Tactical Fitness (40+) Foundation Rebuilding: For Beginners or Those Recovering from Injury (TF40+)

As of today I have finished the 12 weeks of Stew Smith's Tactical Fitness 40+ Foundation Rebuilding. Here's some thoughts, results, and reflections on it.--I stuck to the program as much as possible, including the prescribed warm ups and cool downs plus the lower back plan. I started this program a few weeks before Child #3 was born and the shorter workouts for Weeks 1-3 were perfect for that time period. I even did my 15 minutes of cardio by walking up and down the hospital stairs while my wife was nursing our new baby. As the weeks progressed, I kept it pretty much on point. I was in average shape when I started but not consistent due to a work promotion and upcoming birth.--My weight did not change much on the scale, although I didn't start tracking nutrition until maybe Week 8. I did have a friend who hadn't seen me in a while say it looked like I lost weight, and my wife definitely says she noticed some weight loss with some gain in my shoulders and arms. I did take a before picture, guess I could take an after picture.--I did substitute in some different workouts a few times (I am part of a British rucking challenge which had several different challenges so I either replaced an endurance day or PT day with a challenge depending on what it was). Some of these challenges included the Budd WOD (I call it the British equivalent of Murph), a 9 mile speed march, 18 miles with 20kg (12 and 6, short break between) and a 9K ruck with 80#. I also did a GORUCK Light and a short Star Course on one weekend at the last minute. On some of these times I did squeeze in an extra mobility day during that week instead of a regular training session just to make sure I wasn't getting burnt out.--Most of my cardio was either running or rucking - I got to use a Stairmaster a handful of times but that was rare. My running time improved a lot - I went from hovering around a 10 minute pace to close to an 8:30 pace for my runs. I did a timed 1 mile run yesterday and finished it in 7:40. My rucking also improved because of all the running - I was getting high 13s/low 14s for my lighter rucks, and even my heaviest ones were more around 16-17. Not bad for a guy who had two herniated discs a few years ago.--Dumbbell work was primarily with kettlebells ranging from 8kg to 24kg - curls, rows, presses, goblet squats, etc. For the MJDBs, eventually I began using a weighted rucksack for those exercises. Due to the coronavirus, I did not have gym access so I used TRX straps for a lot of different exercises instead - TRX chest presses for bench presses, and TRX rows for pulldowns. For PT I tried to do the higher reps as much as possible, and if a day had less work than normal for a particular movement (e.g. push-ups), I threw my rucksack on for some weighted movements instead. I may not even return to the gym with all I have now and with what I can do.--On Week 6 I did the benchmark PT test and got 41 push-ups in 1 minute, 6 pull ups, 40 sit-ups in 1 minute, and 0.6 miles in 5 minutes of running. On Saturday I did the same test and got 42, 7, 40, and a 1 mile run in 7:40. This was the day after I rucked 9K with 80# which was a rough session. Considering I wasn't fully rested and everything stayed the same or improved, I'll take that as a win.--Mobility days were a huge help. I would alternate 5 minutes of fast walking/slow jogging on the treadmill with a 1-2 minute foam roll of key parts and then stretch for the remaining time. I tried to foam roll what was going to be stretched. EX: I would foam roll my shins for 1 minute, foam roll each quad for 1 minute, then hold a saddle pose for 2 minutes. I just had a Gymboss beep every minute for these. Mobility days are awesome and I love them.--The GORUCK Light welcome party was no sweat after Stew's workouts, although if I had done it last year I would have said it sucked. I felt good and warmed up by the end of it, not even struggling.So as you can see, I got good results and improved following the program. The best part? Except for the challenges I did, I didn't feel worn down at all. It was hard PT, but it was well balanced and felt just right for what I needed. I feel better than I have in years. I'm not as good as I was when I went to Parris Island twenty years ago, but I'm better than I've been in a long time.

