WELCOME.

This guide is designed to help you understand the structure of the programme and how best to follow it to maximise your results.

This is an advanced training programme, designed for athletes with a solid training history and the ability to self-assess and adjust training intensity accordingly (autoregulation.)

Our aim is for you to optimise progress across all Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) without burnout, whilst giving you the tools to prioritise and develop specific aspects of your performance as required.  

The programme is built with a high level of flexibility to help you adapt your weekly training volume based on your shift work and other external stressors.

How to Use the Programme Effectively:

  • When external stressors are low: Train with full intent, completing five to six sessions to maximise progress.
  • When external stressors are high: Reduce training to the minimum viable dose (MVD) of three sessions per week.
  • Most weeks will be somewhere in between. Adjust accordingly.

CYCLE FORMAT

As a #bluelightoperator, you need to be ready to perform at all times—there’s no off-season or tapering for events.

This is reflected in the format of your programme. It is designed to be robust and flexible, rather than optimal but flawed.

Instead of wholesale changes to exercise selection in defined ‘blocks’ of training, an exercise/ superset / circuit will change weekly, allowing continual variation without the excessive upskilling and associated fatigue of novel movements each cycle.

WEEKLY FORMAT & TRAINING SESSION GUIDE

The programme is structured with six training sessions, allowing for flexibility. Three sessions form the minimum viable dose (MVD), whilst the remaining three are optional based on training goals, availability, and fatigue levels (FLEX).

TRAINING WEEK PRIORITY ORDER

When time is limited, follow this order to ensure key adaptations are maintained:

Tip: Spread MVD sessions throughout the week to allow for recovery. Avoid stacking red intensity sessions together.

Be aware this requires a little forward planning. If you know you have a busy upcoming week, elect for the MVD, starting with MVD1, and then MVD2 and MVD3 spread across the week with at least a day between sessions. If you find you are able to fit more sessions in look to drop green or amber sessions in the gaps.

HIGH/LOW INTENSITY TRAINING MODEL

To prevent burnout, the programme alternates training intensities:

  • High (Red): Maximal Strength & Power, Speed Work, HIIT

  • Medium (Amber): Threshold Running, Community Workouts

  • Low (Green): Aerobic Base, Upper Body Hypertrophy, Recovery

Rule: Avoid stacking two High days in a row unless absolutely necessary to hit MVD.

SHIFT WORK CONSIDERATIONS

Your role involves unpredictable schedules and stress. Its unlikely you will be able to follow your week's training in order. Adjust your training volume/order based on your shift pattern:

  • Coming off a difficult night shift? Opt for low-intensity aerobic or recovery work 

  • Life Getting Busy? Stick to MVD sessions with intent.

  • Low Stress period? Push hard, recover harder and maximise training intent, autoregulating throughout.

AUTO-REGULATION & INTENSITY MANAGEMENT

You must listen to your body and adjust training based on fatigue levels. The programme assumes a reasonable level of training history, and to get the most from it you should be able to identify if you're genuinely fatigued or just feeling unmotivated a little sore.

Practical Tips:

  • Complete Warm-Up and then assess your level of fatigue. Sometimes you can be feeling tired and have a great session and vice-versa.

  • Track training in your weekly Check-In to identify patterns in fatigue and performance. 

  • Reduce load or swap sessions if feeling excessively fatigued. 

  • Push hard on good days, but recover harder when needed.

  • Consider how today's session will impact your next shift and your next training session.

