Get Fit Fast: 10 Effective Tips for Every Fitness Level (Inspired by Elite Training)

If you’re looking to get fit fast, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned athlete, the key is to adopt strategies used by elite institutions such as the military or professional sports teams. These organisations are experts at getting people in peak condition efficiently and effectively, using methods that go beyond basic fitness advice. In this article, we’ll dive into the techniques they use to get people fit at every level—techniques you can apply to your own fitness journey, no matter where you’re starting from.

1. Embrace Mental Resilience Training

Elite fitness isn’t just about physical strength; it’s about mental toughness. In the army, mental resilience is a cornerstone of their training philosophy. Soldiers are trained to push through fatigue, discomfort, and stress. This level of mental endurance can translate directly to faster fitness results, because it enables you to push beyond perceived limits.

How to apply it: 

• Incorporate techniques like mindfulness and breathing exercises into your routine to stay calm under pressure.
• During intense workouts, practise pushing through discomfort for a few extra seconds. When you feel like stopping, challenge yourself to go a little further.

Elite Tip: Use the 40% Rule, popularised by Navy SEALs, which suggests that when your mind tells you you’re done, you’ve only reached 40% of your potential. Pushing past that barrier consistently will build both mental and physical endurance.

2. Utilise Tactical Training

Military-style training isn’t just about brute force—it’s about functional fitness that prepares the body for real-world challenges. Tactical athletes, like soldiers, are trained using compound, multi-joint exercises that replicate everyday movements and prepare them for unexpected physical demands.

How to apply it:

• Focus on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges. These exercises use multiple muscle groups and burn more calories in a shorter amount of time.
• Incorporate functional training with sandbags, kettlebells, or battle ropes. These tools are commonly used in elite training to build strength, balance, and coordination.

Elite Tip: Add "loaded carries" to your routine, like a farmer's walk or rucksack carry. These moves build total-body strength and are a staple in military training, improving grip strength, core stability, and endurance.

3. Master Interval Running for Maximum Cardio Gains

When time is short and efficiency is key, interval running is the go-to cardio method for elite athletes and military personnel. Interval running alternates between periods of high-intensity sprints and low-intensity recovery, helping to rapidly improve cardiovascular fitness and stamina.

How to apply it:

• Start with a simple 30-second sprint followed by 1 minute of walking or jogging. Repeat for 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing the sprint time or intensity.
• As you advance, adjust the work-to-rest ratio to 1:1 (e.g., 1 minute sprint, 1 minute jog) for a tougher challenge.

Elite Tip: Try "hill sprints" to take this workout to the next level. Running uphill increases the demand on your muscles and cardiovascular system, leading to faster gains in both speed and endurance.

4. Focus on Core Strength with Unstable Surfaces

In elite training environments, like military boot camps, the core is often trained in functional, dynamic ways that simulate real-life challenges. Training on unstable surfaces, such as balance boards or BOSU balls, engages more stabilising muscles and builds core strength faster than traditional ab exercises.

How to apply it:

• Incorporate planks, push-ups, and squats on an unstable surface like a balance board or even a soft mat to engage the core muscles more deeply.
• Add exercises like Turkish get-ups and weighted carries, which recruit the core through multiple planes of motion.

Elite Tip: Use a suspension trainer (e.g., TRX) to perform core-intensive exercises like atomic push-ups and suspended planks. This elite training tool is popular in military workouts because it challenges stability and coordination at an advanced level.

5. Train Under Fatigue for Maximum Results

Elite institutions train individuals to perform optimally even when tired. By working out when fatigued, you teach your body to keep going when it’s uncomfortable—just like soldiers are trained to do in combat situations. This builds endurance quickly and prepares you for real-life challenges.

How to apply it:

• Incorporate “finishers” at the end of your workout—a short burst of high-intensity exercise when you’re already tired, like a sprint, burpee series, or kettlebell swing set.
• Try "super setting"—performing two exercises back to back with minimal rest—to push your limits.

