In week 2 of the BBC's Special Forces - Ultimate Hell Week series, the team, including BMFers David Hellard and Clare Miller, are under the command of former Israeli YAMAM operative Itay Gil. The recruits strive to remove a Land Rover from a mud pit with their bare hands and are pushed beyond their physical limits in a punishing weight bearing race, leading us to ask, "How can we train to deal with load?"
We've caught up with Mark Wood, Training and Education Manager for British Military Fitness, who spent 6 years as a Royal Marines Commando, to discover how we can challenge our body to bear ever-increasing loads.
Carrying load under conditions experienced in the military makes any BMF power-bag session look easy! It requires both a physical and mental strength and within this article we will look at how to overcome both.
Few of the challenges we face daily are about carrying huge loads, but instead actually carrying objects for extended periods of time, or in static positions. Whilst this is amplified when training in the military, it's a situation we can find ourselves in in everyday life - such as carrying heavy grocery bags or moving objects at work or home. There's often that moment when you think, "I shouldn't have put that milk carton in too..." and this is where the mental aspect comes into play. However, there are some things we can do to help ourselves, whether training for daily tasks or indeed military challenges.
- Focus on strength - Although I mentioned it is very rarely about having a huge amounts of strength, it is very important you focus on getting stronger. Spend your time wisely and choose exercises such as the squat, deadlift, pull-up and overhead press. If you get better at handling heavier loads you will expend less energy when it comes to dealing with lighter loads, therefore allowing you to work with them for a longer period of time. This will definitely help you with carrying weight and having to cover distance at the same time. The stronger your legs can be, the less energy you will expend every time your foot hits the ground. Unfortunately a lot of endurance people shy away from heavy strength training, but ultimately it will hugely benefit your performance.
- Positioning when carrying load – if you are lucky enough to be in a position where you are able to choose how you carry the load then it is recommended you do so with the weight as close to your body as possible. Again, this is all about preserving energy. The further away from your midline (the centre of your body) the weight is, the harder it is going to be. When carrying stretchers or similar objects, try to keep the weight as close to your body as possible and just let your arms be as relaxed as possible. If you tense up and try to ‘muscle’ the load, you will fatigue very quickly.
- Develop a strong trunk – getting strong in your mid section is vital for any test of strength. Try to choose exercises where you are having to resist movement, such as the plank or resistance exercises in pairs. Resisting movement is a fantastic way to focus on the core. Not only will it make you stronger, but it will actually prepare your core for what it is supposed to do…resist movement! This will especially come in handy when you are having to deal with objects overhead or out in front. If your core is weak and fatigues early, other muscles around it are going to have to work extra hard to keep you stable.
- Prepare for mind games – this is probably the hardest part to achieve. Lifting heavy weights and completing a couple of planks will feel easy compared to training your mind. Become accustomed to pain and the feelings of it. A few exercises you can use to develop some mental strength are isometric holds - static squats are a great choice and one of my favorites. Another challenging one is for the upper body and can be done at home:
I would recommend starting with a can of baked beans or something similar as you wont need much weight. From a standing position complete 30seconds of shoulder presses with one tin in each hand. Then with no rest, hold the tins abouve your head with straight arms for a further 30 seconds. Repeat this for another round so your total working time with no rest is 2 minutes. You will find that this very quickly becomes a mental test. The tins are not heavy, but they soon feel like they weight 100kg.
NB: you will probably notice your back will start to arch to compensate for the weight. This is why it is SO important to develop a strong trunk in order to keep you stable.
