Description
This is a selection-specific 10-week, 6 day/week training program specifically designed to prepare athletes for the New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS) Selection Course. NZSAS Selection is a ruck-focused, very intense 10-day event which includes a “gate” fitness assessment, 24 hour Exercise Von Temsky (24 hour, 35kg Ruck + jerry can) and “long walk” – 60km ruck @ 35kg.
This training plan is purpose-built to prepare the athlete for these events. It is very intense and endurance-focused (run, ruck). As well, the plan is time-intensive and during the train up, plan on spending a significant part of your day training including up to a 9-hour effort on Thursday and 26-mile ruck on Saturday.
The plan includes a 2-week taper, and is designed to be completed the 10 weeks directly prior to your course start week. This is an intense, 6 day/week training plan, including multiple 2-a-days.
This is Version 1 of the plan, designed in December 2022.
FITNESS ATTRIBUTES
Ruck and Endurance Focused, Assessment Driven
This training plan is ruck and endurance focused, in-line with the primary fitness demand of NZSAS selection. The plan’s ruck programming is specifically designed to prepare the athlete for the loads and volume you’ll face at selection. As well, the plan includes specific programming to increase your ruck speed over ground.
Your endurance is also built with unloaded running via assessments and threshold intervals, moderate-paced longer runs, and easy recovery runs.
The plan includes 5 specific assessments, and follow-on progressions: You’ll take these assessments multiple times over the 10 weeks:
(1) NZ EFL – Max Rep Press Ups, Curl Ups, Pull Ups and 1.5 Mile Run for Time
(2) 5 Mile Ruck Run for Time – 35kg Ruck, 10lb Rubber Rifle, Sledge or Dumbbell, Full Cammies/Boots, Helmet
(3) 8 Mile Heavy Ruck for Time – 35kg Ruck while carrying a full, 20-liter Jerry Can, 45# dumbbell or 20kg kettlebell, Full Cammies/Boots, Helmet
(4) 6 Mile Run for Time, shorts and t-shirt
(5) 30 Minute Max Step Ups @ 20kg Ruck, 16-18” step up bench or box
Between assessment weeks you’ll complete assessment-based, specific progressions based on your most recent assessment results. In this way, the plan automatically “scales” to your incoming fitness, and continues to push you as your fitness improves.
EFL & Timed Heavy Ruck Preparation
The plan has you take the EFL and a 5-Mile Heavy Ruck multiple times, and includes specific programming to improve your scores for these “gate” events at selection.
Chassis Integrity Work
In addition to EFL and ruck/run endurance, the plan includes focused Chassis Integrity (functional core) programming 2 days/week.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Assessment Weeks (1, 4, 7, 10)
- Mon – AM: EFL; PM 5-Mile Ruck @ 35kg plus weapon, rubber rifle or 10# dumbbell
- Tues – 6-Mile Run for Time
- Wed – 30 Minute Step Ups for Time @ 20kg Pack, 16-18″ Box or Step
- Thurs – 8-Mile Ruck for Time @ 35kg plus full 20-liter jerry can, 45# dumbbell or 20kg kettlebell, Flat Course
- Fri – Total Rest
- Sat – Long Ruck @ 35kg + weapon, rubber rifle or 10# dumbbell (8-26 miles), Hilly Course, Off Trail in possible
- Sun – Total Rest
Progression Weeks (2-3, 5-6, 8-9)
- Mon – AM: EFL Work, PM: Threshold Ruck Run Intervals @ 35kg
- Tues – Threshold Unloaded Run Intervals, Chassis Integrity
- Wed – AM: Threshold Step Up Intervals @ 20kg, EFL work; PM: Moderate Pace Unloaded Run (4-6 Miles)
- Thurs – 3-9 Hour Exercise Von Temsky ruck (35kg Ruck while carrying 20-liter jerry can, 45# dumbbell or 20kg kettlebell
- Fri – Long Easy Unloaded Run (6-10 Miles)
- Sat – Long Ruck @ 35kg (8-26 miles), Hilly Course, Off Trail in possible
- Sun – Total Rest
Thursday Exercise Von Temsky Work
This program has specific programming for the exercise Von Temsky: 24-hour, 35kg Ruck with 20-liter jerry can including a 8-mile assessment, and progressed timed efforts from 3-9 hours.
