Workouts For The Professionally Sleep-Deprived
Tired of cookie-cutter plans made for civilians with working AC and consistent food? Here's what actually works in the military.
Duty-Day Lifts: Strategic Movement, Not Maximum Effort
Duty days are unpredictable. Sleep is short, stress is high, and the chances of lifting like a beast are slim. But that doesn't mean you skip the gym-it means you change the mission. Lifting on a duty day isn't about breaking PR's. It's about preparing your body for what comes next. It's about preparing your body for what comes next. It's about moving with purpose, flushing out fatigue, and setting yourself up for better recovery, better sleep, and better performance tommorow. When you're on limited sleep and mentally drained from standing watch, running drills, or putting out metaphorical fires, your nervous system is already taxed. Adding a brutal workout can push you into overtraining, delay recovery, and increase injury risk-especially if you're dieting or cutting for the PRT. On duty days, your body doesn't need punishment-it needs restoration. Lifting is still part of the mission. But on these days, it's about being ready for the next one. Train Smart. Move with purpose. Use the duty day to reset-not wreck.
