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Hi all! Hoping to get your advice on making Fighter work with my half marathon training plan. I kept a training log for a while, but stopped updating it since my plan drifted away from the fundamentals of TB. I didn't want to gunk up the community with unrelated content. I'm thinking I'll start updating the log again since I'm back on a green template (plus, hopefully, fighter).

Anyways, my conundrum:

My half marathon program has become pretty intense (at least for me, a guy who has always been far more comfortable grunting my way through a squat or deadlift session then hitting the road or cranking our push ups). I'm enjoying seeing progress, and I know the change is good for me - at least for a while.

I planned on running a bare bones fighter template alongside the four day a week half marathon plan. (Squat, pull ups, chest press X 2/week + deadlift X 1/week).

The problem was that I was so sore and under-recovered, I gave it up after a couple weeks.

This is 100% my deficit, not Tactical Barbells. But I'd like to try and find a way to make it work.

Any advice? The immediate strategy that comes to mind is to simply recalculate the percentages using a lower one rep max so that my work volume is lower.

Open to other suggestions as well. While I don't mind losing strength and muscle while focused on running, I'm not loving the gut thats developed since I put down the barbell...

tomcatflyer wrote:Hi all! Hoping to get your advice on making Fighter work with my half marathon training plan. I kept a training log for a while, but stopped updating it since my plan drifted away from the fundamentals of TB. I didn't want to gunk up the community with unrelated content. I'm thinking I'll start updating the log again since I'm back on a green template (plus, hopefully, fighter).

Anyways, my conundrum:

My half marathon program has become pretty intense (at least for me, a guy who has always been far more comfortable grunting my way through a squat or deadlift session then hitting the road or cranking our push ups). I'm enjoying seeing progress, and I know the change is good for me - at least for a while.

I planned on running a bare bones fighter template alongside the four day a week half marathon plan. (Squat, pull ups, chest press X 2/week + deadlift X 1/week).

The problem was that I was so sore and under-recovered, I gave it up after a couple weeks.

This is 100% my deficit, not Tactical Barbells. But I'd like to try and find a way to make it work.

Any advice? The immediate strategy that comes to mind is to simply recalculate the percentages using a lower one rep max so that my work volume is lower.

Open to other suggestions as well. While I don't mind losing strength and muscle while focused on running, I'm not loving the gut thats developed since I put down the barbell...

Two things immediately spring to mind reading your post;

Have you calculated TDEE and are you eating to meet TDEE?
Are you resting a minimum of 2 minutes between sets?

If yes to the above.... Consider eating a few hundred calories more than your TDEE.
Push out the rest period even longer, 4-5 minutes between the bench and squat sets (wouldn't worry about the pull-ups).

In my own training I find rest periods make an enormous difference when it comes to DOMs. Resting 3-5 minutes is a game changer for me in terms of speeding up recovery and diminishing muscle soreness.

Other things you might want to consider....
Go with the "Grunt" cluster while you're in-training for the half. This is the type of situation "Grunt" was made for.

BlackPyjamas wrote: Two things immediately spring to mind reading your post;

Have you calculated TDEE and are you eating to meet TDEE?
Are you resting a minimum of 2 minutes between sets?

If yes to the above.... Consider eating a few hundred calories more than your TDEE.
Push out the rest period even longer, 4-5 minutes between the bench and squat sets (wouldn't worry about the pull-ups).

In my own training I find rest periods make an enormous difference when it comes to DOMs. Resting 3-5 minutes is a game changer for me in terms of speeding up recovery and diminishing muscle soreness.

Other things you might want to consider....
Go with the "Grunt" cluster while you're in-training for the half. This is the type of situation "Grunt" was made for.

x 2 on all of this. Additionally are you using a training max? You'll definitely want to retest and use a training max.

Another thing you can do (what I do when training for a race) is go super-minimalist with the cluster, like 2 exercise minimalist. Deadlift and Press. Increase volume by increasing sets rather than adding in more exercises. The grunt cluster would work in this situation too as BPJs suggests.

Great advice. Two exercise cluster (three if using a BW exercise) is probably plenty. You could even do a minimalist Zulu template as prescribed in the 3rd Edition if gym access is easy but time is a concern.

I like to sub in weighted bodyweight exercises and keep the volume at a bare minimum.
Have you considered 1 legged squats or 1 legged deadlifts paired with a 1 arm press? You could also add weighted pullups.

All of these exercises will have a lower total volume of weight and might even sure up some single limb weaknesses in the process while running.

Maxrip13 wrote:I like to sub in weighted bodyweight exercises and keep the volume at a bare minimum.
Have you considered 1 legged squats or 1 legged deadlifts paired with a 1 arm press? You could also add weighted pullups.

All of these exercises will have a lower total volume of weight and might even sure up some single limb weaknesses in the process while running.

Awesome advice here. Throw on a weight vest and hit the pistol squats...very simpatico with high mileage race training.

Really great advice here - thanks everyone! I'm going to start by trying those longer rests (because I tend to rush them, despite knowing better) and focus on upping my protein. Will keep you informed!

Tomcat flyer, just wondering, do you know Goat Bates and Tiny Johnson?