r/tacticalbarbell

Does anyone have thoughts on Mark Wildman and/or use his programs? I've been thinking of integrating some of his clubwork into my TB programming. Something he talks about a lot is volume cycles, for example starting at 4-6x5 and adding 2x5 per session to 20x5, or 3x10 add a set to 10x10. I've been thinking about how this could be applied to some of HIC’s say Apex Hills for example. Starting at 4 rounds and building up to 20 rounds before starting over with a heavier kettlebell or a harder Hill. Idk sorry for lack of coherence was just looking for other peoples thoughts

Hello everyone,

After reading TBI and TBII, I completed a round of base building and then read the books again. Now I am moving into my first continuation phase and I just want to get some advice/sanity check on my plan.

Immediate Goals:
- Improve baseline max strength (this is my first real program aiming to do this)

- Improve 1.5 mile time (from 11:09 to 10:00)

- Develop pullup endurance (from 4 to 10+) and improve max pushups in 2 minutes (from 62 to 80)

With those goals in mind, I selected Operator/Black Professional with the following planned setup:

Strength Cluster: Back Squat, Bench Press, Bodyweight Pullup (using percent of max reps), Pushups (using percent of max reps)

Conditioning: One day of 600m resets (alt: Indoor power intervals), one day of Fast 5, one day of 60 min LSS (maybe a fun run once a month)

I'm basically aiming for a "meat and potatoes" starting point to build some strength and make meaningful gains on my operational fitness test requirements. Then in the future I can do other blocks that incorporate some other stuff.

My main concern is my selection of HICs and implementation of Black Pro; am I choosing the right things to improve my 1.5 mile time, and am I making the correct decision by using a very limited number of conditioning protocols instead of cycling through more? There are so many options here, including such a variety of interval work options.

Hello everybody! I work for a larger police agency in the Midwest for a city-wide proactive unit. While I love my position, it varies day to day on when I come in and when I get off. Due to this I am unable to make it to the gym some days due to other responsibilities outside of work. To make a long story short, I am following the 17-week program from the book and was wondering if I am able to follow it one day at a time when I can fit it in knowing the complete program would be longer as I probably won’t be able to fit all the sessions in one week? Realistically I can make 4-5 sessions per week depending on work and home responsibilities.

Hello. I am preparing for rucked based selection. I want so share some information how i am planning to do it, my stats and plan and i hope i get some good comments. I am sorry if my grammar is poor beacuse i am European.
I wanted to go SF for some time and always trained in a way that will buils a good base for it. I trained kickboxing for some time, did a couple of 20+ miles trail runs, a marathon and most recently i was training for triathlon so i think i got some aerobic base. I love gym even more and i lift regulary in a more tactical barbell way but in the past i also did some crossfit. My strenght numbers are squat: 330lb bench: 250lb deadlift: 400lb. Calisthenics are harder for me now beacuse i gained some weight (205lb) and i can do around 80push-ups and 15 pull-ups at the moment. I can hold 4min plank easy. Beacuse i gained weight i also lost a little bit of speed on 1.5 mile rune (from 8:50 to 9:30) but with some work i can get it back. Long distance zone 2 running is not a problem but lately shins start to hurt faster.

Enough of me now i will tell you my plan. Selection is ruck based. I devided my prep in to base build, transition and peak phase.

BASE BUILD PHASE
Here i will be running 2 times zone 2 for 90min and one interval sessions where i will focus only on 400m repeats building to 12x400m sub 6-miles.For rucking i will do one longer ruck with 45lb building from 5 miles to 9 miles and one ruck where i will be building man-maker so i can do 8x8 at the end of the phase.
For strenght i will keep it basic with general strenght work (squat, deadlift, bench, WPU, core, grip, injury prevention.
TRANSITION PHASE
Here i will run still 3 times i week with one interval session of 800m repeats and 2 zone 2 sessions (90min).At the end of this phase i will do 5k time trial sub 20min.
Rucking will still be twice a week with one long ruck building up to 12 miler with 55lb. The second workout will be different every week. One week i will do man-maker 8x8 and the other week i will go to the mountains or other hill type ruck.
For strenght here i wanted to do twice a week 20-rep squats so i build leg endurance and nordic curls. Then one workout will be WPU and BW push-ups and the other bench BW for reps or weighted push-ups (help me here what is better) and BW pull-ups.
PEAK PHASE
I will reduce running here to twice a week. 1xZ2 and one interval sessions where i dont know if i should do repeats, tempo or hill. I will ruck 3 times .1x man-maker 8x8, 1xhill and one long ruck building up to 20mile time trial with 55lb.
Strenght training here will take a back seat. Twice a week i will do trap-bar deadlifts and box step-ups with BW pull-ups and push-ups so i really get to the number i want (120push-ups and 20+ pull-ups). Core, grip and injury prevention will be the same through all phases.

