Help Overcoming Training Woes as a Soldier

Hi Jim,

I am a 19 year old soldier doing his mandatory time (2yrs in my country), serving as a commando.

I have been in the force for 6 months now. I took up weight training before I enlisted, and now that I have enlisted, my lifts have gone down despite me lifting every weekend unless I’m confined in camp or sick/ injured.

The problem I face is that, whenever I get into the swing of things, some outfield.training where I’m starved as shit, or some crazy intense training like walking upwards of 100 miles a week carrying my ruck, a machine gun and an anti tank bazooka just fries me, and I have trouble planning or periodizing my workouts. To make matters worse, I will get sent overseas for a month at a time to train in various outfield environments with no access to a gym.

Given the following constraints (having only the freedom/ energy to train once a week, sometimes I’m confined, and some weeks I just get mashed in camp so hard), I have simply set a goal to increase my press, pull ups (I can do 19) and deadlift only, instead of trying to be everything.

Do you think this is too much ? And how do you think I should train?

As of now, I am much weaker than before (perhaps about as strong as someone who ran rippetoes starting strength for abt 10 weeks ), just to give you an idea of my development.

Thank you in advance advance for your advice and for your time.

Not Jim,

But there’s a section in the 531 book about once a week training.

Also, if I remember correctly @cparker has some experience in this regard.

IMO your goals sound sensible, especially in the circumstances. I also suspect when you finish your service you may regain your strength reasonably fast if you train and eat sensibly. Then you can work on increasing it.

Cycles 1-2:

Deadlift - 5’s PRO or work up to TM x 3 reps
Deadlift - 10x5 @ FSL
Press - (same as above)

  • Chins - 10x5+ with added weight (done between all the sets above)

Cycle 3:

Deadlift - PR set, 5x5 FSL
Press - same
Chins - 10x5+ with added weight (done between all sets)

Agile 8 done every day.
20 jumps done every workout

Easy, simple and good times.

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Thanks for the advice :slight_smile: