Emergency Muscle Needed

I’m new here, probably will get flamed after this post but need expert advice, no holds barred, no nonsense, no fluff.
SITUATION:Special Forces Reserve, may be activated,next 2 months. I am 57 yrs old, 5’9, 218lbs, 38" waist, 48"chest,27"thighs. I work nights, sleep days, have a Bowflex 410lbs and can afford some supplements, BODY FAT %-FAT BASTARD
QUESTION: What workout plan and what supplements. I have many usual programs and have the usual diet and supplements.
Additional info, recent workout weights-250 bench, 275 squats, 325 dead lift.
Old man looking to survive!!! Stop laughing, I’m new here. THANKS

It seems like you have decent strength, enough for a soldier (obviously you aren’t a powerlifter or anything) What you definitely need to concentrate on is losing your fat! There are a ton of fat loss diets on this site. In fact a diet article called the Velocity Diet was just written. If you only have the Bowflex to work with you will have to improvise on some things, but the principles provided in Chad Waterbury’s Total Body Training are good.
Are they really going to activate a 57 year old? It seems as though you could get out of it, especially if you are out of shape. You seem gung-ho though, so good luck and thank you from all of us civilians.

I dont’ know if I am off base here, but Special Forces- I don’t see why you would be concerned about adding muscle. I would doing lots and lots of bodyweight endurance exercises and running, weighted hiking, and some low volume heavy weight lifting. Get the fat down and the endurance up. GPP, etc. Getting big isn’t going to help, extra weight that needs to be fed. And possibly not enough endurance. Lean mean, stamina fighting machine, no?

Try to contact Waterbury. He has a good resume in the field of training Spec.Forces.If you click on his name next to one of his posts, the info to PM. him should come up.
Good luck and God Bless.

Marcom,

I think Brad’s advice is on target, it’s not more muscle you need per se, it’s muscular and cardiovascular endurance (increased work capacity).

Maybe this is what you were referring to and I’m misunderstanding.

Anywho, I’m not sure what your current exercise protocol is, but you’re going to have to exercise more and eat less. A good fat-loss/appetite suppression supplement like HOT-ROX will do wonders.

Do you have time for two short workouts a day? Maybe one in the morning and one in the evening? I’m thinking a long ruck march in the morning and a strength training/muscle endurance session in the evening would be a good start.

Bottom line is to pick an exercise program and stick with it, but don’t look past the importance of nutrition here…do a search for John Berardi’s “7 Habits” article and live it.

Just my 2 cents bro.

Good luck.

[quote]BradS wrote:
Get the fat down and the endurance up. GPP, etc.

Lean mean, stamina fighting machine, no?[/quote]

Outlaw Strength and Conditioning one of Chad Waterbury’s Past articles.

Also his GPP ASAP article, and 100 Reps for Hypertrophy article too.

-Xen

[quote]apayne wrote:
It seems like you have decent strength, enough for a soldier (obviously you aren’t a powerlifter or anything) What you definitely need to concentrate on is losing your fat! There are a ton of fat loss diets on this site. In fact a diet article called the Velocity Diet was just written. If you only have the Bowflex to work with you will have to improvise on some things, but the principles provided in Chad Waterbury’s Total Body Training are good.
Are they really going to activate a 57 year old? It seems as though you could get out of it, especially if you are out of shape. You seem gung-ho though, so good luck and thank you from all of us civilians. [/quote]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. Yes, at 57 I will be a bit older than some but also younger than some. Most people are capable of something that they do almost daily regardless of aspect of difficulty and in SF, brains are the better part of it, we just bring the body along for the ride, I just would like less body. Thanks again, still not sure if it will happen but must always be ready.

[quote]BradS wrote:
I dont’ know if I am off base here, but Special Forces- I don’t see why you would be concerned about adding muscle. I would doing lots and lots of bodyweight endurance exercises and running, weighted hiking, and some low volume heavy weight lifting. Get the fat down and the endurance up. GPP, etc. Getting big isn’t going to help, extra weight that needs to be fed. And possibly not enough endurance. Lean mean, stamina fighting machine, no?[/quote]

Thank you for the reply, and YES you are right on, although a massive amount of endurance isn’t always necessary. It’s amazing what adrenaline will do for you even as long as 24 hrs in a row. Just looking to be better and looking for something new and bold—the idea is -if you have to be a bear, you ought to be a GRISSLY. Thanks again.

This is kinda long… hold onto your seat. It’s by a friend of mine:

[i]
This routine can be as intense as you make it. One aspect is the amount of rest between exercises, which should be absolutely minimal. Your goal should be to transit from one exercise immediately in to the next without standing around gasping and trying to keep your last meal down while calling me names.

The second aspect is the sprint portion of the workout. The sprints are done immediately after the Swings which means your legs will already be fatigued before I demand that you run as fast as you can for 30-40 yards. If you feel you must, use the run back from the pullup bars as an “active recovery” period but do not stop running! Remember that as soon as you get back to the DB, you have to pick it right up and start your Swings again.

