So You Wanna Be an American Partisan Operator. Got Fitness?

Introduction to American Partisan Physical Fitness: So You Wanna Be an American Partisan?
So you wanna be able to run around and battle in the woods? That’s a noble goal, and it sounds about right! But that raises a critical question: Are you ready for action? No, really. Are you truly ready for the serious demands of the woods in terms of the “guerrilla working environment”?
Well, you’d better be. Having just taken the Brushbeater Scout course (highly recommended!) in North Carolina a few weeks ago, I myself got but a modest taste of what it’s like to do battle in the woods. The Scout course had a variety of demanding scenarios and terrain to negotiate, with each presenting its own challenges and considerations. For example, we had to deal with unlevel and rough terrain in pretty much all cases. Some field exercises, especially the ones that included simulated combat, demanded frequent changes of direction while moving quickly – and all done under the load of our battle gear. At one point, my team had to charge uphill to flank an enemy position in order to relieve our other team that came under fire. In the midst of this action, we were shooting, moving to cover again and again, and even falling down at times. At other times, the field exercise demanded that we move effectively in awkward positions (i.e., low-crawling to avoid enemy detection). And how can we leave out that most difficult of demands: dragging our team casualties back to safety – uphill? Hauling your injured buddy back to safety for even just a short distance (especially uphill) can be genuinely exhausting, as can all the above-mentioned efforts and activities. Yes, indeed! I’m sure that other Scout course participants will readily agree with me on all points just mentioned.
Now, I am not a military veteran, but as demanding as the Scout course really was, one can reasonably imagine that REAL combat is orders of magnitude more demanding. After all, a real-life raging gunfight in the woods has no built-in and scheduled conveniences like rest periods or breaks, unlike a paid civilian tactical course happening over a 3-day period, right? So try to paint a picture in your mind of being tired, cold, wet, hungry, and scared while patrolling and battling in the woods, but nonetheless having to meet the extreme physical demands of guerrilla warfare – because your people are depending on you! How do you measure up to these demands? Can you hang tough? Can your team depend on you to deliver? Be honest with yourself – your life and your team’s success depends on it! Don’t expect to “rise to the occasion”, Hollywood-style; that’s a silly load of bull as well as a recipe for disaster, and we all know it.
As such, in order to address the matter of effective physical fitness as it applies to the American Partisan civilian operator, this multi-part series on American Partisan Physical Fitness will attempt to cover the waterfront of physical fitness. This series will get into both the theoretical and practical dimensions of achieving a state of true fitness for the American Partisan’s needs. In order to get into the practical aspects of fitness, it is important to understand things at the theoretical level, so the first several posts will provide the theoretical framework for those AP readers that are really serious about stepping up their fitness game, but don’t know where to begin, or what to do.

A Closer Look at the Physical Demands of Combat

Pretty much everyone knows they need to exercise, but let’s face it: very few people are serious about physical fitness at all – even the ones who actually go to a gym regularly. Just take a look around you. I mean, really – trotting on a treadmill or bouncing around on an elliptical machine for 20 minutes, followed by some token “workout” on a few gym machines (if at all)… is just not going to cut it for running and gunning in the woods (or anywhere). Even the admirable meathead who can bench press 400 lbs. and barbell squat 600 lbs., but can’t even run a mile without throwing up, won’t get very far with that brute strength in a guerrilla warfare situation. No, the demands of the American Partisan operator go well beyond what most people consider normal exercise, so it helps to have the correct general grasp of the physical demands of combat.
Anyone reading this article probably has some (or a lot, if you’re a military veteran) basic understanding of the way the military trains its recruits and infantry units: lots of running and body weight exercises (like push-ups and sit-ups), together with load conditioning (i.e., marching with a heavy pack) at the very least. Then, lots of infantry personnel also include strength training with iron weights (barbells and dumbbells) too. On top of all that, a fighter also needs mobility and agility to go with that strength and that endurance. All that said, then, we can plainly state that effective warfighting requires a good mix of five distinct areas of physical fitness:

  • Cardiovascular Endurance: Running – with or without load
  • Strength: Lifting your body weight effectively; lifting external loads like iron weights (or other heavy objects)
  • Strength Endurance: Moving in powerful bursts repetitively
  • Mobility: Being flexible enough to get your body into various positions, including awkward positions; being able to quickly change direction of movement
  • Balance: Having good self-awareness of your center of mass, and maneuvering your center of mass nimbly, as needed


