workout schedule. oh, not another one, enough already :)

[bmilos]

For the past couple of months I have been working with the fitness coach of the national football team in my country. He agreed to let me work with him, and he knew what I was practicing for. So here’s my workout schedule for the past 2 months. I’m sure you’ve been bombarded by these schedules, but I though I can’t hurt if I throw in another one. If you’re not interested don’t read on. There are few misc.notes at the end.

Before each workout I do 10min of stretching, then 4km light jog (4km in 20-25min). Then I do 3 “low jock” exercises (you run fast but in a single spot, only barely raising your feet, you don’t run forward, but your body makes run-like movements. Then all of a sudden you burst into a short sprint). Then I do “high-jock” (same as low jock, only you raise your feet and knees high above)

After the running workout I do another 4km light jog, and push ups (start with 3x30 and move upwards), abs, and back exercises (I lay in my stomach, hands behind my head and I lift my upper body while my lower body is on the ground, it’s like a reverse of a sit-up). When I do multiple runs, I rest 2-3 min between runs, so that my heart rate needs to be bellow 150 bpm.

during the weekend I would go hiking with small or no weight. i would march fast, but no 30kg sac-a-doc. just fast marching. one day a week I do NOTHING".

Week 1:

Monday: one cooper test 2,800m in 12.04min
Tuesday: 6 sprints of 200m
Wednesday: sprints: 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m
Thursday: 5 sprints of 800m farhleht (meaning you run 100m full sprint, 100m light jog, 100m full sprint, 100m light jog, etc)
Friday: rest

Week 2:

Monday: 3 runs of 1000m
Tuesday: jumps- I find a stair-case of 15-20 steps, and I do the following runs up the stairs: 10 times low jock, 10 x high jock, 10 x just one leg (alternate left - right), 10 x both legs together.
Wednesday: 2 runs of 6km
Thursday: 6 x 200m sprints
Friday: sprints: 4 x 10m, 4 x 20m, 3 x 30m, 3 x 40m, 2 x 50m, 2 x 60m

Week 3:

Monday: was sick
Tuesday: 5 sprints of 800m farhleht (meaning you run 100m full sprint, 100m light jog, 100m full sprint, 100m light jog, etc)
Wednesday: 5km run
Thursday: jumps- I find a stair-case of 15-20 steps, and I do the following runs up the stairs: 10 times low jock, 10 x high jock, 10 x just one leg (alternate left - right), 10 x both legs together.
Friday: 2 runs of 6km

Week 4:

Monday: 8 x 200m sprints
Tuesday: gym- I warm up the same as a running workout. Once in the gym, I work my abs and lower back, then legs, then chest, shoulder and upper back. 3 times 12 repetitions for the exercises with weights. For the back, I use a bar and I lift my body, with hand grips wide apart, and with hand grips closer together.
Wednesday: 2 x 6km
Thursday: gym
Friday: 2 x 6km

Week 5:

Monday: gym
Tuesday: 5 x 400m
Wednesday: gym
Thursday: 9 sprints of 200m
Friday: gym

Week 6:

Monday: 4 km fahrleht (you run 100m full sprint, 100m light jog, 100m full sprint, 100m light jog, etc)
Tuesday: gym
Wednesday: 2km fahrleht
Thursday: gym
Friday: 4 runs of 1000m

Week 7:

Monday: bad weather (too much fog and smog, bad for lungs)
Tuesday: gym
Wednesday: 12km run in 54min
Thursday: gym
Friday: 12 sprints of 200m

Week 8:

Monday: 12 sprints of 200m
Tuesday: medical check up
Wednesday: 5 x 400m
Thursday: gym
Friday: 3 x 1000m

Notes:

I started this workout being able to run 2,800m in 12min, now I do 3,200 in 12mn. Considering that the weather is now much worse than 8 weeks ago, that’s a big jump. Bad weather can take out 20%-30% of your performance. I often run in sub-zero temperature, with high humidity. meaning that if were to go to aubegne in spring, i could easily push the 3,200 to 3,400 even 3,600, if you add the psychological moment, adrenaline etc.

These workouts were all morning workouts. in the evenings I do martial arts, 1 hour or so. compared to the morning workout, the evening one was very light, i barely break a sweat, but nevertheless, I keep my self busy with something different. in between workouts: food, french lagnuage lessons, and girls

shin splits: I didn’t get them. I guess I was reasonably fit before I even stared. Nevertheless, I would not recommend being a tough Rambo who endures pain with a smile. If you get sharp pain in your shin, I would advise to rest for few days, put ice, go swimming, cycling, etc. I prefer being smart to being tough.

this plan was custom-made. Hence its not a generic workout schedule. What exactly your will train will depend on you fitness level, on you momentary performance, what you are comfortable with and what you have problems with, etc. the main thing is to build up a combination of endurance, strength, and explosiveness. For example I could run long distance easily, but I had a problem when I had to run short consecutive sprints. Hence my workouts were more focused on short sprints. You need to find your own best fit. Another example: you aim is to run 1000m in under 3 ½ min in a few days, so today you run 6km, tomorrow 9x200m, day after that 5x400m, then you run the 1000m. get the idea? Endurance, the explosiveness, then combine them.

other things worth thinking about: quality of food intake, sleeping schedule, bllod pressure, etc.

