SEAL Screener 5.0

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    12 Week SEAL Screener or BUD/S Prep

    PT Program (version 5.0)

    CAPT Mike Prevos t, USN

    It’s easy to be hard, but it’s hard to be smart.  

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    Changes in version 5: The program is mostly unchanged from version 4.0. The Unoficial Tactical Screene

    was added back in as a periodic assesment. Version 3 added in some bench pressing. For most, the bench

    pressing is not necessary, but we had some instances of some varsity athletes who had bench press deficits

    due to their participation in varsity sports that included very little upper body push training. The bench press

    workouts are optional for those with plenty of bench press strength. Realistically, a person who can do 15 reps

    with their bodyweight on the bench press does not need to do the bench press workouts. A person who can

    do 20 or more should not do the bench press workouts at all and should bank that extra recovery energy.

    If you find this program helpful, please consider donating to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation at:

    http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/prevosttraining/PrevostTrainingFundraisingPage 

     © Copyright Michael C. Prevost, 2014. All rights reserved. Redistribution is authorized as long as the document is not altered

    and appropriate credit is given. Cover photo from www.navy.mil/photos. Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Eric S. Logsdon

    Disclaimer:  The advice and information contained in this document may not be appropriate for all individuals. Therefore, the authoremployees, company, affiliates, or any other parties involved in the creation or promotion of our products are not responsible for anyinjuries or health conditions that may result from advice, opinions, and programs represented in this program or any of our trainingprograms or other products. The information on this website and in the training program are the opinions of the author and are not areplacement for medical advice. You should consult a physician before starting any diet or exercise program. If you choose to follow theprogram without consulting your physician, you are doing so at your own risk. We claim no responsibility for any injuries you mighsustain. The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private opinions of the author and are not to be construed as official oreflecting the views of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Navy.

    Important Note:  Please help us improve this product by providing feedback. If

    you complete the entire workout, please go to http://prevost-

    training.blogspot.com  and provide feedback by finding the SEAL Screener PT

    Program Post  and posting a comment. The program has already been altered

    significantly after feedback from several users.

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    Purpose:  The purpose of this program is to prepare physically for a SEAL screener, or for BUD/S and for the

    SEAL PST. This is not a year-round type of program. It is designed to provide “top off” fitness before a

    screener or BUD/S. It has been tested at the US Naval Academy with dozens of Midshipmen preparing for the

    SEAL Screener and with US Naval Academy graduates preparing for BUD/S.

    Disclaimer:  I am not a SEAL. I have not been to BUD/S. I am a Ph.D. exercise physiologist who has worked

    with athletes for 25 years. I have worked extensively with military personnel, including some who have

    prepared for BUD/S, as well as active duty SEALs. However, you should not take what I say about fitness on

    blind faith. You should o nly bel ieve results.  It either works or it doesn’t. Later, we will discuss how to

    measure results.

    Assumptions:  This program assumes that you have some weight training experience and that you are in

    decent shape to begin with. If not, you will need at least 3 months of basic strength training (try Starting

    StrengthTM) and running before beginning this program. If you have not been running consistently for at least 3

    months, with at least 15 miles per week for a minimum of two months prior to this program, you are not ready

    yet. You should also be proficient in the breast stroke and combat side stroke. This is not a couch to SEAL PT

    program. If you are not at point A (see next page), forget it. You are not ready for this program yet.

    Warning: This program is more than enough. Do not add additional exercise. Don’t take this program lightlyIt is harder than you think. Don’t say I did not warn you. Eat well and get plenty of sleep . You are going to

    need it.

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    The first step in fitness programming is to identify point A and point B. Point A is the starting point. Point B is

    where you want to be, your goal. The SEAL program is difficult but you already know that. If you are really

    serious about it, training and preparing for SEAL prog rams should be you’re “A” goal. It takes a serious time

    commitment. Anything else should be a “B” or a “C” goal at best. Strength coach Dan John likes to say, “The

    important thing is to remember to keep the goal, the goal.” Stay focused on what is important.

    Let's map out Point A and Point B.

    Point B

    Point A

    Point A:  The first important consideration is that you need to start this program at Point A. Point A is no

    deconditioned. If you are at Point A, you already have a pretty good fitness base. This is a 12 week “finisher”

    program that puts the finishing touches on fitness that you have been building for many months. This is no

    something you should do year round. What should you do before this 12 week program to arrive at Point A?

    Focus on these 3 things.

      Basic strength: Try a simple program like Starting Strength, Star’s 5 X 5, Wendler’s 5/3/1 osomething similar. Focus on basic barbell lifts and getting stronger. No extra fancy stuff. Don’t destroy

    yourself, just make steady progress. The goal is to get stronger, not to test yourself with hard workouts

    There is no need to add work capacity (metabolic conditioning - METCON) yet. Work capacity is

    developed quickly and excessive work capacity training interferes with strength development. Keep i

    simple during this build up phase. Just get stronger. Ideally you should be comfortable deadlifting 1.5

    times your bodyweight for reps (with perfect form and a pause on the bottom, no bouncing) and able to

    bench press your bodyweight for at least 5 reps (ideally 10 or more).

      Run durability: Steady paced running, trying to build some decent running volume with ABSOLUETLY

    NO aches or pains. A gentle increase in mileage is the way to lay down good run durability. Being pain

    free is the most important part. You must start the 12 week program completely healthy. Run

    frequently, so that your total run mileage is achieved in smaller chunks. Running 5-6 times per week is

    ideal. Keep the runs short initially and increase weekly mileage by no more than 10% per week. Don't

    worry about getting fast yet. You are simply trying to build some leg durability. The speed will be there

    when you need it. Keep your heart rate under 75% of your max heart rate.

      Swim skill: Developing good technique is the key to going faster in the water. Technique is more

    important than fitness when it comes to swimming fast. Focus on technique until you hit the 12 week

    program. Then you will build fitness on top of good technique. If you have little experience with

    swimming with fins, you should consider purchasing some fins and incorporating some finning work into

    all of you swim workouts. You should also consider using 5-10 minutes of treading water for your swim

    warm up. If you are proficient at treading water, practice with your hands above your head.

    Intermediate run fitness

    No injuries

    Solid strength base

    Some swim skill

    Physically durable body

    Leg durability

    Strong core

    Strong/stable joints

    No injuries

    High work capacity

    Swim speed

    Run speedEndurance

    Athletic strength

    12 Weeks

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    You should feel recovered, motivated and healthy. You don’t jack hammer your body into fitness. You gently

    nudge it along until you can handle larger and larger training stresses. You should feel good during the

    process and remain uninjured. If you have executed that simple plan, you should have arrived at Point A

    ready to start working towards Point B. IMPORTANT: This program is a roadmap from Point A to Point B. If

    you don't start at Point A, the roadmap will not work!