SAMPLE TRAINING WEEK FOR DIFFERENT SCENARIOS

Scenario 1: Low External Stress (Hypertrophy Focus)

You are relatively stress-free, and you want to pack on some additional lean mass: Complete the week's training in the scheduled order

  • Monday: Full Body Strength + Power
  • Tuesday: Community Workout
  • Wednesday: Upper Body Armour + 30 mins Aerobic Base
  • Thursday: Speed & Acceleration Work
  • Friday: Upper Body Strength
  • Saturday: Full Body Strength 
  • Sunday: Rest

Scenario 2: Busy Week (Reduced Training)

You're expecting a busy work week, have additional family commitments, and are unlikely to find time for more than three sessions: Complete Minimal Viable Dose training in number order

  • Monday: MVD1 -Speed / Acceleration + HIIT
  • Wednesday: MVD2 - Full Body Strength & Power
  • Saturday: MVD3 - Full Body Strength & Power

Scenario 3: Average Week (Running Focus)

It's a typical week, you have no unexpected additional commitments or stressors, and you are wanting to improve your running in anticipation of applying to the pathway: Aim to complete programme in scheduled order, adapting as required

  • Monday: Full Body Strength + Power
  • Tuesday: Threshold Run
  • Wednesday: 60 mins Aerobic Base
  • Thursday: Speed & Acceleration Work
  • Friday: Recovery
  • Saturday: Full Body Strength + Power
  • Sunday: Rest

TIME CONSTRAINED TRAINING SESSIONS

There will be times where you may be able to hit more frequency than the MVD sessions, but can only complete shorter sessions.

Where this is the case, prioritise the warm-up and your day’s primary lift/exercise. You are better off hitting your key lifts with focus and intensity and getting away, than rushing and trying to cram an entire session half-arsed.

Resistance training sessions can be broken down into roughly 15 minute blocks when completed with the minimum rest periods*:

Warm-Up + Block Alpha = 15 mins

Block Bravo = 15 minutes

Block Charlie = 15 minutes

Block Delta / Echo = 15 minutes

*Be aware this is a rough rule of thumb, not religiously adhered to.

RESISTANCE TRAINING PRESCRIPTION

  • Primary compound lifts are prescribed as a % of 1RM.

  • Where a % of 1 RM is prescribed, use two to four ‘work-up’ sets of 50% 1RM, and 60-75% 1 RM.

  • Reps in Reserve are used where a strict % is not required or desirable. Use 2 RIR unless otherwise stated.

  • Plus (e.g. 4+) or AMAP Sets complete to technical failure ( Break down of form)

  • For Bodyweight (BW) exercises, adjust the reps downward if necessary to hit the prescribed RIR. Thereafter increase reps by 1 each week. 

  • Where Weighted Exercises (Weighted Pull-Up, Weighted Dip etc) are prescribed, if required, substitute with BW version and/or use assistance to hit reps and RIR.

  • Where a rep range is prescribed this will come in two forms:

  • Standard Range - 6-8; Choose a weight that allows you to lift 6-8 reps with stated RIR.

  • Bracket Range - (6-8); Choose a weight that you can complete the lower bracketed number at stated RIR. Thereafter add one rep each week until you reach the higher bracketed number. At this point increase your load slightly (1-5Kg) and start back at the lower rep number. You won't always be able to increase reps or weight, where this happens, aim to maintain the weight. DO NOT sacrifice form to increase weight.

  • Where two Dumbbells (DB) are required for a prescribed exercise enter total weight (e.g. DB Bench Press 20Kg each arm = 40KG)

  • Rest time: For any exercise prescribed as a % of 1RM rest as long as required for full recovery. If you are time constrained, rest for the stated time.

Performance Tracking & Embedded Testing


BLO incorporates embedded testing to routinely assess key performance indicators without disrupting the flow of training.

Approximately every 8 weeks, you'll cycle through targeted assessments designed to monitor progress across the BLO KPIs.

At the outset, you have the option to complete a comprehensive Operator Onboarding Performance Review (OOPR)—a detailed snapshot of your current physical capability across these domains.

Whilst optional, the OOPR provides valuable insight for tailoring your approach and identifying individual priorities. The OOPR also enables immediate, accurate prescription of training intensity, ensuring your programming is individualised to you from day one.

Whether or not you choose to complete the full review, the built-in testing ensures your development remains aligned with the demands of operational performance.