Tactical Conditioning is a rare form of training as it is simply for a small select group of athletes. What IS Tactical Conditioning? Tactical Conditioning is for those in the Military, Police or Fire/Rescue fields or those that WANT to join these fields. I have been an athlete my whole life, from grade school, to High School, College and beyond. Still becoming a Police Officer, Detective and in Tactical Operations, I saw the way my training needed to change to be successful in my career. I was no longer in High School Football anymore.
Simply put, the Tactical Conditioning Athlete cannot simply train like a high school or college athlete. Our careers require many different things. That’s not to say there is no crossover as there is, but we must be far more “sport specific” to carry out our duties. In fact the sport specific nature of this type of training may be what saves your life. In regular sports, you know your goal, but for the Tactical Athlete, we never know when we will get called for service. For the soldier, it may be dragging a friend to cover. The same can be true for the Police Officer. For Fire/Rescue it could be dragging a person heavier than you from a burning car. It can be many things, so for the tactical Athlete you must train for a variety of changing incidents all within seconds.
In fact, unlike other athletes, we may be called upon again and again in the same day to be able to perform at an extremely high level. To design a program for a Tactical Athlete, one must first examine the nature of the job you MAY have to do, NOT what you routinely do. If you are in the Military, Police or Fire/Rescue fields, your job may be relatively easy depending upon where you work. Since I was a Police Officer, I have to bust on my Fire/Rescue buddies and say they mostly sat in cushy lounge chairs and watched TV while eating. This is because there has always been a rivalry between “Cops and Fireman.”
In the end however, these men and woman may be primarily sedentary, but they had to be able to perform at a very high level at a moment’s notice. The same is true for those in police work and the military. In our chosen professions, we MUST be ready at ALL TIMES.
Now back on Topic, whether you hire me, another Tactical Conditioning Coach or decide to go it on your own, before beginning any program take a very close look at not WHAT these people do, but what you MAY have to do. This is the key to success. Whatever Tactical field you are in, think about the MOST serious situation you can see yourself in and train for THAT!
If you are Fire/Rescue it may be carrying someone out of a burning building in high heat. For the Police Officer, it may be returning fire after a foot chase. When I trained police officers, I often made them run before they shot their firearms. Shooting a piece of paper on the range while standing still is one thing. Trying to hit a target while you are breathing heavy is another. Train the way you need to fight.
For someone in the Military, it may be carrying a heavy load through a fast moving stream and then moving to contact. This is what I am talking about. Train like you fight! There is an old saying that goes like this. “The more you bleed in training, the less you bleed in combat.” This is a simple truth. You must train hard so a real fight is easy. You don’t want to be in combat or fighting a deadly fire and find out you didn’t train hard enough and are ill equipped to carry out your duties. When you choose these professions, it is the real deal. It’s not simply a game. If we lose, we can die!
Now for those wanting to get into the Military, Police or Fire/Rescue fields you have an advantage. All of these academies or boot camps POST what fitness requirement you must meet. Use this to your advantage. I was the lead fitness instructor for the University of Akron’s Law Enforcement Training Center from 2000 to 2008 and always told my cadets to make sure they can pass the fitness test. It is the only variable in the Military, Police or Fire fields that you KNOW the answers to the questions. Everything else is something new, but with fitness you know how many sit ups of push-ups are needed. Now when you know you can complete the test, all you have to do is maintain it throughout the class. This allows you to focus on the things you may struggle with.
If you are, or interested in these fields put the time in to make these dreams happen. You CAN do it, if you are willing to put in the hard work! If you are in Northeast Ohio, or the Kent, Stow, Brimfield or Akron Ohio Region, or want to train online contact me at 330-554-1345, scottgaran@gmail.com, or scottgaran@garanfitnessconsulting.com I Can get you the progress you are seeking. You can also check out free videos on Youtube at Garan Fitness Consulting.com With over 26 years helping others I am the real deal. I can get you the help you need to succeed.
Scott
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