American Partisan-Level Physical Fitness: What You Need to Make It Happen

Basic Requirements: The American Partisan’s Mindset and Commitment to Exercise
All the above being said, how do you measure up? Again, most people’s concept of physical fitness is a rather narrow and vaguely defined one, but then, they ain’t fixin’ to fight in the woods, eh? The American Partisan’s fitness goals are much more demanding. So, if you’re reading this and finding your physical fitness situation lacking, at least you’re being real with yourself, and this is always critical. If that’s you, and you need to get your physical fitness game up to true American Partisan levels, don’t worry! TRUE physical fitness along AP lines is achievable by pretty much anyone, even with no exercise equipment! The most important things you need to get physically fit are: resolve and discipline. What this means is that fitness needs to become nothing less than a religion to you! Without this mindset, you’ll get nowhere in a hurry; being “AP-physically fit” is demanding, and requires you to get out of your comfort zone every single time you work out, as well as have the diligence and perseverance (i.e., sticking to the program over time) to get any worthy results. Like Brushbeater says, “if it were easy, everyone would do it!”.
Therefore, once you’ve steeled your resolve to reach AP-Level physical fitness, especially if you’re starting from scratch, then you need to set aside at least TWO dedicated weekly sessions of one hour apiece to work out. Your two workout days should be spaced no fewer than two days apart; ideally, though, your workout days should be spaced three to four days apart for now for best recovery and results. Eventually though, you will need to vary up your content and also increase the length and frequency of your workouts to a total of 3 – 5 workouts per week, at minimum. Very importantly, using the “physical fitness-as-religion” mindset described above, workouts are mandatory! That means that, unless you are ill and/or truly incapacitated… you never, ever miss a workout. Period. It’s pretty basic: each workout adds a layer of quality to your fighting game, and every workout missed removes a layer of quality from your fighting came. So don’t miss workouts! Also realize that, once you start your AP Fitness journey, it has to continue… forever. You should never stop training! Getting older, getting injured… yeah, life happens. But there is always something you can do towards physical fitness, and so you must. Remember, your enemies are training to destroy you, 24/7/365.
Exercise Location and Equipment
Once you’ve understood and developed the proper mindset to achieve AP-level physical fitness and have decided on your two weekly workout days to start with, you need to consider exercise location: where will you exercise? A combination of a gym together with some outdoor running and exercising is ideal. Gyms typically offer a wide variety of strength training options and equipment, as well as areas to stretch and do other things (ex., work a punching bag). Running (and other exercise) outdoors, particularly on uneven terrain, is a necessary complement to gym-based strength training; treadmills are only good for bad-weather days – and barely, at that.
Some people prefer to work out at home with their own equipment while others, for different reasons, have neither a gym membership nor home exercise equipment. That’s ok too! You can purchase just a few inexpensive pieces of workout equipment that will add many options to your exercise regimen. Some key home gym pieces of equipment you might consider, if it’s in your budget, are:

Finally, the good news is that you don’t have to buy any dedicated exercise equipment in order to get into great shape. Minimalism is almost always a good thing and, if you know what you’re doing, a lot of high-quality exercises can be performed with just body weight; also, the serious and resourceful AP can buy cheap and easily-obtained items like garbage bags, duct tape, and sand bags in order to create loads to work out and build strength and endurance with. So, when it comes to AP Physical Fitness, there’s something for everyone… who’s serious. Future exercise posts by me on this site will cover both minimalist set-ups, as well as set-ups containing equipment.

Wrap-Up: Get Off Your Butt, and Start Working Out!

So, fellow American Partisans… it’s time to get serious about physical fitness. All the shooting, radio chops, medical skills, and whatever else don’t mean crap unless you are physically fit enough to bring the fight to the enemy in the first place, and then sustain it. And since much about warfighting is very much a physical affair, it is the DUTY of the serious American Partisan to meet the physical demands of fighting in whatever way you can. There is ALWAYS something a committed American Partisan can do at any age, and in any state of fitness and mobility; there are no excuses.
Again, the purpose of this first post was to give everyone interested the proper orientation to what effective and productive American Partisan Physical Fitness entails. Specific exercise and fitness programming will be provided by this author in upcoming posts, but for now, the serious American Partisan who is getting into proper gear for what’s coming down the pipeline needs to wrap their mind around the theoretical aspects of proper physical fitness, adopt the right mindset, and get ready to do some hard work! Stay tuned for more important theory and workout programs, coming very soon.


