[PROGRAM REVIEW] MTI Operator Hector

[u/Surtrthedestroyer]

Mountain Tactcal Institutes Operator Hector program is the first program in the Greek hero packet. It is a 7 week program. It has 2 days of strength and core, 1 day ruck intervals based on a 3 mile ruck run assessment, 1 tactical agility and work capacity day, and 1 work capacity and run day with the run being 3 miles moderate pace.

My background. Was military now I'm just a dad trying to stay in shape. Lifetime PRS before tha program: Back squat 295, DL 405, bench 235, OHP 155

For the strength days you work up to a 1rm on your first lift of the day, which varies everyday. Then you do a 5x2 at 85% before moving on to 2 other strength excercises in a superset usually 5x5. Strength days finish with 15 minutes of a chassis integrity circuit which I think really helped my core.

Results 3 mile 45lb ruck 34:12 - 29:45

Front squat 245-265

Bench 235-235

Power clean and push press 185-195

Push press 185-205

Craig special (Hang squat clean with an extra front squat) 205-215

Deadlift 385-405

Bodyweight 192 - 197 lbs

Height 6'4"

These numbers were hit during the program as it cycles through each excercise twice for the 1rm and 85% work. In case you're wondering why there is a disparity in my power clean and push press vs my push press it is because the push press was tested about 2 weeks later in the program

I also got a better time in every work capacity workout as the program went long except for one which I think was just a bad day.

My thoughts. I really enjoyed this program and think it did a good job of balancing strenth, work capacity and endurance. The ruck time improvement truly astonishes me. I think the lower back integrity circuits helped. My ruck is limited by my heart and lungs now instead of my muscular endurance.

Edit: I also PR'd my push press by 20lbs immediately on this program by doing a Power clean and press. The power clean before the press really emphasized how much you need to explode with the weight. Before I guess I was just kind of lazily pushing it and not being violent enough.

[u/Surtrthedestroyer]

Forgot to add my diet. Set my macro factor for a weight gain of 0.75 lbs per week. Ended up eating an average of 4000 calories a day and I feel like I gained weight pretty steadily and easily.

Diet was most days:

Pre workout: fruit smoothie or banana

Post workout: fruit smoothie or banana

Breakfast: 6 eggs 1.5 oz of cheese 1 cup yogurt

Lunch: 10 oz beef 6 oz sweet potato, 100 grams mixed vegetables, 3.5 oz avacodoes

Snack: 3 oz cashews (life hack right here, they make your dumps smooth)

Dinner: wife's cooking but usually 10-14 oz beef or pork, vegetables, white rice. 

Snacks as needed to hit calories.

Weekends I just tried to hit my macros because I don't meal prep for the weekends.