I want to put on size, but love having a high work capacity and the way cardio makes me feel. Although I don’t want to overdo it. I have 2 days conditioning, 4 lifting . Should I do any hic or just all shorter e sessions?

I plan to start Zulu/HT next week. KB mentioned in the Green Protocol to do only 2-3 brief HIC style works or 45 mins. of LSS maximum during this phase.

Since Zulu/HT is basically a hybrid strength/mass similar to Specificity Alpha, i was thinking of using resets and fobbits on the days i'm not lifting.

Do you guys think this conditioning is suitable, or should i just stick to LSS the whole phase to minimize any interference on the hypertrophy?

THIS IS NOT RELATED TO ANY TB PROGRAM I AM JUST POSTING THIS HERE BECAUSE NOWHERE ELSE HAS PEOPLE AS GOOD AS THIS SUB AND THEIR RULES DON'T ALLOW QUESTIONS (I have no idea why)

Anyway,I run a strength program where the weight is autoregulated. Do I need to deload and how often?

Edit:there is no built in deload week/s

Good Afternoon,

back story - plateaued on 3 mile run time (USMC PFT) so was recommended doing a round of green capacity.

Finished week 6 of Capacity and have a couple problems that have come up and and have been dealing with and would like other incite..

1.) Don't see this as much of a issue but my "zone 2" that I have set is 135-155 (when Garmin bitches at me) : I know the book recommends the lower side of things but with talking / nose breathing test this is where I have been comfortable at (Avg around 150 bpm) Is this too high? Kind of torn on this and am wondering if I need to slow down more avging about 10:30 min mile. Also feel like I could do it again after the end of the run.

2.) My runs have been roughly 6-8 miles (60-90 minutes) on mile 3 to 4 my left foot goes falls asleep then after a little it comes back no problem. Initially thought it was my shoes (they had 300ish miles on them) so I bought a new pair and still have same results. Trying to not think of the medical issues it could be and would like to battle with the 2 things is also could be. Hydration and Stretching - I'm terrible at both - Just want duel concurrence that this may be the issue.

For context, I’m a first responder in a dept that has a large wildland urban interface environment. I’m switching more to this training modality from mainly lifting weights with KB work and starting up base building this weekend. For the TB running and conditioning I’m looking for some advice. For my job I could use more “trail work”, running, hiking, rucking etc.

Instead of doing my E sessions on the street is there any benefit to on my long day doing trail work and supplementing shorter E sessions in say base building with HIC or SE?

Also, since I’m not training for a potential job but already working that job would there be any utility in modifying base building for that as well? An example being to use more HIC in base building if that’s more inline with my job vs shorter E sessions?

With TB how do you guys incorporate kettlebells? I ask because I actually love the convenience, “ease” (kb work is not easy to do just easy to fit in), and results I have had in the realm of health. Looking for ideas with that as well.

For guys on shift work do you plan out base building and adjust based on days on shift, substitute an E day for SE?

Following Black Pro (2 hic + 1 lss per week)

Looks like interval sprints and tempo runs fall under hic?

I'm a runner and assumed I'd be following green but I guess this is black?

Every once in a while people ask about swimming.

Swimming is an extremely technical activity.

Especially for (relative) beginners, you can expect enormous improvement when learning proper technique.

The following video popped up in my email. I think it's pretty good:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uifWZpkJpfA

This Spring I will have successfully bulked up about 16 lbs in 8 months running SBS and Tactical Barbell programs. I want to run OP/Green this Spring to continue building my strength and cardio base while shedding some fat. Assuming a daily deficit of ~500 calories and 1g/lb of protein, will the strength portion of this program be enough to maintain my hard earned muscle? Relatively new to this style of training...Is this a terrible plan?

I'm finishing up by first continuation block (Operator/Black) and I am planning on moving on to Fighter for my next one. My goal is to build my strength and condition to support my Judo aspirations. I know that the standard program is Fighter/Green for combat sports but what is the difference compared to black? I know martial arts sessions count as E so it seems like you really can't do Black if you have a significant martial arts training load. I know Judoka benefits more from power so I was thinking that Fighter Black would work well too? Can Black still help my Judo?

Hi, just one quick question: does anybody tried Texas Method with TB principles, I mean all the conditioning part?

Hi guys,

I’m prepping for SWAT selection in a few months and I was thinking about adding GC sessions after my lifts to get in more strength endurance, since I will be having to do air squats and burpees for the PT test. Have any of you guys added GC sessions after lifts to keep time for running sessions? Thanks!

