Stuck in a Motel Training Plan

Stuck in a Motel Training Plan

$39.00

  •  6-Week, 36 Session Training Plan
  • Built around a Motel Fitness Room equipment – dumbbells, treadmill, flat bench, motel-sized swim pool
  • AM Strength and Work Capacity Sessions are in motel fitness room
  • PM “Recharge” sessions are a short run or Swim PT
  • Includes a long Saturday run for you poor souls stuck in the motel over the weekend
  • This training plan is one of the 200+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription.

Description

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This 6-week, 36 session training plan is designed to train strength, work capacity, endurance and durability for athletes stuck in a motel for an extended duration.
This program is designed around the equipment found in a typical business motel fitness room – a full set of dumbbells, flat bench and treadmill.

This is Version 2 of the Plan, Updated May 2025.

TRAINING SESSION SCHEDULE
We assume during your extended stay, your days are spent inside – doing classroom work, attending meetings,
manning a booth at a trade show …. typical business travel drudgery. This plan assumes you’ll want to get up early,
and train before the business day starts. Plus, when you return at the end of the day, you’ll need to get active again to
shake out the cobwebs and recharge.
So the plan is made up of 2-a-Days, Monday through Friday.
Early AM Sessions are strength or work capacity/core focused, in the motel fitness room. These are short, focused
sessions designed to last 45-60 minutes long.

Afternoon PM sessions aim to get you outside for a run, or some “Swim PT” in the motel pool. For inclement
weather, you can either run on a treadmill or do step ups in the fitness room. The program also includes a long run on Saturdays, if you’re stuck in the motel over the weekend.
COMMON QUESTIONS
How long should the training sessions take?
AM training sessions in the motel fitness room will take 45-60 minutes. PM sessions outside last 30-50 minutes.
Long weekend runs extend to 80 minutes.
How long should I rest between Rounds and Circuits for the Strength Sessions?
The strength circuits each have stretch or durability exercise. Consider this your working rest between rounds. Work
briskly, not frantically.
What if I can’t managed the prescribed loading for the Work Capacity Circuits?
The loading prescribed in the plan is for experienced, fit athletes. If it is obviously too heavy for you, “scale” the
loading down. The goal for these work capacity circuits is to get all the reps in the rounds “unbroken” – it should be
hard to do so, but ideally you’ll be able to get all the reps in. Load yourself accordingly.
What if I can’t keep up the Monday to Saturday Training Schedule?
If for any reason you cannot keep this Monday-Friday training schedule, do not skip a training session. Rather,
complete all the training sessions in succession. Whatever the schedule, always take one day a week, as total rest.
What does “5x DB Hang Squat Clean @ 15/25#” mean”?
“5x” is the number of Reps.
“DB” is short for Dumbbell.
“Hang Squat Clean” is the exercise.
“15/25#” is the loading. The lower weight is for women, higher for men – so women use 15# dumbbells, men us 25#
dumbbells.
How do you count reps for Walking Lunges, Step Ups, Alternating Curls, DB Floor Press, Jumping Lunges,
Alternating Military Press, 1-Arm Row and Bench Press?
Walking Lunges – each leg is 1/2 rep, so 2x walking lunges = 2x each leg, 4x total
Step Ups – Prescribed number is the total, so 500x Step ups = 250x each leg
Alternating Curls and Military Press – each arm is 1/2 rep, so 2x curls = 2x each arm, 4x total
DB Floor Press – each arm is 1/2 rep, so 2x floor press = 2x each arm, 4x total
1-Arm Row and Bench Press – – each arm is 1/2 rep, so 2x 1-Arm Row = 2x each arm, 4x total
What is Swim PT?
Swim PT combines swimming and bodyweight cals in a circuit. This training plan includes two Swim PT circuits
which are options for the afternoon training. You don’t need an olympic-sized swimming pool to do Swim PT. I’ve
done it several times in typical motel swimming pools.

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

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Good Luck!

Questions? Email coach@mtntactical.com

Required Equipment

Typical Equipment found in a Motel Fitness Room:
- Set of Dumbbells
- Flat Bench
- Treadmill
- Motel-sized swim pool (optional)

Sample Training

SESSION 1

Objective: 2-a-Day

Warm Up (3 Rounds):

  • Dumbbell Complex – 15/25#

  • Instep Stretch

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training – AM SESSION (Strength):
5 Rounds:

  • 5x Dumbbell Thrusters – increase load each round until 6x is hard but doable, then immediately ...