    Point B:  Fitness is not the key to surviving the SEAL Screener and BUD/S. However, being fit can make both

    a lot less miserable and can reduce your risk of injury. Here are some of the Point B objectives:

      Leg durability to survive heavy running mileage daily

      Shoulder durability to survive log PT and countless push-ups

      Grip strength, one of the most important upper body strength attributes

      Strong core, neck, and lower back for injury prevention

      Strong shoulders and muscles around the knee for joint stability

      Work capacity for quicker recovery from hard efforts

      Optimal body composition

      Swim fitness

      Strong performance on the Tactical Athlete Program assessment or the Physical Screening Test

    The most important goal is to build a physically tough and resilient body that is hard to break, so that you can

    survive the wear and tear. The secondary goal is to be able to perform at a high level. Point B delivers both.

    12 weeks is a long time to stay committed to a prescribed fitness program. It is harder than you think. If this

    program is worth starting, it is worth seeing through to the end. Make a commitment to finish what you start.

    Measuring Results: Program results will be measured by testing your 3 repetition max in the standing

    overhead press and deadlift. These are the king and queen of the strength exercises. You will also test you

    max pull-ups. We have an additional test that is a brutal workout in itself. It is the Tactical Athlete Program

    (TAP) assessment. It is a complete test of the most important physical abilities you need to excel as a SEAL

    It is also an intimidating test that takes mental toughness to complete. You will also do frequent 500 yardswims for time. The results of these frequent tests will tell you if the program is working. You MUST keep a

    daily workout log to record all workout details. Any athlete who is serious about training keeps a log. Don't kid

    yourself. No log = not really serious.

    Results are what count. The point of the workouts are no t   to make you tired. The purpose is to produce

    results. Do not judge this program based on how tired you are after your workouts. The point is to drive

    progress and get results . You should see progress and results continuously through this program provided

    that you eat enough and sleep enough. You do not jack hammer your body into fitness. You gently nudge i

    there through smart progressive overload. The Marines have a saying, "It is easy to be hard, but it is hard

    to be smart."  Be smart!

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    Strength Training

    The focus of the strength training program is grip strength, over head pressing strength, hip hinge strength

    pushing strength and strength of the muscles around the knees. All of these areas are important for injury

    prevention. Also, the goal is to have no weak links. Because of the dynamic, whole body movements and

    challenges you will encounter, it is more important to have no weak areas, than it is to have impressive single

    lifts. Isolation exercises and segmented strength training will not serve those purposes. That is the primary

    reason for the inclusion of dynamic, whole body exercises like squat cleans and barbell complexes. Horizonta

    pushing strength is just not that important for tactical performance, however it is part of the TAP assessment.

    The standing overhead barbell press (more correctly called "the press") is a more relevant pushing movement

    than a horizontal press (bench press). However, using the press as an assessment is a big problem. If you

    read a bit about the history of the press as a contested olympic lift, you will understand why it was eliminated

    as a competitive lift. Therefore, the bench press, while less operationally relevant, is easier to administer as a

    test and eliminates many of the issues with judging the proper execution of a press. A person who arrives a

    Point A with plenty of bench press strength (body weight for 15-25 reps) can emphasize the dips over bench

    presses. Dips are a useful movement to build chest and triceps strength in a more operationally relevant way

    Weighted dips (bar dips or ring dips) are all that we need operationally, but for some, a bit of a focus on the

    bench press in order to score well on the TAP assessment is a good idea. If the bench press strength is there

    already by Point A, we are much more concerned with being able to survive lots and lots of pushups. In thacase, we have horizontal pushing strength covered with dips.

    Strength training for performance (as opposed to strength training for appearance) is essentially loaded

    movement. Proper movement is more important than loading. NEVER load bad movement. All strength

    training movements should be done gracefully and athletically. You will notice that we are not organizing the

    program around body parts (i.e., biceps and triceps on Monday, back and chest on Tuesday etc...). This

    program is about performance, not about building beach muscles. Although bodybuilders may blitz a muscle

    with lots of different isolation exercises and then allow a week for recovery, our goal is not bodybuilding

    Research (and real life experience) has shown that training more frequently (2-3 times per week) is more ideal

    for building athletic strength. Because strength is loaded movement, and movement is a skill, there is a

    significant skill component to strength. Skill responds to frequency. Two to 3 times per week seems to be

    optimal. Forget about what you have read in muscle magazines. This is how strength and conditioning

    coaches train athletes.

    Loading, unless otherwise indicated, is done as “sets across,” which means that you use the same weight for

    all of the sets of an exercise. When you manage to get all of the prescribed reps, you must go up in weight the

    next time you do that exercise. If you do not, don’t increase until you do. Bodybuilders typically continue mos

    sets to momentary muscular failure (inability to perform another repetition). This is because the resulting

    fatigue stimulus is important for muscle hypertrophy (growth). For strength training, it is more important to

    perform more high tension repetitions than it is to produce fatigue. For example, if you perform 10 repetitions

    in the bench press with 185 pounds and you fail on the 10th rep, you will likely only be able to perform 6 repson your second set (or will have to reduce the load to 160ish pounds to get 10 reps again). However, if you

    stop at 8 repetitions (2 shy of failure), you will likely be able to get 8 repetitions again on the second set, and

    the third set. That is what is meant by performing more high tension repetitions. This is the reason for the

    "sets across" loading scheme. It is a simple and effective loading plan that is popular among powerlifters.

    Barbell complexes are done as a series of exercises without putting the bar down between exercises. The

    point is to move quickly from one exercise to another. Resting a few seconds to catch your breath is OK, as

    long as you don’t put the bar down. See www.mountainathlete.com  and www.startingstrength.com  and

    http://www.mountainathlete.com/http://www.mountainathlete.com/http://www.startingstrength.com/http://www.startingstrength.com/http://www.startingstrength.com/http://www.mountainathlete.com/

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    www.nsca-lift.org for videos of the exercises. Barbell complexes are brutal, time efficient, and very effective at

    ensuring that you have no weak links in your strength chain. They also provide excellent METCON.

    The strength training program is written assuming that you have access to a very basic gym. If you don't have

    kettlebells, use dumbbells or sandbags as a substitute. Sandbags can be constructed from heavy duty

    garbage bags and duct tape and filled with gravel or sand. Put them in an old duffel bag so that you have a

    handle to work with.

    http://www.nsca-lift.org/http://www.nsca-lift.org/http://www.nsca-lift.org/

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    Run Training

    In our simple program we have only 3 tools: steady pace, tempo, and VO2  max pace. That is all we need

    There is no need for more complexity. Our 3 tools, along with the principle of progressive overload are the

    keys to a simple, effective progr am. Let’s discuss the 3 tools. 

