If you decide to test your mettle in the Tactical Strength Challenge, you better have a plan. There are an infinite number of options in preparing for such a challenge, including not preparing at all and using it purely as a barometer for progress in your current training plan. To give a greater chance of success and improvement, the best option is one that addresses the specific nature of the events contested. The best approach for you could be one consisting of a progressive, consistent plan that waves volume, density, and intensity while taking into consideration your current abilities and foundation of strength.
Below, I have outlined a couple of training approaches based on the ability level of the competitor. If you’re unfamiliar with the rules of the Tactical Strength Challenge, please check out this link. For technical instruction on the lifts contested, or to join a group to train with, seek out a StrongFirst instructor here.
Beginner TSC Plan for Novice Competitors
Deadlift
“Off Season” – Easy Strength
8 Weeks Prior to Competition
Linear Peaking Cycle
Pull-up
Ability Level:
Multiple Pull-ups
One or Close to One Pull-up
Isometric Holds
FAH
Negatives
Assists
Ring Rows
FAH
Assists
Ring Rows
For Time
Snatch
At Least One Day per Week
SSST (Secret Service Snatch Test) Progression – Light
2-3 Days per Week
Heavy Swings and Get-ups
Simple & Sinister (S&S) Style
Example Cycle – 4 Days/Week
Day 1
Deadlift
75% – 3,3,2,2
After each set of deadlifts:
Superset pull-up progression based on ability level
Ex. no pull+ups yet: palms forward, hollow position, elbows pulled back, neck to bar, isometric hold for time, lower under control
S&S Swings and Get-ups
10 sets of 10 swings – at least snatch sized kettlebell, preferable one size heavier
Work up to one-arm swings – 100 total reps per training session.
10 get-ups following swings – preferably same kettlebell used for swings
5 right, 5 left, alternating each rep for 10 total reps
Day 2
Goblet Squat or Double Kettlebell Front Squat
5×5
Pull-up Progressions
After each set of deadlifts:
Superset pull-up progression based on ability level
Ex. no pull-ups yet: palms forward, hollow position, elbows pulled back, neck to bar, hold for a moment, then slow negative
Snatches
Practice rhythm; find the optimal groove or arc path of the bell, full pause at the top of each rep.
Start with 6 right, 6 left at the top of the minute for 7 minutes
You might have to use a bell lighter than the bell you’ll test with, but will soon progress to the snatch test sized bell when your form improves
Day 3
Deadlift
80% – 5×2
After each set of deadlifts:
Superset pull-up progression based on ability level
Ex. no pull-ups yet: palms forward, hollow position, elbows pulled back, neck to bar, isometric hold for time, lower under control
S&S Swings and Get-ups
10 sets of 10 swings – at least snatch sized kettlebell, preferable one size heavier
Work up to one-arm swings – 100 total reps per training session.
10 Get-ups following swings – preferably same kettlebell used for swings
5 right, 5 left, alternating each rep for 10 total reps
Day 4
Goblet Squat or Double Kettlebell Front Squat
5×5
Pull-up Progressions
After each set of deadlifts:
Superset pull-up progression based on ability level
Ex. no pull-ups yet: palms forward, hollow position, elbows pulled back, neck to bar, hold for a moment, then slow negative
Snatches
Practice rhythm; find the optimal groove or arc path of the bell, full pause at the top of each rep.
Try 5 right, 5 left at the top of the minute for 7 minutes for today.
Deadlift Notes
During the off-season phase, add 10-20 pounds each week to your 75% and 80% deadlifts and keep the reps the same. After four weeks, start back with your week two bar weight.
When you reach eight weeks from the competition, you’ll need to rework your deadlift training. I suggest a linear peaking cycle. Pick a realistic goal for the weight you’d like to pull during the challenge. Work backward for eight weeks in increments of 10-20 pounds.
Here’s an example for a lady looking to pull 250lbs starting her first week of the linear peak:
Week 1 – 5×5 – 180
Week 2 – 5×5 – 190
Week 3 – 5×5 – 200
Week 4 – 3×3 – 210
Week 5 – 3×3 – 220
Week 6 – 2×2 – 230
Week 7 – 2,1,1 – 240
Week 8 – No training, TSC on Saturday
1st Attempt – 225
2nd Attempt – 240
3rd Attempt – 250 – PR!
Pull-up Notes
Try to hold your isometric-hold pull-ups for longer periods of time with a stronger hollow position as well as lowering your negative for longer periods each week. Example cycle progression with back-off days below for a lady with a max of 30 seconds in the flexed-arm hang. Close to a tactical pull-up, but not quite there yet:
Week 1
Day 1 – Palms forward, neck over the bar, hold for time
:25, :20, :15, :10, :05
Day 2 – Palms forward, slow negatives (No need to physically time these on a clock. A good way to count your way down on the negative is by number of “hissing” power breathes or count one Mississippi, two Mississippi, etc.)
