Ranking Fitness Skills – Which is the Most Important?

 Fitness, Tactical Fitness  Comments Off on Ranking Fitness Skills – Which is the Most Important?
Mar 142017
 

When we think in terms of sports, we can place a greater emphasis on certain fitness abilities than others. A power lifter is only concerned with pure limit strength in the bench press, deadlift, and squat. A long distance runner seeks to attain supreme cardiovascular endurance. A football or basketball player’s fitness abilities will differ by position but speed, agility, and quickness are shared fitness traits between the two sports.

For many athletes, regardless of the sport, training should be designed to maximize one’s strengths (technical or otherwise) and improve a weakness, while preparing them for competition. 

 

For a first responder, combat serviceman, and tactical professional, there are a host of fitness skills that most be sharp at all times. Similar to athletes, certain fitness skills are required more in some tactical professions than in others. Here is an analysis of some fitness traits in relation to a tactical athlete’s profession.

Speed  – necessary for nearly all professionals. Sprinting to attack an enemy position, chasing a suspect, running to put out a fire or to safety, or running to intercept an assailant; speed is an important fitness requirement.

Strength – A soldier will need the strength to carry weapons,  supplies, and lift wounded comrades. A firefighter has to be ready to carry and evacuate victims, axe through doors, and even carry comrades. A police officer doesn’t need overpowering strength but functional strength if someone is resisting arrest. A SWAT officer generally is required to use more strength to carry breeching tools, and other equipment. A close protection agent, like a police officer needs a basic level of strength but one does not need to be built like an ox.

Cardiovascular Strength Endurance – For the soldier and firefighter, battles and fires can last for hours and even days. Conditioning is essential to sustain optimum performance over the course of many hours. Police officers, and in particular SWAT officers will sometimes be engaged in stand-offs with criminals and the occasional long gun battle but no one is running a marathon to apprehend anyone.

Anaerobic Strength Endurance – All tactical professions require a decent level of sustained strength over a short amount of time. Think of the conditioning of an MMA fighter, short intense engagements taxing the muscles with periods of rest here and there. Hostage rescue breeches, riots, fires, advancing to an enemy position, require the tactical professional to engage his or her body repeatedly until the situation is over. Small battles and fires can of course lead to large ones requiring soldiers and firefighters to possess great cardiovascular strength endurance.

Agility/Quickness – The ability to dodge and overcome physical obstacles is paramount in all tactical professions. Zig – zagging through a firefight, crowd of people, wreckage from a fire, or any environment with minimal cover or concealment requires tactical professionals to move in all directions.

There are of course more fitness traits to list but the above are main ones to consider when preparing to enter or remain in a tactical profession. Exploring aspects like netball court markings is worth it if you’re also involved in sports and recreational activities, ensuring a well-prepared and enjoyable playing environment.

For anyone wanting a one on one consultation or tactical program, please contact me and also be sure to check these Gifts for Pittsburgh Steelers fans if you’re a basketball lovers. 

 

Battle Tested Updates

 Core values  Comments Off on Battle Tested Updates
Feb 202017
 

Back from a dormant existence, I am seeking to revitalize this blog. I have used this forum to dance between various subjects – security, fitness, nutrition, and even global issues. Having a name in different industries and careers has at times caused me to blur lines of business, and communicate with different end users of separate services yet in one place. So as to not to “cross the streams” and cause any brand confusion, I will keep this blog active and focused on tactical fitness solutions, nutrition, and training.

Expect new and fresh content to be forth coming for Battletested Fitness. For my security and intelligence colleagues, followers, and clients, my chief website: battletestedsolutions.com will act as a gateway for my security consulting services.

My Facebook page, and LinkedIn profile will also provide content and articles on security matters, protective intelligence strategies, and tactical response training. Tactical fitness is an element of tactical response training, of which some content will be shared on Facebook and LinkedIn and within this blog. See you down the road, please fill out the contact form so I can be of better service to you or your organization

What it Means to Be Battle Tested

 Core values, Fitness  2 Responses »
Apr 032014
 

Battle Tested. I have to admit my brand name is pretty catchy. In fact I own a number of domain names with battle tested in it; more on that at a later time. But let’s be honest, Tied and True Fitness just doesn’t have the same impact as Battle Tested Fitness. My strategies and programs for tactical fitness training come from having  to prepare my body, mind, and nervous system for any type of crisis.