    Steady:  This is a steady pace effort. It is not hard and it is not easy. It is the natural pace you would fall into i

    you went out for a long but comfortable run. This is not easy pace. If you had to constantly hold yourself back

    that would be easy pace. Steady is comfortable but you would not describe it as easy. For those who train

    with a heart rate monitor, steady would be approximately 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. We achieve

    progressive overload during steady runs is by increasing volume. You don’t run harder over time, you run

    faster at the same effort level . You can do this by keeping your heart rate in your target “steady” zone. As

    you become fit, you will have to run faster to achieve the same heart rate. If you don’t have a heart rate

    monitor, you will have to pace on effort. Most people will run these steady runs too hard. Keep the effor

    “steady” and eventually your “steady” pace will get f aster and faster. Remember, do not increase the effort of

    steady runs, only the volume (mileage).

    Tempo:  This is 10K race pace. This is definitely harder than steady pace but not your max pace. It is also

    sometimes described as threshold pace. It is about at 90-95% of your max heart rate. Because we are usinga fixed effort level, we achieve progressive overload by increasing the amount of tempo. You might start with

    10 minutes of tempo (i.e., 2 X 5 min) and eventually build up to 30 minutes of tempo (i.e., 3 X 10 min). You

    can either use heart rate to pace your tempo intervals, or you can periodically race a 10K and use pace. Ten

    minutes is enough tempo work to be effective but would be considered a light tempo dose. Forty minutes is a

    heavy tempo dose for a single session.

    VO2 max Intervals:  Lots of people call these track intervals. That is because they are usually done on the

    track. Heart rate is a poor way to pace these intervals because they are too short. It takes your heart rate 2-3

    minutes to reach steady state at a new run pace. As a result, you will be done with your interval before you

    heart rate catches up. That is why it is best to do these on the track or on a course with marked distances and

    use pace to deliver the right intensity. The most common distances to do these are ¼ and ½ mile repeats

    These are done at your 1 mile race pace. They are tough! VO2 max intervals are typically done with a 1/1

    work to rest ratio. This means that if your run interval takes 2 minutes, you rest 2 minutes. What should you

    do during your rest interval? You should rest! Seriously, you can jog slowly or walk or whatever it takes fo

    you to recover. The point is to recover. If doing ¼ mile intervals, unless you are an elite athlete, you don’

    need more than 8-10. Six would be fine for most people. For ½ mile intervals, aim for half of that. Run these

    hard and push the pace. However, the ideal session would have your pace on your first and last intervals the

    same. If you are fading in your last intervals, you are going too hard. Always leave a little gas in the tank and

    finish felling like you could have done another one or two. VO2 max intervals are potent medicine. You don’

    need many.

    Ruck:  You can substitute a ruck march for the Sunday long runs. If you do, gradually increase the load

    There is no need to exceed 30% of your bodyweight on these rucks. Wear supportive shoes and comfortable

    socks (no cotton!). A good pack goes a long way towards increasing comfort. Our experience has shown tha

    the ruck training is optional. Candidates who have followed this program who ran on Sunday, rather than

    rucking, have done very well at the ruck events.

    The goal of the run training program is to increase PST run fitness, while simultaneously increasing leg

    durability. Ideally, you would have preceded this program with several months of nothing but steady paced

    running with a consistent, slow increase in running mileage. That build up, along with this program is ideal fo

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    improving performance and durability. An occasional run in boots and utilities is OK but you should not do this

    often.

    Swim Training

    Swim (without fins) performance is determined primarily by swim skill, not fitness. The Naval Health Research

    Center tested hundreds of Sailors and found that 500 yard swim time correlated poorly with aerobic fitness, but

    was highly correlated with swim skill. The lead in period prior to this 12 week program should consist primarily

    of steady paced swimming to work on swim skill. It is hard to think about proper skill when you are gasping fobreath from hard intervals. Once you begin this 12 week program, you are working primarily on swim fitness

    Basically, you are putting fitness on top of whatever skill you built previously.

    Experienced swimmers can probably skip swimming completely in the lead in period prior to this 12 week

    program. They already have the swim skill and this 12 week period is more than enough to get them in top

    shape. For experienced swimmers, focusing on swimming in the lead in period would provide less return on

    investment than focusing on strength training or running leg durability. Swimmers typically have less leg

    durability due to very flexible ankles and lack of weight bearing during swimming. Experienced swimmers may

    also omit 1-2 of the swim workouts per week during the 12 week program, depending on their level of swim

    experience.

    Swimming with fins is different. Although there is a skill component it is lower than that of swimming without

    fins. Fin swimming skill develops quickly. Therefore, fast fin swimming quickly becomes more of a fitness

    issue than a technique issue after a short time. For inexperienced swimmers, consider doing about 1/2 of you

    swimming with fins. For more experienced swimmers, you m ight cons ider doing most, or even all o

    your swimm ing with f ins .

    The optional swims are….optional. Do them if you are a novice swimmer and are recovering well from the

    workouts. They can be done at a separate time of the day from the strength workouts, or they can be done as

    a cool down from the strength training. Ideally they should be a separate session though, as the fatigue from

    strength training can alter your swim form. It does not matter if this swim stroke work is done before or afte

    strength training.

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    Body Composition

    You don't want to show up at BUD/S or a screener with excess fat. Fat is dead weight that will decrease

    performance of any weight bearing activity (i.e., running, pull-ups, obstacle course). However, being too lean

    is also a liability. Some fat to draw from for energy reserves, as well as to provide insulation from the cold is

    ideal. Showing up with less than 10% body fat is not advised. You will suffer if you show up to BUD/S too lean

     An ideal body fat percentage would be somewhere around 12-14%. Slightly higher is OK. Achieving body fa

    goals is accomplished with a nutrition program. Exercise is for fitness, not body composition.

    Measuring body fat accurately is difficult. You probably will not have access to expensive technology like

    hydrostatic weighing, DEXA or a Bod Pod. Skinfold calipers, circumference measurements, and bioelectric

    impedance are notoriously inaccurate. You are probably going to have to estimate based on appearance. Fo

    most people, the point at which the outline of all of the abdominals just starts to become visible when flexed is

    about 12% body fat. When the abdominal muscles are visible without flexing, body fat percentage is 10% o

    less. If you have "love handles" or a noticeable belly, you are probably over 15% body fat. The goal is to ge

    to the point where you have a flat stomach, but not so lean that your abs are visible when not flexing. That wil

    put you in the ballpark.

