Archive | Tactics and Training

You have all seen commercials for money making schemes that make incredible claims about the gains that people involved with their program have seen. They make their pitch and then the fast talking guy at the end says something like “Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.” Well, sometimes gear is that way too.

I recently had all sorts of issues with a new AR-15 that I had built. It just wouldn’t shoot well at all. The upper was from a high end maker and had one of their high end hammer forged barrels. It was free-floated and was topped off with a high quality variable magnification optic. I was not expecting sub-MOA accuracy but there were times when I couldn’t get this rifle to print less than 6″ at 50 yards (it printed groups as large as 12″ at 50 yards). It wouldn’t reliably hit a standard sized silhouette target at 200 yards. I tested the optic and the upper several different ways. I had too much time and ammo invested in this project and I just couldn’t track down the problem… until I tried new ammo.

I felt like a goober for not checking the ammo sooner but this was ammo that always worked for me before. I purchased 3000 rounds of this ammo, Prvi Partizan 62gr, 3 years ago and I was down to my last 250 rounds. All of those last 250 rounds were shot through the gun that I thought was having problems. Once the ammo was replaced, this gun was suddenly capable of very acceptable accuracy. I was able to go 3 for 3 on a 6″ circular steel plate at 300 yards in a training drill using the magazine as a mono-pod.

Barrels and parts wear out, ammo changes from lot to lot, your skill level changes and you outgrow gear, your needs and mission can change, and technology marches on with or without you. There are any number of reasons that gear that works today, may not be best for you tomorrow. This is part of why it is so vital to keep detailed records about your gear and training. These records help you to spot trends and unexpected changes.

So, remember that when it comes to get rich quick schemes and gear, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.

More and more people in America are getting serious about physical training for health reasons, image, increased capability, and being prepared for tougher times down the road. If you’re serious about being prepared, you realize that one of the most important “tools” at your disposal is your physical body. Stewardship of the body is not just important for overall health, but also essential as the foundation for accomplishing any grueling task.

You don't need fancy gear to get fit.

You may have a lot of questions if you are just starting on the road to fitness. Where do you start?  Is running, weight lifting, or calisthenics the best answer? How do you avoid the stagnancy that tends to creep into your workout? I found a good answer to these questions a few of years ago at CrossFit.com. For those of you not familiar with the concept, the CrossFit program creates functional fitness through the controlled chaos of a widely varied exercise program. I will warn you that it is not for the faint of heart! Ever tried doing 150 pullups as PART of your workout? How about 400M of walking lunges? Maybe you’re one of those guys who can effortlessly bang out sets of double unders as you blow through your workout. I haven’t even talked about BURPEES yet (once you’re familiar with sets of them, the mere word strikes fear in the heart of even very fit men)!

You can make a lot of the gear that you need for CrossFit.

Let me break it down for you. Your old workout program – after completing a set of bicep curls, you stroll over to the pec deck while consuming an energy drink and try not to be too obvious as you check yourself out in the wall mirror. Crossfit – after finishing a murderous combination of box jumps, medicine ball throws, and 800M runs you kneel down in the grass and vomit. After some water and rest you’re good to go and ready to take on your day. That pretty much sums it up.

The rig may look like a torture device but it is actually for dips.

I will admit that even though this program has made up the foundation of my physical exercise plan for the last few years, I still wouldn’t call myself a total CrossFitter. I train at home on a mix of hand made and factory produced equipment instead of at a CrossFit gym. I also incorporate regular runs into my program instead of always doing the WOD (workout of the day). I definitely don’t hold myself to the very strict diet that is an integral part of the program. I mean, hey, you’ve got to reward yourself for that killer workout, right? Regardless, I’ve seen incredible gains as a result of CrossFit and after just under three years of grinding it out there is no stagnancy to be found.

Kettlebells and medicine balls are extremely versatile.

How do you make an aggressive PT program like this really work for you? Here are a few of my tips for beginner:

• Start off by scaling the WOD instead of trying do it Rx, as written.
• Incorporate something you LIKE to do for exercise, such as running, biking, hiking, etc, and make it part of your weekly rotation instead of always doing the WOD.
• ALWAYS watch the helpful instructional videos available on the site before doing an unfamiliar exercise.
• Understand going into it that you will need a substantial amount of equipment if you want to complete most of the workouts at home. That being said, a lot of it can be done with a place to run, a pullup bar, and some basic weights/equipment.
• Bad form is never good exercise and injuries take a long time to recover from. I don’t attempt some of the more complex olympic lifts because I don’t have the back ground and am not comfortable with the form. Don’t let this scare you off as much can be accomplished by just adapting the CrossFit mentality and adapting it to a workout regimen that is good for you.

Before I started this program I was doing the typical running/weight lifting combo and I was definitely in a rut. I’m very glad I gave CrossFit a try and I encourage you to get started and check out their site!