Podcast Summary
Professionals in physically demanding jobs should prioritize mission-focused fitness training: Rob Shaw's Mountain Tactical Institute focuses on mission-specific fitness training for soldiers, first responders, and other physically demanding professions, setting it apart from other organizations and ensuring they are prepared for their roles.
Soldiers, first responders, and other physically demanding professions should view themselves as professional athletes and prioritize mission-focused fitness training. Rob Shaw, founder of Mountain Tactical Institute, emphasizes the importance of this approach, which sets MTI apart from other organizations. Shaw started MTI to improve mountain and tactical performance and ensure safety. Initially focusing on fitness programming, MTI has expanded to cover policy, safety issues, and gear. The need for specialized fitness programming arises because jobs like mountain guiding or military service require more than just performing the activity; it's essential to train effectively to excel and stay safe. MTI's mission-focused approach addresses these unique needs, ensuring that those in these professions are prepared for their demanding roles.
Military units seek help for mountain training: Military personnel turned to mountain athlete training programs like Afghanistan pre-deployment training and CrossFit due to lack of proper altitude and mountain terrain training in default military physical training.
While gym-based fitness programming has been a tradition for high-level mountain athletes and some military units, it was not a strong condition for recreational mountain athletes or tactical military personnel. This changed around 2008-2009 when military units deploying to mountainous regions at altitude with heavy load-carrying missions reached out for help. The programming developed for these units, called the Afghanistan pre-deployment training program, was based on what was learned from training mountain athletes. The lack of proper training for mountainous terrain and altitude in the default military physical training led soldiers to seek outside sources like the Afghanistan pre-deployment training program and CrossFit. The transition from mountain athletes to military personnel was driven by the increasing media attention, money, and higher level of athletes attracted to these sports. Despite the challenges, the success stories from athletes and military personnel have spoken for the effectiveness of proper programming.
Specific training programs for military athletes and first responders: Effective training requires specificity based on the mission or event. General programming evolves into season-specific and mission-specific as the event approaches. Military training and first responder professions have unique demands, leading to specialized programming.
Effective training programs require specificity based on the mission or event. This was discovered through working with military athletes and observing their success during patrols. The training then evolved from general mountain athlete programming to season-specific and mission-specific programming. For instance, designing a program for lift-assisted alpine skiing or a backcountry ski mountaineering expedition. The same concept applies to those preparing for military service or special forces selection. The further away from the event, the more general the programming can be. However, as the event approaches, the programming should become more specific. CrossFit workouts, for example, may not fully prepare individuals for the physical demands of military training. Additionally, there is a need for specific programming for first responders, such as law enforcement officers and firefighters. A lack of fitness culture within the first responder community was identified as a concern, with cardiac arrest being the leading cause of firefighter deaths in 2015. To address this, programming was developed specifically for first responders, recognizing the unique demands of their profession.
Lack of proper fitness assessments and cultures in first responder agencies: Improving overall fitness levels and safety in first responder agencies requires stronger fitness cultures, such as daily training and high jeopardy assessments, but challenges like union resistance and lack of resources make adoption difficult.
While law enforcement academies prioritize fitness, many departments lack proper fitness assessments or cultures that encourage regular training for the job. This can lead to a lack of readiness for first responders, potentially putting themselves and others at risk. Research has shown that departments with stronger fitness cultures, such as requiring daily training and implementing high jeopardy assessments, can improve overall fitness levels and safety. However, challenges like union resistance and lack of resources make it difficult for first responder agencies to adopt these practices. The military, with its annual high jeopardy fitness assessments and emphasis on physical fitness, serves as a positive example for first responder agencies to follow.
First Responders: Prioritizing Fitness as Athletes: First responders, considering themselves athletes, prioritize fitness for enhanced professional performance, safety, and income.
First responders, including police officers and firefighters, often continue to work in high-risk situations even into their late careers. This reality, combined with the fact that they're always on the job and face unpredictable danger, highlights the importance of fitness for these individuals. Thinking of themselves as athletes can help first responders prioritize their physical health, which in turn can enhance their professional performance and safety. This mindset also emphasizes the direct link between fitness and income, as an injury or lack of fitness can negatively impact their ability to earn a living.
Understanding the Role of Tactical Athletes: Tactical athletes, including military, law enforcement, and first responders, prioritize fitness and physical capabilities, using functional movements and the FMS to minimize injury risks and excel in their demanding professions.
The term "tactical athlete" goes beyond just a label; it represents the importance of fitness and physical capabilities in professions like law enforcement, military, and first responders. These individuals are athletes in their own right, and embracing this mindset can encourage them to invest in their fitness and set an example for others. The fitness demands for tactical athletes vary depending on their profession. For instance, military personnel require high relative strength and endurance, while law enforcement officers prioritize upper body hypertrophy and work capacity. The functional movement screen (FMS) is a tool used to assess an individual's movement patterns and identify potential injury risks, which can be crucial for tactical athletes. Overall, the focus on durability and functional fitness is essential for tactical athletes to excel in their professions and minimize injury risks.
FMS's Effectiveness in Predicting Injury and Improving Durability Questioned: Emphasize 95% sport-specific fitness and 5% mobility for durability. Sport-specific training is crucial to prevent injury.
While the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) was initially believed to be an effective tool for predicting injury and improving durability, it has since been questioned by research. From the speaker's experience, durability now equals 95% sport-specific fitness and 5% mobility. The emphasis is on making athletes fit for their specific event or mission. While mobility exercises have some carryover, they are not a substitute for sport-specific training. The speaker finds that really good athletes, who move well in space, tend to excel at the FMS but may still be delicate and prone to injury if they are not specifically fit for their sport or mission. The focus should be on building a high degree of relative strength and sports-specific fitness to increase durability.
Enhance durability through specific fitness training: Training for specific events or jobs can increase relative strength and durability for athletes and civilians alike, adding variety and excitement to fitness routines.
Increasing relative strength and being suitably fit for specific events or jobs can significantly enhance durability for athletes, even those who don't excel in traditional fitness tests. For civilians, focusing on outside events and training for them in the gym can add variety and excitement to their fitness routine, preventing staleness and keeping them engaged in their gym life. The evolution of fitness trends suggests that as individuals progress from manufactured events to more challenging outdoor adventures, having a programming approach that caters to both gym and outdoor activities can lead to a more fulfilling and diverse fitness journey.
MTI's programming goes beyond typical CrossFit workouts with specific training objectives: MTI focuses on relative strength, work capacity, chassis integrity, tactical speed, explosive power and agility, and endurance for mountain athletes and tactical personnel, setting it apart from traditional CrossFit workouts.
At Mountain Tactical Institute (MTI), programming goes beyond the typical CrossFit workouts. While CrossFit is known for its short, high-intensity workouts, MTI's sessions have specific training objectives. These objectives include relative strength, work capacity, chassis integrity, tactical speed, explosive power and agility, and endurance. MTI's focus on outside performance allows for a more diverse range of training objectives, with a greater emphasis on endurance compared to traditional CrossFit workouts. In terms of strength training, MTI uses various progressions, including barbell-based methods, to develop relative strength. This focus on relative strength, or strength per body weight, sets MTI apart from CrossFit's focus on body weight strength. Overall, MTI's programming is tailored to the specific needs of mountain athletes and tactical personnel, ensuring they are prepared for the unique demands of their respective fields.
Preparing for specialized physical events: Effective training for military selection involves a well-planned program that progressively focuses on attributes like strength, work capacity, endurance, and chassis integrity. Transition to sport-specific training eight weeks before the event, then return to tactical base training post-selection.
Effective training for specialized physical events, such as military selection, requires a well-planned program that focuses on various attributes like strength, work capacity, endurance, and chassis integrity. The training program should gradually progress and become more specific to the event as the date approaches. For instance, an athlete preparing for Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) might start with a more general tactical base training for several months, then transition to a sport-specific program eight weeks before the event. This program could include rucking, APFT assessments, and work capacity events. After completing the selection, the athlete would return to the tactical base training, which follows a six week cycle, to maintain their fitness level and prepare for their job. This approach ensures that the athlete is not only physically ready for the demands of the event but also stays fit and fresh for their daily duties.
MTI's training methodology for tactical athletes involves cycling through different fitness attributes: MTI's training methodology keeps tactical athletes engaged and effective by cycling through different fitness attributes and continually evolving to eliminate 'garbage reps' and improve mission performance and athlete longevity.
MTI's training methodology for tactical athletes involves cycling through different fitness attributes with an emphasis on each during each cycle. This keeps training varied and effective, preventing the burden of constant fitness from leading to staleness. Each cycle includes assessments to measure progress and maintain interest. MTI's programming is also continually evolving, with recent changes focusing on eliminating "garbage reps" and improving mission performance and athlete longevity. To learn more about MTI and their programs, visit mtntactical.com.