Next Post::
American Partisan Workout Fundamentals, Part 1
 

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About the Author: conan

Conan has been working out for over 25 years, with extensive experience in lifting weights; he has also been a personal fitness trainer for 22 years now. He has experience both doing and training people in various modes of fitness and exercise throughout those decades. He enjoys hunting, martial arts, shooting, and studying history and world cultures. He seeks to share his extensive knowledge of physical fitness, as well as his recent experiences in taking tactical training courses and transmitting acquired tactical skills to the people in his AO. Contact Conan at: [email protected].​

41 Comments

  1. James Carpenter aka "Felix" March 30, 2021 at 12:35

    OK. But before signing up for a course (and wasting time, money in addition to public embarrassment if not physically prepared)…
    …what would NC Scout recommend as the minimum requirements be? Such as reps, times, etc…
    (tested beforehand in the privacy of one’s own company)
    And no, I’m not asking for a friend.

    • NC Scout March 30, 2021 at 12:39

      You’ll find out where your limitations are. Personally, as far as standards are concerned, the ability to not gas out after running a mile or climbing a series of hills in full kit is a big start.

      • KOBK March 30, 2021 at 12:43

        You’re become an icon …… “what would NC Scout do right now ” ?
        Have to admit I’ve done that a couple times to keep my weapons mods in check. :-) Not a bad thing.

        • NC Scout March 30, 2021 at 12:51

          Nah bro, just a common guy like all y’all. But I’m glad y’all get something out of what we do here.

          • SOG March 30, 2021 at 17:35

            American Partisan Operator.
            Sounds like a patch one could earns after taking a series of Brush beater courses.
            Would be badass

          • Coop Willis April 11, 2021 at 17:38

            Not blowing up your skirt to be your friend. You are a humble warrior with an immense amount of valuable knowledge. Cannot thank you and your friends enough for sharing this on your platform.

          • NC Scout April 11, 2021 at 17:53

            Thank YOU for being here brother.

    • Conan March 30, 2021 at 12:52

      To what NC Scout said, I’d like to add that a fully-mobile male fighter should be able to do AT LEAST 10 chin-ups, 50 push-ups, 100 body weight squats, and 40 sit-ups as a DECENT place to be, as far as muscular strength. The more, the merrier.

    • Mike March 31, 2021 at 05:49

      As far as endurance, if you can hike 5 miles over varied terrain with all your gear non-stop, you have enough endurance to train. You should strive for more, but if you can at least do that then you can handle a training course.

  2. Paulo March 30, 2021 at 12:58

    This is a very serious topic. Endurance is a very serious capability.
    Mind, Body & Soul…
    Use it to ones best abilities, and sort it out. But by all means, place oneself where one belongs,
    high, low or in between.
    Good reality check…

  3. James Carpenter aka "Felix" March 30, 2021 at 13:39

    Thank you, Conan.
    At 69 years old, medial knee joint replacement and a few “hard falls” later (some off my horses), I’ll have to work back up to that. And having a target is known to improve aim if trying to zero in. Old phucks should be well prepared to act as support and in a pinch… (PS, still have to hang with people at least 10 years younger, folks my age mostly can’t or aren’t interested in keeping up)
    Do any of you “operators” here object to a few decades stacked past “best used by date”? I still have a stack of printed “where-to-go” forms I’d be happy to send ya. Never underestimate or write somebody off out of hand. I think that Chinese dude Sun-whatzhiz name said something about that…

    • James Carpenter aka "Felix" March 30, 2021 at 14:38

      Didn’t do a “self-check” before hitting “send”.
      My apologies to any and all here who aspire to be more than they are now or to keep what they’ve earned. And I understand why some folks might be leery of putting any trust in virtual unknowns presenting from a keyboard.
      Spent last weekend, Friday thru Sunday judging dogs. Had to drive 7 hours each way to do it. The last day was 88F, 10 dogs, all day, up and down hilly terrain in tall grass. Some were truly squared away and either performed admirably or showed us that they could if trained/handled well. But _some_ (too many) were wanna be throw-money-at-it poseurs. Waste of good dog, their money, my time. Left me a bit cranky I guess. And it spilled over here. I am sorry.

