Tactical Fitness: Options for Adding Weights to Your Training Plan

Trying to gain weight and strength is a common challenge for nearly everyone at some point. Here is a question from a teenager seeking to add weights to his training program for weight gain.

Stew,

I was reading up on an article on how to gain weight and got to a section about weightlifting, and I was wondering how I should structure and set up my weightlifting workouts. 

Adding weights -- especially free weights with barbells -- should be taught by someone who has experience with them. Look for a coach or strength conditioning coach at school to get assistance on technique. Your other option is to follow up any technique advice with coaching online and credible YouTube videos.  Look for technique steps and the breakdown of the lifts with which you need assistance.

Design options

I usually do split routines, so I lift every day. I focus on my upper body one day and my lower body the next for 2-3 days a week each. However, some days are full-body option days, as you will see below.  I also like to mix in calisthenics some days with weight vests (pull-ups, push-ups, dips, squats, lunges).

Upper body: Push/pull/core muscles -- Every other day, 2-3 days a week

Push exercise examples: Bench press, military, push press, lightweight shoulder workouts, incline press, triceps extensions/pushdowns, push-ups, dips 

Pull exercise examples: Pull-ups, rows, pulldowns, biceps curls, high pulls, power pulls

Core exercises: Sit-ups (if military needs require it), plank poses, flutter kicks, leg levers, ab wheel or TRX rollouts 

Lower-body exercise examples: Legs/lower back/core, every other day 2-3 days a week (maybe one day being more full-body movement workouts).

Squats, deadlifts, leg press, front squats, lunges, step-ups, box jumps, side plank poses, etc. ...

Full-body exercise examples: I like to mix in full-body options, too, such as hang cleans, power cleans, MJDB#2, burpees, bear crawls, stair crawls, kettlebell swings and kettlebell snatches 1-2 days a week, vs. just doing legs only.

We sometimes do full-body workouts every other three days a week, with a short cardio cooldown option to follow. Then, on the days between, we just do longer cardio options (run, ruck, swim and non-impact, too, like bike, elliptical and row). It is good to change things up so you do not do the same workout week after week, with no progressions or changes.

But workouts like Tactical Fitness, Navy SEAL Weight Training, USMC Recruit and US Army Ranger are well-balanced when paired with cardio options after (run, ruck, swim and other non-impact options, too -- bike, elliptical, row). 

Set and repetition designs: You can do workouts with one-minute circuits so you give yourself one minute per exercise for max reps (whatever you can handle for your weight).

You can do 5-10 reps of all weighted exercises, using moderate weight. Go with a moderate number of sets, like 3-4 sets of each.

You can try reverse pyramids getting heavier each set: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 or 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 for max weight one-rep scores.

There are many options out there to do. Find one that works for you.  Good luck and have fun mixing it up to find one you enjoy and what works best for you.

See related articles:

Circuit Training Options

PT Progressions (5-part series)

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you’re looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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