MARSOC A&S Training Plan

$89.00

  • 11-Week, 6x day/week plan with often 2x/day training
  • Focused training for US Marine Corp’s MARSOC Assessment and Selection (A&S) Phase 1 & 2
  • Ruck, run, and swim intensive
  • Limited equipment training plan
  • This training plan is tne of the 250+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription.

Description

OVERVIEW

The following is an intense, sport-specific, 8-week program is specifically designed to prepare athletes for the US Marine Corp’s MARSOC Assessment and Selection (A&S) Phase 1 & 2.

This is a very intense, high volume, 6-day a week, often 2x/day training program with high levels of volume and stress designed to prepare you for the similar fitness demands you’ll face at selection. To successfully complete this program you’ll need to make training for MARSOC A&S or APSOC a priority during your workday.

This plan is designed to be completed the 8 weeks directly prior to your A&S start week. Week 8 is an unload/taper week.

This is Version 3 of this plan, updated October 2024.

Gate PFT Preparation
The plan includes specific preparation for the Gate PFT events you’ll face at selection, including the USMC PFT, 25m underwater cross over, 300m Combat Side Stroke/Breast Stroke for time, water tread, etc. Below is the fitness assessment you’ll take on Day 1 of the plan, and 3 times total (beginning, middle, end) while completing it. The plan includes individually scaled progressions for these events as you progress.

  • Max Rep Pull Ups
  • Max Effort Front Plan
  • 3-MIle Run for Time
  • 25m Underwater Crossover
  • 300m Combat Side Stroke for Time
  • 11 minute water tread (pass/fail)

Run, Ruck, Swim Preparation

  • The plan includes the following assessments and events.
  • 6-Mile Unloaded Run for time
  • 10-Mile Ruck for Time with 45# ruck + rubber rifle or 10# sledge or dumbbell
  • 30-minute Step-Up Assessment at 45#
  • Intense, “Swim PT” events at the pool which combine swimming and bodyweight calisthenics
  • Intense Water Treading progression which includes a diving brick for treading and bottom recovery

Orienteering/Rucking, Team Events, Chassis Integrity
8-12 mile off trail rucking/orienteering, short, intense work capacity events and long, extended weekend “mini-events” prepare you for these selection-specific demands. Also included is chassis integrity (functional core) training for durability, and grip strength work.

Training Schedule

  • Monday: 2-a-Day. AM – USMC PFT or Progressions. PM – Pool sprint work and water treading
  • Tuesday: Heavy Ruck Intervals, O-Course Runs, Chassis Integrity
  • Wednesday: 2-a-Day. AM – 2 Mile Run Intervals. PM – Swim PT and water treading
  • Thursday: Step Up Intervals, Multi-Modal Work Capacity Event
  • Friday: 5-8 Mile Recovery Run
  • Saturday: Long Ruck with Orienteering or 90-120 minute mini event

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

This is a limited equipment training plan. Below is the required equipment.

  • Ruck with 45# of filler. Try to use clothing/equipment instead of a sandbag egg for familiarity with how the pack will sit on your frame.
  • 60# Sandbag
  • Access to USMC O-Course
  • Swimming Pool, Swimming Goggles
  • Waterproof Stopwatch with repeating countdown timer
  • Pull Up Bar

COMMON QUESTIONS

What if I have less than 8 weeks before my A&S class?
Still start at the beginning of this training plan anyway. The final week before selection, skip ahead and complete week 8 in the plan.

What if I have more than 8 weeks?
Email coach@mtntactical.com with the time you have and we will advise.

What if I can’t handle the training volume at first?
Building stamina and resilience is a key training goal of this plan, and physical and mental stamina is also key to completing the A&S. If you can’t handle the training volume at first, it’s better to cut training sessions short, rather than take unscheduled rest days.

What if I can’t make the prescribed reps for the bodyweight exercises, or the prescribed interval times for rucks?
Do your best, and be sure to do the total number of rounds, even if you can’t make the reps or the time. Don’t quit.

What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.

More Questions? Email: coach@mtntactical.com

DISCLAIMER

Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that you are in proper health. Physical training contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, muscle strains, tears, physical and bodily injury up to and including death. This training program is not meant to provide medical advice; you should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner. If you are unable to assume these risks then you should not engage in this training program. No liability is assumed by Mountain Tactical Institute, Inc, its owners or employees, and you train at your own risk. Mountain Tactical Institute makes no warranty, express or implied, of any kind in connection with this training program.

 

Required Equipment

This is a limited equipment training plan. Below is the required equipment.

  • Ruck with 50# of filler. Try to use clothing/equipment instead of a sandbag egg for familiarity with how the pack will sit on your frame.