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    Work Capacity

    Work capacity (metabolic conditioning - METCON) develops quickly. METCON is the ability to perform a high

    quantity of work in a short period of time. This involves relatively light loads, but lots of reps, with little or no

    rest. There is no need to do more than 12 weeks of work capacity training. Forget about doing METCON

    during the lead in period. METCON interferes with strength and hypertrophy gains. Consider a simple

    strength training program, along with some steady paced running and swimming prior to starting this program.

    METCON workouts are very physically demanding and will tap into your recovery reserves. Resist the

    temptation to do more METCON than is prescribed in this program. It is enough. The ideal METCON session

    is 5-10 minutes long.

    One Final Thought:  Read the notes at the bottom of the weekly workout plans. Some contain absolutely vita

    information. Every single item in this program is included for a reason.

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    12 Week SEAL Screener PT ProgramWeek 1 & 2

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell windmill (2rounds of 10 repseach), neck bridgesStrength: Superset thepull-ups and pushups

      StandingOverhead Press 5X 5 B

      Bench Press BW

    X 3 sets  Pull-ups 5 X 50%

    of max reps

      Pushups 5 X 50%max reps

      Front Squat 5 X 5Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest

      Heavy suitcasecarry: 15 secondsper arm

      flutter kicks: 2minutes

      Turkish getup: 2minutes (alternatesides)

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes

    of easy, smooth swimstroke work followedby some stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups, run35 minutes steady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Turkishgetup (5 reps per side),goblet squat (10 reps)(Do 2 rounds of each),neck bridgesStrength: Superset thepull-ups and dips

      Deadlifts 3 X 5(week 1), 5 X 3(week 2)

      Dips 4 X 5 (loaded)

      Pull-ups take doubleyour single set maxreps and do thatmany reps in as fewsets as possible

      Pushups 5 X 50% ofmax + 1 max set

    Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest

      Kettlebell swings: 25reps

      Plank 2 minutes

      Burpees 15OR

    10 minutes of:

      Kettlebell swingsand sit-ups. Do 10kettlebell swings(heavy), and then

    finish the minutewith sit-ups. Repeatevery minute for the10 minutes.

    ThursdayRun: 10 min easy, 10min tempo, 5 mineasy, 10 min tempo, 5min easy

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:Barbell Complex -Full squat clean,followed by push press5 X 3 (barbellcomplexes are done

    without putting the bardown)Powerclean: 5 X 3Pushups: 3 rounds ofmax reps, followed by50% of the # you get onthe max reps setPull-ups: Ladders untilyou fail on a ladder (oneround up and down)Core/Work Capacity:Stretch and recover

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: Max sit-ups in 2min, run 40 minutessteady

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time 

    SundayRun: 80 min steady80 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note: Be conservative on your loading in the first week. You have plenty of time. Movement quality is essential. Accept nothing but perfect form. This will be the key to preveninjury as you progress. You can use a dumbbell or kettlebell for the Turkish get ups and suitcase carry.  You can substitute a dumbbell or sand bag in an old duffel bag for kettlebell for kettlebell swings. Find something to anchor your feet for the sit-ups.  Bench press is optional in this program for those who can do more than 15 reps wbodyweight. For bench presses, use bodyweight and do 3 sets, with the first 2 sets one rep shy of failure and the last set to failure. For the pull-up ladder, do 1 rep, then 2, thenthen 4...until you fail at a rep, then go back down the ladder to 1 rep. Pick an implement for the standing overhead press and stick with it for at least 6 weeks (i.e., barbell, kettlebdumbbell) and increase weight as you are able. Pick a pull-up grip for the day and stick with it, but you may vary your pull-up grip from workout to workout. For the barbell compdo a squat clean, then a push press, then a squat clean, then a push press and finally another squat clean and a push press. This is 1 set of 3 reps. You are doing 5 sets of 3 rtotal. Go heavy but keep good form. You can put the bar down between sets. No hard running during the steady runs. The point is to build leg durability and mileage. Max sit-= 1 set of max sit-ups in 2 minutes. Be conservative on the loading. If you feel like you can do more during the first 2 weeks, great! Don't add anything! If you have done a prolead in to this program, you are capable of pulling off more than you can recover from. Saturday is your first fitness test, a 500 yard swim for time. Swim hard. Never run wiruck. For most, a good goal is to do 1/2 of your swimming with fins. For experienced swimmers, 100% is OK.

    Overly aggressive loading and sloppy form will eventually catch up with you. Don't do it! Be smart! Any item in bold is a test. Record the results for comparison.

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    3rd

     Week

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell windmill (2rounds of 10 repseach), neck bridges

    Core/Work Capacity:

      3 rounds: No rest

      Heavy suitcasecarry: 15 secondsper arm

      flutter kicks: 2minutes

      Turkish getup: 2minutes (alternatesides)

    Note: This is an easyday in preparation fortesting onWednesday

    Optional  SwimStroke Work: 10-20minutes of easy,smooth swim strokework followed bysome stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 30 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Turkishgetup (5 reps per side),goblet squat (10 reps)(Do 2 rounds of each)

    Unofficial TacticalScreener  

    ThursdayRun: 30 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each), neckbridgesStrength:Barbell Complex -Hang clean, overheadpress, barbell row, stifflegged deadlift (4rounds of 5 reps per

    exercise. Keep it lightto shake out the fatiguefrom Wednesday’s test) Core/Work Capacity:10 minutes of:Kettlebell swings andsit-ups. Do 10 kettlebellswings (heavy), thenfinish the minute withsit-ups. Repeat everyminute for the 10minutes.

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: Max sit-ups in 2minutes, run 55minutes steady

    Plyometrics: 40 box jumps

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time

    SundayRun: 85 min steady85 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note: We have a bit of a light day on Monday and Tuesday leading up to the Unofficial Tactical Screener on Wednesday. The Unofficial Tactical Screener is at the end of

    document. It is designed to be completed in about an hour. Then we have a recovery day on Thursday. If you hit the PT test hard on Wednesday, you will still need to shake

    some fatigue on Thursday, so that is a bit of a lighter day as well. Then we are back to normal on Saturday and Sunday. This week also serves as a bit of a de-load.Take the e

    days whether you feel like you need them or not. We added plyometric jumps this week. Plyometrics can improve run efficiency and build strength and durability in the ligame

    and tendons. Do not exceed the recommended number. Pay attention to proper landing mechanics. Pick a stable surface for the box jumps. It does not have to be very h

    Most people cheat by tucking in their knees at the top of the jump. If you don't do that, a 2 foot high surface is plenty. Higher than that will risk hitting your shins on the platform

    very common plyometric injury. Do the plyometrics after the run. On days were you are running and swimming, you can run and swim back to back or separate them (for exam

    run in the morning and swim in the afternoon). Resist the urge to do more than is written here. You need to build up slowly. The workout volume will be significantly higher, a

    tougher in 4 weeks. If you have been eating poorly or not sleeping enough, you will be feeling it by now. Correct these issues now, before moving on. If you are having a hard t

    recovering, you might repeat week 2 before moving on to week 4.