MY QUESTIONS

1. Is my running program good enough or should i include more tempo/treshold/hill work. How would you program running during prep?
2. Is strenght training well planned? 20 rep squats or 5x10 squats or something else? Bench press better for push-ups? Best way to progress max rep pull-ups and push-ups?
3. How would you train rucking? Is it well planned or would you do something better? Is there a better way to get faster, durable and more comfortable for sitting under a ruck the whole day?
4. How would you program hill training with a ruck?
5. Do i need work capacity/HIIT circuits?
6. Best way to train core
7. Your opininon, experiences and recommendation.

THANKS FOR READING AND HELPING!

civilian here and busy dad with young kids

I’ll be running a 50 miler here in a few weeks then after that I need to get back to the realities of being a father, husband, and employee. my plan is to do hybrid/OP because of its versatility with young kids and just enjoyment of the split. that said, I’d love some advice on how to handle days when everything falls of the rails and doesn’t go to plan as family is the priority and time to workout is sometimes not available.

so my question, how would you approach doing hybrid/OP if you knew that on occasion you wouldn’t be able to go to the gym and get a lift in? would you skip it entirely? do something at home? I own a pull up bar, dip bar, and 2 kettlebells (53 and 35lbs.) would anyone recommend doing something with those? if so what?

thanks for the help! appreciate this program and community.

Looking for book recommendations about programming for The O'Lifts.

Extra: Any books that go deep on set/Rep range programming? (For general training... Strength/Hypertrophy)

First off just gotta say I love this community, everyone really helps each other out and so much solid advice on here. Keep doing your thing everyone.

Super pumped to say I hit my first goal of 2026 to hit 4 plates (405lbs) on squat today. I took a video but pressing the volume up on my Bluetooth headphones paused it so unfortunately didn't get it. Tried to go back and film a second one but totally bailed on the safety bar so is what it is and don't feel like testing again soon.

Not a crazy accomplishment by any means but super pumped to hit that milestone.

Have been doing TB for about 3 years. Currently:

28 years old
5'10
172lbs

I had hit 355lbs back in like Nov or Dec 2025 (so about 5-6 months ago), then focused on some BJJ for a bit (so less lifting more conditioning). Then came back to hit 9 weeks of OMS (3 weeks O, 3 weeks Mass (mass Template), and 3 weeks specificty (Bravo)). I think boosting the max strength in the operator phase followed by the high volume squats in Mass and Bravo was exactly what I needed to boost the 1 rep max for me. For anyone that does run specificity Bravo I really enjoyed the cluster I ran:

Day 1: Bench, Squat, Ring Push Ups (weighted), Skull Crushers
Day 2: Overhead press, weighted pull up, T-Bar Row, bicep curls, hex bar shrugs

But anyways, next goal is to either complete Triska-Deka-Phobia or Duku Duku Hills. Going to try using Op/Pro with some sort of modified Hybrid OP program to get there.

So... When TBIII releases, I assume that edition will take precedence from TBI & TBII (with the exception of Mass Protocol, or IDK I didn't see anything related to Mass on the preview of the TOC, though I could be wrong...) Anyways, would that mean the previous books would be outdated and absolete?

• Use this thread to post simple questions that don't deserve their own thread, get opinions from other TBers, or as a place for discussion between our civilian members and LEOs/Military/First Responders, fitness-related or otherwise.
• Please search before posting to see if your question has been answered before.
• LEO/Military/First Responders: Be mindful of opsec/tradecraft, any posts deemed too revealing will be removed.
• Resources include the FAQ, TB testimonials, and specific training using TB.
• See KB's post that discusses TB III: EVOLUTION, the now-open Kit Shop, and TBIII.

Do you guys use the same HIC’s every week or new ones every week?

I just started black/fighter 2 weeks ago. So far I’ve done #1 and #9 along with GC 1 and 9

For reference: 26F training for fire academy/CPAT.

What are the best HIC’s for those goals!

Hey,

I'm still dealing with the aftermath of a supraspinatus tendonitis and shoulder bursitis (diagnosed in January, thread here: Full Thread).

I ran 3x50 this week and I'm super proud I made it through, but I can still feel the shoulder "working" after tough SE sessions, E's are no issue at all.

