Training for Tier 1

[Maxrip13]

Hey mate,

Just curious what you weigh?

Your strength and conditioning goals are around what mine are and I come from a similar back ground. I always found a struggle between staying light enough for a good run time and heavy enough to stomp with full kit in terms of bodyweight.

Mine have changed a bit now due to heading into a different line of work, but I like to maintain the ability to perform like I was required to before.

Be interested to see your journey.

Hey Maxrip13! Great to see you here, thanks for your inquiry. I usually weigh somewhere between 76-78 kg. I'll problably drop down to 76-something during the Green protocol; we'll see. It's an interesting trade-off indeed, I'll have to play a little bit with my weight myself the coming months. Shedding some bodyfat and gaining some muscle (plus strengthening the neural connections) should leave me quite fine I think at 76 kg, but of course I'm vain so I want a little more muscle than what 76 kg would allow me. All in good time though.

Week 3 Base Building
Monday: LSS rowing for 50 minutes in order to give my calves a well needed rest. Developed a blood blister on my left hand. Go me.

Tuesday: Rest day. Travelled to my brother's family for the rest of the week. Had a blast hanging out with him, his wife and playing with the kids. They're super vehicles for developing patience and presence. Love it, love them. Proud of myself for continuing with the program as planned, I'm in it for a higher purpose

Wednesday: Kettlebell cluster, 3x40, 16 kg KB, 30-40 sec rest in between exercis, 2-3 min between cycles. The 40 reppers really starts to get to me. Which is great, now I'm really training. Second round is usually the toughest.

Thursday. LSS run 50 min. Beautiful nature in the woods and along the coast. I must confess, I stopped at a few points just to let the moment and surroundings soak in.

Friday: Rest day.

Saturday: Kettlebell cluster, 3x40, 16 kg KB, 30-40 sec rest in between exercis, 2-3 min between cycles. Just keep slugging. My body feels a little taxed, if I rested for a week I'd probably breeze through the 40 reps. But not yet.

Sunday: 50 min LSS run. Ended it with a dip in the ocean. Been reading up on the Wim Hof Method and I've started taking cold showers. Couldn't resist jumping into the ocean and getting my breath under control. Approximately 4 degrees in the air, 6 degress in the water.

Feels great that I'm keeping it consistent.

That's about what I sit at most of the time when I am also doing heavier conditioning. Quite interesting the similarities. I will definitely be following to see your results.

How do you find the kettlebell circuits transfer to other forms of strength endurance ? I first begun serious training with kettlebells 10+ years ago and while I love the training I find it never really helps me with carry over to more traditional calisthenic work. Maybe it's the extensive back ground and finding kettlebell work quite easy, but I found recently doing base building with S&S + Pullups I really needed to focus on pushups and high rep ab work to bring my numbers back up after.

I also don't have to do organised military PT anymore so high rep pushups etc very rarely feature in my training. This might be the real reason.

[snake]

Hey mate,

Just curious what you weigh?

Your strength and conditioning goals are around what mine are and I come from a similar back ground. I always found a struggle between staying light enough for a good run time and heavy enough to stomp with full kit in terms of bodyweight.

Mine have changed a bit now due to heading into a different line of work, but I like to maintain the ability to perform like I was required to before.

Be interested to see your journey.

Week 3 Summary

That's about what I sit at most of the time when I am also doing heavier conditioning. Quite interesting the similarities. I will definitely be following to see your results.

How do you find the kettlebell circuits transfer to other forms of strength endurance ? I first begun serious training with kettlebells 10+ years ago and while I love the training I find it never really helps me with carry over to more traditional calisthenic work. Maybe it's the extensive back ground and finding kettlebell work quite easy, but I found recently doing base building with S&S + Pullups I really needed to focus on pushups and high rep ab work to bring my numbers back up after.

I also don't have to do organised military PT anymore so high rep pushups etc very rarely feature in my training. This might be the real reason.

I do little to no calisthenics. I will start to incorporate it in my fun-runs; at my unit each individual is responsible for their conditioning and strength training. We don't do any unit PT, which I can kind of miss - it's great for the comraderie. To answer your question: I do not know. I'll keep on slugging and we'll see. I've always been reasonable competent regarding chins and dips but push-ups have always been a weakness for me for whatever reason. I don't worry too much about it at the moment, but it might be something to take into consideration for Assessment and Selection.



Week 4 Base Building
This week was divided into 2 weeks instead, some work stuff came up.

Week 4.1
Monday: KB Cluster, 50x3, 16 kg KB. This is awesome, now it's starting to burn.
Tuesday: 45 min run in combat gear + weapon.
Wednesday: Swimming + mobility. Didn't make it past 30 min, something wrong with my hip which flares up every now and then. I will check it up.

Week 4.2
Thursday: KB Cluster, 50x2, 16 kg KB. Gym closed on me.
Saturday: Fun-run 60 min with approximately 7 kg ruck. Every 10 minutes do 10 pushups and 10 squats. PAIN FREE.

