8 weeks · 6 days/week
Commando
Eight weeks built for the Royal Marines Candidate Preparation Course — running, load carriage, and calisthenics volume that doesn't let up.
Nobody rises to the occasion. You sink to the level of your preparation.
Commando exists for one specific day: the Royal Marines Candidate Preparation Course. The Corps doesn’t test one quality — it tests whether you can run fast, hang off a bar, carry load, get cold and wet, and then do it all again tomorrow without your standards slipping. Eight weeks, six days a week, built around the things that actually decide whether you pass: a bigger engine, load carriage that doesn’t fall apart, and daily calisthenics volume until press-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups stop being a worry.
Phase one builds the base — moderate percentages, rising mileage, and a habit of daily volume that doesn’t let up. Phase two spends it: percentages climb toward ninety per cent, the march gets longer and faster, and Week 7 leaves you tired on purpose before a real taper in Week 8 sets you up to retest rested. Arrive at the door with margin, not hope.
Who it's for
This program is built for you if
- You're preparing for the Royal Marines Candidate Preparation Course, a Pre-Joining Fitness Assessment, or a similar selection judged on the bleep test, upper body tests, and a timed run
- You can already run three miles and lift with reasonable technique — this block sharpens what you have, it doesn't build it from zero
- You need running, load carriage, and daily calisthenics volume trained together, not chased separately
Before you buy
Equipment you'll need
This program assumes access to the following. Check it against what you've actually got before you purchase — there are no refunds once the PDF is downloaded.
- Full gym access — barbell, squat rack, bench, plates
- Pull-up bar and dip station
- A rucksack or pack you can load from 15 lb up to 21 lb for the weekly speed march
- A sandbag or a set of heavy dumbbells for the full body power day
- Open ground or a running route for intervals, shuttles and the long effort
- Pool access for the weekly swim is useful but not essential
If you don't already train somewhere with this kit, that may mean a gym membership, a day pass, or building the equivalent at home — factor the cost and access in before you buy, not after.
What's included
Structure
Six training days a week — lower body strength, intervals and core, upper body strength endurance, a graded speed march, full body power with a bottom field circuit, and a long run or endurance simulation — anchored by Week Zero baseline testing against the Pre-Joining Fitness Assessment and Royal Marines Candidate Preparation Course standards.
Weeks 1–4
Phase 1 — Accumulation
Build the engine and the volume
Moderate percentages and rising running and march mileage while daily press-up, sit-up and pull-up volume gets underway and never stops for the rest of the block. Week 4 lightens off and ends with a mid-block test against your Week Zero numbers.
Weeks 5–8
Phase 2 — Intensification & Taper
Peak toward test day
Percentages climb toward 90% on the main lifts, the march reaches its longest and fastest in Week 7, and Week 8 tapers hard so you retest rested rather than beaten up.
Preview
One real week, not a taster
Week 1, exactly as it appears in the PDF — sessions, sets and reps included. No blurred pages, no "sign up to see the rest."
1Day 1Lower Body (Strength)
- Back Squat — 4×8 @ 65%
- Romanian Deadlift — 3×10 @ 60%
- DB Walking Lunges — 3×12/leg
- Weighted Step-Ups — 3×10/leg
- Standing Calf Raise — 3×15
2Day 2Intervals + Core
- 6×400m at current 5K pace, 100m walk recovery
- Plank — 3×45s
- Hanging Knee Raise — 3×12
3Day 3Upper Body (Strength Endurance)
- Pull-Ups — 5×max minus 2
- Bench Press — 5×5 @ 70%
- Overhead Press — 4×8 @ 65%
- Bent-Over Row — 4×10
- Dips — 3×10
4Day 4Speed March
- 15 lb / 4 miles / target 15:30 per mile
- Flat route, walk only, Zone 2 throughout
5Day 5Full Body (Power) + Bottom Field
- Deadlift — 4×5 @ 70%
- Push Press — 4×6 @ 65%
- Farmer's Carry — 4×50m
- Sandbag or DB Clean — 3×8
- Bottom Field Circuit — 3 rounds: 20 press-ups / 15 sit-ups / 10 burpees / 200m run
6Day 6Long Effort
- 5 mile easy run, conversational pace
FAQ
Before you start
How heavy should the accessory work be?
Heavy enough that the final two reps of the set are genuinely difficult, light enough that your form doesn't change. If you finish a set knowing you had five more in you, add weight next time.
Can I add extra conditioning?
No. The volume here is already high and recovery is the limiting factor on a six-day week. If you feel you have spare capacity, put it into sleep, food, and your march pace instead.
What if I miss a week?
Repeat the week you missed rather than jumping ahead. The block is cumulative, and Week 7 assumes everything before it actually happened.
Commando — £24.99
Eight weeks, laid out in full. No guessing what today's session is.
Delivered as a PDF after checkout. Questions first? Contact Coach TJ.
Commando · £24.99