INFTP

[RWAC1996]

Greetings,

I have been following the SSLP programming as it is prescribed in the book with great results for a few months now. My goal here is to use the fundamentals of this program, with some modifications to help achieve the goals I am looking for. Specifically, I plan on enlisting into the military in the near future. I know strength is the most important physical trait, and if I had it my way I would keep doing just as the program dictates. However, the Army seems to disagree with that premise, and while the squat may assist in rucking or other lower-body calisthenics, I don't see it reducing my 5-mile run to under 40 minutes. Also, while the bench press may be more useful for strength, I really need push-ups for high reps, not a 300 lb bench press (though I will happily achieve that afterwards). Here is my proposal that I would like some critique on:

• Sunday: REST
• Monday: Squat, Deadlift, OHP
• Tuesday: Pull-up, Push-up, Run
• Wednesday: Squat, Clean, OHP
• Thursday: Pull-up, Push-up, Run
• Friday: Squat, Deadlift, OHP
• Saturday: Pull-up, Push up / Ruck

Can I get away with running two days a week without my squat suffering dramatically? How does the upper body volume look? Is OHP thrice a week sustainable?

-Seth

[Michael Wolf]

Have you read the articles on this site about this topic? There are a few, but this one comes to mind most: A Strength-Based Approach to the APFT | Ryan Whittemore

The details of what you do will depend on when you're being tested, and how well you have to do on the test (just pass, solid pass, ace), but since you haven't even set a date for enlisting yet, you should just doing the LP without embellishment or adding your own stuff, all of which is the hallmark of people who don't get good results and then blame the program they didn't do for the results they didn't get.

You don't sound like that kind of person, but you'd be asking A LOT of your body to try to linearly progress on that kind of schedule.

Once you know the date of your PT tests and what kind of passing will be expected of you, you can make a plan to crush it. But I would not really ever suggest what you laid out above. Something more like what Lt. Col Whittemore laid out seems a lot more reasonable.

[Geoff Bischoff]

Don't know if I'm allowed to pipe up? If so:

To the OP, I offer this experience:

Wolf knoweth whereof he speaketh.

1) Used to have to put in work on the push-up to keep it at 90% score. Pushing my bench up to 300 lbs took care of the push-ups: Last time I failed to max, I think Bush was president. I do zero push-ups during a training year. Dude: None. Like literally none. Until the week before the APFT, then I only do enough to make sure my body remembers the movement as required by regulation.

2) With a solid squat, you won't need to train sit-ups (much) either. The isometric strength of a 1.5+ BW squat will adequately train your abdominal muscles. You'll need to practice the regulation movement a few times, but you'll find it super-easy strength-wise.

3) Whittemore's program is somewhere between gold and platinum, in terms of weight-to-value ratio. I wish someone had handed that to me BEFORE I swore in, which leads me to number 4:

4) If you haven't sworn in yet, and are not yet required to do so, and your life allows you to sit out of the military for a few months: Do the LP before you join, get strong AF, then join. Hell man, join with your LP GOMAD weight still on you, and let the Army do your cut phase *for* you. You will be Achilles among mortals. You will be selected ahead of your recruit peers for Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces, EOD, or whatever branch of training you're dreaming of. Or if you've already got a 18X or a V contract on offer, if you show up to SFAS strong enough to no-strap grip a 405+ deadlift, team phase will be radically easier for you.

I'm rooting for you, brother. Get strong and get after it.

[RWAC1996]

Thanks to both of you so much for your responses!

I was planning on getting an Option 40 contract, so my PT goals are really to prepare me for RASP and Ranger School in the future. I have time, as I haven’t enlisted yet, but I would rather not delay it until theres no fight/spots in the 75th left to get. Perhaps I am trying to rush everything at once. I’ll try that program out and see where it gets me!

Regarding Whittemore’s program, however, it doesnt seem that there is much pull-up work at all. Should that be added?

[Michael Wolf]

The test is push-ups, pull-ups, and a 2 mile run, do I have that right? Pull-ups aren't in the test, but since you're already deeper into LP, ya, you can alternate deadlifts with pullups in that third lift slot.

