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I just read about a training program used by US Army Rangers: https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/full-spectrum-strong-army-ranger-workout-army

This program seems attractive since it consist of three parts: strength, hypertrophy and stability whereas many other, eg. PHAT: http://www.directlyfitness.com/store/p-h-a-t-training-layne-nortons-workout-system/ only includes the first two.

However there is one thing I do not understand: each part is trained for 1 full week. I think of stabilizing exercises as involving other (core) and smaller muscles than the ordinary exercises. This would mean that these muscles would only be trained every 3rd week. How can these muscles become stronger with so seldom training?

Would it not be better to train like this ?:

Week 1

1 day stability, 2 day strength

Week 2

1 day hypertrophy, 2 day stability

Week 3

1 day strength, 2 day hypertrophy

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    Don't touch high reps till intermediate strength standards at least. Doing 8 reps of 2x the weight will make you bigger, if hypertrophy is a goal.
    – Eric
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 2:45
  • Thanks Eric. I have just started training. My plan is to first add muscle weight for maybe 1 year and then start making those muscles stronger and more enduring. So just low reps (6-10) probably the first year. The Army Ranger program is probably for someone who is already very fit.
    – Andy
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 14:54

1 Answer 1

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In short. They do complex exercises, not isolated. That way many muscles are trained at once, however with particular focus. So perhaps that is an answer.

As a side note - I'm quite skeptic, when it comes to articles - "train as ...". To be like an army ranger, I need to do a lot more physical activity. I'm working at the office, sitting whole day. So for them gym is somewhat accessory, for me - that is main training.

Besides that I think that they do some other exercises, as well - like running.

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  • Thank you Michal. I am currently reading "Starting Strength" and realize that coumpound exercises like dead lift and squat train many muscles at once. However I think it might be an idea to do unstable versions of these exercises once in a while e.g. every 3 rd time. Not sure how to make dead lift and squat unstable but for bench one can use dumbbells instead of bar.
    – Andy
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 14:35
  • I've heard that one leg exercises are better for stability then all that unstable stuff. I have source, but that is in Polish... sorry. For the moment - my load is divided into groups - static vs dynamic exercises - stability - one leg / core exercises - cardio - stretching / mobility. Not all at a time. Also there are sub-groups - you can do full, long stretching which is great for me, but not around strength training... Then I do fast mobilization - as a part of warm-up
    – Michał Zaborowski
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 15:01
  • @Andy I'd really recommend sticking with Mark Rippetoe's guidance in that book. He's much smarter about training than you, me, and pretty much everyone else. Get to intermediate strength standards first (via his techniques and schedule), then re-evaluate. That's a year and a half right there.
    – Eric
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 15:20
  • @EricKaufman - I don't now his book. All I can say is based on his YT channel. I see his trainings quite directed. Maybe that is presented differently in the book... My point is that he is really concentrated on strength. One kind of strength. Sometimes I like that, but... sometimes I need to run to catch a bus. If you want to squat max - great training. If squat is only an element, and you want to ski - I would look for something else. So question is if book presents that in more balanced form?
    – Michał Zaborowski
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 16:25

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