Hope this helps. If you have any specific questions, email me. I’m here for few more weeks.

[kiwi]

Ulgh. I don't think its even been a Week since the Last one Died!!!

You have a solid schedule though, seems a little to atheletic for my liking.

[arrichion]

Why so much sprints?

[bmilos]

athletic? yeah, well the coach that was working with me designs workouts for professional football (soccer) players.

sprints? they give you explosiveness. endurance is not enough. a marathon runner would die if he were put thru hard military training. my personal workout inlcuded more of sprints because i was lacking this explosiveness. i was doing great on longdistance (endurance) though

[Forgotten]

athletic? yeah, well the coach that was working with me designs workouts for professional football (soccer) players.

sprints? they give you explosiveness. endurance is not enough. a marathon runner would die if he were put thru hard military training. my personal workout inlcuded more of sprints because i was lacking this explosiveness. i was doing great on longdistance (endurance) though

If you are looking for "explosiveness" haul ass up a hill a few times. When I played soccer(football) for my school I started sprinting up my hill four times, three times a week. At first I felt like I was going to pass out half way up the hill but my body over came that. It makes sprinting the track a cake walk and is probably something you'll face in southern france.... hills... I love hills...

[Eagle eye]

It sounds like a very individual approach and Olympian training.
I don't want to discourage you but the FFL experience is, first and foremost, a collective experience, that is, working in a team and, at times, dealing with people you don't particularly like for whatever reason.

By the way, do you speak French ? Please remind me if you've previously mentioned your preparation.

[bmilos]

It sounds like a very individual approach and Olympian training.
I don't want to discourage you but the FFL experience is, first and foremost, a collective experience, that is, working in a team and, at times, dealing with people you don't particularly like for whatever reason.

By the way, do you speak French ? Please remind me if you've previously mentioned your preparation.

Vous avez raison Eagle, l'entrainement est seulement olimique et physique. comme j'ai deja dit, ce programe te donne la force, la resistance, et explosivite. Ce n'est pas une preparation mentale pour ce qui attend dans la Legion, mais simplement une maniere de faire bien dans le "cooper" et d'avoir la capacite d'oxigene d'endurer mieux a castel. c'est tout.

et oui, je parle en peu de Francais, mais excuse-moi pour l'epallation

[SDashp72]

Has anyone here seen the Ranger Challenge that's on OLN (ESPN) from time to time? For those of you that are not familiar it is the annual military competition of the US Army Rangers. It probably doesn't get much tougher than what these dudes go through - most Rangers cannot finish the course. From what I could gather, endurance and mental toughness are the number one assets in military training followed by muscular strength. Training to be a sprinter is not going to carry you all the way but sprints are good for cardio training. One thing I havn't seen in anyone's workout plan is a 25mile (40km) hike with a backpack. Learing how to hike a long distance over a day or two (Rangers do 25miles in 6 hours with a ruck) is going to help alot more than running more than 2800m in 12min. I believe that is why the Cooper's test does not rate higher than 2800m.

A

[BobW]

Bonjour SDash72,

Can you list some of the tests from the "Ranger Challenge"?

Fortunately - or unfortunately - "it" does get tougher than the Ranger program. From my limited knowledge; the French Foreign Legion and China's PLA special units exceed the Ranger limits.

With a few exceptions only, US Army doctrine ditched the long distance march. 25 miles in 6 hours with a ruck is nominal (for our discussions here). If also carrying weapons and ordnance, eg mortar base plates and their ammo, then place on the list.

Somewhere near here today, Beau Sheep discussed the Legion's "forced march". The US Army once did this but phased it out (with some exceptions).

As a personal opinion - and I'm open to be convinced otherwise-the 2800m in 12 minutes is more important than a long distance march.

Just to add one more additional aspect for our "comparative studies" here, to me the greatest feat isn't so much distance or speed per se, but rather the environment. A long distance hike above 60 degrees north latitude or anything in near Polar environments always tests only the best of Americans. The rest just can't make it to get tested.

Appreciated you mentioning "mental toughness". That's what it's all really about.

Warm regards,
BobW

[chrisd234]

Another note:

Ranger is just a qualification..... You can be ranger qualified but not be special forces, not even in a ranger unit...... Similar to Airborne...

Not all special forces troops are Ranger qualified.. etc etc

[SDashp72]

Bonjour SDash72,

Can you list some of the tests from the "Ranger Challenge"?

Fortunately - or unfortunately - "it" does get tougher than the Ranger program. From my limited knowledge; the French Foreign Legion and China's PLA special units exceed the Ranger limits.