Questions I always get are, “So how does one get to be battle tested? Do you have to serve and survive in a war zone?” To answer the second question first, no one needs to be a veteran or have aspirations to serve in a combat role. However, many could use tactical fitness training to be prepared for dynamic physical engagements. Here are a number of instances where being tactically fit can come in handy:

1. Industrial accidents – strength and speed required to push over equipment and run from danger.

2. Natural disasters – earthquake, hurricane, flood. Does one not need physical strength and fortitude to pack up as much belongings as possible in a short time and evacuate by car or other means?

3. Active Shooter – a far too common occurrence, laying motionless can save your life as well as sprinting for cover.

4. Black Friday – negotiating rushing crowds and masses of people is a hidden threat that will challenge one’s physical fitness.

In addition to training first responders to many of the situations listed above, Battle Tested Fitness delivers strength and conditioning programs that replicates the physical demand caused by “worst case scenarios” so that if an event should happen you are as prepared as possible.

– Greg

 

Now this is just upsetting

 Core values  Comments Off on Now this is just upsetting
Oct 022012
 

As a subject matter expert in protective operations, it just boils my blood when I see security officers, especially armed security officers overweight and essentially unfit for the tasks at hand. Members of a popular gym chain were recently car jacked at the gym’s parking lot; the car jackers were caught by police shortly after the crime. The gym in response to the carjacking hired armed security to act as a deterrent against future carjackings or other parking lot related crime. On the surface, this is not a bad response to a violent crime, however what the gym management failed to understand was how to access and evaluate security firms and their officers.

Except for one individual who seemed capable of responding to an armed attack, the rest of the security team, smoked on duty, leaned against the gym building, lacked good communication skills, were all dressed in black BDUs and for the most part were overweight. The gym management hired the “lowest bidder” in this case without truly assessing if this security firm would lower their risk of another crime while acting as an extended customer service arm of the club. The danger that the security firm in question presents is related to security liability. Had another armed attack occurred, the overweight,smoking security officer would then be required to assess the situation, communicate the danger, RUN to confront the assailant, and potentially deploy his weapon, maybe fire it. How many of you want to trust your life to an out of shape armed person. When the heart rate elevates, fine motors skills like shooting accurately depreciate.

If selection of a security force is needed, the hiring decision makers have to ensure that the officers are equipped to handle a “worst case scenario”. Too often unarmed and armed security are hired as a psychologically deterrent, however when an actually emergency occurs in many cases these officers lack the proper training and physical fitness to respond as needed.

 

 

Running and Shooting

 Core values  Comments Off on Running and Shooting
Sep 032012
 

Many people think of a gun as some great equalizer where the user  can be an old grandma, who simply has to aim and pull the trigger to deter the threat from a much bigger and younger attacker. In California, which has some of the strictest gun laws, ironically citizens upon attending a safety course, and being “vetted” by a criminal check, can purchase a hand gun without demonstrating their ability to effectively hit their targets on a range. The common held belief that deploying a weapon is about pointing and shooting like it is a camera, is quite erroneous. Even though countless people do train on ranges shooting paper targets honing their marksmanship skills across the USA, very few people actually posses the speed, agility, and quickness to deploy their weapons in real life situations.

In a real life or death situation such as a home invasion, the gun owner has to first assess the threat, run to where his or her gun is,  unlock it, arm it, acquire the position of the bad guys, position him or herself between the criminals and protected family members and eliminate the threats with accurate shots all within a minute or less while most likely having an extremely high heart rate.

If you were paying attention, the operative words were ” extremely high heart rate”. When the heart rate spikes, the fine motor skills such as shooting diminish. All of the hours spent on a gun range are useless unless an individual practices operating their firearm under duress. Obviously one can’t fire off rounds in their own home, but what one can do is practice all of the steps prior to discharging his or her weapon. The neuromuscular and anaerobic conditioning of reality based drills and fitness training will benefit the gun owner if a life threatening criminal attack shall occur.

