Solutions for a soldier

[Itamar573]

Hello!
I am a soldier and unfortunately in the next few months I will be the whole week in the field for trainings. I will be able to train with gym equipment only once a week (maybe twice on special weeks).
I have two questions:
1. If I can do only one brabell training in a week what should I do in that workout?
2. Do you have any advice for trainings I can do in the field for the rest of the week?
using bodyweight or any other equipment that I an carry to the field.

Thanks alot!

[Robert Levy]

Itamar573, I am actually really curious what ended up happening as I am a Soldier in the Washington Army National Guard, so I experience a lot of the same stuff. To be honest, field operations are usually exhausting enough that I just chalk up FTXs as a loss, and just use them as a chance to recover. Does your unit have you wearing full kit in the field? Honestly, if you are trying to get workouts in the field, do as much of the lifting and shit as you can do. We are a logistics and supply unit, so any chance I get to load/unload trucks, carry water jugs, fill fuel cans, lift MRE case, I jump on the chance. Also, thank you for your service!

[Reddy]

Was a combat engineer in the Canadian Army for 15 years and can relate to having difficulty maintaining strength and training while in the field.

When in Afghanistan we made some makeshift benches out of wood salvaged from pallets. Barbells we made by lashing two six foot pickets together with baling wire and then inserting the ends through barb wire spools for weight - looks badass too! Chin up bars can be made out of just about anything, anywhere. And of course there are always sandbags...lots and lots of sandbags...

Takes a bit of creativity and maybe a bit of begging, borrowing, and stealing...

[Mark Rippetoe]

You can't train in the field, since you don't have access to the equipment necessary for training. You can exercise in the field, if you don't think the field exercise is enough exercise. But training, in the sense that you are going to squat 352.5 x 5 x 3, up from 347.5 x 5 x 3, obviously cannot be done in the field. Just call it a necessary layoff and start back when you get home, since that's all you can do anyway.

[Geoff Bischoff]

To the OP: Sounds like even worst-case you can get a barbell session in 1/wk; sometimes 2/wk. Therefore, you can train, and you can do LP.

Admitted, that's suboptimal, but you can make linear gains at that frequency.

As for "exercising" in the field: If it's me, I'm going to do the physical work expected of me for mission success, but not seek to wear myself out in other stuff (while also not being "that guy" who's always busy when it's truck-unloading time, or whatever-time. You know that guy. Don't be him). The job will provide plenty of "exercise" probably.

Then, when you're back in barbell country, do a LP workout: LOADx5x3 on squat and bench, LOADx5x1 on DL, adding some weight each time you're back. If it's truly only 1/wk, you may have to pick an upper body movement you care most about, and put it in front position. Me: I only press to keep my shoulders healthy so I can bench (But note, I still press).

Manage recovery as you can: Sleep when they let you. Eat all the things, and relieve the cooks of excess consumables after meals (the portables/nonperishables especially). If I don't intentionally lean into chow-time in the field, I invariably come home from a week-long trip about 3 lbs light. Don't let failure to eat hinder an already-suboptimal LP.

Best wishes.

[Reddy]

I am in agreement with what has been said above. Unless you are static and in a semi-permanent camp with some sort of gym facility in place, you aren't going to be training. I have been on some such exercises before, albeit, not generally the norm.

But while I have certainly been on exercises where you are balls-to-walls 24 hours a day, I have also been on plenty where I have had little to do other than sit on the edge of my cot for days on end. Under such circumstances, one could be forgiven for wanting to do something...anything. I would move the proverbial pile of firewood from one side of the camp to the other and then back, if that is what it took...

[Will Morris]

I spent three weeks + in the field with no access to equipment, not able to conduct any physical training or exercise, and had exceptionally poor access to decent food. I lost 14# while out there. Within 12 hours of returning, I squatted and deadlifted. I’ve been back three weeks and I am at or near the levels I was at prior to leaving for the field.

[Notyouravgdoc]

Would you escalate training stress in the last session before a field op that would only have you missing two sessions on LP?