Amazing feeling that I could run with barefoot shoes without pain, and even being able to add some weight! Slow, incremental progression is indeed the shit. Just one more week now of Phase 1 Base Building until I hit the barbell again for max strength. So stoked!

[grouchyjarhead]

Looks good so far. I would recommend in your Tier 1 prep rotating in a few of the established pre-A&S routines for that particular unit you're interested in. For instance, say a block of BB, a block of Fighter+Green, and a block of prep (e.g. if you were looking at the U.S. Army Rangers, their 12 week RASP program) before going back to the TB protocol. You have the time, so devoting the occasional block to that specific prep would definitely be in your favor.

[snake]

Looks good so far. I would recommend in your Tier 1 prep rotating in a few of the established pre-A&S routines for that particular unit you're interested in. For instance, say a block of BB, a block of Fighter+Green, and a block of prep (e.g. if you were looking at the U.S. Army Rangers, their 12 week RASP program) before going back to the TB protocol. You have the time, so devoting the occasional block to that specific prep would definitely be in your favor.

Hey grouchyjarhead! Thanks for the input, sounds like a good idea. They do indeed have a program spanning approximately 4 months in total with a gradual build-up. I checked the programming and I'd surely be able to jump in 1-2 months something in it with a block of BB and Green + Figher behind me. I know the approximate standards for the tests; as long as I can hold myself up to them with some margin I think rucking, running with combat kit and carrying stuff will be perfect as focused prep for the tests.



Week 5 Base Building
Had a great week, substituted two E-running sessions with land navigation; I truly have a hate-love relationship with it. I went pretty easy on the running and focused on reading the terrain. Still it's not really LSS, but rather more of an interval performance.

Monday: Kettlebell cluster, 3x50. I found the flow with focusing on my breath - super for keeping my focus and pushing through the pain. Thanks Commander Divine.
Tuesday: Land navigation, out for 1.5 h running in the woods.
Wednesday: Active recovery, talked with a girl at the gym together with my buddy, she stalked me up on social media later. Will see where this leads, I'm not complaining.
Thursday: Land navigation
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: Kettlebell cluster, 3x50. Breathing, breathing, breathing.
Sunday: 10 km terrain run in kit, 10 pushups, 10 squats every 10 minutes. Finished in 1 hour. Left calf started acting up during the run, still not 100% with running with load in barefoot shoes.

Week 6 Base building
This week did not go as planned. Worked around the clock at work and travelled, was a bit sick and got wasted on Saturday. Tier 1 behaviour? Not really. I'm honest with myself: if I truly wanted to get all my sessions in, I could've. What's stopping me? Poor planning and action taking to get me to recover properly. Get myself in bed in time is fucking key for recovery. Sure, might not be able to sit up with the guys and shoot the shit every night of the week, but there's plenty of time for it during the day.

I got in two sessions of gym with cluster 5x5 front squats (70-80 kg), overhead press (40 kg) and weighted chins (8 kg)/deadlifts (90 kg).

New week, new opportunities. Let's grind.

[snake]

Week 7 Base Building
Monday: Max strength. Front squat, 3x5, 70 kg. I was stepping into the fourth set and picking up the bar for the first rep when I felt a scrunching sensation in my lower back. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Put the barbell back and moved with great care. Lower back was super tight and felt locked up. Did 3x5 military press with unloaded 20 kg barbell and 3x6 chins without weight. Just trying to keep moving while simultaneously not fucking up the back further.



Tuesday: Back still felt broken but decided to go for an easy jog. On the schedule it said Conditioning Session 1-10. Easy running for a little while when the back started feeling better. Decided to go for 400 m intervals, 6 reps. Back actually felt a lot better after it, almost as if it got greased throughout the session.

Wednesday: Mobility + sauna. Met up the girl from the gym a few weeks earlier in the evening. Ended up at her place, banged. Would love to meet her again.

Thursday: Mobility + sauna. Active recovery, trying to rehabilitate my back.

Friday: Max strength. 3x5 front squats, 70 kg. Back still feels a bit unreliable, but it held. Military press 3x5, 45 kg. Weighted chins, 3x5, 8 kg kettlebell. Think I can increase the weight.

Saturday: Interval work. 400 m x 6. Approaching full recovery in between each sprint.

[snake]

Week 8 Base Building
Monday: Max strength. 3x5 front squats, 70 kg. 3x5 military press, 45 kg. Weighted chins, 8 kg kettlebell. Back feels much better.

Tuesday: Interval work. 400 m x 6.

Thursday: Hit the gym with a friend - had a blast with him. Max strength. Front squats, 70/80/85/85/85 kg, 5 reps. Military press, 40/45/50/50/50 kg. Weighted chins, 10/10/15/15/15 kg, 5 reps. Felt strong, which actually shows in the numbers! Awesome feeling, finally putting a little more weight on the bar.

Friday: Hill sprints, 8 reps, ~25-30 sec duration for each.

Saturday: Did a ton of mobility, movement and bodyweight strength while playing in the sun. Love it, just found MovNat as well - moving as efficiently as possible while utilizing the body's whole potential is really something that interests me. 50 min LSS run in quite demanding terrain.