About 3/4 through Base building and been fighting through lower back stiffness and pain pretty much the whole way, and I know it’s from barbell squats. I’m mid-40s and a fair amount of mileage from my younger years. Same pain that made me have to switch to trap bar deadlifts. Won’t be able to see a PT until fall, but in the meantime, what Barbell squat substitute would folks recommend? I would like to stick to my Squat/Chin Up/Bench cluster and get as much of the benefits as possible. Thanks much

EDIT: Got a lot of really great feedback from fellow TBers, which I really appreciate. Going to experiment with front squats, including zercher, and see how it feels. Will reassess in a few months. Thanks again!

What’s the best tactical workout split/program in order to prep for the army (2/3 months of time before I ship)?

Was running through BB when encountered an issue with my knee. This was probably most likely down to back squats at such high a range. I had thought it was my itb but my PT has advised a recurring ‘fat pad’ irritation. Had advised to cut the SE out and build the running again and try MS.

Thoughts are to swap out the SE. Thinking fighter and beginning capacity? Thoughts? Knee pain has gone away after a few runs now with no flare up but no squats yet.

Is BB MS first almost capacity with fighter (not the extra running)?

Limited to 5days training max the next 5 weeks after that could consider Op or extra running.

Does running at 7 km an hour on a treadmill seem about right. If I go any faster my heart rate seems to go above 150.

Should also mention that I consider myself reasonably fit. Am at or well above all the passing requirements for my police selection.

I want to put you in context: I go to the gym 5 times a week and follow a muscle mass program.

In your opinion, if I added 2 more SE workouts from the Green Protocol (7 days of training per week), would that already be too much?

The point is that I would like to train constantly, because I really enjoy it. I am also open to suggestions from you.

Thanks

Finishing up my 3rd week of Capacity using Operator PRO. Thought I'd share some results and some interesting observations.

BLUF: the frequency of hitting heavy triples on OP pro will probably get you back to your all time maxes or close to them in a very short time.

Some background: I discovered TB back in 2021 and ran it after my first son was born. I had run 5/3/1 from July 2020 to May 2021 and 2021 and then ran a cycle of OP + Black (skipping base building). I was at my strongest I'd ever been with a backsquat of 285, BP 235 and DL 370 bodyweight about 160 and mile time 5:40. Well somehow someway I deviated from TB, dabbling in a bunch of CrossFit stuff, training up for ranger school, going back to CrossFit stuff. In 2023, I decided to go back to TB so I ran op black again WITHOUT Base building, got hurt, wrote TB off, returned to CrossFit. Then I did all the research which led me to... you should've done BB. So as part of 2024 I ran base building and did on cycle of OP black, some of my strength gains returned.... then I got bored. Went back to CrossFit. Started getting frustrated as to why a 295 pound deadlift, 225 squat were difficult. In December of 2024 I decided to read GP cover to cover and just said fuck it. I'll do GP.

Well after 3 weeks of operator pro all my numbers returned to what they were in 2021. (Or 10 pounds off). Current 1RM are 275 BS, 235 BP, 365 DL 165 BW. I feel great!! And the running has been going smoothly (though I doubt I can run a 5:40 mile right now)

My thoughts are that the frequency of hitting heavy singles 3x a week helps get you back to where you were.

Total newb here to TB.

**For my background, I am a seasoned ultrarunner who used to do nothing but lift weights before I "discovered" running in 2011. I only began running to lose some weight, and then actually started liking it...

I am on week 4 of my first cycle of Fighter protocol, and am just in the "pre season" stages of my training plan for a mid-August, 50 mile trail ultramarathon. I am wondering:

1. Should I take a "rest week" of no lifting after I finish this cycle?

2. Should I repeat another 6 week cycle, using the same lifts? I have been doing bench, squat, WPU; and am still quite far from the "weighted" part of the pull up. ;-)

3. Any other recommendations?

TIA

Have not run velocity before, but when I read GP I noticed that it switches from FT to SE for the last cycle to “get all the systems moving in one direction”. Coming up on my last cycle of FT during marathon training and wondering if anyone has experiences with that switch from FT to SE and how it felt. Legs are getting heavy.

Best program for increasing max push-ups. I would like to have max of around 100-120 regular push ups and 80 HRPU. Im currently standing at 80 max. I was doing a lot of greasing the groove approach but would like to hear if anybody has a good program or a good routine that can really push the max up. Thank you

Hi all. I am currently finding that time is quite pressured. For those following the tactical barbell programs, how long do you spend in the gym for Max strength training? How about the HICS and endurance days?

Wrapping up week 6 of OP Pro¹ and looking to transition into OMS using Zulu HT in lieu of the Mass programs for 'M'. I respond well to intensity so I like the higher percentages and volume (W3 is 85% compared to 80 in most Mass templates and W1 is sets of 12 for the secondary work) plus the AMRAPs every third week.

How would y'all recommend running the conditioning piece? MT green stuff to keep recovery manageable or something like 1 HIC and 1 E weekly to maintain capacity in both domains?