The workout follows a simple half-pyramid style routine that has the reps increasing with each set. There will be two variations of this workout A and B, where A is the primer for B. This workout is best done outdoors (like a park) but if you don’t have access to outdoor workout equipment (and can’t sprint) then substitute 30 seconds of sprinting with a jump rope. Don’t worry about the people in the gym staring at you, they’ll go back to doing curls in the power rack before you know it.

Enjoy the workout!


SWINGS*:

Workout A: 5 reps with Left hand, 5 reps with Right hand.
Workout B: 10 reps with Left hand, 10 reps with Right hand.

*If you’re not sure what Swings are, Search here at T-nation and find out.

SPRINT TO THE PULLUP BARS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

PUSHUPS/MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS*:

Workout A: 5 single count pushup followed by 5 Mountain Climbers.

Workout B: 5 4-count pushups followed by 10 Mountain Climbers.

*For Mountain Climbers you stay in the regular pushup position but turn your hands so your fingers are facing “out”. This will help you keep your body in one place and not push back which forces your lower back higher into the air. Keeping your back level, “run” your legs towards your chest. Every other time your right leg comes up, that is one rep (just an easy way to look at 4-count exercises).

PULLUPS/CHINUPS

Workout A: 1-2 Pullups or Chinups
Workout B: 3-5 Pullups or Chinups

SPRINT BACK TO SWINGS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

Workout A: You can use this portion as your active recover and run at a slower than break-neck pace.

Workout B: You sprint!

SWINGS:

Workout A: 6 reps with Left hand, 6 reps with Right hand.

Workout B: 12 reps with Left hand, 12 reps with Right hand.

SPRINT TO THE PULLUP BARS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

PUSHUPS/MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS:

Workout A: 6 single count pushup followed by 6 Mountain Climbers.

Workout B: 6 4-count pushups followed by 12 Mountain Climbers.

PULLUPS/CHINUPS

Workout A: 1-2 Pullups or Chinups
Workout B: 3-5 Pullups or Chinups

SPRINT BACK TO SWINGS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

Workout A: You can use this portion as your active recover and run at a slower than break-neck pace.

Workout B: You sprint!

SWINGS:

Workout A: 7 reps with Left hand, 7 reps with Right hand.

Workout B: 14 reps with Left hand, 14 reps with Right hand.

SPRINT TO THE PULLUP BARS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

PUSHUPS/MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS:

Workout A: 7 single count pushup followed by 7 Mountain Climbers.

Workout B: 7 4-count pushups followed by 14 Mountain Climbers.

PULLUPS/CHINUPS

Workout A: 1-2 Pullups or Chinups
Workout B: 3-5 Pullups or Chinups

SPRINT BACK TO SWINGS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

Workout A: You can use this portion as your active recover and run at a slower than break-neck pace.

Workout B: You sprint!

SWINGS:

Workout A: 8 reps with Left hand, 8 reps with Right hand.

Workout B: 8 reps with Left hand, 16 reps with Right hand.

SPRINT TO THE PULLUP BARS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

PUSHUPS/MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS:

Workout A: 8 single count pushup followed by 8 Mountain Climbers.

Workout B: 8 4-count pushups followed by 16 Mountain Climbers.

PULLUPS/CHINUPS

Workout A: 1-2 Pullups or Chinups
Workout B: 3-5 Pullups or Chinups

SPRINT BACK TO SWINGS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

Workout A: You can use this portion as your active recover and run at a slower than break-neck pace.

Workout B: You sprint!

SWINGS:

Workout A: 9 reps with Left hand, 9 reps with Right hand.

Workout B: 18 reps with Left hand, 18 reps with Right hand.

SPRINT TO THE PULLUP BARS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

PUSHUPS/MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS:

Workout A: 9 single count pushup followed by 9 Mountain Climbers.

Workout B: 9 4-count Diamond Pushups followed by 18 Mountain Climbers.

PULLUPS/CHINUPS

Workout A: 1-2 Pullups or Chinups
Workout B: 3-5 Pullups or Chinups

SPRINT BACK TO SWINGS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

Workout A: You can use this portion as your active recover and run at a slower than break-neck pace.

Workout B: You sprint!

SWINGS:

Workout A: 10 reps with Left hand, 10 reps with Right hand.

Workout B: 20 reps with Left hand, 20 reps with Right hand.

SPRINT TO THE PULLUP BARS (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

PUSHUPS/MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS:

Workout A: 10 single count pushup followed by 10 Mountain Climbers.

Workout B: 20 Dive Bombers followed by 20Mountain Climbers.

PULLUPS/CHINUPS

Workout A: 1-2 Pullups or Chinups
Workout B: 3-5 Pullups or Chinups

FINAL SPRINT BACK TO SWINGS! (or 30 second sprint with jump rope)

[/i]

[quote]Xen Nova wrote:
This is kinda long… hold onto your seat. It’s by a friend of mine:[/quote]

Wow, That is a BEAR of a routine it reminds me a lot of the type of training we did when I was actually in the regular army Special Forces. We did lots of running in open field and woods, up small inclines and over natural obstacles, rock climbing and rope accents and forced 20 mile marches with 30 to 40 lbs rucksacks just for fun. I think, IF we get mobilized they will be doing some of that a few weeks before we ship out. I plan on being VERY ready. Thanks for your help.