Tactical fitness is a new fitness genre that has become popular in the last decade. This is a complete new category and new type of training. Military, police, firefighters and special Ops fitness programs can now be included in the tactical fitness category.

The difference

Tactical fitness does not focus on the workouts, but rather it focuses on the work. In this type of training, you do not work out to become better at working out. The program includes different types of activities which can carry over into real-life movements. Such real-life movements may include lifts, crawls, carries, runs, streams, rucks and mobility. Some of the training programs may even include analytical and creative thinking.

Another big difference is that it uses non-traditional equipment to lift and carry loads. And those equipment are not always balanced like the equipment that you find in the gyms which are used for working out.

In tactical fitness you focus on the fitness necessary for a particular profession. And it can be the element that will decide your life and death in situations in that particular profession. So, in tactical fitness not only your health and fitness is developed, but it also focuses on your ability to react.

You can expect to learn how to think clearly under stress. That may be a very common element of different types of tactical trainings. Such tactical fitness programs will also focus on another crucial element in different types of profession-being a team player. Becoming a team player is very critical in most of the professions which need tactical training. You work out and play in your tactical training programs and during that process you learn how to become part of a team.

Tactical training wants to make you better tomorrow in your job. So, you will need a lot many things. He should have a healthy heart, the right blood pressure, sugar levels and weight. The following elements are very important in tactical training-

Speed and endurance-you should be able to run faster and for a longer duration

Strength and power-you should have the strength and power to lift equipment, gear and people

Flexibility and mobility-you should be flexible and mobile enough to move easily over uneven terrain and in between obstacles

Muscle stamina- it means you should have the muscle and the stamina to move yourself up and down, over and under and through small spaces

Skills- you will need to learn different types of skills such as swimming, crossing a river, extraction, and many other such activities

Old man grip- you will need to be able to hold gear, climb rope, climb mountain, and grab things and people for longer duration.

There are many other different types of skills and activities necessary in tactical training and such training programs help you to develop those types of skills by performing the activities regularly and with guidance.

On the other hand, regular fitness may not demand so many things from you. The only focus of regular fitness is to keep you healthy and fit. You may load on lots of muscles to look good and to participate in different competitions. But regular fitness programs do not develop specific skills necessary in different types of professions.

If you are going for some specific professions, you will need to undergo tactical training for those programs but otherwise it is not a must for everyone. However, tactical training programs can make you tougher and teach you practical things which will help you in your day-to-day life.

References

1. Tacfit 26: New Generation. The Tactical Fitness Personal Gym System.
2. Guide to Physical Activity
3. Fitness