:10, :09, :08, :07, :06
Day 3 – Palms forward, neck over the bar, hold for time
:25, :20, :15, :10, :10
Day 4 – Palms forward, slow negatives
:10, :09, :08, :07, :07
Week 2
Day 1 – Palms forward, neck over the bar, hold for time
:30, :25, :20, :15, :10
Day 2 – Palms forward, slow negatives
:11, :10, :09, :08, :07
Day 3 – Palms forward, neck over the bar, hold for time
:30, :25, :20, :15, :15
Day 4 – Palms forward, slow negatives
:11, :10, :09, :08, :08
Week 3
Day 1 – Palms forward, neck over the bar, hold for time
:35, :30, :25, :20, :15
Day 2 – Palms forward, slow negatives
:12, :11, :10, :09, :08
Day 3 – Palms forward, neck over the bar, hold for time
:35, :30, :25, :20, :20
Day 4 – Palms forward, slow negatives
:12, :11, :10, :09, :09
Squat Notes
On week two, use a heavier bell or pair of bells for the 1st set of your squats on days two and four. Use the heavier bells for the first and second set on week three until you’re using the heavier bell or pair of bells for all five sets. You won’t always progress as pretty as it sounds, so use your intuition and listen to your body when it comes to progressing to heavier bells.
Here’s an example of a pretty progression with no snags to a heavier pair of bells.
Week 1 – 5×5 – 2-16kg
Week 2 – 1×5 – 2-20kg, 4×5 – 2-16kg
Week 3 – 2×5 – 2-20kg, 3×5 – 2-16kg
Week 4 – 3×5 – 2-20kg, 2×5 – 2-16kg
Week 5 – 4×5 – 2-20kg, 1×5 – 2-16kg
Week 6 – 5×5 – 2-20kg
Week 7 – 1×5 – 2-24kg, 4×5 – 2-20kg
Back-off weeks or sessions can be used based on feel. Listen to your body. If you’re not ready to progress, don’t. If progress is stalling toward a heavier bell or pair of bells, stick with same sizes and try to complete the sets in less time, with less rest between sets.
Snatch Notes
Start your snatches on day two with 7/7 at the top of the minute and 6/6 on day four. Each week, you’ll ratchet this up until you reach 10/10. When that’s achieved, you’ll go up a bell size and go back down to 5/5, or add a minute to the duration and repeat the entire progression with same bell.
Here’s an example of a gentleman looking to compete in the novice division with a 20kg, but he hasn’t quite mastered the 20kg yet, so he’s using the progression with a 16kg.
Example of Cycle Progression
Week 1
Day 2 – 16kg – 7/7 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 16kg – 6/6 – 7 minutes
Week 2
Day 2 – 16kg – 8/8 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 16kg – 7/7 – 7 minutes
Week 3
Day 2 – 16kg – 9/9 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 16kg – 8/8 – 7 minutes
Week 4
Day 2 – 16kg – 10/10 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 16kg – 9/9 – 7 minutes
Week 5
Option 1 – ready to give the 20kg a ride
Day 2 – 20kg – 5/5 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 20kg – 4/4 – 7 minutes
Option 2 – not feeling it, so let’s take the 16kg back up through the progression, but start one step higher.
Day 2 – 16kg – 7/7 – 8 minutes
Day 4 – 16kg – 6/6 – 8 minutes
Swing and Get-up Notes
Keep the S&S swings and get-ups above your snatch sized bell if possible and use it as a “tonic” training session. Keep the pace high, but not as a high as a “smoker.”
An example for a lady in the Novice division would look like this:
Week 1
Swings – 10×10 – two-hand swings – 20kg
Get-up – 5×1/1 – 12kg
10 total get-ups, alternating left and right
Week 2
Swings –
1×10 one-arm swing, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
8×10 – two-hand swing – 20kg
Get-up –
1/1 – 16kg
4/4 – 12kg
Week 3
Swings –
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
6×10 – two-hand swing – 20kg
Get-up –
2/2 – 16kg
3/3 – 12kg
Week 4
Swings –
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
4×10 – two-hand swing – 20kg
Get-up –
3/3 – 16kg
2/2 – 12kg
Week 5
Swings –
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, right – 20kg
1×10 one-arm swings, left – 20kg
2×10 – two-hand swing – 20kg
Get-up –
4/4 – 16kg
1/1 – 12kg
Week 6
Swings –
5×10/10 one-arm swings – 20kg
Get-up –
5/5 – 16kg
TSC Plan for Intermediate to Advanced Competitors
Deadlift
“Off Season” – Easy Strength
8 Weeks prior to competition
Linear peaking cycle
Pull-up
Ability Level:
Multiple pull-ups
One or close to one pull-up
Isometric Holds
FAH
Negatives
Assists
Ring Rows
FAH
Assists
Ring Rows
For Time
Snatch
At least one day per week –
SSST progression – light
2-3 days per week
Heavy swings and get-ups
S&S style
Example Cycle – 4-5 Days/Week
Day 1
Deadlift
75% – 3,3,2,2
10,9,8,7,6
S&S Swings and Get-ups
10 single-arm swings – 5 sets each arm – at least snatch sized kettlebell, preferable one size heavier
Followed by 10 total get-ups – 5 reps each arm, alternating arms each rep – preferably same kettlebell used for swings
Day 2
Close Grip Bench (I used this to build up some lagging triceps at the time). Pick an exercise to build up your weak links.