For reference I'm planning to run it pretty barebones. OHP/SQ/WPU one day, with KB swings and dips as a finisher; BP/TBDL the other with neutral chins and ab wheel as a finisher.

1. was originally supposed to be Capacity then I hit the benchmark in week 5 and sprained my ankle a few days later so i rolled the rest of the block into standard OP and plan on revisiting it in the fall

Edit: three days in and I see the value of mass conditioning. I was totally desensitized to volume from doing 531 and OP. I've only done volume days for squats and bench so far and I'm a pain elemental. Everything hurts. I felt like a geriatric walking my dog this morning for my 30m "conditioning" session.

• Use this thread to post simple questions that don't deserve their own thread, get opinions from other TBers, or as a place for discussion between our civilian members and LEOs/Military/First Responders, fitness-related or otherwise.
• Please search before posting to see if your question has been answered before.
• LEO/Military/First Responders: Be mindful of opsec/tradecraft, any posts deemed too revealing will be removed.
• Resources include the FAQ, TB testimonials, and specific training using TB.
• See KB's SITREP post that discusses CAT, the now-open Kit Shop, and TBIII.

I am a long time fan of the Tactical Barbell methodology. I have used the fighter program for strength training in collaboration with a very active job and lifestyle (climbing arborist & outdoor recreation enthusiast). Due to my job as an arborist, I have very limited recovery for weight training. Back in college, I used to run many higher volume strength and hypertrophy templates with great success, but the manual labor aspect of my job has made recovery from those impossible. Fighter has been great for strength training in combination with my work, but I am looking to mix in some higher volume, lower weight training to focus on hypertrophy and give my body a break from all the low rep-high intensity strength work.

I purchased the tactical barbell mass protocol awhile back but found the programs do not combine well with my job. Even the 2-day/wk training template is difficult to recover from when you start pushing the weights/reps in week 3. K black emphasizes minimizing conditioning with mass, but I don't have the option to do so as my work week is usually 30+ hours of "conditioning".

Has anyone found or designed a minimalist hypertrophy template similar to fighter? I am realistic and don't expect to get huge. My goals are mainly to put on a bit of muscle while giving my body a break from low rep strength training. I appreciate any advice in advance!

I’m aware this isn’t the best place for medical advice but I’m out of options.

I’ve had it for a long time now. About two years but it got a lot better, I was able to get up 22.5 lbs on extensions again, press as much as I could for incline press etc but then for some reason they TANKED and now for the last few weeks it’s hurt just to extend my arm.

I’m following all the rules, don’t stretch tendon, no major pain during working out etc. I was able to fix my knee tendons this way but I can’t do this for some reason this time

I AM in PT so soon hopefully that helps but anything I can’t do by myself too? Cause it hurts just to even extend my arm.

I tried doing exactly what he said even though I tried it before, I started at literally 2lbs, it was easy, zero pain. Woke up, now it hurts.

Hey everyone. As the title suggests, I have some programming questions for this. I know TB has a lot of ruck heavy and land training programming but I was hoping for some help of how to incorporate my swimming without burning myself out.

I am currently running velocity extra SE variant and am on week 10. I have been following the program to a tee in addition to swimming monday/wednesday/friday anywhere between 3500meters- 5000meters/session depending on what my coach has for me that day. I happened to look ahead at outcome to see whats to come and realized I was essentially running the amphibious peaking phase of outcome already with 3 days a week having 2 sessions/day and averaging about 30 miles a week.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to make this a little more sustainable? I can always come back to what im doing for peaking. I’m probably more inclined to cut running volume out before swimming (swimming has been my weakest part) and i know the swimming carries over a lot to my cardio but i do need running for muscular benefits as well.

Any advice or thoughts are appreciated, if more specifics are needed feel free to reach out. Thanks y’all.

KB mentions that training a lift more frequently results in a better strength gains. He mentions benching 4x a week at one point, for example. However, the Operator program is 3x a week, and as In understand it, it's to ensure that no sessions are done back-to-back to allow recovery.

However, weeks have an odd number of days in them. So would it align with training philosophy to do Operator every other day, resulting in alternating 3 and 4 x a week lifts? I.e., Week one Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun followed by Week two Tue-Thu-Sat etcm?

I am finishing up my first round of base building (traditional set up with strength second). I am undecided which block I want to run as my continuation, but is there anyone in San Diego, in the point loma area, that would like to run a block together. I've been working out alone since 2018 and need a little extra push.

Hello i'm having a hard time finding black non goretex rucking boots for special forces selection.

I love my garmont t8 and lowa boots but the problem is they don't make them in black.

I don't want goretex boots because i heard they take too long to dry after a river crossing.

Thanks for the help!