Program Design
ENERGY SYSTEMS
Your body requires energy to fuel your training. The body has three main ways of doing so. By manipulating work:rest ratios and training intensity, you can train each of the three energy systems.
ATP - provides energy (ATP) for short, quick bursts of activity. Due to the high intensity required, in order to use this energy system again, your body requires a significant amount of rest (10-20x the amount of time you worked).
Examples: sprints, max effort lifts
Glycolytic - provides energy for moderate amounts of activity. Training this energy system improves your lactic capacity - the ability to work before lactic acid (burning sensation in your muscles) builds up. Training this energy system requires a moderate amount of rest (about 3-5x the amount of time you worked).
Examples: circuit training
Oxidative - this system generates the most of amount of energy (ATP), but cannot generate energy as rapidly. Minimal amount of rest is required with this energy system.
Examples: longer running, rucking, swimming, biking
TRAINING INTENSITIES
Tactical athletes must be well-balanced and comprehensively fit. In order to be comprehensively fit, we must train all components of fitness. See below for prescribed sets, reps, effort level, and rest times in order to properly train for each component.
Max Power
Speed Power - the ability to move quickly under load
Strength - the ability to move heavy loads
Hypertrophy - muscle growth
Endurance - the ability to sustain/endure for an extended period of time
EXERCISE ORDER
The order in which we perform exercises is important. There are several different ways to think about exercise order when planning a workout. Typically you want to start with movements that are more demanding or physically taxing, then progress to less taxing movements.
Power --> Strength --> Hypertrophy --> Endurance --> Accessory
Complex --> Simple
Multi-joint --> Single Joint
Bilateral (2 limb) --> Unilateral (1 limb)
VARIABLE MANIPULATION
Training variables can be manipulated to tailor workouts to the individual Soldier. By manipulating variables, you can make a good, solid workout for all Soldiers regardless of fitness level without changing the workout.
Load
Equipment
Range of Motion (ROM)
Tempo (Speed)
Grip/Stance
Accommodation (placement of load)
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) can be an easy way to measure training intensity without equipment. The RPE scale ranges from 1(easiest) to 10 (hardest) and is an easy way to communicate how hard a tactical athlete should be working in a given workout. Common workouts are listed to the left to correlate with their target intensity on the RPE scale on the right.
FOUNDATIONAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS
There are basic movement patterns to train. Within a week, the program should include at least one exercise from the list below. Further, there should be an even ratio of opposing movements. For example, within a week, there should be an equal amount of pulling exercises as pushing exercises. As tactical athletes, we train movements not specific muscles. All movement patterns listed below should be trained. See Movement Mechanics for standard cues to execute these foundational movements. For videos of specific exercises that fall into these categories, see Exercise Library.
Lower Body
Squat
Hip Hinge
Knee Hinge
Linear Unilateral/Lunge
Lateral or Rotational Unilateral
Upper Body
Horizontal Press
Horizontal Pull
Vertical Press
Vertical Pull
Core
Rotation & Anti-Rotation/Isometric Rotation
Flexion & Anti-Flexion/Isometric Flexion
Extension & Anti-Extension/Isometric Extension
Lateral Flexion & Anti-Lateral Flexion/Isometric Lateral Flexion