75% – 3,3,2,2
Fighter Pull-up
10,9,8,7,7
Snatches
14 rpm – 7/7 for 7 minutes
Day 3
Kettlebell Front Squat
5×5
Fighter Pull-up
10,9,8,8,7
S&S Swings and Get-ups
10 single-arm swings – 5 sets each arm – at least snatch sized kettlebell, preferable one size heavier
Followed by 10 total get-ups – 5 reps each arm, alternating arms each rep – preferably same kettlebell used for swings
Day 4
Light Deficit Deadlifts (standing a pair of 45lb plates or slightly higher to elevate your starting position by 1-3 inches) – 50%-60% of Day 1 Bar Weight
8×2 at the top of the minute
Fighter Pull-up
10,9,9,8,7
Snatches
12 rpm – 6/6 for 7 minutes
Day 5
Fighter Pull-up Only
10,10,9,8,7
Deadlift Notes
Next week add 10-20 pounds to your 75% and 80% deadlifts and keep the reps the same. After four weeks, start back with your week two bar weight and work your way up each week 10-20 pounds at a time.
When you reach eight weeks from the competition, you’ll need to rework your deadlift training. I suggest a linear peaking cycle. Pick a realistic goal for the weight you’d like to pull during the challenge. Work backward for eight weeks in increments of 10-20 pounds. The eight-week time frame for the peaking cycle isn’t set in stone. It just makes it easy if you plan your training in four-week blocks. Over time, you’ll figure out the optimal number of weeks it takes to peak. Sometimes it’s longer, say ten weeks, or shorter, like six weeks.
Here’s an example for a gentleman who has pulled 380, but is looking to pull 400lbs starting his first week of the linear peak.
Week 1 – 5×5 – 270
Week 2 – 5×5 – 285
Week 3 – 5×5 – 300
Week 4 – 3×3 – 320
Week 5 – 3×3 – 340
Week 6 – 2×2 – 360
Week 7 – 2×2 – 380
Week 8 – No training, TSC on Saturday
1st Attempt – 365
2nd Attempt – 385 – PR!
3rd Attempt – 400 – PR and goal!
Pull-up Notes
The second week you will add one rep to your first set of pull-ups and work your way down the ladder and progress each day as the pattern above. You will add one rep to the last set and sequentially each training day. If the increase in pull-up volume is too much too soon, add a back-off day rather than a progress day. A back-off day would be 50% of the volume of the previous day. An easy way to figure it up is to start with the number of the third set and work back for three sets. Using the example week above, if you needed a back-off on day three, the sets would be 8,7,6, or 21 total reps. Day two (10,9,8,7,7) totaled 41 reps. Start day four where you should’ve been on day three. Add the back-off days in as needed.
Example cycle progression with back-off days for a gentleman with a max of 6-7 tactical pull-ups:
Week 1
Day 1 – 5,4,3,2,1
Day 2 – 5,4,3,2,2
Day 3 – 5,4,3,3,2
Day 4 – Back Off Day – 3,3,2
Day 5 – 5,4,4,3,2
Week 2
Day 1 – 6,5,4,3,2
Day 2 – 6,5,4,3,3
Day 3 – 6,5,4,4,3
Day 4 – Back Off Day – 4,4,3
Day 5 – 6,5,5,4,3
Week 3
Day 1 – 7,6,5,4,3
Day 2 – Back Off Day – 5,4,3
Day 3 – 7,6,5,5,4
Day 4 – Back Off Day – 5,5,4
Day 5 – 7,6,6,5,4
Another example for a gentleman with upwards of 20 tactical pull-ups:
Week 1
Day 1 – 14,12,10,8,6
Day 2 – Back Off Day – 10,8,6
Day 3 – 14,12,10,10,8
Day 4 – Back Off Day – 10,10,8
Day 5 – 14,12,12,10,8
Week 2
Day 1 – 15,13,11,9,7
Day 2 – Back Off Day – 11,9,7
Day 3 – 15,13,11,11,9
Day 4 – Back Off Day – 11,11,9
Day 5 – 15,13,13,11,9
Week 3
Day 1 – 16,14,12,10,8
Day 2 – Back Off Day – 12,10,8
Day 3 – 16,14,12,12,10
Day 4 – Back Off Day – 12,12,10
Day 5 – 16,14,14,12,10
Squat Notes
On week two, use a heavier bell or pair of bells for the first set of your squats on days two and four. Use the heavier bells for the first and second set on week three until you’re using the heavier bell or pair of bells for all five sets. You won’t always progress as pretty as it sounds, so use your intuition and listen to your body when it comes to progressing to heavier bells. A good goal for gentlemen is to use a pair of bells equal to 80% of your bodyweight or 50-60% of bodyweight for ladies—or heavier, of course!
