Q&A 7.28.22

QUESTION

Just had a question about a potential training year I was planning. Im hoping to go for an event called The Wall. Its a 70 mile ultra coveing Hadrians Wall in the UK on the 17th June 23.

I have an event on 3rd of September this year so i will be starting my progress straight after that. This gives me a total of 42 weeks prep.

My plan is as follows:

Week 1-6 – Off season strength training for endurance athletes

Week 7-11 – Monster factory

Week 12-15 – 369 Work capacity

Week 16-22 – Ultimate work capacity

Week 23-31 – Pre season ultra

Week 32 – 42 – 50 mile ultra plan

Week 23 – 39 – 100 mile ultra

Just for some context, i’m basing this plan off a book called the Blueprint by Ross Edgley. It recommends a mesocycle starting with recovery ( muscular strength/tendons and ligaments), base (focused on work capacity) followed by build and peak which are aport specific.

Please let me know if you would swap any of these plans out or if I am completely off track with this.

ANSWER

I’d recommend you move to multi modal programming and away from three cycles of strength focus – specifically the first 3 plans from the Greek Heroine Training Packet.

Helen

Artimes

Danae

Big 3 Strength + 5 Mile Run Training Plan

Ultra Pre-Season

50-Mile Ultra Training Plan

– Rob

QUESTION

Does your training plan give suggestions on how to incorporate training for elevation gain? Thx!

ANSWER

I’m not sure I understand your question.

If it’s how to accommodate going from sea level to a higher elevation, there’s no known shortcut for this other than to train as sport-specifically as possible for the fitness demand when you get to elevation.

If your question asks if the plan trains you for uphill movement under load? Yes – it does.

– Rob

QUESTION

I am a soon-to-be subscriber and am hoping you might be able to provide some guidance as to how to stack your programs. Specifically, I am hoping you could provide me with roughly six months worth of your most effective strength-focused programs. The only constraint is that the starting program needs to be one that you would recommend to someone new to barbell training.

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.

ANSWER

MTI Relative Strength Assessment Training Plan

Big 24 Strength

Bodyweight Foundation

TLU Strength

– Rob

QUESTION

I am currently a platoon leader in the army, and I wanted to know how much it would cost to create a weekly/monthly ACFT training plan. To do with my platoon and hopefully company.

ANSWER

We already have an ACFT Training Plan and a Limited Equipment ACFT Training Plan.

These plans are for individuals only. If you wanted access for your full platoon or company, please let me know and I can give you a unit-purchase cost.

– Rob

QUESTION

I am new to Mountain Tactical and just joined the monthly subscription. I am training for Half Dome and am 8 weeks out. I was planning to do the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim 8 week plan but wanted to see if you had a recommendation that might be more appropriate. Thanks so much and I’m looking forward to starting this plan!

I forgot to include that Half Dome is a 14-16 mile hike with a total elevation gain of 4,800 ft. The final section is a 400 vertical ft. climb on the granite dome, up cables, at 40-60 degrees. Thought that context would be helpful. Again, thanks for your support!

ANSWER

I’d recommend the Peak Bagger Training Plan.

For the loading in the plan for the step ups – use the same weight backpack you expect to carry on your Half Dome trip.

Sounds awesome! Good luck!

– Rob

UPDATE: Since this question, we’ve developed the Half Dome Day Hike Training Plan

QUESTION

I am on a National Guard SF training team. Do you have a recommendation for a program that will keep me performing at a selection-ready level (we drill every two months), until I have a selection date?

A typical drill weekend is:

Day 1: PT Test

Day 2: 12-mile ruck, 6 hrs land nav

Day 3: 5-mile run assessment, team event, 6 hrs land nav

Day 4: Team event

I was going to dive into the Ruck Based selection plan, but wasn’t sure if you had a better recommendation.

ANSWER

Keeping “selection ready” at all times will lead to overtraining. As you know, the RBSTP is full on, and can’t be done indefinitely. Finish the RBSTP, then drop into the plans/order in the Greek Hero Series, starting with Hector, until you have a selection date. The re-do the RBSTP.

– Rob

QUESTION

I completed my first half marathon! Your program allowed me to complete it at a respectable time. I am very impressed with your programming and diet plan as well.

I am reaching out for some help on what program to do next. I would like to keep some of the endurance I gained from the half marathon training but start working a bit more on my strength since that atrophied a bit to ensure I was able to get all of my runs in.

What program(s) do you have in mind?

ANSWER

Big 3 Strength + 5 Mile Run Training Plan.

