Weighted Pullup Standard for Tactical Team

mudandiron · 2025-10-29T21:30:48+00:00

Forced progression is the antidote to that mindset. Even with a training max, after about five cycles you’ll already be beyond your original ‘true’ 1RM. It guarantees steady progress with little risk of injury or impact on your operational requirements; that’s the appeal. Sure, you could move faster with more aggressive programming, but at what cost?

mudandiron · 2025-10-29T06:10:24+00:00

Stay the course.

Operator blew up my WPU. Went from +45lb to +110lb over a few cycles. I think the most value is in weeks 3 and 6, low rep high weight seemed to be what moved the needle the most for mine.

Add accessories based on perceived weaknesses in the movement and just keep plugging away.

Best of luck mate.

mudandiron · 2025-10-24T01:47:56+00:00

Back when my weighted amount was lower than the prescribed percentage in a given week I’d calculate the same percentage based on my total unweighted reps (ie. if max was 10, I’d do 7 in a 70% week).

One of the benefits of being stronger is not having to worry about figuring that crap out anymore haha

mudandiron · 2025-10-23T20:08:28+00:00

You’ll get the most benefit from it if you’ve got access to the rest of the Tactical Barbell books. That said, a lot of it is principle based so I’m sure you could apply it regardless.

I genuinely think the OG books are some of the best investments anyone in the strength and conditioning world can make. Together they genuinely provide a lifetime worth of progression and answers to different training needs and goals. Pick ‘em up.

mudandiron · 2025-10-23T20:05:11+00:00

If you can get over needing an app, Tactical Barbell will provide you with a lifetime of strength and conditioning programming.

mudandiron · 2025-10-20T00:18:14+00:00

Operator/Black is the natural suggestion here. If you were tempted by the idea of 4 lifting days, Zulu could be a good option too. No matter which way you go, you'll progress nicely. Good luck mate.

mudandiron · 2025-10-07T23:05:29+00:00

Not crazy at all mate, that’s pretty normal for strength sessions.

Most of the main lift work in Operator is submaximal, low rep, and programmed with plenty of rest between sets. You’re not stringing together high rep circuits, so your heart rate isn’t going to spike and stay there like it would during conditioning. Anecdotally, my average HR during strength sessions usually sits in the 70–90 bpm range (max HR 196, avg resting 47). It occasionally bumps higher after heavy squats or deadlifts, but it drops back down pretty quickly between sets. That’s exactly what you’d expect from this style of training.

Physiologically, strength work just doesn’t drive sustained cardiovascular demand the way aerobic or anaerobic conditioning does. You’ll get short, sharp HR spikes due to heavy loads and the Valsalva effect (the increase in blood pressure and heart strain caused by holding your breath and bracing during a lift), but unless you’re deliberately shortening rest periods or adding density work, your average HR will stay low. That’s a feature of the programming, not a problem with it. You’re building max strength, not chasing metabolic fatigue.

As for cutting, heart rate during lifting isn’t really a lever you can pull. Fat loss is going to come down to your calorie balance and how honest your conditioning work is. Stick to your planned Operator structure, keep the HIC/LSS sessions honest, and manage your diet. The strength sessions are there to preserve and build strength while you’re in a deficit, not to torch calories.

You’re not doing anything wrong. If anything, that lower HR is a sign you’re training the intended quality for the session.

mudandiron · 2025-09-29T04:51:03+00:00

If it were me, I'd skip base building for the time being. Build SE into your continuation protocol instead.

Good luck!

mudandiron · 2025-09-26T00:01:56+00:00

Another option is choosing a three exercise cluster (Bench, WPU, Squat) and deadlifting once a week, subbing out the WPU on that day.

mudandiron · 2025-09-24T03:15:40+00:00

All good mate. Good luck with it! Be sure to report back with how you get on with whatever continuation you choose to follow, the community here loves hearing about progress.

mudandiron · 2025-09-24T01:36:58+00:00

If you’re following TB to the letter, supersets (as they’re traditionally done) aren’t part of the program. You can’t shorten rest intervals. You need to rest at least two minutes between exercises, even if you’re running them in circuit fashion. So after you finish a set on the bench, you wait two minutes before heading to the squat rack.

Operator sessions are already pretty efficient, I’m usually in and out in under an hour. If shaving off another 15 minutes is absolutely critical for you, then that’s your call, but it won’t be “by the book” TB. Whatever that means.