With a few exceptions only, US Army doctrine ditched the long distance march. 25 miles in 6 hours with a ruck is nominal (for our discussions here). If also carrying weapons and ordnance, eg mortar base plates and their ammo, then place on the list.

Somewhere near here today, Beau Sheep discussed the Legion's "forced march". The US Army once did this but phased it out (with some exceptions).

As a personal opinion - and I'm open to be convinced otherwise-the 2800m in 12 minutes is more important than a long distance march.

Just to add one more additional aspect for our "comparative studies" here, to me the greatest feat isn't so much distance or speed per se, but rather the environment. A long distance hike above 60 degrees north latitude or anything in near Polar environments always tests only the best of Americans. The rest just can't make it to get tested.

Appreciated you mentioning "mental toughness". That's what it's all really about.

Best Ranger Challenge INFO:

PAST MAJOR EVENTS


UNKOWN DISTANCE RUN / PUSH UPS / SIT UPS

MALVESTI CONFIDENCE COURSE

AIRBORNE OPERATION

RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP

PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP

MACHINE GUN MARKSMANSHIP

FOOT MARCH - 20+ MILES (60 POUND RUCK SACK)

AIRBORNE OPERATION

SPOT JUMP

4.7 MILE RUCK RUN

HANDS-ON RANGER SKILLS TESTS (DAY & NIGHT) DEMOLITIONS

GRENADES

MILITARY KNOTS

WEAPONS ASSEMBLY

ROPE CLIMB AND RAPPELING (PRUSIK)

BAYONET ASSAULT COURSE

NIGHT LAND NAVIGATION (MAP & COMPASS)

OBSTACLE COURSE

WATER CONFIDENCE TEST SLIDE FOR LIFE / ROPE DROP

HELOCAST / SWIM

MILE BUDDY RUN
*


BEST RANGER STATS


60 CONTINUOUS HOURS

60 MILES COVERED

NO PROGRAMMED SLEEP

29 MILITARY TASKS MOVE

SHOOT

COMMUNICATE

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

I am not familiar with Ranger regimental training and meant to make no comparisons here.

-----------------------------------

My point about the Cooper test was not to say running 2800m in 12min is not less important than long distance marching, but to say training to go much faster than that in 12min may not confer alot of additional advantage to you as far as your success in military training. The faster you run the more you get into anerobic training which is not going to help as much with endurance as aerobic (less intense over time) training. Acquiring musculature for explosive strength/sprinting can mean added muscle volume above and beyond what is need for steady, long term exertion, thus you could use more energy over time and therefore tire more quickly (and need more food) than the guy who took a more endurance oriented approach. My opinion is based on some research into exercise physiology and conversations with trainers but not at the highest levels of sport or science, so I may be somewhat wrong. But, at the extreme of comparisons, military men do not look like olympic sprinters. All this depends on where you're at in training, of course.

A

[bmilos]

I think i mentioned in my initial post that my training schedule was aimed at only:
1) making sure you get full points on the Cooper (ie. 3,200m or more) and 2) adjusting your cardio-vascular system (heart and lungs) to a high degree of daily effort.

Note the 2 times 4km runs in 20min before AND after each sprinting session.

Hiking: i also menionted that i do that once a week. Some might prefer more, but like I said, my plan was individual for me. I was lacking explosiveness, so i focused on sprints and gym. I was doing great on long distance runs and hiking because i've been doing it before. What i trained was designed for myself. it doesn't mean that everyone should follow the same routine.

That was my sole purpose for the post. I know these shcedules have been posted a lot, but i thought i can't hurt if I post another one. It just means more choice for the people who are starting to get in shape.

All of the things you've added are valid points though.

Salut

[PSBC]

the British paras have a similar set up :-
P Company is a series of test events that all soldiers, who want to join the Airborne Forces must pass. They are designed to test your physical stamina and mental aptitude under pressure prior to carrying out parachute training. They include both individual and team events.

The Steeplechase
A 1.7 mile course with 25 obstacles to be completed in under 19 minutes. This is an individual event that requires good cardio-vascular fitness.

The Trainasium
Ariel confidence course

The Log Race
A team race of 8 men per team carrying a log around a 1.8 mile course.

Stretcher Race
Team event of 16 men carrying a stretcher over a 5 mile course

(there is a tank track on the stretcher and its a real ball buster )

Milling
A one minute bout of sparring

thats a minute of pure agression , any sighn of cowardice or not getting amongst it is seen as a lack of fighting spirit and an automatic fail . Fail one test you fail the lot

10 Mile March
Carrying 35lbs bergen and individual weapon. To be completed in 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Cross country event

20 Mile Endurance March
Carrying 35lbs bergen and individual weapon. To be completed in 5 hours
another ball buster !!!

You don't need to be an Olympic athlete to pass. The tests are about giving your all, they are about motivation, self confidence and teamwork.

I expect the Legion paras have a similar set up somewhere along the line .


If it was easy we wouldnt want to do it would we !!!!