Military Athlete

[Sendero]

What's your goal/reasoning for using SS and/or MA? Selection, overall fitness, lifting goals?

Great question. It's something, I'm in the process of reevaluating. My initial purpose in training was to be physically fit enough, to enlist in the Guard and pass SFAS. While I would definitely say that is still my desire, there have been some set backs, not fitness related.

My goal as of now would be able to be as strong as I can, while still having a high level of stamina and endurance.

As a 185 pound guy, it is much easier for me to have a 275+ pound bench than a sub 40 minute 5 miler. While I have and can do both , the 5 miler takes a crap ton more work for me. On a 2 mile run my personal best is 13:25. I would consider that more difficult than "getting strong" for me.

Putting my goals in simpler terms:
1. Maintain strength
2. 280+ on the Army PT test
3. Sub 40 minute mile
4. 20 pull ups
Wild Card: run a 12:59 - 2 mile.

My reasoning for the question about MA, is it incorporates lifting with other elements requiring stamina and work capacity. Something I'm not doing now within SS.

Hope I made sense with the above.

*edited for spacing

 

[SkrewzLoose]

~snip

Putting my goals in simpler terms:
1. Maintain strength
2. 280+ on the Army PT test
3. Sub 40 minute mile
4. 20 pull ups
Wild Card: run a 12:59 - 2 mile.

My reasoning for the question about MA, is it incorporates lifting with other elements requiring stamina and work capacity. Something I'm not doing now within SS.

Hope I made sense with the above.

We may need to have a little talk...

I'm doing 5/3/1 and incorporating SOFWODS into my workouts a few days a week. The volume of 5/3/1 is such that I'm not completely beat down and I'm able to do 2 or 3 days of conditioning work & running on top of my strength work through 5/3/1.
Programs like SS & 5/3/1 will get you stronger at the sacrifice of stamina and endurance if done alone.
MA/CF/SOFWODS will get you in better shape, all around, with overall strength being compromised some. Again, with SOFWODS incorporating more calisthenics than the other 2 because it's more Selection based.
At the end of the day, if you want your cake & be able to eat it too, you're going to have to incorporate a little bit of both types of programming without burning yourself out. It's not impossible by any means.
I hope this helps.
CDG & Etype , you guys can chime in anytime as you're both more knowledgeable on this kind of thing than I.

 

[CDG]

Great question. It's something, I'm in the process of reevaluating. My initial purpose in training was to be physically fit enough, to enlist in the Guard and pass SFAS. While I would definitely say that is still my desire, there have been some set backs, not fitness related.

My goal as of now would be able to be as strong as I can, while still having a high level of stamina and endurance.

As a 185 pound guy, it is much easier for me to have a 275+ pound bench than a sub 40 minute 5 miler. While I have and can do both , the 5 miler takes a crap ton more work for me. On a 2 mile run my personal best is 13:25. I would consider that more difficult than "getting strong" for me.

Putting my goals in simpler terms:
1. Maintain strength
2. 280+ on the Army PT test
3. Sub 40 minute mile
4. 20 pull ups
Wild Card: run a 12:59 - 2 mile.

My reasoning for the question about MA, is it incorporates lifting with other elements requiring stamina and work capacity. Something I'm not doing now within SS.

Hope I made sense with the above.

*edited for spacing

Having done both MA and SOFWODs, my personal opinion is that SOFWODs will better address all of those needs.

 

[AWP]

Reading this thread, aside from a few laughs, has made me realize that I am a pussy who needs to put in a lot of work at the gym.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Odd...I realize the same thing every time I'm in here too. :-/

 

[Sendero]

We may need to have a little talk...

Whoops...I meant to say sub 35 minute mile, not 40.

Having done both MA and SOFWODs, my personal opinion is that SOFWODs will better address all of those needs.

Thanks gents. I'm not as familiar with SOFWODs, but I will definitely look into it.

Reading this thread, aside from a few laughs, has made me realize that I am a pussy who needs to put in a lot of work at the gym.

X3. I used to think I was fit, until I started reading some of the threads in the fitness section.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Whoops...I meant to say sub 35 minute mile, not 40.

So you want to run 1 mile in less than 35 minutes? That's what you're going for here?

 

[Sendero]

So you want to run 1 mile in less than 35 minutes? That's what you're going for here?

Apologies...my attempt at humor fell flat. My goal should have said sub 40 minute 5 mile, not mile. When you stated "We need to talk" with humor, I thought you realized my typo. My fastest 5 mile times on hilly terrain is 7:40-7:50 per mile.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Ah, in that case, I hate you.

