Tactical Fitness Program

12 weeks·4 days / wk·tactical general·intermediate

Weeks: 12
Sessions: 48
Peak week: 5h 30; week 11
Longest session: 3h 15; week 11
Taper: 1 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTest

Standards shown are typical targets; check your branch's or agency's current published test.

Focus

Volume

Base: aerobic + rep volumeRuck 4 mi @ 20 lb

2h 45

Mon
Oct 5
4 × 400 m at test pace
30 min
- 15 min easy
- 4 × 400 m @ 6:47/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Oct 6
Push-up ladder to 35
30 min
- Goal this week: 35 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 18 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 45 s — 60 s
Thu
Oct 8
Ruck 4 mi @ 20 lb
70 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Fri
Oct 9
Pull-up + posterior chain (6 target)
35 min
- Goal this week: 6 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 3 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s

Weeks 2–12 locked

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Every session, every week
Paces and loads from your numbers
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Re-plans when you miss a key session

Base: aerobic + rep volumeRuck 5 mi @ 25 lb

3h 00

Base: aerobic + rep volumeRuck 6 mi @ 30 lb

3h 15

DeloadRuck 5 mi @ 30 lb

2h 40

Build: test-pace running + ruck loadRuck 7 mi @ 30 lb

3h 30

Build: test-pace running + ruck loadRuck 8 mi @ 35 lb

3h 50

Build: test-pace running + ruck loadRuck 9 mi @ 35 lb

4h 10

DeloadRuck 5 mi @ 35 lb

2h 45

Peak: test-specificRuck 10 mi @ 40 lb

4h 35

Peak: test-specificRuck 11 mi @ 40 lb

5h 00

Peak: test-specificRuck 12 mi @ 45 lb

5h 30

Test weekRuck 5 mi @ 45 lb

2h 10

Your paces

3-mile run target: 20:576:59/mi average
Current predicted: 22:17
Threshold: 7:53/mi
Easy: 10:25/mi

The numbers

About this plan

This tactical fitness program is 12 weeks of 4 sessions for a tactical selection-style standard, rising to 5.5 hours in week 11. It starts from a 22:17 3-mile run, 35 push-ups and 6 pull-ups, and moves each toward the tactical selection-style standard target every week.

Week 12 targets for the tactical selection-style standard: 70 push-ups in 2 min, 12 pull-ups, plank 3:00, and 20:57 for the 3-mile run. Rucks progress to 12 mi with 45 lb for the tactical selection-style standard, adding no more than 5 lb a week.

Deloads for the tactical selection-style standard: week 4 (2.7 h) and week 8 (2.8 h); week 12 is a full mock 3-mile run-and-strength test, 43 hours in total.

4 sessions and 2.8 hours open this 12-week plan, topped by a 70 min Thursday.

Structure: base weeks 1–3 (2.8–3.3 h), build weeks 5–7 (3.5–4.2 h), peak weeks 9–11 (4.6–5.5 h) and test week 12 (2.2 h).

Weeks 1–4 run 2.8, 3, 3.3 and 2.7 hours. The last four weeks run 4.6, 5, 5.5 and 2.2 hours.

Questions

FAQ

What standards does the tactical fitness program train for?

70 push-ups in 2 min, 12 pull-ups, plank 3:00 and a 20:57 3-mile run. Check your agency's current tactical selection-style standard.

How fast will my 3-mile run improve on the tactical fitness program?

The plan targets 20:57 from a predicted 22:17 over 12 weeks of 3-mile run work.

How heavy do the rucks get in the tactical fitness program?

45 lb over 12 mi at the peak of this tactical selection-style standard plan.

Can I start the tactical fitness program with zero pull-ups?

Yes. Enter 0 and the tactical selection-style standard plan uses bands and negatives toward 12 reps by week 12.

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