Hello all,
I have an interesting scenario I’d like to discuss. I’m thinking long-term here. When I say long-term, I mean it will be about 2-3 years before seeing the true rewards. Long-story short, I have 2 years left on my Bachelor’s and I’ll be going into a one-year Master’s program before applying for the local police departments.
Now, what I am trying to accomplish is this: optimal endurance and strength training while stimulating functional hypertrophy. All this in 3 years.
As soon as I’m done with my education I want to go to the police departments and be in top-notch shape. For me, I compare the academy training to military training, but as anyone in the military knows, there is no true “plan” to military training, it’s all about just pushing until your body gives.
I currently weigh in around 155-160lbs at 5’10”. My bodyfat is low, but it could be lower. I’m losing most of my definition in my muscles, but it’s still somewhat around (ab definition is about gone). I’d like to be around 180-185lbs with 5-7% bodyfat.
I want to gain weight for personal reasons, but being an officer, I know that having a “command presence” is key and a skinny guy like myself will have more problems than a bigger, stronger officer. Take into account that a bigger muscle has more potential to be a stronger muscle, and there you go.
Now, here is a kicker. While trying to gain weight, I need to develop endurance as well. The academy minimum is 1.5 miles in 14:00 and my last 1.5 mile run was in 10:45. I was running 3 miles in around 18:00 while in the Marine Corps, but have since lost that endurance. The academy runs get to 5-6, maybe even 8 miles in a 9-10:00 pace by the end of the academy.
Finally, while getting bigger and developing endurance, I need to get stronger. My weightlifting needs to be for size and strength. Being strong relative to bodyweight is huge, especially when carrying around the gun belt and possibly having to wrestle with suspects.
So, to sum it all up, here is what I need help in creating a plan for:
Bodyweight – 180-185lbs
Bodyfat – 5-7%
1.5 mile time – 8:00-8:30 mins
3 mile time – <18:00
6-8 miles - at steady 9-10:00 / mile pace
Pullups - 25+ (with goal bodyweight)
Bench Press - 1.5x's goal bodyweight for 3RM (Approximately 270lbs)
Squat - 2.5x's goal bodyweight for 1RM (Approximately 450lbs)
Since everything I would like is in relation to goal bodyweight, should I train for bodyweight first and then move to endurance while maintaining/gaining strength, or which should I move towards first? In whatever direction I need to move first, how do I go about doing it so it is still functional?
Any help is appreciated. I hope we can really get some good discussion on this since it is, after all, a different method of training.
