Winter 2023 - 32

equipped to successfully conquer any physically
demanding task they encounter. An operator
who only conducts endurance-based events in
the sagittal plane may encounter difficulty when
called upon in an encounter that requires them
to move smoothly, efficiently, and powerfully in
the frontal and transverse planes. Not only does
this accomplish these objectives but also assists
the operator in assisting them in preventing
musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries.
The three anatomical planes of human
movement are the following:
* (A) Sagittal - Sagittal (longitudinal) plane:
separates the left and right sides of the body
* (B) Frontal - Coronal (frontal) plane:
separates the front (anterior) and back
(posterior) of the body
* (C) Transverse - Transverse (axial) plane:
separates the upper (superior) and lower
(inferior) halves of the body.
2. Conducting training to elicit optimal
performance through energy systems is
necessary to meet the demands of the job. The
cop that is assigned patrol may find him/herself
going from a sedentary position behind the wheel
to only be engaged in a foot chase or " fight or
flight " encounter which requires adaptations of
both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. An
individual that has the assignment of a battering
ram door breacher on a tactical entry team needs
to be strong, powerful, and explosive and should
be trained to make the physiological adaptations
that their body requires through the phosphagen
energy system.
3. Lastly, the tactical athlete necessitates the
need for proper implementation of available
exercise equipment to develop themselves for
optimal performance. Having access to gyms
and weight training facilities is a benefit but
what happens when a soldier is deployed and
does not have access to a gym or their gym in a
box? Additionally, during the COVID pandemic,
many operators were unprepared to keep their
daily fitness gymnasium regimens because of
operational closures. If an operator is given
the tools to think outside the box, with nontraditional
means such as heavy bags, sandbags,
etc., then they can still keep themselves in a
mission-ready status.
The following is a brief list of how a tactical
athlete should center their training which takes
into account all three anatomical planes of
movement. This is not an all-inclusive list but
rather a representative sample of the desired
movement patterns in order to elicit optimal
physical performance.
* Resistance Training Exercise Techniques -
bench press, deadlift, squat, Romanian
deadlift, front squat, goblet squat, farmer's
walk, push press, landmine presses and
32 | Tactical Training & Conditioning | Winter 2023
Winter 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Winter 2023
