by Michael W. Martin Jr., USN (Ret), MPhil, MBA
I define a “tactical athlete” as someone who works in a job that could put them or others in harm's way or a life-or-death situation—such as people in the military, law enforcement, and firefighting.
For decades, I’ve been a tactical athlete. I was in the military for more than 26 years. When I retired, I became a wildland firefighter and EMT (and a backcountry big-game hunting guide too). I have also competed or coached at the elite level in more than a dozen different sports over the last 40 years. For example, I qualified for the youth world championships 7 years straight in showing horses and roping (rodeo); I participated in the “Train to Hunt” national championships (a 3-day event combining archery, CrossFit-style workouts, and rucking with a weighted backpack while shooting at 3-D targets); and I have competed in powerlifting for more than 40 years, winning multiple world, national, state, and armed forces titles and setting hundreds of records.
I’ve obtained certifications in sports nutrition, personal training, sports performance, brain health, and more. And just for the heck of it, I’ve read more than 1,000 books and journal articles on performance improvement. Yes, the pursuit of elite-level human performance is my passion—or should I say, obsession?
I’ve compiled the following list of tips I share with the people I coach—and now you—which I believe have the most positive impact on tactical athletes’ performance and success.
- Know thyself! My coaching philosophy is based on the premise that everyone faces a challenge and that the way to solve it is through questioning, using a question-based approach. In today’s world, it’s fairly easy to find answers to most questions, but are you asking the right ones? Before you can embark on this journey of self-improvement, you must honestly know yourself. How many tactical athletes know more statistics, facts, and gossip about their favorite team, TV show, or celebrity than they do about themselves? If you don't know your average daily vital signs (BP, HR, VO2max), your caloric macros to meet your goals, and what you need to do to get promoted, find out.
- Be (brutally) honest with yourself. I know it hurts to look at that scale and realize you’re overweight. And yes, it cuts into your lifestyle when you have to forego having a beer with your buddies or a glass of wine with your besties to stay at home and prepare for the next promotion cycle. It’s a constant battle of deciding if what you’re doing, or about to do, brings you closer or further away from your goals. To succeed, you must realize where you are, where you want to go, and align everything with the journey to get there.
- Begin with the end in mind. I borrowed this one from Stephen Covey’s bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (habit 2–goal setting). When was the last time you, with or without your family, jumped in your vehicle, drove to the nearest gas station, filled up the tank, bought some snacks, and took off down the highway…without knowing where you were going? Many people live their lives with no ultimate destination(s). Remember the previous tip: Be honest with yourself. What are your goals? Write them down. Make plans. Go after them.
- Keep the ONE thing. This aligns with Covey’s 3rd habit, “Put first things first,” and Gary Keller and Jay Papasan’s The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. Bottom line: Once you have a goal in mind (the one thing), everything should come back to it. If your goal is to improve your fitness, then everything you do should focus on that. If your goal is to get promoted or achieve a specific qualification, then all your energy should be directed toward accomplishing that.
- Understand anima sana in corpore sano. You probably don’t speak Latin but are familiar with the ASICS brand of footwear—and now you know what the acronym stands for. It means “sound mind in a sound body.” So with respect to your mind, what are you feeding it? The human brain requires the most fuel of all our organs to function optimally. As a tactical athlete, lots of training is focused on the physical side, but it’s paramount to provide equal emphasis on the mental side of preparation.
- Embrace the Serenity Prayer. I’m not a religious person, but I really like the focus of Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer from more than 90 years ago: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” As a tactical athlete, there are certain things you can change and some you can’t. To be successful, you need to understand the difference. We’ve all heard, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” But to progress, you have to fight for what you believe is better for you and your unit.
- Choose wisely. I get it—not everyone is married or has a significant other. I’m fortunate to have an amazing spouse, also a retired Navy Veteran, who supports me in everything I do. Your support network—spouse, peers, significant other, family—can greatly enhance or detract from your success as a tactical athlete (and in life). Share your goals, dreams, and aspirations with your support network so they can help you. It’s a mathematical equation—1+1=3!
- Be accountable. I recall listening to a talk by business guru and coach Tony Robbins, where he said a billion-dollar client paid him $1M a year to call him monthly and make sure he was tracking on his goals—his ONE thing. Who's your accountability partner? Ideally, your accountability partner is someone who isn’t afraid to tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. You also need to trust that person’s opinion and take action as necessary. Their opinion may not be entirely correct, but if you both respect each other, you can talk it out. Find someone to hold you accountable.
- Know your WHY. Seriously, you’re a tactical athlete. Every day you wake up, your life or the lives of others you serve are on the line. One of my favorite T-shirts says, “Would YOU want YOU saving YOU?” I also believe you can never be too fit (mentally and physically) for a job that endangers lives.
As a world champion powerlifter (weighing 150 lb and over 60 years young), when I retired from the military, I became a wildland firefighter/EMT. My fire and rescue district was extremely grateful for my service because they routinely had emergency calls involving clients weighing 400 lbs or more. My athletic background and tactical training allowed me to help others in the line of duty. One of my “whys” for joining fire and rescue was to not only use my strengths on emergency calls but also to enhance the mental and physical conditioning of my colleagues. What is your ‘why’ in becoming a tactical athlete?
I tried to put these tips into a hierarchy, but they’re so interrelated, they’re almost equally important.
I want you to be the best tactical athlete you can be. I hope these tips help you achieve success. If you have any questions, the resources on the HPRC site are indispensable. I especially like the Total Force Fitness articles.