I'm still having problems with reactive/quick movements (like in my main sport basketball, which I'm avoiding until BB is finished).

Question is how would you approach max strength training in my situation? I don't want my shoulder to flare up again, before SE sessions I always use a resistance band warm up, which helps to a certain degree, some cooling afterwards works wonders too.

I'm really scared of heavy bench and pull ups, which I both love, but haven't done in like 5 months.

How would you approach week 6-8 in my situation? I already took some more time off for recovery (did weeks 1-5 in like 6 1/2 weeks) and / or lower weigths?

I did my first week of Zulu HT last week. I did the clusters from the book.

Day1

OHP 4x5

Squat 4x10

Chin-up 4x9

Pendlay Rows 4x12

Hanging leg raises 4x12

Day 2

Trapbar DL 4X5

DB incline bench 4x10,

Neutral grip pull-up 4x9,

Dips 4x12,

Skull crusher 4x12

Day 3

Squat 4x5,

OHP 4x10,

Chin-up 4x9,

Side lateral raises 4x12,

HLR 4x12

Day 4

DB Incline bench 4x5,

Trapbar DL 4x10,

NG pull-ups 4x9,

Pendlay rows 4x12,

Dips 4x12,

Skull crusher 4x12

I found that doing Pendlay rows on day 1, then Trapbar DL the next day is not good. My upper back was sore from the Pendlays. Later in the week I put the Pendlay rows on the same day with the Trapbar. I figured that would be a good accessory for the trapbar as my upper back needs some work. Adding the rows made for a longer training session. I still had enough gas left in the tank at the end.

I might try subbing in RDLs for trapbar once during the week. I need to figure out which one, the heavier main lift, or the second lighter higher rep lift. Any thoughts?

Another thing I noticed is on the second bench, trapbar day (day 4), I'm doing bench first. By the time I get to Dips, I feel like I need to warm up again. What if I did the chest exercises first (bench, dips, skull crusher), then did trapbar, chins, and rows, that way everything is warm.

Should I add or drop any exercises on any given day? Thanks

I’ve been running this program for about 3 years now, switching bench press and OHP between cycles. I started a zulu recently, and for my second pressing movement I chose weighted dips instead of OHP.

I’m really enjoying them for several reasons; it finally feels like my triceps are getting the attention they deserve. Also I don’t have to wait for a bench, and the setup is much simpler. I also do not care really about how big my bench is, I do it basicly because i hate it less than OHP haha, but i would really like to be good at moving some serious weight on dips.

When I switch back to operator I’m thinking about keeping weighted dips as my main press movement for most of the year.

Anyone else doing this? How has it worked out for you?

Currently serving in the British Army, read through Green Protocol MULTIPLE times to get my head around it as a beginner into TB.

It is fucking phenomenal, I'm currently in the British Army in a job that requires truly everything, from conditioning to strength all the way to mental resilience.

I have been running HYBRID/OP indefinitely due to my inconsistent deployments and NTM.
I struggled to see the magic/science in it but it was a structure and I thought fuck it.

If I was a young private again, and I knew about this, the amount of damage I could have done to EXCEL my career within phys is utterly ridiculous.

From doing nothing but 8 min/ miles for two miles blowing out my arse trying to survive thinking everything had to be a fragging in order to get fit, boy was I wrong.

Following HYBRID/OP for 2 and a half cycles (20 weeks) my zone 2 pace in a 6 miler has gone from 11:30 to 9:30, I can now run 12 miles+ at a sub 10min pace like it's nothing.

My strength has increased, ESPECIALLY my squats.
Going from around 80kgs for 2-3 reps in utter rag.
To 120kg 2-3RM is huge for me.
Deadlift has gone from 100kgs trap bar to about 130kg.
Bench press gone from 60KG to 75kg. 2-3RM
Pull-ups now at 10 STRICT from about 3-5.

It has SIGNIFICANTLY increased me operational output/efficiency in all areas and far less injuries/niggles when attempting difficult courses or deployments/exercises.

And to top it off, my missus is happily enjoying how much more "tight" I look in her own words.

Apologies for the long post, hopefully this gets to the right people and hopefully you get something from my own experience and take a look into it yourself.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask on this post as long as it doesn't interfere with OP/PERSEC I'll definitely answer it.

MJ.

BLUF: Seeking strategies to implement Tactical Barbell for max impact, minimal session time.

I used Tactical Barbell to reasonable success almost a decade ago when I was just getting into training. Now, as a new dad in his mid 30s, I'm coming back to improve my overall fitness.

