I'm a Personal Trainer and have been for a while.
I train personnel in the civilian sector as well as in the military sector. And one thing stands out to me when it comes to training your body for strength, endurance, etc. That is this: Getting "big" (i.e. mass, size, etc.) has its place, but not on the battlefield (and it has VERY limited applications in the civilian world as well, unless you're a body-builder).
If you're going for the "Arnold" look, that's fine. But beware; all that muscle takes a lot of maintenance and care (we're talking hours a day).
If you want to have functional strength (which is the kind of strength that you'll want in a combat situation or in most situations that you'll find yourself in, in my opinion) you need to work on explosive strength (plyometrics are great for this, if done correctly) and Anaerobic Endurance.
Okay, Okay; I know what you're thinking, "Anaerobic Endurance?! That's for women and people who practice Yoga!"
It is a truth that the words Anaerobic Endurance have been mislabeled by many to mean "womens' workout" or "something that your mother does in the gym." Most men are afraid to tell their buddies that they're NOT lifting massive amounts of weight in the gym every night. ANd why is this the case?
Because that's what society has taught us.
I did a tour in Iraq and believe me, when the chips are down and you have to haul your butt up a rope (using only your hands and legs, with no climbing equipment), or over a wall, or you have to run 4-5 miles with a 40-50 pound ruck, Anaerobic Endurance is the type of stregth that you'll want.
An example of training for Anaerobic Endurance is as follows:
EX: Instead of bench-pressing 200 pounds 8-10 times for 3 sets, drop your bench weight to 165-175 pounds and bench-press it 12-15 times for 4-5 sets. This will get your chest, shoulders, and triceps used to lifting NEARLY the same weight but for more sets and more reps/set.
Okay, so what does this do for you in a practical setting? The answer: everything (or nearly everything). You will burn more fatty tissue, which will lead to greater weight loss. You will see gains in muscle-tone. If your training is balanced and done correctly, you will also even see increases in muscle size; lean muscle, Anaerobic Endurance muscle.
If you're interested in gaining this fitness level take a look at P90X, Cross-Fit, or go talk to a personal trainer at your gym. Heck, talk to your muscle-bound buddy (everyone knows "that guy") for tips and help.
Happy Muscles!
-Mr300
I train personnel in the civilian sector as well as in the military sector. And one thing stands out to me when it comes to training your body for strength, endurance, etc. That is this: Getting "big" (i.e. mass, size, etc.) has its place, but not on the battlefield (and it has VERY limited applications in the civilian world as well, unless you're a body-builder).
If you're going for the "Arnold" look, that's fine. But beware; all that muscle takes a lot of maintenance and care (we're talking hours a day).
If you want to have functional strength (which is the kind of strength that you'll want in a combat situation or in most situations that you'll find yourself in, in my opinion) you need to work on explosive strength (plyometrics are great for this, if done correctly) and Anaerobic Endurance.
Okay, Okay; I know what you're thinking, "Anaerobic Endurance?! That's for women and people who practice Yoga!"
It is a truth that the words Anaerobic Endurance have been mislabeled by many to mean "womens' workout" or "something that your mother does in the gym." Most men are afraid to tell their buddies that they're NOT lifting massive amounts of weight in the gym every night. ANd why is this the case?
Because that's what society has taught us.
I did a tour in Iraq and believe me, when the chips are down and you have to haul your butt up a rope (using only your hands and legs, with no climbing equipment), or over a wall, or you have to run 4-5 miles with a 40-50 pound ruck, Anaerobic Endurance is the type of stregth that you'll want.
An example of training for Anaerobic Endurance is as follows:
EX: Instead of bench-pressing 200 pounds 8-10 times for 3 sets, drop your bench weight to 165-175 pounds and bench-press it 12-15 times for 4-5 sets. This will get your chest, shoulders, and triceps used to lifting NEARLY the same weight but for more sets and more reps/set.
Okay, so what does this do for you in a practical setting? The answer: everything (or nearly everything). You will burn more fatty tissue, which will lead to greater weight loss. You will see gains in muscle-tone. If your training is balanced and done correctly, you will also even see increases in muscle size; lean muscle, Anaerobic Endurance muscle.
If you're interested in gaining this fitness level take a look at P90X, Cross-Fit, or go talk to a personal trainer at your gym. Heck, talk to your muscle-bound buddy (everyone knows "that guy") for tips and help.
Happy Muscles!
-Mr300