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    Week 4 & 5

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell windmill,kettlebell swings (3rounds of 10 repseach), neck bridgesStrength: Supersetpull-ups and pushups

      Standing 1 ArmOverhead Press 5X 5

      Bench Press BWX 4 sets

      Pull-ups 5 X (maxreps minus 2)

      Pushups 5 X 60%max reps

      Back Squat 5 X 5Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest

      Heavy suitcasecarry: 15 secondsper arm

      flutter kicks: 2minutes

      Turkish getup: 2minutes (alternatesides)

    OR

      Half bodyweightsand bag get ups

    (as many aspossible in 10minutes)

     Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutesof easy, smooth swimstroke work followedby some stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 45 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Curtis P(seemountainathlete.com),neck bridgesStrength: Supersetpushups and dips

      Deadlifts 3 X 5(week 4), 5 X 3(week 5)

      Pushups 5 X 50% +1 max set

      Dips 4 X 5 (loaded,week 4), 2 laddersup & down (week 5)

      Pull-ups take tripleyour single set maxreps and do thatmany reps in as fewsets as possible

    Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest  Kettlebell snatch (5

    reps each arm)

      Dead bugs or hollowrock (hold 2minutes)

      Mountain climbers(20 three count)

    OR10 minutes of:

      Kettlebell swings

    and sit-ups. Do 10kettlebell swings(heavy), and thenfinish the minutewith sit-ups. Repeatevery minute for the10 minutes.

    ThursdayRun: 10 min easy, 15min tempo, 5 mineasy, 10 min tempo,10 min easy

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:Barbell Complex -Full squat clean,followed by push press5 X 5 (barbellcomplexes are donewithout putting the bardown)

    Powerclean: 6 X 3Pushups: 3 rounds of –max reps, then 50%max repsPull-ups: Ladders untilyou fail on a ladderCore/Work Capacity:Stretch and recover

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: Max sit-ups, run50 minutes steady

    Plyometrics: Week 4 – 50 box jumps, Week 5 – 40 tuck jumps

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time 

    SundayRun: 90 min steady90 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note: We increased the pushups, the tempo run, and the Saturday steady run as well as the Sunday swim. For bench press use bodyweight for loading and do 4 sets, with the f

    3 done one rep shy of failure and the last set to failure. Again, bench presses are optional if you can do 15 reps with bodyweight. Note: 3 rounds of - max reps, then 50% of m

    reps means that you do a max set, then do a set of half of that number. You repeat this 3 times. If you took the easy days last cycle, you should feel really good in weeks 4 an

    This is the critical part of the program. You must ensure that your nutrition is on and that you are getting some extra sleep. Take a nap on Sunday. We move from the l

    aggressive box jumps to the more aggressive tuck jumps for plyometrics. Practice good landing mechanics during the plyometrics. Pay attention to foot and knee position. For

    dip workout on Wednesday, we have a different workout on week 4 and 5. Week 5 is two ladders up and down. To do this you start with 1 rep, then 2, then 3 etc until you hit failu

    Then you reduce the number of reps by 1, each set until you get to 1. That is one trip up and down the ladder. Do two trips.

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    Week 6

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell swings (3rounds of 10 repseach), neck bridgesStrength:  Work up to 3 rep

    max standingoverhead press

    Note: 1 rep max isestimated by dividing3 rep max weigh by.93  Test max pull

    ups

      Split squats 5 X 5

      Bench Press 3 Xbodyweight

      Push-ups 5 X 60%max

    Core/Work Capacity:

      Car push: push 30seconds, rest 30seconds for 10minutes

    OR

      Half bodyweightsand bag get ups(as many aspossible in 10minutes) If no

    sandbag,substitute Turkishgetup.

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutesof easy, smooth swimstroke work followedby some stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 50 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: barbellcomplex - light weight,clean, front squat,overhead press, row. 3rounds of 5 reps., neckbridgesStrength: Supersetpushups and dips

      Kettlebell swings 3X 15 (or stiff leggeddeadlifts)

      Pushups 5 X 50% +1 max set

      Dips 4 X 8 (loaded)  Pull-ups take triple

    your single set maxreps and do thatmany reps in as fewsets as possible

    Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest  Kettlebell or

    dumbbell snatch (5reps each arm)

      Dead bugs (hold 2minutes)

      Mountain climbers(20 three count)

    OR10 minutes of:

      Kettlebell swings

    and sit-ups. Do 10kettlebell swings(heavy), then finishthe minute with sit-ups. Repeat everyminute for the 10minutes.

    ThursdayRun: 10 min easy, 15min tempo, 5 mineasy, 15 min tempo,10 min easy

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:

      Barbell Complex -Curtis P (clean,lunge, push press)15 X 1

    Dumbbell orkettlebell snatch

    6 X 2

      Pushups: 4 roundsof -max reps then50% max reps

    Pull-ups: Max set,followed by 2 repsevery 20 seconds untilyou fail to get 2 cleanreps.Core/Work Capacity:Stretch and recover

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: Max sit-ups, run55 minutes steady

    Plyometrics: 40 tuck jumps, 5 X 50 yardsprints

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time, 200Yd easy

    SundayRun: 90 min steady90 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note:  We are testing for 3 rep max on our 3 benchmark upper body push exercise. Standing overhead presses should be done with the abs tight and knees locked out.

    pushing with the lower body. We are adding some pull-ups this week, and trying a different pull-up workout on Friday. It should be tough. If you do the car push, you obvio

    need somebody to steer the car. Don’t do that by yourself! The barbell complex on Thursday is called “Curtis P” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLff8fhPIQg). Do this a

    series of single reps. Put the bar down after each rep. For Friday’s pushup workout perform as 4 rounds. Each round is a max set (to failure), then a 30 second rest followed

    50% of the number you got on the max set. This number should be less for both sets each round. Half way through. Get some sleep!

    This is about the point that people are tempted to get too aggressive with loading and compromise technique. Don't wreck everything you have worked for wit

    foolish choice. Be patient.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLff8fhPIQghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLff8fhPIQghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLff8fhPIQghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLff8fhPIQg

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    Week 7

    MondayWarm Up: Gobletsquats, Turkishgetups (3 rounds of15 reps each), neckbridges

    Core/Work Capacity:10 minutes of:

      Kettlebell swingsand sit-ups. Do10 kettlebellswings (heavy),then finish the

    minute with sit-ups. Repeatevery minute forthe 10 minutes.