[Will Morris]

Specifically, I plan on enlisting into the military in the near future. I know strength is the most important physical trait, and if I had it my way I would keep doing just as the program dictates. However, the Army seems to disagree with that premise, and while the squat may assist in rucking or other lower-body calisthenics, I don't see it reducing my 5-mile run to under 40 minutes. Also, while the bench press may be more useful for strength, I really need push-ups for high reps, not a 300 lb bench press (though I will happily achieve that afterwards). Here is my proposal that I would like some critique on:

• Sunday: REST
• Monday: Squat, Deadlift, OHP
• Tuesday: Pull-up, Push-up, Run
• Wednesday: Squat, Clean, OHP
• Thursday: Pull-up, Push-up, Run
• Friday: Squat, Deadlift, OHP
• Saturday: Pull-up, Push up / Ruck

I wonder if there happens to be an Active Duty Army Officer who is a Starting Strength Coach who also happens to be prior enlisted infantryman who could potentially opine about the program you laid out as well as your misconceptions about the Army....

[Michael Wolf]

I wonder if there happens to be an Active Duty Army Officer who is a Starting Strength Coach who also happens to be prior enlisted infantryman who could potentially opine about the program you laid out as well as your misconceptions about the Army....

Please do, Dr. Morris.

[RWAC1996]

I wonder if there happens to be an Active Duty Army Officer who is a Starting Strength Coach who also happens to be prior enlisted infantryman who could potentially opine about the program you laid out as well as your misconceptions about the Army....

If that person happens to be you, then I'm all ears.

[Will Morris]

Thanks to both of you so much for your responses!

I was planning on getting an Option 40 contract, so my PT goals are really to prepare me for RASP and Ranger School in the future. I have time, as I haven’t enlisted yet, but I would rather not delay it until theres no fight/spots in the 75th left to get. Perhaps I am trying to rush everything at once. I’ll try that program out and see where it gets me!

Regarding Whittemore’s program, however, it doesnt seem that there is much pull-up work at all. Should that be added?

Let's clear up some misconceptions first:
1) RASP = you need to be tenacious and you need to be a decent runner naturally. You will certainly not enlist in the Army immediately ready to go to RASP, but that is what you have Basic Training and AIT, or OSUT if you plan on being infantry for. Plenty of people make it through RASP that are in suboptimal physical condition, however, they are tenacious enough to not quit. Likewise, you have plenty of individuals who have exceptionally good physical conditioning, and they quit. Civilian life does not create Rangers.....Rangers create Rangers.....trust in the system.

2) The Army is very quickly moving towards a much greater focus on physical traits like strength, power, speed, and agility more so than endurance. We can argue for hours about their method for testing these with the new ACFT, but we can't disagree with the fact that the focus is changing. Adding tested events such as the deadlift, medicine ball throw, and shuttle sprint with sled drag helps clarify the Army's new emphasis on these physical traits.

3) You do not need to set your sights on preparing for Ranger School right now. That is an awful long time from now. You train now to make yourself strong and resilient...manage your volume so you don't show up to Basic Training with some bullshit overuse injuries. You learn the common Soldierly tasks that you need to know (basic rifle marksmanship, map reading, land navigation, operating a radio, calling in a 9-line medevac, calling for indirect fire, learning basic military customs and courtesies, etc, developing your leadership abilities, etc.) The Army training method is certainly not perfect, but it actually is set-up for success. The vast majority of people who enter into the Army, successfully complete the training. I don't remember the numbers, but RASP graduates a majority of their candidates. Once you are assigned to Regiment, your team leader and squad leader will develop you. You go to Ranger School when they say you are ready.

You will lose a lot of strength in basic training because you almost certainly will not have access to barbell equipment while there.

Next, pay special attention to EVERYTHING LT Bischoff stated. He is absolutely correct. The only thing I could add to that is I believe your current training template is a whole lot of tendinitis waiting to happen. And, if previous experience has shown us anything, individuals with recent / current injuries tend to be the first to wash out of what you are about to get yourself in to.