Kettlebell Strength program - preparing for special forces

[pet']

Hello @Delta

Coincidentally, there is this article on the blog: All-Around Training for the Tactical Athlete | StrongFirst

It leaves room for training specifics

However, I agree that at some point, you can not cut [long(er)] training sessions such as running or rucking. Depending on the unit you aim for, I'd look for what selection looks like (comments, documentaries, etc...). For instance, if it implies 10km of running per day, I would train to be able to handle this.

Increasing max strength is often a good idea (depending on where we start from). However, it does not have to be detrimental to conditioning, which is always tested in some ways (timed runs / rucks). Indeed, it can drain energy, it can lead to injury if volume is too high, etc...

Based on almost all the books I've read on the topic so far, programming often is fairly simple it revolves around the basics:
- between 30-40km of running (which includes LSD, threshold / intervals, time runs (based on specific events))
- Fundamentals of strength moves (pull ups, presses, squats, deadlifts), oriented toward strength-endurance (2-5 sets of 8-15 reps (which is not strongfirst oriented rep sets) if paired with what follows
- Calisthenics (push ups, pull ups, etc...)

Most of the time, we see a split such as upper / lower or upper / lower / full

Mobility and stretching are paramount as well. Depending on your current "level" on those, get ups (not necessarily heavy) can be worthy.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Delta]

Hi pet'

Thank you for sharing all your knowlegde. How do you see the combination of the "Fundamentals of Strenght moves" combined with calisthenics? Would you combine these in a weekly schedule or would you first do more Maximal Strenght training and later Calistenics? During the last 8 weeks of the Fabio Zonin program, I have barely done any calisthenics, it was a strenght program.

I would do 3 strenght / calistenics trainings per week. This would be full body training via compound exercices. Unfortunately I do not have the time to train more then once a day.

This is the weekly schedule I have in mind for the upcoming 6 weeks:

Day 1: Running (LSD)
Day 2: Strenght (Medium)
Day 3: Running (LSD)
Day 4: Strenght (Medium)
Day 5: Running (LSD)
Day 6: Strenght (Heavy)
Day 7: Rest - Mobility

After these 6 weeks I will have done 12 weeks of pure aerobic running training. From what I have read, this would be a good base to start implementing other trainings (HIIT or pure VO2max trainings).

Every warm up before a strenght session, I do 5 Turkish Get Ups with a 16k kettlebell.

 

[pet']

Hello @Delta

Assuming you do 3 strength sessions a week, I would dedicate one to "PT". Basically, I would use this one to do calisthenics. You can also incorporate a few sets of push ups, pull ups or sit ups as a warm up for your 2 other strength sessions. Something great as well is to do calisthenics between sets (for instance, a set of push ups (far from failure, to say comfortable) between two sets of squats).

As far as programming strength and conditioning (meaning cardio), there are tons of way.

Stew Smith, in his recent podcasts talks about 3 weeks of strength (PT / cals maintenance only) and 1 week of cardio. Then, he does the other way around (mostly cardio, only strength maintenance).

Usually, a "peak" for running is 45-50km a week (which is already a lot). However, even himself tends to scale it back a little to only 40. In general, this running schedule is splitted in short runs and 1 long run. Short runs are geared toward the running events you'll face at selection (x mile time run, etc...)

In general, 35km a week, paired with non impact cardio such as swimming is plenty. 35k a week is just 5k runs, which is done quite fast. Then, a strength routine, such as Zonin or strength aerobics would secure durability.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Justin_M]

Coincidentally, there is this article on the blog: All-Around Training for the Tactical Athlete | StrongFirst

It leaves room for training specifics

How do you see the combination of the "Fundamentals of Strenght moves" combined with calisthenics? Would you combine these in a weekly schedule or would you first do more Maximal Strenght training and later Calistenics?

A more complex alternative list of Novocaine style sessions that I've continuously rotated through has been:

1. Barbell Strength
2. LISS
3. Tempo/VO2 max Intervals
4. LISS
5. Barbell Strength
6. Calisthenics circuit
7. Long LISS

I use this template often, especially when I'm not doing other activities. I can train everyday if I keep the volume manageable. I use a waved S/S+ style set replacement progression exclusively for all of it using 5 sets and progressing in the same order as outlined in S&S.

 

[chrissteph]

A more complex alternative list of Novocaine style sessions that I've continuously rotated through has been:

1. Barbell Strength
2. LISS
3. Tempo/VO2 max Intervals
4. LISS
5. Barbell Strength
6. Calisthenics circuit
7. Long LISS

I use this template often, especially when I'm not doing other activities. I can train everyday if I keep the volume manageable. I use a waved S/S+ style set replacement progression exclusively for all of it using 5 sets and progressing in the same order as outlined in S&S.

Justin

I really like the Novocaine training setup. When I'm away from home I can keep Kettlebells and Dumbbells in the back of my truck and hit my swings and getups with maybe dumbbell some strength work after, and when I'm home I can go a little harder with Barbells. Great stuff

 

[Delta]

A more complex alternative list of Novocaine style sessions that I've continuously rotated through has been:

1. Barbell Strength
2. LISS
3. Tempo/VO2 max Intervals
4. LISS
5. Barbell Strength
6. Calisthenics circuit
7. Long LISS

I really like your set-up, it looks very complete.

 

[Craig Weller]

I'm a bit disappointed so far because it is very high level, theoretical. I have read 200 pages or so but i find it challenging to put things really into practice. Now I am reading the chapter about visualisation, positive self talk etc, things that you really can practice, thats what I am looking for.

I expected more practical things that you can really put into practice (training schemes, mental exercices, more detailed nutrition programs, running schedules, ...). The book is interesting but also strongly theoretical (from what I have read so far).

The website has good articles, they released an interesting article today about strength training:

Strength Training for Special Operations Selection Prep - Building the Elite

Strength and power training is one of the primary pillars of your physical SOF prep training along with conditioning, work capacity, and movement work. This article provides an overview of how to create strength training programs.

www.buildingtheelite.com

Delta, you'd probably appreciate the second edition of the book that we just released. We updated and expanded the second half (the practical application side) with about 125 pages of new content on things like rucking, running, swimming, water confidence, treading, energy systems methods, and building workouts.

We do provide more examples of how to apply those things in your own training (and have a few other full program examples on the resources page on the site), but as other people on here have said, there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all template that works for everyone or really even anyone. Each layer of the program requires some level of individualization, and the bigger picture structure of the program itself requires an understanding of the individual's strengths, weaknesses, psychological profile, movement quality, injuries, training history, etc, and also has to factor in the specific program that they're training for and the timeline that they're working with.

To that end, we're putting together training guides on our site that walk people through program-specific assessments and give them the step-by-step pieces that allow them to create their own individualized program using free resources on the site. We're also releasing a training app in the next few months that uses robust back-end logic to produce adaptive, individualized programs for people.

We want people who bought V1 of the book to be able to get the second edition as affordably as possible, so if you email us (you can use the contact form on the BTE site) we will send you a discount code for V2.

 

[Gravytrain]

Stew smith.com for the win