I am not an operator, just a desk jockey that loves training. Male, 6feet, 200lbs with an extra 10-15lbs to cut. Been away from barbells for the last year. Training was focused on hypertrophy until about 3 months ago, then switched to more SE style. Stoked to return TB for both MS and Conditioning focus.

Currently in TBII Base Building block, using MS first. I'm not crazy strong, all time 1RMs for back squat, bench and deadlift are 475lbs, 300lbs and, 545lbs respectively at 220lbs bodyweight. Have been able to maintain most of that, down about 10-15% from the top.

For the time being, max load on the bar is 300lbs (Home-gym build out). Will run a pseudo-grunt cluster operator/black pro. FSQ, OHP, WPU and Snatch-grip Deadlift. When I get more 45s, I'll switch to SWAT cluster.

I can reasonably get an hour to train in the mornings 5 days a week. Sometimes more days, not likely more session time. Thinking that conditioning is king for now to keep rest times as low as possible for strength work.

Please share your thoughts and experiences with maximizing training response for time restricted training like I've outlined. What HIC/E sessions did you use? Which strength templates? What clusters? Has anyone been able to minimize set rest times with comparable bar loading?

hey everyone,

halfway through green velocity right now, and experimenting with fuelling as runs get longer.

I have found some gels that I get on with really well, but since I'm still in law school my wallet doesn't get on with them!

experimenting with cheap bottom of the barrel gels hasn't worked for me.

I am loosely aware of DIY alternatives - like maple syrup + salt, honey + salt etc. but was just wondering what people's experiences are with what works best.

not currently operational and not planning to be in the short or medium term, so just looking for something cheap, reliable and repeatable.

Anyone have sucess running Zulu 3 days a week, the fourth day being carried over in the next week? Life has got me pretty busy and I have neither the time nor inclination to lift 4 days a week.

Hey everyone! I have a marathon this year and have just begun training. Right now I use Strava and basically an excel sheet to track my running plan (claude generated, because I don't want to pay for Runna and several subscriptions). I don't want to give up my lifting because I love it, and have worked it into my schedule / training plan. Right now I use a beta testing app for lifting tracking (won't mention it because its not that great haha and also do not want this to be viewed as promotion). I was curious if anyone knows of any niche apps or tips I could use to both wholistically track my training plan and my lifting? Would be willing to pay a cheaper subscription but don't want to pay several subscriptions across several apps.

Completed roughly 12 weeks of Capacity using the more running template for conditioning and Fighter (MS using BSQ, BP, WPU). There were some random unintended breaks in the flow due to work, family, travel, and sickness.

Overall feel much stronger, my bodyweight didn’t change significantly, but my posture and overall general strength feels better. This was the positive. Haven’t tested new max’s yet.

The conditioning did not follow suit. At about 5-6 weeks in, when I started to slightly increase my weekly mileage, I started having some pain in my shins. Thought to myself, “shin splints fuck, take a week or two off”; this wasn’t the case. Took 2 weeks off, tried to get a slow run once or twice during that period, couldn’t barely walk from so much pain. By the end of the block my pace was slower than when I started, couldn’t meet the 60 min benchmark, my zone 2 was in the 160’s, and only walking or rucking seemed to not cause pain.

Got seen by my doc, turns out I have significant stress fractures in both tibia from years ago and similar onset. I know this means no running for a while. Already scheduled for physical therapy.

My question is… How can I keep the tank increasing without running? I know the rule, if it doesn’t hurt, then it’s probably OK. I enjoy rucking, but I worry that it will do more harm down the road. I have the ability to swim, bike, and most other modalities, but swimming and rucking are the only ones that scratch the itch.

Asking the hive mind for input on stretching, strength, and overall injury prevention going forward.

I've been using TB for many years. Even with a degree in exercise science and someone getting a medical doctorate soon, I have to admit that I haven't read any literature which I can confidently better recommend for physical training to lay people. Particularly in the realm of building strength. My education form this book has remained the foundation of how I look at training as a whole, mainly resistance training.

Few years ago I started to dip into green. Ran my first marathon on it but soon started to notice the cracks in the foundation when I tried to double the numbers for an ultra marathon I completed last year. Since, I've hopped onto a training peaks 8020 plan for an Ironman. My speed and endurance has increased dramatically. Resistance training has been reduced from improving to maintenance to resisted losses. Although that is the price of being in peak season I suppose.

Cannot wait to go back onto a Fighter Template after the season is over. I just wanted to recommend anyone else the other platforms of training to individuals who might feel like their current training feels like fitting a sphere into a square whole.