    Optional  SwimStroke Work: 10-20minutes of easy,smooth swim strokework followed bysome stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 30 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.6 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Turkishgetup (5 reps per side),goblet squat (10 reps)(Do 2 rounds of each),neck bridges

    Unofficial TacticalScreener  

    ThursdayRun: run 30 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 10 X 100 Ydhard, 500 Yd easy

    Plyometrics: 30 kneetucks, 20 lateralbounds (per leg).

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:Barbell Complex -Hang clean, overheadpress, barbell row, stifflegged deadlift (4rounds of 5 reps perexercise. Keep it lightto shake out the fatigue

    from Wednesday’s test) 

    Powerclean: 5 X 2

    Core/Work Capacity:10 minutes of:Kettlebell swings andsit-ups. Do 10 kettlebellswings (heavy), thenfinish the minute withsit-ups. Repeat everyminute for the 10minutes.

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: Run: 20 mineasy, 6 X 1/4 mile hardwith a 1/1 work/restratio. Last intervalshould be as fast asthe first., then 5 mineasy

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time 

    SundayRun: 90 min steady90 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note: Unofficial Tactical Screener this week. Take the light days.You need the recovery. The whole point of this week is to do well on the Unofficial Tactical Screener. The Ttest alone is enough workout for the whole week. We started run interval training on Saturday. These are not all out intervals. They are done at slightly faster than your 1.5 m

    PRT run race pace. Your last interval should be as fast as your first. 1/1 work to rest ratio means that you rest as long as the run interval. What do you do for the rest interv

    Rest! Walk it off and catch your breath. Take a nap on the shorter days this week. You will need it! On Thursday, do the plyometrics after the swim.

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    Week 8

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell windmill (2rounds of 10 repseach), neck bridgesStrength: Supersetpull-ups and pushups

      Push Press 5 X 5

      Bench Press 3 Xbodyweight

      Pull-ups 5 X maxreps - 2

      Pushups 5 X 65%max reps

      Lunges 5 X 5Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest

      Heavy suitcasecarry: 15 secondsper arm

      flutter kicks: 2minutes

      Turkish getup: 2minutes (alternatesides)

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutesof easy, smooth swimstroke work followedby some stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 20 minutessteady

    Sprints – 5 X 50

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Turkishgetup (5 reps per side),goblet squat (10 reps)(Do 2 rounds of each),neck bridgesStrength: Supersetpushups and dips

      Deadlifts 3 X 5

      Pushups 5 X 50% +1 max set

      Dips 5 X 3 (loaded)

      Pull-ups take tripleyour single set maxreps and do thatmany reps in as fewsets as possible

    Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest  Kettlebell swings: 25

    reps

      Plank 2 minutes

      Burpees 15OR

    10 minutes of:

      Kettlebell swingsand sit-ups. Do 10kettlebell swings(heavy), then finishthe minute with sit-ups. Repeat everyminute for the 10

    minutes.

    ThursdayRun: 20 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    Plyometrics: Doubleleg hop front – 35,Double leg hop side – 20 each side.

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:Barbell Complex -Full squat clean,followed by push press5 X 6 (barbellcomplexes are donewithout putting the bardown)

    Jump squats - 15 X 1

    Pushups: 5 rounds of –max reps, then 50%max repsPull-ups: Max set, rest 1minute, then do 2 repsevery 20 seconds untilyou fail to get 2 cleanreps.

    Core/Work Capacity:Stretch and recover

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed by

    some stretching

    SaturdayRun: 20 minutessteady

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time 

    SundayRun: 60 min steady60 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Notes: We backed off on the runs this week to provide a bit of a de-load. Take the easy week. This is a strategic de-load that will pay off in the next couple of weeks. No h

    running this week! We also added sprint training. Take what recovery you need after each 50 yard sprint. On Tuesday, do the sprints after the run. The jump squats on Thurs

    are done with a lightly loaded barbell. You should use approximately 25% of your max barbell squat. Simply squat down and jump as high as you can. Rest a few seconds (

    15)and do it again. Make sure you land properly and execute excellent form. Try to get some extra sleep this week. Check your weight. If you had a weight loss goal, make s

    that you are not dropping weight too rapidly. If you did not have a weight loss goal and you are losing weight, you need to eat more! You should be trying to get as much sleep

    possible. This is the tough part of the program. If you are experiencing lots of fatigue, you may eliminate two days of workouts this week, but only if you use that time to get ex

    sleep. If you are feeling fine, push through.

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    Week 9

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell windmill (2rounds of 10 repseach), neck bridgesStrength: Supersetpull-ups and pushups

      StandingOverhead Press 5X 5

      Pull-ups test ofmax reps

      Pushups test ofmax reps

      Bench Press 3Xbodyweight

      2 sets of 50% maxreps of pull-upsand pushups

      Front Squat 5 X 5Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest

      Heavy suitcasecarry: 15 secondsper arm

      flutter kicks: 2minutes

      Turkish getup: 2minutes (alternatesides)

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutesof easy, smooth swimstroke work followedby some stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 1 hour steady

    Sprints: 5 X 50, 3 X15

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Turkishgetup (5 reps per side),goblet squat (10 reps)(Do 2 rounds of each),neck bridgesStrength: Supersetpushups and dips

      Deadlifts 3 X 10

      Pushups 5 X 50% +1 max set

      Dips 5 X 3 (loaded)

      Pull-ups take tripleyour single set maxreps and do thatmany reps in as fewsets as possible

    Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest  Kettlebell swings: 25

    reps

      Plank 2 minutes

      Burpees 15OR

    10 minutes of:

      Kettlebell swingsand sit-ups. Do 10kettlebell swings(heavy), then finishthe minute with sit-ups. Repeat everyminute for the 10

    minutes.

    ThursdayRun: 10 min easy, 15min tempo, 10 mineasy, 15 min tempo,20 min easy

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    Plyometrics: Doubleleg hop front – 40,Double leg hop side – 

    20 each side.

