Tactical Fitness: Veteran Fitness After a 'Fitness Vacation'

We have a large variety of readers here at Military.com from teens to retirees and recruits and veterans, as well as spouses and children.  All seek some sort of advice on a program using many of the free beginner plans listed on the site (and below). Here is an email from an Army veteran ready to get back on the fitness wagon.

Hey, Stew,

I'm a veteran of the U.S. Army, and I really appreciate all of your information.  I haven't been physically fit since I left and would like to jump back into physical fitness again after a few years of "vacation." But with so much to accomplish and a predefined deadline, I am having a hard time deciding how to start up again. 

Current plan to get back into it starting today:

• Stretch before and after a workout.
• 20 sit-ups x 4 sets throughout the day.
• 20 push-ups x 4 sets throughout the day.
• 400-meter sprints x 4.
• Two-mile run around 15:30.

Also your suggested lower-back exercises.

Those are my current goals to get back into working out safely. Would love to do more [exercises], but they have to be done with the precision I have been told. Bad reps will not count toward my federal law enforcement goals. Any tips would be great. I want to make sure I am doing them properly and without risk of injury. Injury would be a setback that I can't afford. Anyway, appreciate whatever starting tips you have, and I plan to keep reading your info and incorporating it into my goal. 

Much respect,

Vincent

Vincent, it is very smart to start off easy. I am a big fan of treating yourself like a beginner if you have not been exercising for quite some time or are recovering from injury.

Check out the links on this page. It has several beginning exercise routines and diet plans that will supplement some of your ideas very easily.

Beginner Fitness Rules and Planning

I'm not a fan of doing daily calisthenics for long periods of time, but with the volume you're at, that's not going to hurt you. I would change after a few weeks into a normal split routine, where you do upper body one day and lower body the next. Or do a full-body workout one day, followed by a cardio-only day the next. 

That way, you can recover from the resistance training and not overdo it with the running progressions too quickly. Do not forget non-impact cardio options, too. As you build your legs to prepare for the impact of running, having a few non-impact options to get your heart and lungs working will help as well. Consider bike, elliptical, rowing or swimming as a form of cardio to do on days in between running as you get started again.

As you advance and feel less like a beginner, add in more FBI Fitness-based training so you can master the FBI fitness test, which will be one of your "entrance exams."

Stew

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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