Winter Bulking Season is Over!
Time to Make a Change
Spring is just around the corner and if you purposely went on a Winter Lift Cycle and added some needed mass or by "accident" you picked up some extra weight being less active than normal, it is time. Time for a change of pace. Every year for the past 23 years, our Winter lift cycle and blossomed into a Spring Training Cycle where we shift from heavier weights and less running to more calisthenics / less weights, and a running progression that peaks in the late Summer / Early Fall.
Time To Build Some Momentum - Start with Cals and Cardio
Whether you are looking to be more active again for bathing suit season, Spring Sports, joining the military (crushing fitness tests), or just starting over, either one of these programs can help you do that.
Calisthenics and Cardio - If you are looking at making a change that requires less equipment and a focuss on muscle stamina and endurance, there is a beginner program to build basic strength / endurance, an intermediate program that takes it to another level and and advanced training program that rivals my Navy SEAL type calisthenics and cardio programming (run, swim, bike, and cals). This is an ideal plan if you are unsure where to start and want to see a progression of abilities this year! One of my best creations is called the Calisthenics and Cardio - No Equipment Needed Guide For Body Weight Exercisers and maybe a good option for people of all fitness levels to stay home or get outside and train.
Book or EBOOKHere is what you get with this BOOK or EBOOK:
- A 30 Day Beginner Chart to get moving again - TRUE BEGINNERS.
- A Six Week Intermediate program that progresses with miles of running and meters of swimming as cardio options along with building a calisthenics base.
- An Eight Week Advanced Spec Ops Level PST prep cycle that will focus not only on the PST, but many of the other exercises seen in grinder PTs and beat down activities (Bear crawls, fireman carries, lunges, etc).
NEED TO REPLACE SWIMMING? There will be swimming involved as a cardio option - but you can replace swimming with a variety of idea - See Swimming Replacement Ideas
Get the BOOK today. We will drop ship the book from the printer service - expect 5-7 days before arrival. If you want the EBOOK - see link: Calisthenics and Cardio Workout EBOOK
Consider buying today at get 15% off using the MILITARY15 coupon code at check out for all books and ebooks. 
NEW SPRING TRAINING PROGRAM!!!
(Advanced Block Periodization Model)
My Latest Edition to My Programming
New Spring Training Version of the 3:1 Block Periodization System similar to the Increase Strength and Crush the PST / PAST Winter Lift Cycle just completely opposite. This Spring Summer Training program has a 3 week cycle of progressively more difficult Calisthenics and Cardio focusing on muscle stamina and endurance (PST plus Longer Timed run, rucks, swim) with a 1 week strength / running / high repetition deload. This program is four cycles of these 4 week (3:1) progressive sets for a total of 16 weeks of training. Get the book or ebook today! Now Available Below:
Book or Ebook
Here is How the 3:1 Block Periodization
Cycle Works
The start of this Spring Training Calisthenics / Cardio Progression Cycle, I decided to try something new as the normal long-term Spring / Summer strength training cycle (24 weeks) can get stale with performance plateaus, running aches and pains if you are not careful and actively pursuing recovery. You must keep everything in near perfect balance to fully recover from cycles of higher miles progression and calisthenics volume increases (nutrition, sleep, smart split routines, balanced overload principle with recovery / mobility days). You have a choice with this block periodization model:
You can do a de-load week which is an easier recovery week that is quite common during higher intensity training cycles, or you can do a modified de-load week and replace the high repetition calisthenics and cardio cycles focusing on the PST / PAST elements (timed run and swim, pullup, pushups, sit-ups) with a modified strength maintenance week. We did this last year during the Spring / Summer Cals & Cardio cycle with exceptional results both mentally and physically.
In the 16-week cycle. Here is what you get with the 3:1 Block Periodization PT Cardio / Lift cycle: Increase Endurance - Maintain Strength.
This yields 12 weeks of Calisthenics / Cardio (running progression) and 4 weeks of Strength (running deload) focus in a 16-week timeline. This is a moderately steep running progression at 15+% volume each week, however; there are non-impact options if you want to keep the miles down to 10 or less per week due to personal preference / abilities. Also you can replace the swimming workout with either more running (if you can handle it OR with another nonimpact cardio option).
