Tactical athlete fitness training

Fitness is not one type of training

The word fitness is often used to refer to any activity that makes you breathe faster. But slow running, long runs, intervals on an air bike, and short sprints all create different demands. When we put all methods into one category, it's easy to create a program that's still challenging but doesn't get anywhere.

A tactical athlete needs to work long hours, repeat short hard stretches, and quickly recover between them. No single conditioning method will cover all requirements. The right choice depends on the goal of the block, the profession, and the person's current limit.

The aerobic system as the basis of recovery

We associate the aerobic system primarily with longer runs. However, its significance is broader. It is involved in the restoration of energy between power sets, sprints, stairs, obstacles and work tasks. A person with better aerobic capacity often calms his breath faster and can maintain a more stable performance throughout the entire shift or training.

We build the foundation by working regularly at low to moderate intensity. In Tactical Ready, I use zone 2, with an RPE of 3 to 4. The pace should be controlled, breathing steady, and performance sustainable. For most people, the unit starts at about thirty minutes. Depending on the goal and experience, it can gradually increase.

Zone 2 is not about showing willpower. When you get carried away with the pace, you move to a higher intensity and change the purpose of your workout. Easy days that are too fast are one of the reasons why high days never feel good.

Running and other means

Running is an important service skill and has high transferability for soldiers and police officers. It also creates impact and mechanical stress. If a person significantly increases the volume, changes the surface, adds hills, and continues to train hard with their legs, the feet, calves, knees, or hips can become affected.

Part of the aerobic volume can be completed on a bicycle, rowing machine, air bike or in a pool. These means allow you to increase the work with a smaller impact cost. However, they are not a complete replacement for running, if running is part of a target test or profession. Fitness can be built in several ways, movement skills still need to be trained specifically.

When choosing, I also consider the technical level. A rower can engage both the upper and lower body very well, but poor technique puts unnecessary strain on the hips. Swimming is gentle on the lower limbs, but it requires skill and can overload the shoulders for an inexperienced swimmer. Each device has its advantages and costs.

Threshold training

Threshold work develops the ability to maintain a higher pace without a rapid decline in performance. It uses multi-minute intervals or continuous work at an intensity that is challenging but still controlled.

A typical example would be four longer stretches with short rests. The exact pace depends on the individual's performance, the target discipline, and the method of measurement. A beginner does not need the same volume as an experienced runner.

Threshold training is useful for improving your pace at medium distances and your ability to work near high intensities. However, it is not an easy day. It is a demanding conditioning stimulus and must allow for recovery.

Intervals for developing VO2max

VO2max intervals are high-intensity intervals that typically last several minutes. The goal is to spend a sufficient amount of time at high intensity while maintaining performance throughout the intervals.

If you start too fast and each subsequent interval is significantly worse, the workout was not well-balanced. The first repetition should not dominate the rest of the unit. The rest should be sufficient to keep the next section on target.

VO2max work can significantly improve fitness, but it comes at a high recovery cost. One quality unit per week will often yield more than three average interval workouts sandwiched between heavy legs and duty training.

Short anaerobic work

Short bursts of approximately ten to sixty seconds prepare a person for intense performance. The ratio of work to rest determines the result.

When we want to develop high performance, we use longer rest periods. If we need the ability to repeat sprints or climb stairs, the rest period can be shorter, but must still allow acceptable performance. Very short rest periods and long sets develop fatigue tolerance, but at the same time quickly reduce speed and technique.

A police officer may need this ability during pursuits, stairs, and subsequent contact work. A soldier will use it during short movements, obstacles, working with a load, or changing positions. In both cases, the method should correspond to the actual work-rest ratio, not just an attempt to create the greatest burning sensation possible.

High and low fitness days

Hard intervals, fast runs, and repeated sprints are high-intensity. Zone 2, light swimming, and easy walking are low-intensity. This division helps maintain the true quality of the challenging units.

If all training is moderate, you are not fresh enough for speed and high intensity, but at the same time you will never fully recover. Therefore, light days are not wasted time. They allow you to adapt to the previous load and prepare for the next challenging stimulus.

I also include field training, heavy rucks, long shifts with special interventions or contact training in high load. Planned interval training can be shortened, moved or completely replaced by official work in such a week.

How to choose the right method

First, determine what is limiting you. If you can't sustain steady work for long periods of time and are taking a long time to recover your breath between sections, you probably need a stronger aerobic base. If you have decent volume but can't manage your target pace, threshold work may be coming in. If you lack high aerobic capacity, you will use VO2max intervals. For repeated short tasks, anaerobic work and repeated sprints will be important.

Don't try to develop all methods to the maximum extent in one week. Choose a priority, maintain the other skills, and evaluate the trend after a few weeks.

In the next article, I will focus on speed, power, and change of direction. I will explain why these skills need to be trained fresh and why endless sprints with short rests do not develop maximum speed.

A call for further work

If you don't know how much to run, what intervals to choose, or how to combine fitness with strength training and service, write to me about online coaching. I will set you a specific volume, intensity, and order of fitness units based on your goal and ability to regenerate.