Even police officers are not immune to overly relying on static training at the gun range when their time should be better spent mimicking the physical demands of responding to a crime. Recently, the NYPD responded to a shooting outside the Empire State Building, many bystanders were shot by police officers who lost their accuracy after running to the scene.

If gun owners had to pass a physical fitness test, qualify at the range under realistic shooting scenarios, and attend a course on pre-attack indicators, prior to purchasing a firearm, the incidents of wrongful deaths would surely plummet.

Fitness saves lives!

 

Physical Fitness vs Combat Fitness

 Core values  Comments Off on Physical Fitness vs Combat Fitness
Aug 072012
 

We often judge physical fitness by how much weight someone can lift, how fast or long someone can run, or by their physique. Achieving supreme physical fitness should be a goal for every human to improve their quality of life. For a unique and small population, supreme combat fitness is the goal. Being in good shape does help in achieving a high level of combat fitness, but with combat fitness there are so many physical and mental elements one has to concentrate on that go “beyond the gym”.

Similar to football players that have to be in “hitting shape” before their season gets underway, tactical engagements require one to be able to withstand unbelievable rigors in the course of their jobs.

Here a some facets of combat fitness that need to be mastered to improve performance in the field:

1. Speed, Agility, and Quickness (SAQ) are the cornerstones of athletics; in a military/emergency environment, the combatant or first responder has to possess SAQ skills while being loaded down with battle gear or a duty belt.

2. Weather and Environmental factors – For those that work in a police/fire/EMS function chances are that you are familiar with your regional weather patterns. The challenges to overcome in the performance of your jobs will have to do with daytime vs nighttime operations, rain, snow, etc. Being able to overcome environmental challenges is key for performance on the job. For military and elite security or investigative agents, you maybe dispatched globally at a moment’s notice; so the ability to adapt to severe changes in climate and altitude are essential. Multiple repetitions of heavy bench presses won’t help you overcome an adjustment in altitude but improved cardiovascular fitness will help you adapt easier to the challenges put on your nervous system.

3. Long shifts/little relief/lack of sleep – the trifecta of poor performance. Overcoming the aforementioned obstacles is essential to performing at one’s best. The allies in overcoming the realities of tactical professions are rest and nutrition. Sometimes caffeine is not the answer but foods and supplements that provide long lasting energy and have stress busting nutrients. One such supplement that I have found to be a great weapon in reducing stress is Ionix Supreme, manufactured by Isagenix, is a formula comprised of anti-oxidants, adaptagens, and minerals that improve stress levels and energizes the body. If you’re looking to add a touch of humor to your stress relief routine, consider exploring Prank Gifts that can bring a lighthearted element to your tactical lifestyle.

If you’re interested in the subject, outdoor fitness equipment is workout equipment that is found outside, typically in parks and public open spaces. For additional information, go to https://outdoorgymequipment.org.uk.

For more information on Ionix Supreme click here.

A Tool for The Tactical Lifestyle

 Nutrition, Warriors  Comments Off on A Tool for The Tactical Lifestyle
May 182012
 

For some of you out there, you live for the action of a tactical engagement. The adrenalin rush, the recognition from superiors, peers, or rescued victims may also contribute to that fuzzy feeling inside you that you can’t quite explain. I know many people that are or try to be tactical 100% of the time. If they aren’t deployed or  working a shift as a policeman, fireman, or close protection officer, they are training at the range or on the mats in close quarter battle or MMA, when they are not training; they are online surfing, shopping, or commenting on websites geared toward the tactically minded (like this one). In downtime many of these tactical athletes are wearing cargo pants, polo shirts, and Oakley sunglasses to almost every social occasion.

I got nothing but love for this type of guy or gal who lives their life on the tactical edge. Even for the most  seasoned of tactical officers with ice in their veins, there has to be time to decompress and enjoy balance in one’s life. Burn out can happen to the best of us in the tactical world. Stress kills by a 1000 cuts in the form of heart attacks, strokes, and other ailments. Unfortunately many in the tactical world fight their stress by eating bad foods or drinking a bit too much alcohol. Drinking alcohol is not good, which is why home alcohol detox is an important step in addressing and managing alcohol-related issues.