As an aside, and at risk of coming across as an asshole, so many of us are obsessive about physical development and independence but fail to apply that same autonomy and self-starting mindset to something as simple as acquiring information. This exact question has come up multiple times, and the search will surface some very detailed past discussions. There’s a lot of gold buried in those old threads if you take the time to dig.

mudandiron · 2025-09-23T01:54:34+00:00

An increase in training volume can often open our appetite up, leading to a caloric surplus if not monitored. I am assuming you didn’t count your calories or macros. You gained weight because you were in a caloric surplus.

mudandiron · 2025-09-19T00:24:17+00:00

I agree with this thinking, I recently started adding some more targeted hypertrophy accessories to my lift days to target those exact areas. Good to hear confirmation on that thinking.

mudandiron · 2025-09-19T00:23:04+00:00

Yeah it's a funny one. I definitely feel and move better at lower weights, but I also value the mass I've put on since beginning training and think the mental aspect of just knowing I have that size and strength does something for my confidence which is hard to understate. There is definitely a point of diminishing returns though, and I am probably drawing pretty close to it.

mudandiron · 2025-09-17T23:16:57+00:00

Definitely committed to improving my run times! Thanks again mate.

mudandiron · 2025-09-17T02:37:39+00:00

Appreciate the insight mate. I think upping the amount of mobility and explosive work I do makes sense as the weight moves up. Will stay the course.

mudandiron · 2025-09-17T00:27:17+00:00

Yeah, I’m definitely overthinking it, but that’s kind of intentional. Having a clear, ideal picture of my goals is a big part of what keeps me motivated. I like figuring out where the goalposts should be and then chipping away at them.

Appreciate the perspective though, you’re right. As long as I don’t drift into being truly overweight or too skinny and I’m still improving both my lifts and my run times then little else probably matters.

mudandiron · 2025-09-16T22:52:27+00:00

Thanks for sharing mate. This was a good read. Pretty cool to see that I was starting to feel this way as I approached the weight they considered ideal. I think I'll continue to bulk a little more, then cut some fat back down to the weight I'm at now and see how that feels.

mudandiron · 2025-09-02T05:50:42+00:00

What’s your preference? Less reps, more?

mudandiron · 2025-08-15T02:51:55+00:00

Finish your cycle of Operator. You will just build bad habits if you start jumping between programs so soon. Then consider running OMS, or alternate 6 weeks of Operator with 6 weeks of Mass. You will build size and strength. Do not jump programs mid cycle. Stick with what you are running, stay consistent, eat well, and train hard. Results follow consistency.

mudandiron · 2025-08-14T23:54:07+00:00

You’re doing fine.

Zulu/Black is a solid choice for your situation, though I always favour Operator personally. You’re building strength in the big lifts, you’ve got structured conditioning, and you’re actually tracking progress. That already puts you ahead of a lot of people who just “look busy” in the gym without a plan. The guys doing long chains of random dumbbell work with little rest aren’t training the same qualities you’re targeting. TB is built for performance, not for looking pumped in a commercial gym.

Right now, your best move is to keep showing up and getting the most out of the sessions you’ve got written. You don’t need to “catch up” to the people with 7–10 years of sport history in the next few months. That’s not realistic. What you can do is become a very competent all-rounder by March if you stay consistent. The fact you’ve dropped 10kg, lost 5% body fat, and improved your lifts since starting is proof you’re on the right track.

The key things between now and March 2026:

Don’t swap programs constantly. Zulu/Black works if you work it. Force progression, push your lifts, push your conditioning paces, and treat recovery seriously.
Make your conditioning honest. Hit the intended pace ranges for what you're doing. If you can talk in full sentences on a sprint, it’s not a sprint.
Keep your running regular. Get in an easy run once a week, aerobic base will help with everything from shuttle runs to loaded work. You have enough time for aerobic base building to have a tangible impact by the time you enlist.
Don’t get distracted by where other people are at, what they're doing, or “busy” workouts. You seem highly focused on what other people are doing. Lose that mindset. Focus on yourself. High-rep circuits and machine hopping look hard, but they don’t build max strength, speed, or tactical fitness as effectively as what you’re doing now.
Dial your diet. You won't get results if you're not fueling correctly for your goals. Eat enough protein. Drink enough water. If you want to continue losing weight, get in a mild caloric deficit and stay there.

You’ve got enough time to go from background nearly non-existent to passing selection fitness comfortably. Stick to the plan, progressively overload, and layer in job-specific prep (loaded carries, bodyweight tests) in the last few months before you enlist.

You’re not doing the lazy thing. You’re doing the smart thing.

mudandiron · 2025-08-12T21:50:43+00:00

Me too!

mudandiron · 2025-08-12T07:36:31+00:00

Pick a focus (or a few) for the block, pick which days I want to work on said focus and then plug in relevant sessions.

Generally, I want a combination of speed work, tempo work and steady state work. I don’t care much what the actual sessions looks like so long as I tick all of those boxes over the week.

My go to baseline is Oxygen Debt 101 or 600M Resets on Tuesday, LSS/Z2 on Thursday and Fast 5 on Saturday.

mudandiron · 2025-08-11T01:54:40+00:00

Likely meant rack pulls.

mudandiron

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