Saturday Long Rucks
You’ll work up to 26 miles at 35kg ruck plus a 10# rubber rifle, sledge or dumbbell. If possible, complete these long rounds off trail, in hilly/mountainous terrain, route finding/orienteering the entire prescribed distance. These efforts are designed to prepare you for the selections 60km “long walk”
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
- Pull up Bar
- Stop Watch with repeating countdown timer (Smartphone will work)
- 60# Sandbag
- Ruck plus 20kg and 35kg of filler. We recommend you train with the same ruck and boots you’ll use at selection.
- 10# Rubber Rifle, sledge or dumbbell
- 20-liter jerry can, 45# dumbbell or 20kg kettlebell
COMMON QUESTIONS
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.
What if I have less then 10 weeks before I start the Selection Course?
Still start at the beginning of this training plan anyway, then on the week directly before selection, skip ahead and complete week 10 of the plan.
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 Selection course. 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 the rucks, runs or step ups?
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.
How do you count reps for Sandbag Getups, and Step ups?
Sandbag Getups – The prescribed rep count is total reps, so 50x Sandbag Getups at 60# sandbag = 50x total reps, 25x each shoulder.
Step Ups – The prescribed rep count is total reps, so 600x step ups = 600 total, or 300x per leg.
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 see sample training?
Yes. Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.
How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can log in either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.
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.
Sample Training
Below is the First Week from this Training Plan:
MONDAY
SESSION 1
2-A-Day, Assessments
Obj: RFL Assessment No. 1
Warm Up:
3 Rounds
10x Squats
10x Press Ups
10x Curl Ups
4x 40-Foot Prone to Sprint
Instep Complex
Lat + Pec Stretch
RFL Assessment:
(1) Max Rep Press Ups - Constant Movement to NZ Army Standards
**** Rest 5 Minutes
(2) Max Rep Curl Ups - Constant Movement to NZ Army Standards
**** Rest 5 Minutes
(3) Max Rep Strict, Dead Hang Pull Ups
Come to full elbow and shoulder extension at the bottom and chin over the bar at the top. No excessive swinging or foot movement. Pause for 1 second at the bottom and top for each rep.
**** Rest 5 Minutes
(4) Run 1.5 Miles for Time
**** Rest 2 Hours
(5) 5 Mile Ruck Run for Time wearing a 35kg Ruck, and carrying your weapon, a rubber rifle, 10# dumbbell. Flat course
RECORD ALL SCORES
Comments: See HERE for an official NZ Army Press Up and Curl Up Standards.
******************************
TUESDAY
SESSION 2
Obj: Endurance Assessment - 6 Mile Run
Warm Up:
4 Rounds
10x Squats
10x Press Ups
5x In-Place Lunges
Run 50m
Instep Stretch
Training:
(1) Run 6 Miles for Time
RECORD FINISH TIME
(2) 2 Rounds
Hip Flexor Stretch
Instep Stretch
Pigeon Stretch
******************************
WEDNESDAY
SESSION 3
Obj: Endurance Assessment - Step Ups
Warm Up:
4 Rounds
10x Squats
10x Press Ups
15x Step Ups @ 16-18" Box
Instep Stretch
Training:
(1) 30 Minute Max Rep Step Ups @ 20kg Ruck.. Use a 16-18" Step or Bench.
Each foot counts as 1 Rep.
RECORD MAX REPS
(2) Foam Roll Legs, Low Back
******************************
THURSDAY
SESSION 4
Obj: Endurance Assessment - Exercise Von Temsky
Warm Up:
4 Rounds
10x Squats
10x Press Ups
5x In-Place Lunges
Run 50m
Instep Stretch
Training:
(1) Ruck 8 Miles for Time @ 35kg Ruck + carrying 20 Liter Jerry Can, 20kg kettlebell or 45# Dumbbell. Flat Course
RECORD FINISH TIME
(2) 2 Rounds
Hip Flexor Stretch
Instep Stretch
Pigeon Stretch
******************************
FRIDAY
SESSION 5
TOTAL REST
******************************
SATURDAY
SESSION 6
Obj: Long Ruck
Training:
(1) Ruck 10 miles off trail over uneven, hilly terrain w/35kg ruck + Rubber rifle or 10# Sledge or 10# dumbbell.
Orienteer to 3-5 points, if Possible
(2) Foam Roll Legs, Low Back
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