Elite Tip: Use "circuit training" that combines cardio and strength moves in rapid succession with minimal rest. This mimics the military’s need for sustained effort under fatigue, and it builds total body endurance efficiently.

6. Utilise Forced Reps for Strength Gains

In elite strength training, pushing beyond failure is a method commonly used to break through plateaus and rapidly build muscle. Forced reps involve doing an exercise until you can no longer lift with good form, then getting assistance to push out a few more reps with the help of a partner.

How to apply it:

• At the end of a set of strength training (like bench press or deadlifts), have a partner assist you with 2-3 additional reps after you’ve reached muscle failure.
• If you don’t have a workout partner, use “drop sets” by reducing the weight and performing additional reps until failure.

Elite Tip: Incorporate negative reps (focusing on the eccentric or lowering part of the exercise) to overload your muscles even further, forcing them to adapt quickly.

7. Train with Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is a fundamental principle in elite training, especially in the military. Soldiers are constantly pushing their physical limits, gradually increasing the intensity of their training to build strength and endurance over time.

How to apply it:

• Gradually increase the weight, intensity, or volume of your workouts. For example, if you’re lifting weights, add 2.5–5 kg each week, or increase the number of reps or sets.
• Track your progress carefully and aim for consistent, small improvements each session.

Elite Tip: Don’t forget to apply progressive overload to bodyweight exercises too. Increase the difficulty of movements like push-ups or squats by adding variations, such as elevating your feet or using a weighted vest.

8. Utilise Periodisation for Faster Gains

Elite training programmes, like those used in professional sports and military units, often employ periodisation—dividing training into phases that focus on different goals. This ensures that the body has time to recover and adapt, while also preventing burnout or injury.

How to apply it:

• Break your training into different phases, such as strength building, endurance training, and recovery. Focus on one goal at a time for a set period (e.g., 4-6 weeks), then switch to a new focus.
• Use deload weeks (where you reduce the volume and intensity) every 4-6 weeks to give your body time to recover and come back stronger.

Elite Tip: Follow a "conjugate method," where you cycle through various aspects of fitness (strength, speed, endurance) within a week rather than focusing solely on one for an extended period. This keeps the body guessing and prevents stagnation.

9. Train in All Conditions

In elite settings, people train in all types of weather and environments—hot, cold, wet, or dry. This teaches the body to adapt and remain functional under any circumstance, which is a key factor in fast-tracking fitness gains.

How to apply it:

• Train outdoors regardless of the weather. Cold? Layer up and run in the rain. Heatwave? Take necessary precautions, but don’t skip your session. Your body will adapt faster and become more resilient.
• Try environmental stress training, such as cold exposure (ice baths) or heat training, to build resilience and accelerate recovery.

Elite Tip: Adjust your hydration and nutrition based on environmental factors. Training in hot or cold conditions places different demands on the body, so fuel accordingly.

10. Master Recovery with Active Techniques

Elite athletes and soldiers know that recovery is just as important as training. But instead of passive recovery (like lying on the couch), they often use active recovery techniques like foam rolling, stretching, and light activity to promote faster muscle repair and keep the body in top shape.

How to apply it:

• Dedicate 15-20 minutes after each workout to active recovery exercises, such as foam rolling or yoga stretches. This helps reduce muscle soreness and increases flexibility.
• Incorporate techniques like contrast baths (alternating between hot and cold water) to speed up recovery.

Elite Tip: Use “sleep optimisation” as part of your recovery. Elite athletes focus on getting high-quality sleep to enhance recovery, improve muscle growth, and increase performance.

Final Thoughts

Training like an elite athlete or soldier isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing the right things to maximise your fitness quickly and effectively. By applying these elite-level strategies to your own workouts, you’ll be able to push your body further, adapt faster, and achieve remarkable results, no matter your fitness level.

At Chaski, we design high-performance gear to support your journey—whether you're sprinting uphill, lifting heavy, or recovering after a tough session. With the right mindset, techniques, and tools, you can unlock your full fitness potential.