Training Running/Calisthenics with Strength

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

I am currently running the 12 Week Strength Template. I bought the whole pack of templates last May when Jordan was offering them. Before this, I ran The Bridge 1.0 a couple of times. Prior to that, SSLP.

I am looking to join the military in the next year or so, and that will require a good bit of running and calisthenics. I was a cross country runner in high school but it has been many years since those days when I could run a ~20 minute 5K on terrain. My current conditioning involves rowing on the Concept 2 rower. I do the steady state cardio on Tuesdays and I began doing intervals last Thursday. I used the modification on the strength template to train 3 days a week instead of 4.

A couple weeks ago, I thought I would give running a try on a Tuesday to help me get my wheels back and it sucked, plain and simple. I tried a basic run/walk type session where I would walk briskly for 4 minutes then run for 3 minutes, and doing this 3 times. A program I was using as a guide for this basically said the run portion should be a max of RPE 7, but more like RPE 5-6. I was sucking wind by the third round of 4 on/3 off and I was going pathetically slow. I know it’ll be like this for a little while until I adapt, but I was concerned about the level of impact to my strength training. I had a good bit of soreness the next day when I did my deadlift volume work (1 @ 8 then 4 sets of 5 @ 8), and still managed to do productive work at an e1RM that wasn’t lower than my previous weeks’.

My questions: How can I program in running in with the BBM style of strength training while minimizing impact to strength training? I know being strong in the military helps, but getting in and surviving OCS will require much more endurance than I have right now, including the ability to run fast in the PFT and do many many pull ups/push ups. What is a productive way to get better at pull ups using my GPP days as well as my main strength training days? Is there something more precise that I can do other than AMRAP submaximal in 7-8 mins? I can do up to 8-10 chin ups at my best but my pull ups top out at around 5 right now. What about push-ups? I know doing them more will help but where can I plug in enough push up volume into this program so I can break 50 good reps per set?

Basic Stats:
Male
25 years old
200 lbs
6 feet 2 inches tall

2

Hi there,

Sorry this one slipped through the cracks. I don’t think you necessarily need to take a very special approach to running here compared to the other forms of conditioning work you do. The fact is, if you need to improve your running, you’ll have to run. Fortunately, much like being exposed to a novel stimulus in the gym, the repeated bout effect is already taking place for you, so the next time you run won’t be as terrible, and it will continue to improve and get more tolerable from there. I coach a few other military guys who need to run on their GPP days, and a 20-30 minute run ~@7 has become routine for them and doesn’t seem to affect their other training substantially at this point. You’ll be OK man! If you need more specific guidance, our endurance template may be helpful.

3

You might look into the Couch to 5K program (C25K), which eases you into running for 30 minutes straight over the course of two months. Worked for me.
I used the iOS app “Intervals” (no affiliation), which also runs on an Apple Watch, so you can see the interval instructions without having to take your phone with you. If you listen to music while running, you can even set the interval changes to be announced through your bluetooth headphones via text-to-speech.

4

I might have something to add.

I’ve been through OCS recently and post OCS have used the endurance template to improve my 3 mile run time twice.

First, what branch are you applying to? As each branch’s standards are different and will impact what you’re training for.

Either way, you say you’re planning on joining within a year. That gives you plenty of time to build up your conditioning. I would start off by doing the Bridge and running twice a week for GPP. I think the Endurance Template is great if you already have a running “base” from which to start. Once you can run a 3 mile at a sub 24min pace and hold an 8:30 min pace for a 5-6 miles then I think you are ready running Endurance Template.

Like Austin said, your body will get used to the weekly runs. Believe me, there are plenty of jacked guys in the military running sub 20min 3 mile time.