  • 80# Sandbag

  • Access to USMC O-Course

  • Swimming Pool, Swimming Goggles

  • Waterproof Stopwatch with repeating countdown timer


 

Sample Training

Below is the First Week from this Training Plan:

 

SESSION 1
OBJ: USMC PFT+ Assessment #1

Warm Up:
3 Rounds

  • 10x Squat
  • 10 Second Front Plank
  • 1x Pull Up
  • Run 100m
  • Instep Complex
  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:
USMC PFT+ Assessment #1

  1. Max Reps Pull-Ups - Full pause at the bottom of each pull up
  • Rest 2-3 Minutes
  1. Max Effort Front Plank for Time
  • Rest 5 Minutes
  1. Run 3 Miles for Time
  • Rest 5 Minutes
  1. 25m Underwater Crossover in PT Shorts & T-Shirt – Pass/Fail?
  • Put on Cammies
  1. 300m Combat Side Stroke for Time in Cammies - 300m Swim
  • Rest 10 Minutes
  1. 11 Minute Water Tread in Cammies – Pass/Fail?
  • RECORD ALL SCORES & FINISH TIMES
  • Note: Ensure you have a swim buddy or active lifeguard when completing crossovers and water treads.
  • Complete the 25m Crossover in Swim Shorts, then put on your cammies for the 300m Swim and 15-minute water tread.

SESSION 2
OBJ: Heavy Ruck Assessment

Warm Up:
4 Rounds

  • 10x Squats
  • 10x Push-Ups
  • 5x In-Place Lunges
  • Run 100m
  • Instep Stretch

Training:
Heavy Ruck – Cammies, Boots, Helmet

  • Ruck 10 Miles for Time
  • Ruck loaded with 45# plus 5qt of water, carrying a 10# Rubber Rifle, Sledge, or Dumbbell
  • RECORD FINISH TIME

SESSION 3
OBJ: Total Rest


SESSION 4
OBJ: Swim PT, Treading

Warm Up:
4 Rounds

  • 10x Squats
  • 10x Push-Ups
  • 5x In-Place Lunges
  • Swim 25m
  • Instep Stretch
  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:
Swim PT Uniform: Cammies, Goggles
3 Rounds for Time

  • 20x Burpees
  • 20x Flutter Kicks

10 Rounds for Time

  • Swim 50m – 25m Breast Stroke, 25m Combat Side Stroke
  • 15x Poolside Pullouts
  • 15x Squat

3 Rounds for Time

  • 20x Burpees
  • 20x Flutter Kicks

10 Minute Water Tread Drill – Shorts, T-Shirt, Goggles

  • 30 Sec. Normal Tread
  • 30 Sec. Tread with Hands and Elbows Out of Water
  • Touch Bottom of Pool, Retrieve Dive Brick
  • 30 Sec. Tread with Brick Out of Water
  • Drop Brick
  • 30 Sec. Tread with Hands Behind Head (Prisoner Position)
  • Touch Bottom of Pool, Retrieve Brick
  • 30 Sec. Tread with Brick Out of Water
  • Drop Brick

Complete the Drill Segments without Rest for the Prescribed Time.


SESSION 5: 2-a-Day
OBJ: (AM) 6-Mile Run Assessment #1; (PM) Step-Up Assessment #1

AM Training Session - PT Gear
Warm Up: 4 Rounds

  • 10x Squats
  • 5x Push-Ups
  • 5x In-Place Lunges
  • Run 100m
  • Instep Stretch

Training:

  • Run 6 Miles for Time
  • RECORD FINISH TIME

PM Training Session - PT Gear
Warm Up: 3 Rounds

  • 10x Squats
  • 5x Push-Ups
  • 10x Step-Ups
  • Instep Stretch

Training:

  • Max Rep Step-Ups in 30 Minutes – 40# Pack, 16-18" Bench or Step
  • RECORD SCORE

SESSION 6
OBJ: Total Rest


 

1)  Mission Direct

Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance. 

To this end, MTI’s fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.

We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.

 

2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up

MTI’s programming is not “re-tread” bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We’ve built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.

The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.

Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.

Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.

Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.

 

3) The MTI Method

→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.

→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan “Lab Rats” at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming’s effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn’t.

→ Publish & Assess Again: Plan is published for purchase as an individual training plan and made available to our subscribers. Feedback/results are assessed.

→ Iterate: We take what we learn from lab rats and athletes, re-visit, update and improve already published training plans. Several of our individual training plans are on their 4th or 5th version.

 

4) Mission-Direct Research

MTI exists to “Improve Mountain and Tactical Athletes mission performance and keep them safe.” To that end, we have developed a unique research methodology aimed at identifying real world areas of improvement and identifying immediately deployable mission-direct solutions. Click HERE to learn more about MTI’s Mission-Direct Research methodology, and Here to read about just few of our research efforts.

