• 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 SITREP post that discusses CAT, the now-open Kit Shop, and TBIII.

I’m prepping for a triathlon in May of 26 and I’m reluctant to give up heavy lifting. Have any of you used TB to prep for a tri and successfully maintained or even improved your strength while upping the conditioning? Distances are 1.5km swim, 33km mountain bike, and a 10k trail run.

This may not be the place but I am looking for reassurance / advice on my training and nutrition.

Currently I am running Grey Man with rucking as my conditioning for 1 hour with 10kg 3 times a week. I have noticed some improvements to my body composition such as a bigger chest and legs but I still sit around roughly 22% body fat (using a bio-electrical impedance scale) with the most of it around my mid-section.

The goal is to lose roughly 5% body fat to be around 17-18% and to gain some muscle.

My main issue is should I continue with what I am doing or should I try cut or bulk. I have been at maintenance for roughly 2 months and feel like my body composition is not improving but my strength is slowly creeping up. I have concerns that if I bulk at roughly 22% body fat then I will gain too much unnecessary body fat and be in a worse position than I currently am. My concern with cutting is I will lose muscle mass and not the fat that I want to and will be in a worse situation where the body fat % is the same but at a lower overall weight.

Any advice is welcome.

I've read both TBI and TBII. I'm finishing up week 5 of Base Building, and even so, I'm still uncertain how to optimally program and run SE sessions. I'm hoping to get some clarification here. 

When choosing movements and loads at the beginning of Base Building, what would be an appropriate maximum number of reps that I should be able to do with a given movement knowing that I'm going to be increasing the number of reps I complete of each movement each week? 

What should I be prioritizing during each session when deciding how to break up each set that goes over the number of reps I can do, muscular failure or reduced rest periods? For example, with pushups, doing 3x40 requires that I break up the sets. Here's 2 different ways I could break up each set:

1. I prioritize strength-endurance for specifically being able to do pushups (and would apply the same principle to every other movement in the circuit) by going to muscular failure. I manage to do 40 reps my first set, and then the next set I reach muscular failure at 26 reps, and it takes 2-4 more mini-sets to get the remaining 14 reps. But, prioritizing strength-endurance for pushup performance comes then at the cost of increased systemic fatigue, which increases the frequency and duration of rest breaks throughout the session, making the overall session longer. 
2. I prioritize reducing the frequency and duration of rest breaks by breaking up my pushup sets into manageable reps that do not reach muscular failure, such as 25>10>5. This reduces the systemic fatigue and allows me to keep up a faster overall pace due to having fewer and shorter rest breaks. 

Thoughts?

I’d simply just do planks + shanks + dead hangs then progress by adding time or weight to each exercise. Do it for three sets after my workout and only two times a week. Would that be enough to add a quick grip workout to the core finisher without having to go through the grip circuit from the book?

Hi

I'm a shift worker.

6 times a week training isn't going to happen so is it better to simply run the correct number of workouts giving at least 24 hours in between sessions but extend the duration over more weeks overall or do SE then E on the same day right after the other so I'm hitting 3 times a week workouts which is far more achievable?

Realistically even 3 times a week can be a pain with my shifts.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Just finished my BB but after sustaining a back injury, doc said I shouldn't do any exercise that involves hinging at the hips for a month. Should I restart my base building after? Or should I move on if im still training my cardio and upper body. Thanks!

I've been following the tactical barbell programme for about 18 months now and really enjoying it.

I'm interested in incorporating 'plank and shank' workout into my routine as my back has always been a bit of a weakness but I don't really know a lot about Roman chairs/ hypertension machines.

I live in the UK, ideal budget is below £200 but could go a bit higher.

Looking on the web I've found the three below.

The folding one sounds good because I work out in a small garage and I like the idea of being able to fold it out of the way when not in use but I don't want to go the route if it won't do what I need it to.

1)strength shop

https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/products/hyperextension-bench?srsltid=AfmBOoos4WRIi70Fh_SpKjBAZX-ma5Ldhij5tWTiDXBApAZLX21hKDll

2)mirafit

https://mirafit.co.uk/mirafit-hyperextension-bench.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20077084305&gbraid=0AAAAADKKnjmANWv_Jk-8hkfNV5ZKZVzzI&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_L_FBhDmARIsAItqgt75qVJkFeQbv9DQXDrWMgGaDxY9PyZYN5P-RqnmUqKTOe3lLeQyDTAaAiiLEALw_wcB

3) Marcy

https://amzn.eu/d/g0Rcj3f

Hoping someone with a bit more knowledge can advise if any of these would be good.

Hi all. So i've been running OP DUP, which is a 3 day per week template, for the past ~2 months. Ive been making progress but i've noticed that during every 3 week cycle, there are 1-2 workouts I miss due to scheduling issues. This means im hitting 89% of the workouts (78% if I miss 2 per cycle, which is not nearly as frequent).

In comparison, with a 2 day per week program like fighter, i'd be able to hit 100% of the workouts every week.

So, what do you think is the most optimal approach here? A 3 day per week template where ill usually hit ~90% of the workouts in a given cycle or a 2 day per week template where i'll hit 100% of the workouts.