A better way to combat stress is by consuming the best nutrition available. Eating protein rich foods, fibrous carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids is ideal plus learning where to find nutritional yeast in grocery store. For many us in the tactical world, you are on call or on the the go and shopping for and preparing food maybe a luxury.

A great nutritional resource for the tactical athlete living the tactical lifestyle can be found here:

http://www.battletestedfitness.isagenix.com

Contact me to get started.

-Greg

Battle Tested Fitness Survival Strategies

 Core values, Uncategorized  Comments Off on Battle Tested Fitness Survival Strategies
Dec 082011
 

How do you prime your body to overcome physical threats to your well being? What methods of training make the most sense to undertake in preparation of an emergency or traumatic incident? Is nutrition important for surviving emergencies?

1.Strength. In cases where we need to call on our “emergency” muscles it is important that we possess the ability to recruit muscle to overcome an external resistance.

2. Power. Once we develop a good strength foundation, we can now focus on explosive lifting and movements. A clean from the ground or a hanging clean will target fast pulling muscles in our legs, back, hips  and arms. Push Presses and Split Jerks enhance the fast twitch muscle fibers in our respective pushing muscles. A clean & jerk involves lifting a weight from the ground explosively, catching it below the shoulders, and then exploding up with the legs and arms to hoist the weight overhead. Snatches with a barbell or one arm snatches with a kettlebell are also excellent movements for developing fast twitch capabilities.

3. Running Speed. Whether an emergency is a fire, earthquake, robbery, or shooting, sometimes the best course of action is to run, except in cases when it is best to shelter in place. When I speak of running, I am not talking about casually running on a treadmill at level 6, I am talking about sprinting. Developing speed takes time. One will injury him or herself if all of a sudden he or she starts running at full speed before training and conditioning the muscles to take on such a challenge. When running in the gym or outside, gradually add sprints into the run at – 60% – 70% – 80% . After a few weeks of conditioning increase the sprinting intensity.

4. Agility. Moving out of the way of incoming hazards – people, objects, cars, requires the body to move in various planes of motion quickly. The ability to start , stop, and change direction is a skill that needs to be practiced. Good ways to develop agility is by playing sports that require agility – tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer, to name a few. In a gym setting, the use of speed ladders, cones, and medicine balls are great tools for improving agility and quickness.

5. Endurance. In most emergencies, cardiovascular endurance is not a necessity. There aren’t many cases where one has to run two miles to safety, but it never hurts to be prepared for occasions when we find ourselves in isolated regions and have to hike or walk to get help. The instances when we require extreme levels of endurance in emergency situations usually involve activities where we choose to put ourselves in danger – mountain biking, mountain climbing, open water sports.

Zero to Hero

 Core values  Comments Off on Zero to Hero
Oct 032011
 

In many tactical professions-  within military, police, and security organizations – the soldier, officer, or agent is often stationary for many hours on end. Whether it is standing at a guard post or driving or riding in a patrol car, the tactical operator’s muscles are generally cold, (provided the environment isn’t extremely hot) the heart rate is low, and the joints maybe stiff for not being engaged for so many hours. What happens if one needs to engage all of their senses and athleticism within seconds. From standing post or riding patrol for hours now go engage an enemy or chase and apprehend a suspect where your heart rate will spike and you have to call on your slack muscles and stiff joints to get yourself moving. You have to go from Zero to Hero and hope that you have trained your body well enough to sustain combat, police, or protective operational duties.

The value of tactical fitness is realized in these moments when official duties require you to operate with efficiency and supreme confidence. As a tactical operator you have to train your body to always be primed for action, which means less focus on how much you can bench press (maximal strength) and more focus on improving fast twitch muscle fibers and anaerobic strength.

Contact Battle Tested Fitness for more details on how to get your body prepared for battle:

greg@battletestestedfitness.com Tel:650-235-5459

 

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