5) Field Proven

Our stuff works. Weekly we receive unsolicited reviews of our programming and testimonials to its effectiveness.

 

6) Programming Breadth

MTI’s library of 200+ sport-specific fitness plans for mountain and tactical athletes is unmatched. Resources range from specific programming for tactical special forces selections, to specific plans for climbing Rainier and Denali, to general fitness solutions such as running improvement, to post-rehab from injury.

Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.

 

7) Worldwide Influence

Our work is not limited to US Athletes.

We’ve developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.

Canadian, Australian, UK and western European law enforcement and fire/rescue athletes have used MTI programming for mission-direct fitness.

On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI’s programming to prepare for mountain objectives.

 

8) Mission Performance beyond Fitness

MTI’s exists is to improve Mission Performance for mountain and tactical athletes and keep them safe. 

This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety. 

Fitness is just one area of our work.

Our non-fitness research has included tactical cultures, combat uniforms, and gore-tex performance, and effect of stress on marksmanship.

Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.

 

9) Direct, Honest, Clear Answers

Since 2007 we’ve taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We’ve saved these individual Q&A’s and now thousands are archived on our site.

We’re not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn’t for everyone. If we can help, we’ll let you know. If we can’t, we’ll let you know that, too.

– Rob Shaul, Founder

 


All of the Above is Backed Up By Our Promise: Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

By Rob Shaul

I received notes frequently from athletes hesitant to purchase a subscription or training plans asking me to sell them on why they should make the purchase.

While I understand the question, I’m not a salesman – so I can’t put a hard sale on anyone for our programming.

I can tell them the process we go through to design our programming.

We begin with extensive research on the fitness demands of the event, identify the exercises and progressions which sport specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the plan.

Then we test the cycle on ourselves and our lab rats here in Wyoming. We document, note what works and doesn’t work, re-assess, and make changes and modifications.

Then we publish the programming in the form of one of our plans or as part of our subscription daily training sessions for tactical and mountain athletes.
We don’t stop there – our daily programming is the “tip of the spear” for our programming evolution. We use these sessions to learn and make continuous improvement.

As we learn more and improve, we go back, and update the sport-specific training plans on the website. For example, we’re currently on Version 5 of our Ruck Based Selection Training Plan and Version 3 of our Dryland Ski Training Plan and Version 4 of our Big Game Back Country Hunting Training Plan.

We understand our programing isn’t cheap, but we believe it’s a great value. The $79 for the Ruck Based Selection Training Plan, and $39 for the Dryland Ski Training Plan reflect the, research, work, innovative theory, iteration, testing and feedback we’ve put in and received to make these plans effective.

All that matters for us is outside performance, and we feel strongly that Our Stuff Works in the real world.

Here’s our guarantee:

1) Individual Training Plan Purchase:
If you purchase an individual training plan, follow it as prescribed before your season/event/pft/selection, and if you don’t feel you were physically ready for your season/event/pft/selection, and/or didn’t see dramatic improvements in your early season performance, we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

2) Athlete’s Subscription
If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Questions?
Email: rob@mtntactical.com

COMMON QUESTIONS:

Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete’s Subscription
Yes. Click HERE.

Is it true you guarantee your stuff works?
Yes. If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.

You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
MTI is driven to improve mountain and tactical athletes’ mission performance and keep them safe. This emphasis and focus on mission performance sets us apart. Read about more that sets us apart HERE.

If I purchase a plan or subscription, how do I access the programming?
All of our plans are online, accessible via username and password.
You can log in through our →Website  or Mobile App →IOS and Android.

Do you have downloadable .pdf’s of the training plans?
No. But you can print the programming, by week, from your browser. You access individual training plans online via a username and password.

Do you have a mobile app?
Yes, we do. Available for IOS and Android.

What is the difference between purchasing an individual training plan, packet of plans or an Athlete’s Subscription?

  • Plan – Like purchasing the DVD of the first Star Wars movie. You own it forever, including any updates we make to the plan.
  • Packet – Like purchasing the DVD’s of all the Star Wars movies. You own them forever, including any updates we make to the plans.
  • Athlete’s Subscription – Like subscribing to Netflix. You get access to all 200+ plan in our library, but lose access if you unsubscribe.

If I purchase an Athletes Subscription Can I cancel on my own, anytime?
Yes.

Do I have to contact MTI to cancel or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself. Instructions HERE.

If I purchase a subscription and have questions about where to start or what plans(s) to use for my goals, will you help?
Yes. We answer dozens of training questions from athletes weekly. Email coach@mtntactical.com.

If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
Yes. We are continuously adding training plans and packets (2-5/month) and updating plans. With your subscription you’ll have access to all new plans, new courses and plan updates.

What Equipment is Required?
Click the “Required Equipment” tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.
You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.

What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com

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