Hey all, long time listener first time poster. I’m a recreational lifter. Work a desk job at 12 hrs a shift (yay cybersecurity).

I’m 2 weeks out from finishing 12 weeks of Op. I’ve made some awesome strength gains with OP but I need to get rid of some fat for overall health and aesthetics (26.4% body fat right now at 199lbs).

Reading through mass protocol I was thinking about using the obese calculation for protein intake and doing Zulu H/T.

Alternatively I can go the calorie restricted route and do Mass BB.

Anyone have experience with either? What seems to make sense? In terms of maintaining strength and decreasing fat?

***update: thanks for the feedback so far. Looks like I need to maintain OP and think about nutrition and how to integrate conditioning better into my program.

Since my last post I have had some time off, then a new cycle of Fighter (number 10), and now I’m starting to 1: getting a little bored, 2: feeling that benching and pulling the same weight can be hard on the arms/elbows, especially after BJJ, and 3: feeling the need for some more work on rear delts, knees etc for injury prevention.

After a little of back and forth, I’ll try OP DUP in an I/A format, and subbing the explosive/DE movements with BW-exercises for some variation. I will modify it a bit, by adding an assistance exercise that match or compliment the DE-exercise, and superset it with the RE/hypertrophy-movement.

For example, Day 1 1: Pull, ME 2: Push, DE 3a: Legs, RE 3b: rear delt/upperback exercise

Day 2 1: Push, ME 2: Legs, DE 3a: Pull, RE 3b: Hamstring curl variation

Day 3 1: Legs, ME 2: Pull, DE 3a: Push, RE 3b: read delt/upper back/lower arms/carry etc

(ME - max effort, DE - dynamic effort, RE - repetition effort)

Posting just for inspiration, if someone has tried anything like this and have some input or suggestions, please share

Is there anything that you can change for the WPU that comes close to it? Lat Pull etc? I’m 125kg right now and couldn’t do 1 pull up, let alone weighted I expecting the answer to be band/assisted pull up but thought I’d ask

Obviously getting my weight down would help 6ft 4 125kg 20% bf

Was readying my Zulu program for the first time and noticed how in week 5 days 3 and 4, the percentages are different for A and B. A stays the same while B increases. I’m also confused on why there is no increase between workouts on week 4 from 70 to 75 when the first week had that increase.

So I've ran both 531 and TB in the past, just finishing up a block of 531 5s Pro FSL, however with the season fast approaching, work and major family commitments it looks very much like hitting the gym more then once a week is going to be tough.

During this period which could last 6+ months ideally I want to maintain or as close to possible current strength levels

I figure I've got 2 options within both these programs

531 version which is based around MMA structure and the 2v2v2 version from forever but extending into 6 weeks for one block with a crossover of accessories

Week 1: Bench and Squat With Rows and some kind of shoulder press and Kettlewell Swings

Week 2: Deadlift and Prass With China, Dips and Goblets (examples)

Or

TB where I do 2 workouts, one at home with minimal equipment and one at the gym to hit deadlifts

Weighted Dips Weighted Chins Pistols Deadlift

Any thoughts would really be appreciated

Thank you

Digging around here a bit and getting mixed messages - I'm about to start running capacity in prep for entering the army next summer. I'm going back and forth between standard Op and Op/DUP. Some people seem to be saying that any beginner should just go ahead and do standard, others that the conditioning load in GP will make this tough. I'm going to do bench, squat, and hex-bar DL and mix in some prehab work for knees ankles and shoulders.

I'm not exactly a beginner but I took an extended (1.5 year) break from heavy lifting due to some upper back/shoulder issues I started to have. I did retest maxes this summer:

|| || |Squat|225| |Bench|202| |Deadlift|318| |Weighted Pull-up|201|

TLDR: For a lifter coming off a couple year break from max strength lifting, is standard operator better? Or is or Op/DUP better to cope with the extra conditioning of GP? OR should I do the first block with standard and switch to DUP for the second?

Just wrapped up Capacity after being injured training/completing a 30km trail race. Pretty sure had a good case of shin splints and got kinda bit by the trail/ultra bug.

Just wrapped up 12 weeks of Capacity using regular Op. Started with 1-2 mile LSS runs, easing back in and just wrapped with a trail 13.1 mile LSS, self supported along a local water ditch. Elevation ended up about 1900’ of vertical, time of 2:46:39, 12:41 average pace at 139 average heart rate. Right knee has a bit of a twinge now, planning on a week off…or light work. In regards to Op, did BP, SQ, WPU and DL once a week option. Also, on DL day only did one work set of SQ. Added calf raises with same weights as pull ups with rep ranges from Zulu HT accesories. This really helped the legs in regards to shin splints and durability.

Plan is a 50 km trail race, thinking of Diablo Trails Challenge 50km in April 2026. Plan is to run Capacity again, followed by Velocity in preparation.

This stuff works, this is my second trail 1/2 marathon done self-supported for training….can’t recommend GP and TB ecosystem enough 👍🇺🇸

Finished base building for the first ever time a few weeks ago and thought I'd drop my experience and review.

