TacticalBarbell.com

Age/sex: 26/Male/150lbs
Training Goal: Increase Maximum Strength and Improve run-time for PT Test
Strength Template: Operator
Conditioning Protocol: Black Professional
Lift numbers:
All 5RM's since returning to training for the past month on LP
1. Squat - 195x5
2. Bench - 150x5
3. Deadlift - 255x5
4. OHP - 100x5
SE/Bodyweight numbers: Have not done SE or base-building
Run Times: 11:20 1.5 mile run
Diet: Renaissance Periodization Mass Gain

Previous PT Test Results Aug 2018:
1 min pushups - 58
1 min situps - 60
1.5 mile run - 11:20
Result: 93%

I'd like to ask for eyes on my programming before I set forth on this TB journey! I just got done reading all three books and have been at this all day! My next Air Force PT Test isn't until August 2019 so I have a ways to go but I'm fully committed to three goals:
a. Gain bodyweight up to 170-175lbs
b. Gain strength utilizing Operator
c. Improve run time to mid 10's on 1.5 mile run

PRIORTIES: 1st half of 2019 focus on strength with cardio as secondary/2nd half of 2019 focused on strength with emphasis on training to lower my 1.5 mile time

Plan of Attack:
-Start off with Base Building protocol for 8 weeks
-Switch to Operator with Squat/Bench/WPU + Deadlift (1 work set each workout)
-Retest maxes every 12 weeks until slowing down and proceed to forced progression as per TB1 3rd Edition
-Run Black Professional for an "E" session every week
-Maintain this protocol throughout the year leading up to my PT test

Questions:
1. Should I add in a green protocol for my run or would utilizing Black Professional & HIC's be enough for my run? If I did want to improve the run drastically, how far out from August 2019 should I focus on changing my emphasis?
2. Any suggestions or tips before I begin?

Thanks!

Well, I don't have any experience with passing military fitness tests, so I can't help you there. But I can tell you that gaining 20 quality pounds while significantly improving your run time, and by August? That's going to be very tough.

VenomousCoffee wrote:Well, I don't have any experience with passing military fitness tests, so I can't help you there. But I can tell you that gaining 20 quality pounds while significantly improving your run time, and by August? That's going to be very tough.

Thanks for the comments! Is it really that hard to gain weight while improving run time? I ran a 10:35-10:40 at a heavier BW 165-170 around a year or two ago. I thought it would be possible unless

I know I need to gain weight to improve my lifts!

Basebuilding

93% PFT score already. New to TB. Want to improve MS and running. Seems like a perfect fit for strength first base building. You already have info you need to estimate your 1RMs. So start today!

MS cluster = SWAT cluster.

Include your PFT exercises in your SE cluster.

LSS and HIC is running.

Retest your MS 1RMs after BB. And self test a PFT (to see where your run time is).


Continuation

MS
Looks like Operator + SWAT cluster. DL every workout...up to you. Do you need DLs every workout? Will it get in the way of your run time goal? Can you sufficiently hit your posterior chain with either KB swings or RDLs 1x/week (on top of the squats in your cluster)?

Your MS numbers are not bad. 5x BW bench and 93% PFT is pretty damn good for most any U.S. MIL or LEO branch/unit. I know many guys who don't put up those numbers. Plenty of 350# bench and 50 push-ups. Or 100 push-ups and no bench at all.


Conditioning

BB could take you to a 10:30 run time. Depends if your current 11:20 was an all-out max effort. If not, 12 weeks of Black Pro can take you the rest of the way. Every step of HIC and LSS should be running. I have seen good results from a weekly schedule of 60:120 repeats, Fast 5, and 60+min E. Add PFT exercises before and/or during your E as you approach a PFT.

You don't need Green to get to 10:30. Sub-8...yes? And probably a specialized run program. But at that point, you should be improving weaknesses rather than "massaging" your strengths, IMO. I am currently sub-10, and my conditioning is Black Pro (and annual-ish base building).


Weight gain

You don't need to gain weight to improve your lifts. There are plenty of 150 pound guys who bench 200+ and squat 300+ (and much more).

If your nutrition is good during 20 weeks of solid training (BB 8 weeks + Op/Black Pro 12 weeks), you could put on some weight.

I would focus on reaching your run time and strength goals. Whatever you weigh while hitting those numbers is what you should weigh. If you just want to weigh more...maybe the new Mass Protocol book has the answer. I haven't read it yet (waiting on the ebook), so I can't say for sure.

close_fox wrote:Basebuilding


I would focus on reaching your run time and strength goals. Whatever you weigh while hitting those numbers is what you should weigh. If you just want to weigh more...maybe the new Mass Protocol book has the answer. I haven't read it yet (waiting on the ebook), so I can't say for sure.

The new book answers this in the FAQ section, and fully agrees (as do I) with the snippet above. Focus on performance for the test, if mass is really needed then focus on it AFTER you’ve taken care of the performance business.

Great post @close_fox, I only cut off the remainder for brevity reasons

@close_fox: Fantastic response and thanks for taking the time to be so detailed! Honestly the only thing I'm changing is the DL frequency during Continuation to 1x per week.

@claude_512: The OMS protocol could come into play here as well but I'll ask specific questions on that later on!

I'm following this because I have similar goals.

However 60:120 repeats don't ring a bell and I can't find them in the exercise vault. Anyone care to explain?

Likes wrote:I'm following this because I have similar goals.

However 60:120 repeats don't ring a bell and I can't find them in the exercise vault. Anyone care to explain?

60/120 repeats don't have to be super strict. if you find a running track you can try to run a 400m in say 1:30, rest 2 mins and repeat. Say 6 rounds of that = 1.5miles of intervals.

This is the one of the great weapons in improving your 1.5m time, but you can't do it every session because you will start to hate training I reckon!

Likes wrote:
However 60:120 repeats don't ring a bell and I can't find them in the exercise vault. Anyone care to explain?

60:120 repeats is not a TB session per se...it's not in the vault. It's just a way to organize an interval training session. Run hard for 60sec, walk for 120sec.

60:120 repeats is an interval workout commonly used at bootcamp/academy/etc. It's a simple and effective way to train a large group of people. Put everyone on a track, loop, whatever, with the instructor in the middle. First whistle blast, run hard for 60sec. Second whistle blast, walk for 120sec. Repeat for reps. The trainees don't have to keep up with anything. Just run or walk when the whistle blows. And the instructor can easily see if anyone is cheating - the group should be running and walking at the same time.

I do 60:120s solo because I don't have access to a track. I could eyeball 600m (or, even better, measure it with my car) and do 600m Resets. I probably will at some point. But 60:120s will always be in my toolbox, because they just work. Like running hills. It's one of those guaranteed solutions that has been proven over the decades with many thousands of privates, trainees, candidates, etc.

Thanks for clarifying, I'll probably give them a go