The Ultimate Physical and Mental Preparedness Training
This will turn anybody into a total beast.
– Christian Thibaudeau
FIREADY Strong is an apex training course that weaponizes strength and conditioning. The goal is to develop first responders and battle-ready warriors capable of winning any fight or challenge.
Workouts
The plan consists of four weekly whole-body workouts organized in 4-week training blocks.
Physical Capacity Split
Each training day focuses on one of these physical capacities:
Strength: Hypertrophy, Strength-Skill, Max Effort
Strength-Endurance: Aerobic Power / VO2 Max, Anaerobic Power, Anaerobic Capacity
You can start on any day. Keep the on/off pattern.
Day
Workout
Mon
Workout
Tue
Off
Wed
Workout
Thu
Off
Fri
Workout
Sat
Workout
Sun
Off
Repetition Style Guide
Normal: Do the concentric as fast as possible. You’ll get less explosive as fatigue sets in, but keep trying to accelerate. Do the eccentric in roughly 3 seconds.
Rhythmic: Imagine being a piston where the movement speed is relatively rapid and constant. The concentric and eccentric are about the same rate.
Sprint: Go as fast/hard as possible for the prescribed duration.
Walking: Go at the same speed you would normally walk for carry exercises.
Explosive: Do the movement with the intent to be as violently fast as possible.
BLOCK 1
1 | Day 1 – Heavy Hypertrophy
Use the same weight for all work sets of an exercise on any given day. Leave around 3 reps in the tank in the first set.
Be close to a max effort on your last set.
Rest 15-20 seconds if you can’t get all the prescribed reps, then finish your set.
Exercise
Style
Rest
A. Zercher Squat
Normal
2-3 min
B. Bench Press
Normal
2-3 min
C. Chin-up
Normal
2-3 min
D. Rack Pull Below Knees
Normal
2-3 min
Set/Rep Progression
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
A.
3 x 12
4 x 10
5 x 8
2 x 6
B.
3 x 12
4 x 10
5 x 8
2 x 6
C.
3 x 12
4 x 10
5 x 8
2 x 6
D.
3 x 12
4 x 10
5 x 8
2 x 6
1 | Day 2 – VO2 Max / Aerobic Power
Get ready for a simple and brutal energy system session.
Do A1-3 as a circuit.
Rest as little as possible between exercises.
Feel the load, but don’t let strength be the limiting factor.
Exercise
Style
Rest
A1. Sled Drag Forward
Walking
Minimal
A2. Zercher Sandbag Carry
Walking
Minimal
A3. Sled Backward Drag
Walking
2-3 min
Set/Rep Progression
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
A1.
3 x 2 min
3 x 3 min
4 x 3 min
3 x 3.5 min
A2.
3 x 2 min
3 x 3 min
4 x 3 min
3 x 3.5 min
A3.
3 x 2 min
3 x 3 min
4 x 3 min
3 x 3.5 min
1 | Day 3 – Power
Do every movement as violently explosive as possible.
Have the mindset of trying to knock out an opponent with every repetition.
Exercise
Style
Rest
A1. Box Jump
Explosive
1 min
A2. Back Squat
Explosive
2-3 min
B1. Broad Jump
Explosive
1 min
B2. Kettlebell Swing
Explosive
2-3 min
C1. Plyo Push-up from Bench
Explosive
1 min
C2. Bench Press
Explosive
2-3 min
Instructions
Exercise
A1. Step down; don’t jump down.
A2. Use max acceleration.
B1. Reset on every jump.
C1. Reset on every rep. Go for max height.
C2. Use max acceleration.
Set/Rep Progression
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
A1.
3 x 5
3 x 5
4 x 5
4 x 5
A2.
3 x 6, 45%
3 x 5, 50%
4 x 4, 55%
4 x 3, 60%
B1.
3 x 5
3 x 5
4 x 5
4 x 5
B2.
3 x 10
3 x 10
4 x 10
4 x 10
C1.
3 x 5
3 x 5
4 x 5
4 x 5
C2.
3 x 6, 45%
3 x 5, 50%
4 x 4, 55%
4 x 3, 60%
1 | Day 4 – Endurance Strength
Get ready for a brutal energy system session.
Do A1-6 as a circuit with minimal rest between exercises.
Feel the load, but don’t let strength be the limiting factor.
Wear a 20-lb weight vest throughout the workout.