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:Barbell Complex -Curtis P – 20 X 1

    Dumbbell or kettlebellsnatch 10 X 2

    Pushups: 3 rounds of

    max reps, followed by50% of the # you get oneach max reps setPull-ups: LaddersCore/Work Capacity:Stretch and recover

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: 10 min easy, 5 X1/2 mile hard with a1/1 work/rest ratio.Last interval should beas fast as the first.,then 5 min easy

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time 

    SundayRun: 90 min steady90 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note: For Friday’s pushup workout, do a max set, rest, then do 50% of that number for a second set. Do this for 3 rounds. By this point you should be absorbing the workouts f

    and you should feel ready for each day’s training session. If not, you need to look at your sleep patterns and nutrition.  You should have seen a significant increase in your ba

    strength lifts by now and your steady run pace should be faster at the same heart rate. You should also be significantly faster on your 500 yard swim. If you are using rucks

    Sunday, you should be increasing the weigh that you carry. If you are starting to develop any aches or pains, address them immediately. Take a day off or cut back on loading

    intensity. The most important goal of Point B was to be uninjured. 

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    Week 10

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell windmill,kettlebell swings (3rounds of 10 repseach), neck bridgesStrength:

      Standing BarOverhead Press 5X 5

      Bench Press 4 Xbodyweight

      Pull-ups 5 X (maxreps minus 2)

      Pushups 5 X 60%max repsSuperset the pull-ups and pushups

      Back Squat 5 X 5Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest

      Heavy suitcasecarry: 15 secondsper arm

      flutter kicks: 2minutes

      Turkish getup: 2minutes (alternatesides)

    OR

      Half bodyweight

    sand bag get ups(as many aspossible in 10minutes)

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutesof easy, smooth swimstroke work followedby some stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups, run50 minutes steady

    Sprints: 5 X 50, 5 X15

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Curtis P(seemountainathlete.com),neck bridgesStrength: Supersetpushups and dips

      Deadlifts 5 X 3

      Pushups 5 X 50% +1 max set

      Dips 4 X 8 (loaded)

      Pull-ups take doubleyour single set maxreps and do thatmany reps in as fewsets as possible

    Core/Work Capacity:3 rounds: No rest

      Kettlebell snatch (5reps each arm)

      Dead bugs (hold 2minutes)

      Mountain climbers(20 three count)

    OR10 minutes of:

      Kettlebell swingsand sit-ups. Do 10kettlebell swings(heavy), and thenfinish the minutewith sit-ups. Repeat

    every minute for the10 minutes

    ThursdayRun: 10 min easy, 15min tempo, 5 mineasy, 15 min tempo,10 min easy

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    Plyometrics: Doubleleg hop front – 40,Double leg hop side – 

    20 each side.

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:Barbell Complex -Full squat clean,followed by push press8 X 3 (barbellcomplexes are donewithout putting the bardown)

    Powerclean: 7 X 2

    Pushups: 3 rounds ofmax reps, followed by50% of the # you get onthe max reps setPull-ups: Ladders untilyou fail on a ladderCore/Work Capacity:.Stretch and recover

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: 10 min easy, 4 X¾ mile hard with a 1/1work/rest ratio. Lastinterval should be asfast as the first., then10 min easy

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time 

    SundayRun: 90 min steady90 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note:  Notice that the run interval duration on Saturday is increasing. We are slowly increasing the amount of time you spend at VO2 max intensity without rest, and we are giv

    you longer intervals to work on pacing. If things are going well, you should be holding nearly the same pace on your 3/4 mile intervals as your 1/4 mile intervals. After the end of

    week, take a look back at your t raining log and compare repetitions and weight across the first 10 weeks. You should have seen a steady increase.

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    Week 11

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell windmill (2rounds of 10 repseach)

    Core/Work Capacity:

      3 rounds: No rest

      Heavy suitcasecarry: 15 secondsper arm

      flutter kicks: 2minutes

      Turkish getup: 2minutes (alternatesides)

    Note: This is an easyday in preparation fortesting onWednesday

    Optional  SwimStroke Work: 10-20minutes of easy,smooth swim strokework followed bysome stretching

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 30 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    WednesdayWarm Up: light Turkishgetup (5 reps per side),goblet squat (10 reps)(Do 2 rounds of each)

    Unofficial TacticalScreener  

    ThursdayRun: 30 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200 Ydeasy, 8 X 100 Yd hard,500 Yd easy

    FridayWarm Up: unloadedwalking lunges, lightkettlebell swings, Hindupushups (3 rounds of10 reps each)Strength:Barbell Complex -Hang clean, overheadpress, barbell row, stifflegged deadlift (4rounds of 5 reps perexercise. Keep it lightto shake out the fatigue

    from Wednesday’s test) Core/Work Capacity:10 minutes of:Kettlebell swings andsit-ups. Do 10 kettlebellswings (heavy), thenfinish the minute withsit-ups. Repeat everyminute for the 10minutes.

    Optional  Swim StrokeWork: 10-20 minutes ofeasy, smooth swimstroke work followed bysome stretching

    SaturdayRun: 60 minutessteady or easy

    Plyometrics: HeidenHop (Google it) – 20per leg, front hop - 40

    Swim: 200 Yd easy,500 Yd for time

    SundayRun: 90 min steady90 min loaded ruck)

    Optional  Swim: 5-min treading water, X 200 Yd steady pa

    Note: This is another testing week. Do it as prescribed. For the barbell complex, do 5 repetitions of hang clean, then 5 repetitions of overhead press etc.... When complete with

    each exercise, that will constitute a round. You are doing 4 rounds.

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    Week 12

    MondayWarm Up: lightoverhead squats, lightkettlebell swings (3rounds of 10 repseach)Strength:  Work up to 3 rep

    max standingoverhead press

      Work up to 3 repmax deadlift

      Note: 1 rep max isestimated bydividing 3 rep maxweigh by .93

      Test max pullups

      Bench Pressbodyweight formax reps

    Core/Work Capacity:

      Car push: push 30seconds, rest 30seconds for 10minutes

    OR

      Half bodyweightsand bag get ups(as many aspossible in 10minutes) If no

    sandbag,substitute Turkishgetup (35-50 lbs).

    TuesdayRun: Max sit-ups,run 45 minutessteady

    Swim: 5-10 mintreading water, 200yard easy warm up.5 X 200 Yd hard with30 sec rest, 200 Ydeasy, 200 Yd hard.

    Nap

    WednesdaySwim: 200 easy, 500steady

    Nap

    ThursdayRun: 20 minutessteady

    Nap

    Friday

    The only easy day wasyesterday! ; ) 

    Saturday Sunday

    Note:  This schedule assumes a Friday evening start for the screener or Monday following this week leaving for BUD/S. Try not to skip the naps.