    • conan March 30, 2021 at 18:30

      It’s great that you still want to move powerfully, even if you’re 69. Great things are still possible, and most people half your age are probably over the hill – by choice! I think that, particularly when it comes to body weight exercises, an older person can still excel and do great things. I have senior female personal training clients that are doing their first push-ups ever, and even working towards a chin-up too. The external load weight you can lift and how fast/long you can run will be somewhat limited by age, but improvements can be made there too. Mobility needs to be used for all it can give, at any age.

  4. Anonymous March 30, 2021 at 13:46

    5

  5. Razorback Trapper March 30, 2021 at 14:10

    Great write up! What you covered is a big reason why back country hunting and hunting behind tree dogs are my hobbies. Several times a week I’m climbing the Ozarks with a heavy pack carrying a rifle. Squirrel hunting behind my Feist dogs is probably the best training of the two. I have to run often to get to my dogs where they are treed to get there before the squirrel timber’s out. Once at the tree I am usually winded and then have to take an offhand shot with a rifle at just a piece of a hiding squirrel high up in an oak. I have been doing this for years and still miss a lot. Trying to pick out apiece of grey squirrel hiding against the grey bark of a tree is also excellent “spotting things that don’t belong” training and another added bonus of hunting behind dogs. At the end of the day I even get to come home with some meat. I usually put what I need for the hunting trip in my pack, then drop in a 35 pound kettle bell weight to aid in the training.
    Big game hunting on foot allows me to work on a lot of what we learned in the scout course as well. Once a year I like to pick out an area a few miles into the National Forest and navigate to it via paper map and a compass. I think it’s damn good training. Just my opinion, as there are many different ways to train.

    • conan March 30, 2021 at 18:25

      Thanks, Razorback Trapper – I’m glad you liked the post! I agree with you – there really are many different ways to train. I dig your method, and I definitely have to try that out for myself next time I go squirrel hunting! I think organized exercise sessions work for people who don’t get enough physical rigor from their day-to-day lifestyles or professions, but throwing in real-life rigor like you do sounds excellent too, and keeps things interesting.

  6. Steve Gutknecht March 30, 2021 at 15:00

    Thank you for starting this series. Going to follow the best I can at 54 years old this is a subject that is weighing on my heart for sometime need to get my ass in gear.

    • Johnny Paratrooper March 30, 2021 at 17:15

      If you walk 5 miles a day and perform a stretch routine beginning, every mile, and ending; You would be VERY surprised what kind of shape you get in. Plus, food tastes better, beer tastes better, your stomach functions better. The number of benefits to working out even minimally are really great.

      • sog March 30, 2021 at 19:44

        very true. this is why you always see older Indian and Asian people walking in the evening or early morning it helps with longevity and all you mentioned above

    • conan March 30, 2021 at 18:32

      Lots more to come. I hope to give everyone a solid grasp of what needs to be done, and how to do it, even with limited circumstances.

  7. Dana Henry March 30, 2021 at 15:52

    This post and the ALAMO ALAMO ALAMO post put everything in realistic context. Most of the jargon is lost on Navy and CG veterans as are tactics. It’s why when a buddy here asked what I will do in EOTWAWKI scenario I said “just follow orders”. I’ll trust the judgement of leadership over mine any day. I will follow the physical regime here but, at my age, it’s really unlikely I’ll be an asset gunning and running. Certainly willing to give it a shot; literally. I’m glad I watched all the Platoon/Squad videos posted a few weeks ago. At least I’ll have some small clue as to what the hell they’re talking about.

  8. Sog March 30, 2021 at 17:44

    For the older gents on the post consider test therapy. It will get you strong like bull.
    The money you arent spending in ammo can go into optimizing your levels. Those with sore joints and all it helps. If you have the bigger bucks consider dr prescribed HGH. There are test clinics for men all over the country some work via telehealth with your lab work. For the older guys on the fence about their physical capabilites this helps. I know several guys in their 50s and up still contracting they are wealth of skill and knowledge. Some are in an oversight role but can still get down to business when needed and alot are on TRT.