Pace yourself between exercises as there are no planned rest periods.
Take short breaks during a set if the reps are too hard and lose quality.
Do every movement as violently explosive as possible.
Have the mindset of trying to knock out an opponent with every repetition.
Exercise
Style
Rest
A1. Bear Crawl
Walking
Minimal
A2. Sled Sprint, Pulling Rope on Shoulder
Sprint
Minimal
A3. Sled Rope Pull
Rhythmic
Minimal
A4. Crawling
Walking
Minimal
A5. 100-lb Cyclone Bag Bear-Hug Backward Carry
Walking
Minimal
A6. Tire Strike with Sledgehammer
Explosive
Minimal
Set/Rep Progression
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
A1.
6 x 33 ft
7 x 33 ft
8 x 33 ft
5 x 65 ft
A2.
6 x 33 ft
7 x 33 ft
8 x 33 ft
5 x 50 ft
A3.
6 x 1
7 x 1
8 x 1
5 x 2
A4.
6 x 33 ft
7 x 33 ft
8 x 33 ft
5 x 65 ft
A5.
6 x 65 ft
7 x 65 ft
8 x 65 ft
5 x 100 ft
A6.
6 x 10
7 x 10
8 x 10
5 x 15
BLOCK 2
2 | Day 1 – Strength-Skill
Do A1-4 as a circuit with proper rest between exercises.
Use the listed submaximal percentages.
Focus on perfect technique.
Accelerate during the concentric.
Stay tight at all times.
Exercise
Style
Rest
A1. Front Squat
Normal
90-120 sec
A2. Bench press
Normal
90-120 sec
A3. Trap-Bar Deadlift
Normal
90-120 sec
A4. Chin-up
Normal
90-120 sec
Set/Rep Progression
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
A1.
5 x 5, 75%
5 x 4, 80%
6 x 3, 82.5%
4 x 3, 85%
A2.
5 x 5, 75%
5 x 4, 80%
6 x 3, 82.5%
4 x 3, 85%
A3.
5 x 5, 75%
5 x 4, 80%
6 x 3, 82.5%
4 x 3, 85%
A4.
5 x 5, 75%
5 x 4, 80%
6 x 3, 82.5%
4 x 3, 85%
2 | Day 2 – Anaerobic Capacity
Complex a lifting exercise with a metcon movement.
Rest minimally after the lifting exercise.
Use the same weight on the lifting exercises (A1, B1) from set to set with descending reps.
Exercise
Style
Rest
A1. Zercher Squat
Normal
Minimal
A2. Prowler Push
Sprint
2-3 min
B1. Push Press
Explosive
Minimal
B2. Arms/Legs Bike
Sprint
2-3 min
Set/Rep Progression
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
A1.
10,8,6,4
10,8,6,4
10,8,6,4
10,8,6,4
A2.
4 x 130 ft
4 x 130 ft
4 x 200 ft
4 x 200 ft
B1.
10,8,6,4
10,8,6,4
10,8,6,4
10,8,6,4
B2.
4 x 30 sec
4 x 30 sec
4 x 45 sec
4 x 45 sec
2 | Day 3 – Power
Complex A1-3 and B1-3 for power training.
Do the strength movements (A1, B1) with a challenging weight, keeping around 2 reps in the tank. Add resistance to each set with descending reps.
Try to dominate each rep with the intent to accelerate despite the heavy weight.
Use the same weight on the lifting exercises (A1, B1) from set to set with descending reps.
Hey @Christian_Thibaudeau I’m looking for recommendations on what to do for the sled pulls. I do not own a sled, and these are in a lot of your workouts.
Well, it can be done BUT I strongly suggest that you start out by doing the program as is for at least 3 weeks to assess how your body is recovering.
If you add more volume of work to a plan you are barely recovering from, it will backfire and not only will you not improve your weak area(s) but you will actually regress overall.
And if you decide to add some extra work, I suggest only doing so for ONE muscle group per block of training as most of us try to accomplish too much at the same time and end up shooting ouselves in the foot.
Anytime something is added it’s likely something else will need to be removed and adding ‘more’ doesn’t equate to more effective. Follow this to the T for the duration and I’m sure you’ll be rewarded!
Feet (not knees) and hands in contact with the ground.
It says “sprint” in the style, so I’d go with something you can speed through the whole distance without slowing down. It’s very hard to give real specific sled load recommendations because surfaces (sled and ground) are so varied.