mprevost
Level 7 Valued Member
This is the basic skeleton of a training template that I worked up for tactical athletes. It is a weekly template inspired by Pavel's Total Package program. It incorporates strength, METCON, and endurance for those who need it all. I have had several operators and LEO folks using it with good feedback. When you are training lots of qualities you have to simplify a bit. Here is the basic schedule:
7 Day Per Week Template
Monday—strength
Tuesday—conditioning
Wednesday—endurance
Thursday—strength
Friday—conditioning
Saturday—endurance
Sunday—endurance
Or another option:
5 Day Per Week Template
Monday—AM strength, PM endurance
Tuesday—conditioning
Wednesday—off
Thursday—AM strength, PM endurance
Friday—conditioning
Saturday—off
Sunday—endurance
The strength portion uses a single exercise for each movement (push, pull, squat, hip hinge, core). The plan consists of two types of lifts, heavy grinds (i.e., deadlifts, bench press, pull ups, presses) and heavy quick lifts (i.e., heavy kettlebell swings, heavy kettlebell snatches, and Olympic lifts). On the strength days, you should focus on heavy lifts and the 3-8 repetition range. Varying the repetition range within this bracket makes sense. Sometimes you should focus on heavy singles and doubles for the quick lifts and heavy triples for the grinds, and other times you should use lighter weights (but still heavy) for 5-8 reps. The loading should be “wavy.” This can be done rather randomly as you feel, or systematically. Pick one exercise for each movement. 3-5 sets are about right. If you are doing singles, you may do more sets (i.e., 10 X 1). Don’t rush through these workouts. Take plenty of rest to ensure that you can move big weights with proper form. Heavy ab work belongs on the strength days as well: ¼ get-ups with a big kettlebell, hanging leg raises, hard style sit-ups, loaded carries etc.
The conditioning workouts are all about high rep ballistics (swings, snatches, cleans, jerks) and METCON. Barbell Olympic lifts are a risky way to do METCON. Kettlebell or dumbbell variants are much less risky. Save the barbell Olympic lifts for the strength sessions. “High rep” in this context means 10-20. The conditioning effect will come from keeping your rest intervals brief. Drive your heart rate up and keep it there. Always use perfect form. Never compromise movement quality for effort. Note that the sessions are brief, about 10 minutes. High quality, brief sessions are best for METCON.
For the tactical athlete, endurance generally means moving under load. You never move in a tactical situation in shorts and running shoes. Loaded movement is primarily about strength, but you need some run ability also. The foundation of the run program is two run sessions and 1 ruck. There are two weekly run structures that are alternated in an A/B/A/B/A/B fashion.
Run Plan A
VO2 Max Intervals
Tempo Run
Long Ruck
Run Plan B
Long Run
VO2 Max Intervals
Heavy Ruck
If you are approaching a run testable event (i.e., PFT or PRT) and want to sharpen up performance for the run, drop the ruck for 4-5 weeks and substitute a long run for the long ruck and a tempo run for the heavy ruck. When the run test event is over, go back to the original template.
The ruck can be dropped for those who do not need it. It can be replaced with a longer, easy run for plan A or a tempo run for plan B.
Mobility work is individual and added to the warm up with some stretching in the cool down. Note that this program is set up for those who need to perform at a high level across a wide range of abilities. This is not how I would program all around fitness for those primarily concerned with health. A program like this requires meticulous attention to recovery and nutrition. A periodic off week is also a good idea.
There are lots of ways to achieve the kind of fitness tactical athletes need. This is just one example.
7 Day Per Week Template
Monday—strength
Tuesday—conditioning
Wednesday—endurance
Thursday—strength
Friday—conditioning
Saturday—endurance
Sunday—endurance
Or another option:
5 Day Per Week Template
Monday—AM strength, PM endurance
Tuesday—conditioning
Wednesday—off
Thursday—AM strength, PM endurance
Friday—conditioning
Saturday—off
Sunday—endurance
The strength portion uses a single exercise for each movement (push, pull, squat, hip hinge, core). The plan consists of two types of lifts, heavy grinds (i.e., deadlifts, bench press, pull ups, presses) and heavy quick lifts (i.e., heavy kettlebell swings, heavy kettlebell snatches, and Olympic lifts). On the strength days, you should focus on heavy lifts and the 3-8 repetition range. Varying the repetition range within this bracket makes sense. Sometimes you should focus on heavy singles and doubles for the quick lifts and heavy triples for the grinds, and other times you should use lighter weights (but still heavy) for 5-8 reps. The loading should be “wavy.” This can be done rather randomly as you feel, or systematically. Pick one exercise for each movement. 3-5 sets are about right. If you are doing singles, you may do more sets (i.e., 10 X 1). Don’t rush through these workouts. Take plenty of rest to ensure that you can move big weights with proper form. Heavy ab work belongs on the strength days as well: ¼ get-ups with a big kettlebell, hanging leg raises, hard style sit-ups, loaded carries etc.
The conditioning workouts are all about high rep ballistics (swings, snatches, cleans, jerks) and METCON. Barbell Olympic lifts are a risky way to do METCON. Kettlebell or dumbbell variants are much less risky. Save the barbell Olympic lifts for the strength sessions. “High rep” in this context means 10-20. The conditioning effect will come from keeping your rest intervals brief. Drive your heart rate up and keep it there. Always use perfect form. Never compromise movement quality for effort. Note that the sessions are brief, about 10 minutes. High quality, brief sessions are best for METCON.
For the tactical athlete, endurance generally means moving under load. You never move in a tactical situation in shorts and running shoes. Loaded movement is primarily about strength, but you need some run ability also. The foundation of the run program is two run sessions and 1 ruck. There are two weekly run structures that are alternated in an A/B/A/B/A/B fashion.
Run Plan A
VO2 Max Intervals
Tempo Run
Long Ruck
Run Plan B
Long Run
VO2 Max Intervals
Heavy Ruck
If you are approaching a run testable event (i.e., PFT or PRT) and want to sharpen up performance for the run, drop the ruck for 4-5 weeks and substitute a long run for the long ruck and a tempo run for the heavy ruck. When the run test event is over, go back to the original template.
The ruck can be dropped for those who do not need it. It can be replaced with a longer, easy run for plan A or a tempo run for plan B.
Mobility work is individual and added to the warm up with some stretching in the cool down. Note that this program is set up for those who need to perform at a high level across a wide range of abilities. This is not how I would program all around fitness for those primarily concerned with health. A program like this requires meticulous attention to recovery and nutrition. A periodic off week is also a good idea.
There are lots of ways to achieve the kind of fitness tactical athletes need. This is just one example.