[Barkadion]

Week 7 Base Building
Monday: Max strength. Front squat, 3x5, 70 kg. I was stepping into the fourth set and picking up the bar for the first rep when I felt a scrunching sensation in my lower back. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Put the barbell back and moved with great care. Lower back was super tight and felt locked up. Did 3x5 military press with unloaded 20 kg barbell and 3x6 chins without weight. Just trying to keep moving while simultaneously not fucking up the back further.



Tuesday: Back still felt broken but decided to go for an easy jog. On the schedule it said Conditioning Session 1-10. Easy running for a little while when the back started feeling better. Decided to go for 400 m intervals, 6 reps. Back actually felt a lot better after it, almost as if it got greased throughout the session.

Wednesday: Mobility + sauna. Met up the girl from the gym a few weeks earlier in the evening. Ended up at her place, banged. Would love to meet her again.

Thursday: Mobility + sauna. Active recovery, trying to rehabilitate my back.

Friday: Max strength. 3x5 front squats, 70 kg. Back still feels a bit unreliable, but it held. Military press 3x5, 45 kg. Weighted chins, 3x5, 8 kg kettlebell. Think I can increase the weight.

Saturday: Interval work. 400 m x 6. Approaching full recovery in between each sprint.

I really like your Wednesday routine

[snake]

I really like your Wednesday routine

Haha yeah, so do I brother.

Coming challenges
Finally set my foot down and signed up for some competitions! First off is an orienteering competition which spans 5 days, will probably cover around 50 km this week - no backpack or anything. Will be a damn pleasure!

The week after I signed up for an Arctic Mountain Marathon in northern Scandinavia. 50 km navigation in the mountains during 2 days with backpack. Will be suuper interesting and a great challenge physical as well as mental. Very excited for it!

[K.B.]

Week 7 Base Building
Monday: Max strength. Front squat, 3x5, 70 kg. I was stepping into the fourth set and picking up the bar for the first rep when I felt a scrunching sensation in my lower back. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Put the barbell back and moved with great care. Lower back was super tight and felt locked up. Did 3x5 military press with unloaded 20 kg barbell and 3x6 chins without weight. Just trying to keep moving while simultaneously not fucking up the back further.



Tuesday: Back still felt broken but decided to go for an easy jog. On the schedule it said Conditioning Session 1-10. Easy running for a little while when the back started feeling better. Decided to go for 400 m intervals, 6 reps. Back actually felt a lot better after it, almost as if it got greased throughout the session.

Wednesday: Mobility + sauna. Met up the girl from the gym a few weeks earlier in the evening. Ended up at her place, banged. Would love to meet her again.

Thursday: Mobility + sauna. Active recovery, trying to rehabilitate my back.

Friday: Max strength. 3x5 front squats, 70 kg. Back still feels a bit unreliable, but it held. Military press 3x5, 45 kg. Weighted chins, 3x5, 8 kg kettlebell. Think I can increase the weight.

Saturday: Interval work. 400 m x 6. Approaching full recovery in between each sprint.

I really like your Wednesday routine

Agreed. Might have to include this as a new HIC (maybe E for some of you under 40).

[snake]

Week 7 Base Building




Wednesday: Mobility + sauna. Met up the girl from the gym a few weeks earlier in the evening. Ended up at her place, banged. Would love to meet her again.

I really like your Wednesday routine

Agreed. Might have to include this as a new HIC (maybe E for some of you under 40).

Haha I imagine it might become one of the most popular sessions.

Week 9 Base Building - Finishing of Base Building
Running through a last week of base building. This week was supposed to be active recovery and test period for continuation protocol Green + Fighter.

Monday: Front squats 90/85/85 kg, 5 reps. Military press 50/50/50 kg, 5 reps. Weighted chins, 20/20/20 kg, 5 reps.
Feels great to add some weight to the barbell again, experiencing fast gains now - superb feeling. I've never even done weighted chins before!

Rest of the week consisted of mobility work and active recovery - until the weekend came around. Alot of my buddies has been out previous weekends, drinking beers and pulling girls. I've been sober for the most part and focused on training - until last weekend when I finally decided it was time. Went out Friday + Saturday and shot the shit with all kind of people like a madman, expecting to my fair of pulling.
Nope.
I met the Wednesday-girl out at the club and she was cold AF. Quite interesting, got a bit emotionally disturbed by it but I've let go now. A spiritual lesson for sure.

Sunday hungover as a bastard we had our standardized physical tests we're supposed to do every year. Push-ups, hanging in chin-up position, sit-ups etc. Nothing really hard actually, I maxed all tests. Most exhausting was 2 km in combat gear, I ran in at 9:34. Did 9:34 last autumn as well, but this time we had added 16 kg worth of body armor - that's progress in my eyes at least.

This week (Week 10 if you'd like) has been all about recovery. Body felt broken after all the drinking and physical tests. Next week we're heading out on a longer field exercise - I'll be back with my test results for the continuation protocol when I have the chance.
Take care brothers!