• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workouts
      • Best Whey Protein
    • Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Machines
    • Certifications
      • ISSA Review
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Workouts

Phase 2 Special Forces Prep: Strength, Skill Work, Aerobic Power

Whether you want to join Special Forces or train at this level, this nine-month program uses an intelligent progression incorporating injury-proofing, strength, stamina, and toughness training.

Written by Wes Kennedy Last updated on January 31, 2015

Sample Programming: Phase 2, Week 1

Day 1

Side planks on elbow w/ 12 leg lifts – 3 sets per side
+
A: Deadlift clusters 3.3.3.3; rest 3min x 3; rest 10seconds b/t
B1: Weighted pull up @ 32X1 x 4-6; rest 60sec x 4
B2: AMRAP straight arm lat pull downs 55lbs; rest 2min x 4
C: Cable pull throughs @ 31X3 x 9-11; rest 60sec x 4
+
EMOM 10min
odd – 50m sandbag drag backward – hard and heavy
even – 20 wall ball 20#/10ft
+
Jog 11min cool down

Sample Programming: Phase 2, Week 1

Day 1

Side planks on elbow w/ 12 leg lifts – 3 sets per side
+
A: Deadlift clusters 3.3.3.3; rest 3min x 3; rest 10seconds b/t
B1: Weighted pull up @ 32X1 x 4-6; rest 60sec x 4
B2: AMRAP straight arm lat pull downs 55lbs; rest 2min x 4
C: Cable pull throughs @ 31X3 x 9-11; rest 60sec x 4
+
EMOM 10min
odd – 50m sandbag drag backward – hard and heavy
even – 20 wall ball 20#/10ft
+
Jog 11min cool down

notes:
– Shoulder blades back and down on farmer’s carry
– Stay true to tempo
– Straight arm lat pull down, done from standing position with arms straight out in front, press downs to thighs, FEEL your lats

Day 2

AM:
60 minutes easy ruck walk on gravel road 40#

PM:
Swim 100m in pool @ 90% effort
Rest 90sec
x 5
+
Swim 200m in pool @ 90% effort
Rest 3min
x 3
+
AMSAP tread water w/ 20# Brick; 1 attempt

notes:

– Dig deep when treading water with brick, go as long as possible
– Ruck walk: leave your ego at the door, keep it at an easy pace; it will pick up over time; don’t burn yourself out now

Day 3

AM:
Clam shells 3 sets of 10 each side
+
A: Build to a tough complex of 6 heavy back squats + 1 push press from the back; rest as needed
B: Seated behind the neck press @ 30X1 x 8-10; rest 2:30 x 3
C: Good mornings @ 31X1 x 10-12; rest 2min x 3
D1: Trap-3 Raise @ 3011 x 10-12; rest 45sec b/t arms x 3/arm
D2: Tabata sit ups 20sec on/10sec off x 3; rest 45sec x 3

PM:
EMOM 10min
odd – 10 BB front rack walking lunges @ 135#
even – 15 wall ball 20#/10ft
+
Rest 10min
+
EMOM 10min
odd – row 12cals
even – 5 wall walks

notes:
– Tabata sit ups, feet hooked, get as tall as possible at top of every rep
– Seated behind-the-neck press
– Trap-3 raise

Day 4

2min AMRAP @ 80-90% effort
Row 250m
5 Burpees
Rest 2min
x 3
+
3min AMRAP @ 80-90% effort
4 Strict pull ups
Run 10m, 20m, 30m, 40m, 50m (there and back)
Rest 3min
x 2
+
4min AMRAP @ 80-90% effort
5 Burpee pull ups
10 Box jump step-downs 24″

notes:
– General, dynamic, and specific warm up – touch on all the modalities when doing the specific warm up

Day 5

AM:
30min easy swim

PM:
Warm up: 3 sets of 10 scapular push ups
+
A1: Standing press @ 31X1 x 6-8; rest 20sec x 3
A2: 45sec FLR on rings; rest 2min x 3
B1: 12 ring rows w/ 20# Vest; rest 20sec
B2: row 500m hard; rest 2min x 3
C: deadbug level 4 x 3411 x 8-10/side; rest 90sec x 3
+
20 Burpees AFAP
Row 300m HARD
Rest 8min
x 2

notes:
– keep the swim as easy as possible, especially if you’re a
bad swimmer, focus on technique
– FLR on rings
– Deadbug level 4

Click Here to Download the 12-week Phase 2 PDF

About Wes Kennedy

Wes developed his passion for fitness during his eight years in the Canadian Forces. He spent the last five years as a Special Forces Operator, which required him to develop into a mentally tough and physically robust individual.

Wes believes that every person goes through various levels of growth throughout their lives, but they all follow the same general cycle. They aspire to achieve something beyond which they are capable of in that moment. They then grow, learn, and develop themselves in pursuit of these goals. And by doing this repeatedly over time, they begin to excel not only at these various skill sets, but at life as a whole.

Wes’s goal is to provide a system to coach and mentor people through this process as effectively as possible. While he trains people for physical performance goals, he incorporates aspects of assessment, nutrition coaching, stress management and lifestyle practices, as well as individualized program design so each athlete experiences much more than just great fitness results.

Wes provides a first-class remote coaching experience to athletes in Canada, the United States, and around the world. He believe the individual comes first, and that coaches should not push their wants and needs onto the athlete, but rather help the athlete discover his or her own path in the world of fitness by listening to and guiding the athlete on his or her journey. Wes specializes in training CrossFit athletes and Special Forces candidates.

View All Articles

Recommended Articles

A person doing a barbell bench press.
The Ultimate Bench Press Workout to Increase Strength and Muscle
black and white image of long-haired person performing chin-up
Try These Biceps Workouts Without Weights for Muscle, Strength, and Fat Loss
Person walking up stairs carrying luggage
The Only Airport Workout You’ll Need When Traveling
Person in living room exercising with resistance band
Try These Hotel Workouts to Stay Fit During Holiday Travel

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

9-Year-Old Rory van Ulft Logs a Staggering 66-Kilogram (145.5-Pound) Clean & Jerk

Hadi Choopan Looks Stacked as He Preps for Mr. Olympia Title Defense

Bodybuilding Legend Samir Bannout Wants Chris Bumstead to Compete in Open Division at 2023 Arnold Classic

Mitchell Hooper, Shayna Wirihana Win 2023 Australia’s Strongest International

Latest Reviews

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

Best Whey Proteins for Packing on Muscle, Shredding Down, Meal Replacement, and More

Best Pre-Workouts for Building Muscle, Running, Taste, and More

Best Home Gym Machines

Best Home Gym Machines

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2023 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About