Here’s an example of a pretty progression with no snags to a heavier pair of bells.
Week 1 – 5×5 – 2-24kg
Week 2 – 1×5 – 2-32kg, 4×5 – 2-24kg
Week 3 – 2×5 – 2-32kg, 3×5 – 2-24kg
Week 4 – 3×5 – 2-32kg, 2×5 – 2-24kg
Week 5 – 4×5 – 2-32kg, 1×5 – 2-24kg
Week 6 – 5×5 – 2-32kg
Week 7 – 1×5 – 2-40kg, 4×5 – 2-32kg
Back-off weeks or sessions can be used based on feel. Listen to your body. If you’re not ready to progress, don’t. Just repeat the previous week’s numbers, or take a break and do half the number of sets If progress is stalling toward a heavier bell or pair of bells, stick with same sizes and try to complete the sets in less time, with less rest between sets.
Snatch Notes
Start your snatches on day two of the second week with 8/8 at the top of the minute and 7/7 on day four. Each week, you’ll ratchet this up until you reach 10/10. When that’s achieved with the snatch sized bell, add a minute to the progression and start back over at 5/5 at the top of the minute, or you can keep the duration the same and increase a bell size for the first minute until you’ve completed all sets with the heavier bell.
Example of Cycle Progression
Week 1
Day 2 – 20kg – 7/7 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 20kg – 6/6 – 7 minutes
Week 2
Day 2 – 20kg – 8/8 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 20kg – 7/7 – 7 minutes
Week 3
Day 2 – 20kg – 9/9 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 20kg – 8/8 – 7 minutes
Week 4
Day 2 – 20kg – 10/10 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 20kg – 9/9 – 7 minutes
Week 5 (2 Options, depending if you’re ready to increase the kettlebell size)
Option 1
Day 2 – 24kg – 5/5 – 7 minutes
Day 4 – 24kg – 4/4 – 7 minutes
Option 2
Day 2 – 20kg – 7/7 – 8 minutes
Day 4 – 20kg – 6/6 – 8 minutes
Swing and Get-up Notes
Keep the S&S swings and getups above your snatch sized bell if possible and use it as a “tonic” training session. Keep the pace high, but not as a high as a “smoker.”
An example for a gentleman in the open division would look like this:
Week 1
Swings –
5×10/10 one-arm swings – 32kg
Get-up –
5/5 – 24kg
Week 2
Swings –
1×10/10 – 40kg
4×10/10 – 32kg
Get-up –
1/1 – 32kg
4/4 – 24kg
Week 3
Swings –
2×10/10 – 40kg
3×10/10 – 32kg
Get-up –
2/2 – 32kg
3/3 – 24kg
Week 4
Swings –
3×10/10 – 40kg
2×10/10 – 32kg
Get-up –
3/3 – 32kg
2/2 – 24kg
Week 5
Swings –
4×10/10 – 40kg
1×10/10 – 32kg
Get-up –
4/4 – 32kg
1/1 – 24kg
Week 6
Swings –
5×10/10 one-arm swings – 40kg
Get-up –
5/5 – 32kg
The TSC Training Plans
These plans are simple, but not easy. The gains are in the volume and steady progress made each week. The consistency is maintained through deliberate mini de-load weeks and/or training sessions.
As you mature in your journey toward mastering the skill of strength, an intuitive approach to training will develop. It boils down to listening to that inner-voice that’s telling you to slow down, take a day off, or get after it, but not losing sight of the goal—which is putting up a great number during the competition.
A pull-up, snatch or deadlift personal record is awesome, but a personal record during a Tactical Strength Challenge is that much better, because it was done when it counted—in front of your peers, having your technique scrutinized, and finally recorded in the annals of TSC history.
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