Here is what you will see in your training performance:
- RECOVERY - In this program, having a strength week as a recovery week is difficult, but think of it more as a running / high rep calisthenics
de-load that is helpful for the joints and typical overuse injuries. In fact, during the PT weeks, the mobility day planned in the middle of the week was not really needed. Well, at least we did not feel like we needed it. We still did it and included a good swim confidence session as well. See Mobility and Drownproofing section of this program on the type of things to practice on “recovery / mobility day”.
The biggest thing we noticed is we felt like we needed a mobility day during each week of the strength cycle but did not feel we needed it during the PST weeks until the higher miles per week hit 20+. We still did the mid-week mobility day though as it was a helpful way to increase performance later in the week. Do not skip mobility day - it is extremely helpful with Days 4,5,and 6 performance.
- PST scores (pushup, situps, pullups) were improved in most after first two cycles (3:1) Strength / PST/PAST.
- Cardio scores were also improved (run / swim) a few improved to run personal bests on timed runs and swims. Running volume to help with overall impact durability was also increased throughout the program.
The 3:1 Block Periodization model works well for adding to a program. So YES, you could actually do three weeks of the Spring / Summer Cycle and 1 week of the Winter Lift Cycle and get a similar model to this program.
The beauty of the 3:1 Block Periodization model vs. other types of models is with tactical fitness training those who had sufficient strength saw increases on strength-endurance and timed cardio events. Those who had sufficient endurance saw significant increases in strength and running speed with the block periodization system.
Who Needs This?
If you are preparing for the Navy PST or the Air Force PAST as well as other Combat Fitness Tests in our military, you need to try this method of training. This will help you not only get TO the training (Phase 1 of tactical fitness), but prepare yourself to get THROUGH the training (Phase 2 of tactical fitness) Also, if you are preparing for special ops training pipelines where all the elements of fitness (strength, power, speed, agility, endurance, muscle stamina, flexibility, mobility, grip) need to be highly developed, try 3-4 months of block periodization and maintain your strengths while building up your weaknesses.
The Winter Lift Cycle with 3:1 Block Periodizaiton: Check out what we did during the Winters of 2020-2021, 2022:
Increase Strength & Crush the PST / PAST
3 Weeks Strength - 1 Week PT / Cardio Focus
(16 weeks)
Increase Strength and Crush the PST / PAST - This is a lift focused cycle with a cals / cardio maintenance - just the opposite of the above new SPRING Training. For the ebook, check out this link - Increase Strength and Crush the PST / PAST
Other Tactical Fitness Programs Specific to Your Goals
These Seasonal Tactical Fitness BLOCK Periodization programs will walk you through 4 x 4 weeks cycles with 16 weeks of each season in two programs.
The Military / Special Ops Physical Fitness Workouts
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4 Grinder PT
Navy SWCC Workout
Army PFT Workout (Prep For Rucking, OPAT, ACFT)
Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout
Army Air Assault School Workout
Army Airborne Workout
Advanced Running Program - Special Ops Supplement Plan
USMC RECON / MarSOC Workout
USMC OCS / TBS Workout
USMC IST and PFT
The Combat Conditioning Workout
Air Force PJ / CCT Workout Battlefield Airman Prep Course
The UBRR Upper Body Round Robin Workout / Spec Ops version
The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer / Navy SAR Workout
The Service Academy Workout (West Point, Navy, Air Force Academy)
The Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp Boot Camp Workout
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The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Workouts
The FBI Academy Workout | FBI Workout Vol 2
The DEA Workout
The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB
The PFT Bible: Pushups, Sit-ups, 1.5 Mile Run
The Fire Fighter Workout - Ace the CPAT
Online Coaching Options
Online PT CLUB - Weekly Workouts created personally for you.
New Member's Only Content / Services Program!
If you want access to years worth of workouts, many of the top eBOOKs, favorite workouts of the week, free fitness APP, closed Facebook Group, video / picture library of exercises, and more access to LIVE Q/A sessions check out the Stew Smith Fitness Members Section.
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