On Stew Smith's Tactical Fitness 40+This program worked for me. At 64 years old I had run several halfmarathons and was always fairly physically active. I was always a STRONGwalker; I had a good pace and a long stride and I loved to walk. Somehow Iinjured my left hip and left low back (I had been moving and cutting a lotof firewood after a large Ash tree on my property had died and was dropped).But all this yard work was only ~ 50-60 yards per load. I did not even knowI was hurt until I went for a walk with my wife and experienced hip andback pain; and had to stop eight times on a half mile walk!I started with Book 1 Day 1. It was important too set aside my ego and takemy time. There is no law that says you can't stay on week one if itsworking for you or; that you can not go back to week one after progressingto week 6 or 7 and you have a set back. I worked through Books 1 and 2 then went to book 4 as I wanted the winter workouts and it was winter where I live. Recently rucked 2.5 miles with a26 pound load. No back or hip pain!Have I mastered this course? No I use it more as a guild and a goals aroundwhich I will modify or adapt as needed working within my limitations.As far as 'functional fitness' I was recently able to get back to yard workand an early spring and low lake levels allowed me use a diamond bladeddemolition saw, sledge hammers, chisels and a wheelbarrow to beak up andmove a large granite boulder that had interfered with my recreationalboating for years. Yeah this program works. Well done Mr. Smith!

If you want to look back at your fitness journey one year or several years from now and not see a cycle of broken New Year’s resolutions, then this book is for you. Stew Smith gives you lots of good advice and a very good step by step program to establish a fitness program that will last. Check out the eating plan, whether you need to or not, as there’s a gem in this section about conquering doubt and using fitness as a means to elevate other areas of your life.

I’m currently on day 8 of the 21-day Habit Foundation Building Program and for the first time in just shy of 20 year I feel really good about exercising again. Partly because I finally have found my why as a father of 2 that are getting in the age for sports. And quite frankly even though I live in “the safest country on earth”, Sweden, I start to feel the need to be fit enough to handle myself and take care of my family, just in case... But most importantly I found your podcast and books that are immensely inspiring, and helped me realize the whys.15 years ago I bought your book The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness but at that time it was way over my head (and still is). Just by coincidence I found that book in a box a few months ago and googled your name and found the 40+ program. It’s like you’re writing it just for me and I felt I really want to thank you for getting me on the right track! I’m in no way a military guy or even in a “tactical job”, just an average dad in a somewhat high stress, high profile corporate position. But none the less it’s like it just as well could have been me in the interview instead of Gerald.So thank you very much for sharing your experience and insight!Sven, Sweden (Age 43)

This is a good book BUT the hint is in the title, it is a very basic ‘foundation’. Five stars for what it is...The book is in three main sections. The first is a transcription of a typical conversation between Stew and a person that this book is aimed at. It deals with barriers to starting training and maintaining it once you start (this is about a quarter of the book). The next section introduces the exercises and the last section has a series of routines.For what it is, it is very good. I think it is aimed at the couch potato who has finally decided to do something, or perhaps the person who worked out a little 10 or 20 years ago. But, if you go to the gym, can run a mile and a half, do push ups, pull ups and sit ups already then this book is NOT for you.If you are ready for the next stage, try another of Stew’s books. If you are already very fit, try his classic Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness. That is a monster!

I've had some of Stews books in the past which I thought were good. This is just a transcript of his podcast, printed shabbily. Little content, just similar stuff to his past stuff

A really good book, simple easy to use, simple explanations of the exercises and a great way to get back into fitness or recover. The best fitness book I’ve read. Author offers support online, podcasts and YouTube content

Starting to have tendonitis on my limbs around 40s, I went through fisiotherapy and then get back to gym, but started to have a cycle of hurting myself and going back to therapy. Then last time I decided to follow this book, which I found after googling around (I'm not American and had no previous knowledge about Stew neither his programs). I have never been on military service, and was not any sort of athletics too, and I can say this book is helping me more than any gym instructors I had known to the date. I have sleep problems and that may be a key issue for me to get easily hurt while exercising, so the way workouts are proposed on this book seemed to have given me the appropriate recovery time between days of calisthenics / lifting exercises. Also, I never liked cardio workouts and it does make a difference having it mixed with lifting exercises the way they are in this book, probably also helping in my recovery as well. Having finished the 12th week, I can say I recommend the book for everyone, just make sure a physician is consulted prior starting the program to know if you may have any restrictions for cardio workouts or anything else.

This book is generic and repetitive, save your money!