 

[Etype]

Sendero, I think you're at the same type of crossroads I came to when I started doing my own programming a couple months ago. Everyone has their own unique weaknesses that need to be trained and everyone has their own limitations (usually in the form of injuries or chronic pain for us who have been doing it for awhile).

• Shoulder surgeries got me away from doing kipping pullups and oly lifts. I still do a lot of overhead work, but the dynamic moves leave me in more pain than I am already in on a daily basis.
• I suck at running, so I need to do it often yet smartly.
• I love the results I get from Westside style workouts.

I train based around those 3 bullets, for the most part. For every other person there could be a totally different criteria. Read a lot about what makes training work, then take what makes sense to you and your situation and apply it- you don't necessarily need someone else do it for you.

 

[Lefty375]

Stamina sessions can suck my balls. I hated that shit with all my heart.
As a few of us have said before, MA has its shortcomings just like any program. If you're doing this for a Selection pipeline it would behoove you to check out SOFWODS as well. They incorporate calisthenics (as well as running and swimming) which MA seems to neglect.

Okay I have started adding in SOFWODS starting today....my calisthenics are lacking. Flutterkicks kicked my ass tonight.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Good stuff. Any time you switch from one program to another or start implementing something new, you'll quickly find the area(s) one program neglects.

Hot tip: If you're doing flutter kicks/leg lifts to prepare for a Selection pipeline, do them with your arms out at a 45* angle to your body, not under your butt. That's all the G2 you'll get from me...

 

[Lefty375]

Good stuff. Any time you switch from one program to another or start implementing something new, you'll quickly find the area(s) one program neglects.

Hot tip: If you're doing flutter kicks/leg lifts to prepare for a Selection pipeline, do them with your arms out at a 45* angle to your body, not under your butt. That's all the G2 you'll get from me...

Ah.....i was doing them under the butt. Thanks for the info. My hip flexors are sucking from them last night....should be able to murder the sit up event though after a while....not that I don't already do well on it.

 

[ThunderHorse]

So a friend of mine gave me the Strength and Honor program and I'm looking to start doing it after I've gotten settled here at Knox, was wondering for those who have done it, I know it's set up for five days, would you recommend just doing four days?

 

[StewCrew23]

I would like to take advantage of your good will. Will you send it to me?

I would like a copy

 

[AWP]

I would like a copy

Stew,
Per the site rules you need to post an Introduction before posting again. You also quoted the wrong guy if you're looking for a copy.

 

[mj5]

Would the BTDTs recommend this as a means to prepare for a selection course (with priority given to the PT guide from the respective course)? And is it worth paying the monthly subscription fee for the daily operator sessions, or would one be better off using SOFWODS or the horsemen program for free?

 

[CDG]

Would the BTDTs recommend this as a means to prepare for a selection course (with priority given to the PT guide from the respective course)? And is it worth paying the monthly subscription fee for the daily operator sessions, or would one be better off using SOFWODS or the horsemen program for free?

MA has multiple Selection specific plans for damn near any school out there. They have gotten great reviews from a lot of guys that have used them. You're looking at about $80 for a single plan. Do you need one? No, guys have been passing Selections for a long time without specific plans. Does it make sense to use any available resource to prepare not only for the events themselves, but for recovering in between? Your call dude. I think it makes sense.

 

[Sendero]

@CDG - Has there been anything you've changed up, regarding fitness, now that you've arrived at an ASOS? More running? Less heavy lifting?

I'm asking out of curiosity and the fact this thread had been pretty active in the past. You and @Etype were dropping a lot of good fitness knowledge. I think it helped a lot of people including myself.

 

[CDG]

@CDG - Has there been anything you've changed up, regarding fitness, now that you've arrived at an ASOS? More running? Less heavy lifting?

I'm asking out of curiosity and the fact this thread had been pretty active in the past. You and @Etype were dropping a lot of good fitness knowledge. I think it helped a lot of people including myself.

There hasn't been much that has changed. I lost some mass and strength going through the TACP pipeline due to long bodyweight PT sessions, and lots of running and rucking. So right after I graduated I did a cycle focused more on strength. It came back pretty quick and I transitioned into work-capacity based training for awhile. I had a buddy of mine programming for me for awhile, but I stopped that due to the cost and am back to following Military Athlete. Some guys get to an ASOS and start doing bodybuilding style workouts and worrying about physique development. I strongly disagree with that as our job isn't to look good in PT gear.