  9. 6th MP March 30, 2021 at 18:31

    ETS in 90, now too old!

  10. Jack March 30, 2021 at 18:38

    If your a young man or women…
    Get In Shape!
    It’s too late for folks like myself, decisions i made 30plus yrs ago CAN NOT be undone.
    I can work out from now till 3000.
    I am actually Tacticly worthless.
    A hard truth.
    I know my place, my value, my capabilties..
    30yr old door kicker 15 mile rucker…aint it.
    That is beyond a wet dream.
    Bit this ol’badger, still has some tricks.
    The future, is for the young

    • conan March 30, 2021 at 18:46

      Agreed. If you’re young and mobile – GET IN GEAR! There is no waiting until “tomorrow” to get started!

    • BePrepared April 2, 2021 at 19:16

      You can call me by my other name… Mr. Mason.
      If you know, you know.

  11. Mas Casa March 30, 2021 at 20:36

    Pat Mcnamara says, ‘Motion is lotion.’ People have to start somewhere and that may just be light stretches and walking for 30 minutes in the beginning. Others may be able to start out at a higher intensity. What one puts in their body is important too. Looking forward to this series.

  12. Madman_Actual March 31, 2021 at 05:59

    Diet is extremely important for exercise. It’s not a one or the other. Everyone has different dietary needs and is based off a few things. I suggest whatever you come up with, make sure it is mostly fresh food. Packaged food has a lot of salt, added sugars, and just don’t taste very good.
    If you’re out of shape and you know it, don’t kill yourself on day 1. Ease your body into anaerobic exercises. Heavy stretching on ‘off days’ will do wonders. There are plenty of good workout programs around. I’m sure some disagree but throwing heavy weights around(crossfit) before you can do a proper Olympic style movement with said weight, is a dumb idea and you WILL injure yourself. Seen’t it, done it, heard about it, all too many times. You’re not going to buy a scoped rifle and immediately take a 1000m shot, are you?
    Do push-ups

    • conan March 31, 2021 at 11:19

      Totally on the money! Nutrition / food selection is huge, and I will definitely be addressing that down the line. Most people don’t really like to adjust their eating though, so I figured I’d get the ball rolling with the PT stuff first. Also, I will be designing progressive workouts for different skill levels; you’re right in that a person just starting out (or getting back into things) probably won’t be able to carry on for a solid hour, and definitely not at full intensity.

  13. Cavguy March 31, 2021 at 09:01

    Conan, thanks all good stuff and the correct time of year to pull this out. Looking forward to some interesting exercise combinations from you. I will request, if your taking them, an occasional focus on the minimalist approach at times. As a gym is not always around the corner. (I’m a cheap bastard and live in an RV and moving).
    Currently doing a modified Convict Conditioning workout. For weights I use full ammo cans, full medium size tool box, chin up bar when I can find a place to hang it (old hang gliding base tube), and the floor. Its amazing what you can do with the floor.
    Packing my SOTA gear and emergency gear, while riding (and some times dragging my dirt bikes) in the hills and mountains of Idaho. Doing the hiking/climbing to the summits always trying to remember to mask my movements to some extent. (You can see my summit reports on the SOTA FB page).
    But at 63 my days at the pointy tip of the spear are long gone, or are they? Living with permanent spinal injuries and others to various parts of the body and my age its more of a slow and steady approach. This shit is not rocket science. Get off your fat ass, stop eating junk, limit your alcohol intake, (empty calories), and move your fat ass. In the end its all about life style choices, your comfort level, persistence and dedication. If you took an oath to defend our constitution and you got fat and lazy then you were not serious about that oath. I think we are soon looking at a point in the country where pay up time on that oath is near.
    Well my morning 80 meter net is kicking off.
    Thanks again, and Thanks NC for all you do here. It does make a difference.
    Saber 7

    • conan March 31, 2021 at 11:16

      Glad to be of service! I’ll definitely be putting out minimalist workout options – I assume many readers will be doing things in minimalist style, and that’s good too. Most real-life events for the American Partisan don’t require the maximal strength that is developed by using barbells and dumbbells, although these tools of exercise also have their place where available. I did the Convict Conditioning workouts for over a year, and those are great too, especially when mixed with other training. Good to hear that you’re still getting busy at 63. There are a lot of us that are well beyond our prime, but still maximizing what these old bones can do – injuries and all that. You can’t live a physically demanding life without getting injured, but there are ways to press on in most cases. Even if we post-prime fighting men can’t do it like we used to, we can still do a damn lot, and can still be very dangerous. And anyone can make improvements in fighting capacity at any age – like you said! Looking forward to getting some good workout ideas out to you! Thanks for commenting.

