I am trying to throw some ideas together for my next three months of training. I had my whole year planned out but a recent “thing” has came up a work and i will need to take a Physical Fitness test in June. So i have about a month and a half to get ready for it. I have been using Jim’s 5/3/1 for the past 3 years and have had incredible gains in size and strength. I want to maintain my strength while having a fast 2 mile run time for my job related test. Any idea’s on how to structure my 5/3/1 program? I have a few restrictions however.
I can only train on Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri and my running has been on Sunday VERY early in the morning. I am usually on missions on Thursday and Saturday.
Mon:
5/3/1 Bench
Assistance BBB Template
All pressing SS with Pull-ups
Tues
Powercleans 8 x 1-3
Squat 5/3/1
Assitance BBB
Prowler for weight PR
Wed
5/3/1 Military Press
Assistance BBB
Thurs:
Off Missions
Friday
8 x 1-3 Powercleans
5/3/1 deadlifts
Assitance BBB
I know my program isn’t very fancy but that the way i am…What im asking for is possible a different structure or a flip-flopping of days. I have always though that it is better to get a second set of eyes on a problem before diving in, so thanks for the help in advance.
My suggestion would be to work up to 4 - 400m interval runs after one of your lower body lift days instead of prowler. Don’t start out going balls out, but try to lower your time each time you do the workout - at least the first 400m. You can look at the next three as assistance and just push yourself some. This tends to help 1.5 or 2 mile run tests. I’d also do a set or three of pushups on bench day and a set or three of sit-ups on squat day. Other than that, 5/3/1’s gonna make you kick ass in general.
What I do is a variation of the above. 400m intervals (400m run, 60 seconds rest) and straight runs 1 mile or 2 miles for time.
The idea is to develop a fast running form, then increase how long you can maintain it. Most people do the opposite; they worry about distance and develop a slow running form as a result, which IMO makes improving your time more difficult in the long run.
Thanks for all the quick responses, Alright i am gonna take your advide and do sprints on DL and Squats days. Thats makes sense and im guessing it would save me a shit load of calories. The run time i need to hit is 13:00
Not the best runner out there but the best 2 mile time I ever managed on a PT test came from some timed intervals this Airborne NCO I had years ago put me through.
You’ll need a quarter mile track, stopwatch, buddy and a known time that you’re trying to hit.
First you need to figure out your time broken down into miles, half miles, quarter miles and even eighth miles. example 12:00 two miles:
6:00 mile
3:00 half
1:30 quarter
:45 eighth
Now you need to start slow to get your stride down. Run a half lap and have your buddy make sure that you’re crossing the checkpoints at the right time (middle of the curve +/- 22 seconds and eighth mile at 45 seconds or whatever you’re shooting for)
Back track your training program to keep adding longer distances as you get closer to the PT test but make sure you’re keeping that same timing down, hitting the check points at the right time.
example
first week
work on half laps and whole laps
second week
work on whole laps and 2 laps
third week
2 laps and make sure you can hit the 6:00 mile
fourth week
6:00 mile followed up by short rest breaks with single laps done at necessary time
etc etc etc
get the picture?
I’m not a great runner but this did get me from a fat ass 18:00 minute 2 mile to a better 15:00 mile in a matter of 5 weeks training 2-3 times a week.
The key was gradually adding up and making sure that I kept the same stride and tempo each and every timed quarter, half, whole lap etc etc etc
Personally I think your template falls a touch on the side of trying to catch two rabbits. PERSONALLY, as a person whos run versions of 5/3/1 while having to pass conditioning tests, id say drop a few things. I probably take out the powercleans on the weight days and just focus on the 531 work plus the assistance. Id drop to a two day 531 i.e Monday Bench and dead, Wed squat and military, with Friday being an assistance day with 2-4 upper and lower assistance(i.e Dumbbell bench, pulldowns, Hypers and Abs). Id run MWFSUN. This way if you are drained from your run on friday simply cut out the assistance work and know your fine because you got both of your main sessions in.
Monday do 400m intervals, lets say 6 with recovery based on feel, Wed do 800ms with recoevery based on feel, lets go with 4. Friday do sprints(whatever you have access too but maybe 4 sets of 4 100m sprints) then if you feel up to it do your assistance. Sunday do a long run 4-6 miles or whatever you can do at a slow jog.
Thanks for all the responses, finteal i am definitely going to incorporate this into my plan (perhaps even after i am done with my school). Curodd although i do see your point with chasing two rabbits, i feel like i have a pretty good work capacity for low rep, explosive movements. I plan on taking regular epsom salt baths, i also have an electro stim machine i use almost every couple of hours. In addition to this our unit has access to a chiro at our convenience. I am planning on hitting this hard in the next few months and i will keep you all updated. As for now my training is on hold i just tasked out to ruck a 12 miler on thursday for time…fun fun fun
I use to run timed miles (3 a week) to prep for the Marine Corp PT test (3 miles). Seemed to work, but I never scored perfect on the run (20:45 was my best time).
I wouldn’t give a bean…lol yeah man i have been working in a lot of different TTP’s into my training this last week. I had to change things up because of a ruck/run yesterday. I will keep you all posted.