If you don’t have a boulder gym you can skip the V-sum work, but if you have access to one, do it.
30 Total Rest
31-46
Denali Training Plan – As prescribed this is a 9 week, 6 day/week training plan. I want you to follow the training sessions in order, but again train only 4 days/week. Follow this schedule:
Week Training
Week 1 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 2 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1 90 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Week 3 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 4 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1 90 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Week 5 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 6 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1 90 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Week 7 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 8 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1, 120 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Week 9 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 10 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1, 120 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Week 11 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 12 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1, 120 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Week 13 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 14 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1, 120 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Week 15 4 Prescribed Sessions
Week 16 3 Prescribed Sessions + 1, 120 minute ‘Easy Endurance” day – Run or bike
Please modify this schedule so you finish the Denali Training Plan directly before your departure for AK.
Questions?
– Rob
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