– Rob

QUESTION

I am in the Army and am looking at your offered plans. Gearing up for SFAS in August. I am an 18x and did just complete the prep program but sadly got Covid-19 right before my scheduled selection date and now have 2 months to prepare myself for selection. I already have a great baseline for rucking and the APFT but I want to get better obviously. Rucking 12 miles at about 2 hours 30 minutes, my APFT score is a 200 with 93 push ups, 12:13 2 mile run and 17 pull ups, 32:30 5 mile run. My APFT scores are consistent with always 85+ push ups, sub 12:20 2 mile and always above 15 pull ups. Right now I am still recovering from Covid-19 so my fitness isn’t the best at my current state but ready to get back up.

Is there any recommendation towards plans with roughly 8 weeks to prep?

ANSWER

Ruck-Based Selection Training Plan. Several have used this plan over the years for SFAS.

Good luck!

– Rob

QUESTION

I do travel nursing 3 days (13-14 hr shifts on my feet with lifting, pulling patients so fairly physical) a week & stay in an AirBnB 3 nights a week. The other 4 days a week I’m at home. What is plan you would recommend for a time constrained person with access to single pair of dumbbells on my work days? Or I can do a time constrained workout with a single sandbag? It’s an AirBnB so don’t want to be moving a lot of equipment back and forth to another persons house.

ANSWER

Nothing perfect, but options:

1) Busy Dad Limited Equipment Plans – 1x sandbag and an adjustable of dumbbells.

2) Single Dumbbell or Kettlebell Training Plan

3) Bodyweight Foundation

– Rob

QUESTION

I’m just reaching out for some advice regarding preparing for a SWAT selection course. I’m in Australia and want to attempt my state’s selection next year.

The selection process starts in May 2023 with a 1 day assessment with the following minimum standards (the minimum standards aren’t all that hard, but you need to exceed them easily to be considered):

1.5 Mile run in under 11mins (needs to be closer to 9:30mins to be competitive)
10 dead hang pullups
400m swim in under 11mins
Obstacle course in IBA
The remainder of the day is just grunt PT work

Following that, a couple months later, there is a 4 day assessment course. It’s your typical beat down with limited sleep and food. During this they incorporate heavy rucks at times. While you’re constantly being assessed, there’s less emphasis on the individual events.

My current weakness is my running. I have a good history of strength training over the last 8 or so years, but my running has been limited to what i’ve needed to achieve to pass the academy.

How would you advise I prepare for selection between now and next May?

ANSWER

Here’s what I recommend:

Now – SWAT Selection Training Plan, then take a full week rest. Doing the plan now will give you a good indiction of where your current fitness (mental and physical) is at.

Follow it up with the plans/order in the Gun Maker Packet, beginning with Ruger. These plans are designed as day to day programming for full time SWAT/SRT and concurrently train strength, work capacity, chassis integrity (core), and endurance (run, ruck).

7 weeks out from your 1 day assessment, complete the Big 3 Strength + 1.5 Mile Run Training Plan. This plan will prepare you for the run and the pull ups, and build strength before re-completing the SWAT Selection Plan. You’ll need to add in some swimming on Saturdays (replace the long run with swimming). O Course – if you have access to it, best is to practice the O-Course on your own, – work up to 6x times through in a day with 5 min rest between. A lot of O-Course work is technique driven – so make sure your obstacle technique is dialed.

After the 1-Day assessment, re-complete the SWAT Selection Training Plan the 7 weeks directly before selection.

Good Luck!

– Rob

QUESTION

SFOD-Packet I have more like 10 months to prepare vs the full recommended 12 months. If there were to be weeks or an entire included program cut from the delta prep packet what would you recommend to maximize the next 10 months ? Thanks in advance.

ANSWER

Skip Military On-Ramp and jump right into Humility. Then, as you get closer, but a week or two from Valor as needed to complete all of SFOD-D Build, and the Selection Plan prior to selection.

Good luck!

– Rob

QUESTION

I’m currently an artillery officer looking to become an FBI special agent after my contract is up. I have two years left in my contract and I know it takes a while to get into HRT, so with that in mind I’m wondering what you suggest I do to prepare my body for that course. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

ANSWER

Start with the plans/order in the Gun Maker Packet – these are multi-modal training plans designed as day to day fitness for full time SWAT/SRT and concurrently train strength, work capacity, tactical agility, endurance (run, ruck) and chassis integrity (functional core). Start with Ruger.

– Rob

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