    If you are using this as a BUD/S build up, skip everything after Monday. You could even put in an additional down week with no negative impact on your fitness

    all. This is the approach athletes use to taper for a big race or event. After 12 weeks of hard training, the taper week will improve your fitness by reducing y

    built up fatigue. Athletes normally bounce back from taper week (easy week) feeling really good and with improved performance. That is the effect we are look

    for. You want to show up fit, but well rested and recovered. The worst thing you could do is show up tired and over trained. Take the down tim

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    Unofficial Tactical Screener  CAPT Mike Prevost, USN

    This test was modified from the Rob Shaul’s “Operator Ugly” fitness test. Rob took the approach of using fixed weight and ranking scores based on bodyweight.

    this modification, we use bodyweight and multiples of bodyweight for load, so scores can be compared directly, regardless of weight. It is a complete test of

    physical strength, speed, stamina, endurance and mental toughness. A high score indicates a broad base of physical ability that is applicable to the rigors of

    combat. This is an unofficial screener designed as a self-assessment and is not an official screener for any particular MOS or school.

    *Rob is brilliant at program design. Visit his sites at www.mountainathlete.com and www.militaryathlete.com. 

    Warm up: 

    4 Rounds, light weightKettlebell (or dumbbell) swing X 10Pushup X 10Goblet Squat X 10

    Test: The whole test should be completed in one hour. Work thorough it methodically. When you finish one test, take a minute or two then set u

    for the next and execute right away.

    (note: For the loaded events, round up to the nearest 5 pounds)

    (1) Max Reps Standing Overhead Press @ 70% bodyweight (men), 45% bodyweight (women), 

    Protocol: Do two light warm up sets. Then do as many reps as possible with the assigned weight. You must remain upright, with no excessive body lean. Also,

    your knees must be locked to prevent using your legs. This is a strict press. You can rest with the bar on your chest.

    (2) Max Reps Front Squat @ bodyweight (men), 80% bodyweight (women) 

    Protocol: Do two warm up sets. Then do as many reps as possible with your target weight. You can "rest" in the standing position, holding the barbell on your

    chest in the "rack" position. The athlete must lower the barbell until his thighs are at parallel or below. If you have a dynamax medicine ball, place it below the

    athlete, and have him touch the ball with is butt for the "bottom" position. The top of the range of motion is standing with the hips locked out at full extension. Th

    athlete may hold the barbell on his chest which his hands and arms in the "clean" position, or crossed in the "body building" front squat position. Clean position i

    preferred, but not required.

    (3) Max Reps Dead Stop Dead Lift @ 120% bodyweight (men), bodyweight (women) in 60 seconds 

    Protocol: Do two warm up sets. Then do as many reps as possible in 60 seconds with the target weight. NOTE THAT THESE ARE DEAD STOP DEAD LIFTS -

    NO BOUNCING! The barbell must stop completely on the floor after each rep. Watch the clock, and when the second hand hits 60 seconds, stop.

    Range of motion starts with the barbell resting on the floor and ends at the top of the lift with the hips fully extended. The athlete may rest by setting the barbell o

    the floor and standing up without it.

    Safety - Each athlete is responsible for his safety and proper lifting technique. If you feel your lower back beginning to "break” or buckle, I strongly advise you se

    http://www.mountainathlete.com/http://www.mountainathlete.com/http://www.mountainathlete.com/http://www.militaryathlete.com/http://www.militaryathlete.com/http://www.militaryathlete.com/http://www.militaryathlete.com/http://www.mountainathlete.com/

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    the barbell down and rest before attempting another rep. However, a full range of motion determines whether or not a rep counts. "Ugly" dead lifts count, but

    expect to have a very sore lower back the next day.

    (4) 4 Rounds for total Reps 

    60 second 25m sprint

    60 second rest

    Protocol: Each full length counts as 1 rep. Each full round trip counts as 2 reps. No partials! The athlete has to sprint a full length to get the point for the rep. Eve

     just a step or two from finishing the last rep does not count.

    (5) Max Strict Pull Ups 

    Protocol: These are dead hang and strict, chin above bar pull ups. No kipping, no chicken necking, no bullshit. The athlete can "rest" while hanging on the bar w

    both hands in the bottom position. There is no set warm up for this test. The athlete may do a couple warm up pull ups if he likes. I would not recommend it thou

    (6) Half bodyweight (men) and (women) Sandbag Get up, max reps in 10 minutes 

    Protocol: Start standing with the sandbag on one shoulder (a sea bag with heavy duty trash bags of sand, duct taped closed). Lay all the way down, then "get up

    any way you want. The "finish" position is full sanding position, knees and hips at full extension, feet shoulder width apart. The athlete may or may not switch

    shoulders with the sandbag as he wishes. I switched shoulders every 5 reps to help me keep count. Do as many reps as you can in 10 minutes.

    (7) 3 Mile Run wearing Body Armor or 25# Weight Vest within 30 minutes. 

    Protocol: Start within 10 minutes of finishing the Sandbag Getups. Time the run.

    SCORING:

    Overhead Press reps x1Front Squat reps x1Dead Lift reps x1Sprints x1

    Strict Pull ups x1SBGU /2.3 Mile Run: 30 min = 5 points, 5 points for eachminute under 30, subtract 5 points for each minuteover 30

    Here's an example on how to score the test: 

    Overhead Press - 10 reps = 10 pointsFront Squat - 10 reps = 10 pointsDead Lift - 18 reps = 18 pointsSprints - 36 total = 36 points

    Pull ups - 18 reps = 18 pointsSBGU - 52 reps/2 = 26 points3 Mile Run – 29 minutes = 10 points

    TOTAL: 10+10+18+36+18+26+10 = 128 points

    SCORING STANDARDS 

    Minimum passing score is 105

    For male and female athletes:115 is a respectable score, 125 is a good score, 135+ is a great score

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    About the Author

    Mike Prevost earned a PhD in exercise physiology from Louisiana State University in 1995. He

    specialized in muscle physiology and metabolism. Throughout his college years (10 years total) he

    worked as a personal trainer in various gyms and fitness centers. He has trained athletes for many

    different sports including triathlon, ultra running, surfing, power lifting, bodybuilding, mixed martia

    arts, football, basketball and more. After finishing his PhD, he took a commission in the U. S. Navy

    as an Aerospace Physiologist in the Navy Medical Service Corps. While serving in the Navy hedeveloped human performance training material for the U. S. Special Operations Command. He

    developed new fitness standards for Navy rescue swimmers. He served as a consultant to the

    USMC in evaluating the safety of the USMC Combat Fitness Test. He also served on a Navy

    committee tasked with proposing alternatives to the Navy physical fitness test. He trained thousands

    of aviators and aircrew on survival techniques, physiology, and human performance. He also served

    as the Director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the U. S. Naval Academy, where he

    performed physiological testing of athletes to improve performance, developed the Principles of

    Strength and Conditioning Course for all Midshipmen, and served as the director of remedial fitness

    training programs. He has over 25 years of experience in working with athletes.