I think it is very productive to look at the history of different warrior cultures and analyse the qualities that made them so successful. This is not going to be a quick read about a trendy workout program for an unrealistic outcome. I am simply going to go over some ideas that the Roman Army had for getting their troops ready for battle. The purpose is to give the reader a few ideas about how to take historical examples and adapt them to current weaponry in order to help them train to a higher level of proficiency. Keep in mind that I am going to have to leave alot of stuff out since this is not a book, but rather a quick jot about incorporating historical examples into current training methods.
The Roman army that served Imperial Rome spans a very long time. There were many changes in the army throughout that time, so all we know for sure is what is written that has survived. There is very little on the subject of actual Legionnaire training, but from what little there is, it seems that Legionnaire training was very similar to modern military training. There were standards that had to be met and they had 4 months to perform the way the Roman army wanted to. They demanded a highly skilled and disciplined soldier come out the other end of training. Even after initial training, it is reported that the Roman Legions continued rigorous training schedules up until they were put into battle. For their career, the Roman Legionnaire was either fighting or training for a fight.
WEAPONS TRAINING
When it came to learning how to use the weapons of the Roman army, the Romans are famous for using practice versions of the weapon that weighed twice that of the real thing. The purpose of this was to hasten the growth of the muscles used in fighting and build combat endurance through functional strength. Also, the trainees started out their practice using these weapons against simple wooden posts that were thinner than a man. This would sharpen their precision before moving on to practicing against each other. So, when it came to combat weapons training, the trainees learned in a way that is very similar to today, except today they don't give you weapons that are twice as heavy as the real thing, unfortunately. In addition, trainees the failed to perform to standard and learn at the same pace were subjected to reduced rations. The logic was that a trainee that didn't perform well wasn't hungry enough to eat. Imagine that being a standard response to under-performing soldiers today?
If we are going to take any lessons from Imperial Roman training, it would be that we will have to focus on precision and skill with our weapons "dry" whilst having them weighted. This also means weighted isometrics with your pistol and rifle will be helpful for ingraining good form and procedural memory in terms of aiming and bringing the weapon into the fight. Practice bringing the weighted weapon up and getting a steady sight picture. Hold the sight picture until it can't remain steady. Practice this in the standing and kneeling. Also practice maneuvering from cover to cover and working from behind cover with a weighted firearm. Bring the firearm into action and hold the position for a few seconds and then rapidly change position and bring the firearm back into the simulated fight. Focus on quickly getting into a correct form and maintaining a steady sight picture despite the weight. Practice this in gear when you become more conditioned and confident of your abilities. Add dry firing with a laser during these exercises in order to enhance the outcome of your training. Of course you will have to use live fire to confirm that your training technique is building good habits. I know that I do live fire at least twice weekly to verify that my training is paying off. So far I have experienced tremendous growth using this method of training heavier than the real thing.
PHYSICAL TRAINING
Roman Legionnaires were reported to have used fitness training in the form of climbing and jumping in armor, fast agility movements with weapons and armor, weighted marches, and swimming in order to build the Legionnaire endurance and power in combat. Throughout their training and time in the military, it would seem that Roman Legions were more valued for their endurance than just brawn. It is even quoted that the Roman Legionnaire was valued for being strong but not necessarily BIG. After all, what good were you as a soldier if you were not ready to fight after marching 20 miles to battle? Endurance was a big focus for Roman Legionnaires, and I can only assume it became even more important as the Empire spread and the distance Legions had to cover increased. Though there is little reports of fitness training conducted after initial training, I would assume it would have continued just like weapons training would, despite the soldiers not being on a campaign. Readiness seemed to also be a big deal for the Roman Legions since at any time they could be called to arms against a foreign enemy or domestic uprising.
If we look at the focus of the Romans, it is obvious that alot of their conditioning and training was done in gear and was focused around endurance and power in fighting. We can do the same by conducting maneuvers in full gear as fast as possible. Conduct 3-5 second sprints with full gear and a rifle to simulate maneuvering on an enemy. To increase the difficulty, kneel or go prone at the end of each 3-5 second sprint to simulate utilizing cover or concealment. Other exercises like burpees with a push up in full gear can help build your bodies ability to handle fast aggressive changes such as moving from one position to another. The focus is to conduct these quick aggressive movements with full power and for as long as physically possible. This will ensure growth of the specific muscles needed for quick and powerful movements. Even practicing things like weapon strikes and hands on fighting in full gear can be advantageous for developing power and endurance directly applicable to fighting.
TRAIN LIKE A ROMAN LEGIONNAIRE
For the Roman Legionnaire, it would seem that the military wanted soldiers that could march long distances with alot of weight and fight for extended periods of time. The Romans were used to fighting against larger armies, but were known for using tactics and highly disciplined soldiers to gain the upper hand. The Roman soldier had to be stronger, faster, and more disciplined than the enemy if they were going to survive a campaign. For you readers, this means that you need to take it upon yourselves to continue training and practicing the fight because it is very likely that you will need to be stronger, faster, and more precise than your enemy in order to survive. Make every training session count and make sure that you are carrying out the physical training with speed and intensity in order to get the most out of it. Use movements that directly relate to the movements you will have to conduct in a fight for your life. Practice getting your hits by pulling the trigger faster and faster without moving the gun, and keep the gun weighted. Build your body for the fight, and you will sleep in peace at night knowing you are conditioning yourself daily to win the fight.
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