Bit of background, I have been weight lifting for over 10 years, and never really made much progress in the last 5 years, been up and down with both body weight and weight that I can lift in the gym. I've been floating between 66 - 74 kg (5 ft 7, 28M) in body weight and never done much cardio, at all.

I got bored of the usual push/pull routines and bro splits and that's when I came across Tactical Barbell, and of course, I started with base building. I feel so much healthier and fitter now and currently in my second block doing black + operator. Here are some of my before and after results from just doing the 8 weeks of base building, strength first template.

Before BB

5 km - 32:27
10 km - 1:05:33
Longest Run - 13.1 km

Bench 1RM - 90kg
Squat 1RM - 87kg
Deadlift 1RM - 95kg

My weight: 66kg

After BB

5 km - 24:54
10 km - 1:01:18 (haven't actually gone for a high intensity PB 10k yet, this was from an endurance lss run)
Longest Run - Half Marathon in 2:23:20

Bench 1RM - 95kg
Squat 1RM - 95kg
Deadlift 1RM - 102.5kg

My weight: 62.8kg

I've never really been into running before base building but I can honestly say that I love it now, maybe even more so that lifting weights in the gym.

I finished my BB yesterday, and was in awe from the results. Unfortunately, I don't have any other solid data but my weight loss and 5K runs. Being super heavyweight powerlifter weighin 135kg (297 in freedom units) I was terrified starting BB. I had to walk my first E sessions, and I have never been so ashamed of myself. During last E sessions I could jog with ease, and could have gone over an hour easily.

Now, after 8 weeks

Weight 135kg ---> 125kg (297 ----> 275)

5K (not all out) 35.46 ---> 32.29

Even though the 5K's weren't all out, I felt like shit after the first one. My body was trashed after it. After the last, no problems at all. My body was totally fresh. I did all my running without HR monitor, and went by RPE.

From time to time there are post about BB's necessity and efficiency, my personal opinion is that it is necessary in the beginning and it works if the workouts are done as written. No question about it. My only regret is that I did strength first. In the beginning my thought process was too much powerlifting mindset, but it changed over time. Do BB fellas.

Decided to switch from an upper/lower routine to TB Operator while focusing on conditioning/athleticism for a while and I'm wondering if it would be reasonable to swap the bench out for OHP on the third day versus doing bench all 3 days?

Day 1: Squat/Bench/Pull-Up

Day 2: Squat/Bench/Pull-Up

Day 3: Squat/OHP/DL

The gym setup I have does not have a traditional bench and Squat rack. Being an military facility to have those it would require someone working there so the facility instead has a Smith machine.

I hate Smith machines. I can never seem to find the right spot to place the bench or my feet for bench, OHP and squats.

So my options are to use DBs or machines for bench and OHP - and either a zercher or leg press for squat.

Any advice on which is the best? Only a problem for the next 6 months or so then I'll have full gym access again - at least till I'm on a ship again anyway.

I'm using a Zulu split with a bench, OHP, squat, deadlift and pullup split.

Thanks in advance!

I have an umbilical hernia waiting for surgery (will happen around March). Surgeon and physical therapist say I can still train and do a bunch of stuff but no heavy squats, deadlift and presses to not increase abdominal pressure too much. Which means I can do SE and E no problems. HIC, not sure but no explosive moves for sure. Also, we have a baby due in about 12-13 weeks (our second one) and I know I will take 2 to 4 weeks off from training once he's born. So Capacity looks like a good fit.

What do you guys think about using Capacity (probably the more running version since it is my weakness) but replacing MS with SE instead? Do you think it would prepare me for Velocity and maybe Outcome later? Do you think that much SE and E would be too much?

It looks like a good idea for me since I come from a background of prioritizing strength training. Hit 225 bench, 315 squat and 405 deadlift last winter at 170 lbs. SE and E are my weaknesses.

I already hear some of you "Just do Base Building" but I want to stay away from HIC because of said hernia and it's 8 weeks and I have 12-13 weeks.

I’ve been doing 600m Resets (Indoor Power Intervals if the weather isn’t good) and Beat Your Face for about two months. I do two HIC per week so I switch back and forth between them each session, though I don’t feel like I’m getting any progress and I do feel like I’m doing something wrong with this. What should I do and how should I measure progress?

• 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 SITREP post that discusses CAT, the now-open Kit Shop, and TBIII.

Hey guys, quick question regarding schedule and doubling up on days. I am doing a strength first 8 week base building program before I do anything else...as advised. I am reveresing the SE workouts and Max Strength, so first 5 weeks Strength Focused and last 3 SE and HIC....but for my 3 E sessions for the week, is it OK to do the endurance session after the Max Strength lifts on the SAME day, or should I seperate it and do it on the next day. My reason for this is to free up time, make time for mobility and recovery days in between or other things that may come up (O.T shifts, call ins, time with kids, GF etc...blah blah blah). Can I double up on the day to get em both done and why or why not?

P.S Couldn't find this in the books, please guide me to a page if it is in there. Have read both 1 and 2 and making my Block schedule and starting week 1 on Monday, Max Lifts numbers secured Friday.