  • 2x Burpees – (be explosive!)

  • Hip Flexor Stretch

5 Rounds:

  • 5x Kneeling Curl to Press – increase load each round until 8x is hard, but doable

  • 4/8x Chin Up

  • 8x Hand Release Pushups

  • 8x Renegade Row @ 25/35#

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

3 Rounds:

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

  • Foam Roll Back

Training – PM SESSION (Endurance):

  • Run 30 Minutes, Moderate Pace

SESSION 2

Objective: 2-a-Day

Warm Up (3 Rounds):

  • 5x Dumbbell Front Squat @ 15/25#

  • 10x Push Ups

  • 10x Sit Ups

  • Instep Stretch

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training – AM SESSION (Work Capacity, Core):
5 Rounds for Time:

  • 15x Kettlebell Swing with Dumbbell @ 35/45#

  • 5x Clapping Push Ups

Rest 5 Minutes

4 Rounds for Time:

  • .25 Mile Treadmill Run

  • 5x Renegade Man Makers @ 15/25#

4 Rounds:

  • 10x Flat Bench Knees to Elbows

  • 90 Second Front Bridge

  • 10x EO’s

Training – PM SESSION (Endurance):

  • Run 30 Minutes, Moderate Pace

SESSION 3

Objective: 2-a-Day

Warm Up (3 Rounds):

  • Dumbbell Complex – 15/25#

  • Instep Stretch

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training – AM SESSION (Strength):
5 Rounds:

  • 5x Walking Lunges – increase load each round until 5x is hard but doable, then immediately ...

  • 2x Jumping Lunges – (be explosive!)

  • Hip Flexor

5 Rounds:

  • 5x Arnold Press – increase load each round until 6x is hard but doable

  • 3/5x Pull-up

  • 3/6x Clapping Pushups

  • 2x Renegade Row @ 25/35#

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

3 Rounds:

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

  • Foam Roll Back

Training – PM SESSION (Endurance):
Athlete’s Choice …

Option 1: 30 Minute Swim PT

  • Down and Back Breast Stroke in the Motel Swimming Pool – then exit the pool and ...

    • 10x Squat

    • 5x Push Ups

    • 10x Flutter Kicks

Option 2: Step Ups

  • 500x Step Ups @ 16–18" Bench or Box

SESSION 4

Objective: 2-a-Day

Warm Up (3 Rounds):

  • Goblet Squat – 25#

  • 8x Push Ups

  • 8x Sit Ups

  • Instep Stretch

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training – AM SESSION (Work Capacity, Core):
5 Rounds:

  • 5x Mr. Spectacular @ 25/35#

  • 50x Step Ups @ 16–18" Box

4 Rounds:

  • 10x Flat Bench Back Extension

  • 20x Flat Bench Crunches

  • 5x Bench Walk Ups

Training – PM SESSION (Endurance):

  • Run 30 Minutes, Moderate Pace

SESSION 5

Objective: 2-a-Day

Warm Up (3 Rounds):

  • Dumbbell Complex – 15/25#

  • Instep Stretch

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training – AM SESSION (Strength):
5 Rounds:

  • 5x Dumbbell Craig Special – increase load each round until 5x is hard but doable, then immediately ...

  • 3x Squat Jumps – (be explosive!)

  • Hip Flexor Stretch

5 Rounds:

  • 10x Dumbbell Bench Press – increase load each round until 10x is hard but doable

  • 5x Clapping Pushups

  • 8x Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curl – 8x is hard but doable

  • 4x Renegade Row @ 25/35#

  • Lat + Pec Stretch

3 Rounds:

  • Shoulder Dislocates

  • Pigeon Stretch

Training – PM SESSION (Endurance):

  • Run 30 Minutes, Moderate Pace

SESSION 6

Objective: —

Warm Up: —

Training:

Testimonials

"Wanted to tell you what a hidden gem this plan is. I am not currently stuck in a hotel but I love the programming anyway. I am a 'busy operator' with ICE on the SRT team and between normal job duties and SRT deployments this plan is keeping me tuned up nice. I look forward to more guidance incorporating the PE diet as well. Thanks for what you do!"

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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