  14. James Carpenter aka "Felix" March 31, 2021 at 09:15

    “As far as endurance, if you can hike 5 miles over varied terrain with all your gear non-stop, you have enough endurance to train. You should strive for more, but if you can at least do that then you can handle a training course.”
    Thanks, Mike. I’m using my Garmin dog collar/controller and a Fitbit to see performance. The trends are favorable, I’m up to 3 miles… it’s a start. And will be extending. 20# ruck now, adding more items/weight next week, will place 4 miles on “to do”. The dogs are loving it.

  15. LionHeart March 31, 2021 at 16:24

    Conan, I have a question and a comment for all the “I’m too old and broken”.
    First the comment – when the fight comes to you it won’t care what shape you’re in and adjust for you. It will bring it all, won’t care, and will do everything possible to end you. Results, not excuses – even good ones.
    The question is about how the fitness we’ve developed degrades while under AP conditions. I know “it depends” but how long until lack of sleep, nutrition, stress, cold, wet etc takes a serious bite out of the bod’s capability? How should we look at operations tempo vs down time and what constitutes decent recovery?
    Thanks

    • conan March 31, 2021 at 18:17

      Thanks for your comments, LionHeart. I also agree with you about when “the fight comes for you”. I want to make sure that, even if I’m in Depends, I’m still going to give a good fight before the final moment. If we have to go “AP”, then it will be an unforgiving reality, regardless of one’s frailties. Best be at peak, whatever that is for your circumstances.
      Also, fitness (and any physical skill, I’d say) will degrade without regular maintenance. But if you’re under AP conditions and are regularly engaged, I imagine it will be hard to fit in organized physical training due to the ongoing pace of operations. Also, there’s not much sense in training while exhausted – especially when rest is so critical to keep going. I suppose that, at minimum, any training towards improvement of skill would have to happen after some kind of lull in operations that permits for at least some level of recovery, even if it’s just a brief break. Training after a bad night or two of sleep is one thing, but trying to practice physical skills with intensity in the midst of executing ongoing operations in conditions of deprivation might lead to a bad outcome. However, even a SHTF AP situation should permit for breaks in which quality training of whatever kind can happen, even if it’s just a placeholder workout or training session of whatever type. Just my two cents.

  16. Robert April 2, 2021 at 20:25

    I have 70+ years and can hardly walk up the hill but ! I have a dozen or so motorcycles half of which can do 200 mph . I have an ultralite that can fly silently and unobserved for a thousand miles on a tank while getting 50 miles per gallon . I have several rifles that can reach out and touch someone from a mile or so depending on the weather . I have a snowmobile that can do 120mph with three armed passengers . I have an armed and armoured “F” series predator with 3/8ths stainless sides that will do 160mph in the frickin snow while hauling two big bales . Bit keep on thinking you can do it without us old boomers . I got wipes to take care of your bony ass when you shit yourself after taking a .45 in the gut. You can do it all by yourself sonny ! Your the cats meow ! Meanwhile watch out for the Rott and the Wolf/Shepherd when you come up on my hill .

    • NC Scout April 2, 2021 at 20:56

      Cool story bro.
      And how many people are you organized with and can support?

  17. […] Partisans! By now, we’ve gotten deep into the weeds of putting together a high-quality, fitness-boosting workout program, and we’ve […]

  18. […] It is the view of “physical fitness as religion” (mentioned in my very first post) that will power the APO through tough workouts to thrive and achieve great results in physical […]

  19. […] also recommend that all Partisans equip themselves with all of the equipment specified in my very first post, but certainly the overhead bar is truly a […]

  20. […] also recommend that all Partisans equip themselves with all of the equipment specified in my very first post, but certainly the overhead bar is truly a […]

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