QUESTION
Army officer here, I’ve been using MTI plans for four years now. I’ve been very happy with fitness gains, resiliency, and the decrease in injuries. I’ve been rotating through the Greek hero series, daily operator sessions, and time-constrained sessions based on family and work requirements.
I’m currently working through Acteon, which has a heavy endurance emphasis.
I have a surgery on an internal organ coming up in 2+ weeks that requires a 3-4 week recovery time with no heavy lifting. I have no constraints on physical activity leading up to the surgery. What kind of training emphasis would you recommend prior to a mandated 3-4 week break?
ANSWER
Strength …. overall it’s the most important and will help with your recovery.
– Rob
QUESTION
After the “Big 3 + 3-mile run training program” is completed, is there a follow on training plan for after this one. If you could get back with me that would be awesome. I am in the pararescue training pipeline. Near the end. I’m out at the pararescue apprentice course. Thank you!
ANSWER
Now you should pivot to our multi-modal programming for milliary SOF.
Best option would be to pivot to the Pirate Series – which is designed for SOF with water-based mission sets. Multi-modal programming: strength, work capacity, endurance (run, ruck, swim), chassis integrity and functional core. Start with Barbossa.
Next best would be a subscription to our Daily Operator training – but this doesn’t include swimming.
– Rob
QUESTION
Good morning, I was looking at your programs and I feel like they would be a good fit for me. I’m just having a difficult time deciding exactly which one is for me. I shoot USPSA pretty heavily including multiple big matches, I also spend a lot of time hiking in the mountains. I am overweight but have trained CrossFit, strongman and martial arts in the past. I don’t currently have a gym membership but I do have a barn gym that I’m slowly growing but as of right now I have a 10’x14’ padded turf area with a large squat rack similar to a rogue rig so I have pull up bars, an Olympic bar, curl bar, 405# in various plates, 25# 50# 100# sandbags, a heavy bag, kettlebells from 5#-15# and a wide variety of resistance bands. I’m 33, 6’3” and 286 lbs
ANSWER
I’d like to see you around 200# …. so you’ve got some work to do. Losing 50+ pounds will help everything …. relative strength (strength per bodyweight), speed, agility, joints, etc.
Programming? My guess is you like to lift, so I’d recommend the Max Effort Strength + 2-Mile Run Training Plan.
The running in this plan combines threshold work (full on work cap) and an easy run on Saturdays. The threshold work will help speed your metabolism and cut weight.
Diet – you need to fix yours. Here are our recommendations.
At a minimum – cut all refined sugar and don’t drink calories (sugar soda, beer, etc.)
Just. Keep. Grinding.
– Rob
QUESTION
Just reaching out with some questions about choosing the best mode of preparation for SFAS and the overall x-ray pipeline. I’ve spoken with a recruiter and am planning on signing in October with a ship date in January or February.
I’m an avid alpinist/ski mountaineer living in Jackson and consequently have a solid aerobic base; I’m also a former college football player and so have a decent anaerobic base as well but probably need to work on my strength more than anything else. Currently sitting at 6’1, 185lbs and running at least 25mi/week, some weeks more depending on climbing objectives; already cracking a 35min 5mi on the road. Just wondering what you’d recommend for a prep program as there are several on the website. Any guidance would be much appreciated.
ANSWER
Many others with the same track have completed the Ruck-Based Selection Training Plan prior to Basic. You won’t get much time to train on your own once in, prior to SFAS – and this has worked well for others.
By my count you’ve got 27 weeks until January.
I assume your climbing hard now … but you should be able to work in 2 days of max effort strength/week without negatively impacting your mountain performance. So now I’d recommend the Tuesday and Thursday strength sessions and the Friday Chassis Integrity circuit from the Max Effort Strength + Aerobic Base Training Plan. You can do these sessions any day of the week depending on your schedule – but ensure you’ve got a day’s rest between the strength sessions.
16 weeks out from Basic, it will be time to pivot full time to training. I’d recommend Fortitude to pivot from mountain endurance to military multi-mode fitness. Fortitude concurrently trains strength, work capacity, run/ruck, and chassis integrity. So, 16 weeks out from Basic ….
Week Plan
1-7 Fortitude
– Rob
QUESTION
I see that you just added a Border Patrol Academy prep plan (awesome)!
I start the academy at the end of August, and with the daily PT regimen of calisthenics/running, I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of a simple/quick supplement to focus purely on strength development/maintenance and possibly load carriage.
ANSWER
From my programming – Big 3 Strength + 3-Mile Ruck Training Plan.
– Rob
QUESTION
I recently got an opportunity at a last min elk hunt in Colorado.
Was looking at what program would be best for me? We will have horses which is nice but I’ve found that altitude is always the great equalizer when it comes to fitness, particularly ensuring my legs and lungs don’t fail me!
I have a pretty robust home gym and work out on a regular basis. No chronic health issues and am competent with a barbell.
Hunt is planned for 9-13 Sept. I was leaning more towards the hunting build 1 but let me know what you think.
Currently 39 y/o 5’9” @ 205. Goal weight is 185 lb which in my opinion is 99 % diet which I am dialing in now
I am currently doing rucking, weighted step ups, strength barbel type. I love cleans so anytime I can get those in.
I am still in the Army and former SOF so I love some sandbags and KB work so I try and stay varied with strength and endurance.
Really like your program designs!
ANSWER
Go with Backcountry Hunting Base – it includes leg blasters, which will help prepare you for the downhill you’ll do, and avoid the soreness at camp. It will get you out of the weightroom for a while – which will help cut excess muscle mass.
By my count you have 7 weeks until your hunt – so start now.
I won’t lecture you on your weight – but be sure to cut all sugar, don’t drink calories and eliminate bad carbs (bread, pasta, rice, etc.)
– Rob
QUESTION
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
QUESTION
Hey there! I’m currently training for sfas, I am still a civilian but that is the route I plan on taking when I join the army. A buddy of mine shared your SFOD program with me, and I started the weight training for it yesterday. I’ve been working out consistently for the last 8 months; in a few weeks I’m going to Alaska to pack meat for a guide service. So I won’t be able to train as regularly as I would like, what would you recommend I focus on? More body weight or strength training right now till I fly up there? After I’m done packing I plan on enlisting.
Thanks for any help you can provide!
ANSWER
I’m assuming you have access to a weight room right now? If so, I’d recommend focusing on max effort strength and rucking – specifically our Big 3 Strength + 6-Mile Ruck Training Plan.
– Rob