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THE DEFINITIVE SPEC OPS RESOURCE FOR FITNESS AND SELECTION

Physical Fitness

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 14, Day 2

A quick workout to start the Monday morning and week off right. Start off with the basics of pushups, sit-ups, and crunches, then to the bar for V-ups, pull-ups, and dips before a 5-mile run in a mini UBRR test. Remember to stay hydrated and mark your progress in your workout log book.

So how was your time in the 12-miler on Sunday? Were you under the standard of 3 hours? How do your feet feel after that? If your time was near or over the time limit, then you know what needs to get worked on. By now your feet should be in much better shape than when you began the program.

UBRR Training:

More preparation for the UBRR

1 x 1-minute Pushups

1 x 1-minute Sit-ups

1 x 1-minute, Crunches

1 x 1-minute, V-ups

1 x Dips as many as possible to muscle failure (No time limit)

1 x Pullups as many as possible or to muscle failure (No time limit)

5-mile run (40 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 14, Day 1

Sunday morning Rucksack march. Do a quick warmup of pushups and sit-ups before heading out. Head out over varied terrain and try to go as fast as you can without running.

Stretch well both before and after the event. Remember to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated out there. It is possible that this 12-miler will be in the rain this morning, so we’ll get this one in with the rain jacket on.

Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit-ups

12-mile Rucksack march over varied terrain with a 45-pound minimum. Remember the standard is 3 hours…. With the threat of rain early, it is a good reminder that many of your gated events may be in bad weather or not in the greatest of conditions. Keep driving on.

Stretch well after completion

 

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 13, Day 7

Saturday morning and heading back to the gym for a shoulder and back workout. Towel pull-ups if you have no access to ropes or climb 20-25 ft. ropes if they are available. Followed by a four-mile run. Log your numbers down in the workout notebook

UBRR Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 10 Lat Pulldowns, rear

3 x 10 Barbell Dead Lift

3 x 10 Wide Grip Pull-ups

25-foot Rope climb or 3 x 10 Towel Pull-ups

3 x 10 Seated Rows

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Seated Bent-Over Delt Raise

3 x 10 Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 10 Arnold Dumbbell Press

4-mile run (32 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 13, Day 6

Friday is the end of the week for some and our Leg Day at the gym. Start with Squats – (front, dumbbell goblet, and barbell), then some Lunges and the Weighted Sled Push. Follow it all up with a five-mile run. Mark your progress down in your workout log book and stretch well after the session.

UBRR Training:

Continue to prep for the UBRR.

3 x Front Squat 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x Goblet Dumbbell Squats 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x 10 Barbell Squats

3 x 10 Deadlifts

3 x 10 Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 10 Romanian Lunges

3 x Weighted Sled Push/ or Fireman’s Carry

5-mile run (40 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

 

Have You Attempted the “Murph Challenge” Yet? Now is the Time

For any of our aspiring Special Operations Forces candidates and anyone else that is constantly looking for a way to push yourself and test your limits, I submit to you the “Murph Challenge”.

Lt. Michael Murphy was well-known in the Navy SEAL community for his fitness and physical toughness. He was posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor for his selfless actions during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005.

From the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Foundation:  

Murphy was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element, tasked with finding a key anti-coalition militia commander near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Shortly after inserting into the objective area, the SEALs were spotted by three goat herders who were initially detained and then released. It is believed the goat herders immediately reported the SEALs’ presence to Taliban fighters.

A fierce gun battle ensued on the steep face of the mountain between the SEALs and a much larger enemy force. Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men.

Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire. This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance. He calmly provided his unit’s location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate support for his team. At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, LT. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle. Murphy fought on, allowing one member of his team (Marcus Luttrell) to escape before he was killed.

The Murph Challenge is a simple but ass-kicking workout that isn’t for the faint of heart. It is supposed to be done wearing a 20-lb vest, however, unless you are in outstanding shape, and we stress the word outstanding… then try to do it and finish without it.

One Mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Pushups
300 Air Squats
One Mile Run

On the leaderboard for the Murph Challenge someone named Jennifer Rottkamp completed the entire challenge in 19:53 which is ridiculously fast and gets a huge amount of respect here.  Congratulations.

It was nice to see Hollywood action stars John Krasinski (13 Hours, Jack Ryan) and Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World) get behind the challenge and offer to take part in it. They both posted on Social Media.

“We got a big group of people doing The Murph Challenge this year to celebrate Memorial Day and to memorialize our fallen heroes, especially Lieutenant Michael Murphy,” Pratt said.

Pratt also thanked Murphy for his brave sacrifice and service. “Thank you to Lt. Michael P Murphy and the millions of soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We live this life because you laid down yours, gratitude and prayers for all of you,” Pratt added.

“On Monday, remember to stop at some point in your day, think and say, ‘thank you,’ to all the brave men and women who laid down their lives for you,” Krasinski said. “If you want to do something a little extra special on Monday, or before then, take the Murph Challenge.”

As we mentioned above, the challenge isn’t for the faint of heart, I didn’t need a stopwatch for my own time, but a calendar may have come in handier.

Kidding aside, much respect to Lt. Michael Murphy, RIP as on Memorial Day we paid homage to you and every other serviceman and woman who gave selflessly gave their lives for the rest of us in our country.

And if you’re looking for the next challenge, log-on to the Murph Challenge website and donate to the foundation and post your times. It is for a worthwhile cause.

Photo: US Navy

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 13, Day 5

Back to the gym this Thursday morning for a Chest (Flat, incline bench, Flies, pushups) and Triceps (Cable pushdowns, dips) workout today at the gym before heading out for a 4-mile run.

Remember to stretch well before and after and to stay hydrated. Mark your progress down in your workout log book.

UBRR Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Bench Press

3 x 10 Dumbbell Flies

3 x 10 Dumbbell Incline press

3 x 20 Pushups (alternate sets with wide, narrow and shoulder width)

3 x 10 ‘V’ Ups

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 20 Cable Push Downs (rope)

3 x 20 Dips or until muscle failure

4-mile run (32 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

 

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 13, Day 4

Shoulders and back day in the gym before heading off to do the SOF (Special Operations Forces) Triathlon. A run, a rucksack march, and a swim with fatigues and boots. If you can do all three of these things well, you will have the inside track for most of the Selection courses.

UBRR Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

2 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, behind the neck (go as heavy as possible)

2x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

2 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

2 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

2 x 10 Dumbbell Arnold Press

2 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

3-mile Run (24 minutes maximum)

3-mile Rucksack march (45-lb minimum, 45 minutes maximum)

300-meter swim in fatigues and boots (no time limit)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 13, Day 3

Tuesdays are always our Leg Day at the gym followed by a 5-mile run. Begin with pull-ups, then squats, lunges, and the sled or Fireman’s carry followed by a 5-mile run.

You must build up your legs to carry you thru the course and beyond. Those are the muscles that tote the rucksack to the nth degree both in the course and in the Regiment. Stay hydrated and log your time in your workout notebook.

UBRR Training:

Continue to prep for the UBRR

3 x Pullups 10 reps

1 x 25 ft. climbing ropes if they are available

3 x Front Squat 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x Goblet Squats 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x 10 Deadlifts

4 x Sled push heavier weight (or Fireman’s Carry)

3 x 10 reps Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 20 Side Planks

5-Mile run (40-minute maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 13, Day 2

A quick and early workout to start the day and week off right before our annual Memorial Day parade. Start off with the basics of pushups, sit-ups, and crunches, then to the bar for V-ups, pull-ups, and dips before a 5-mile run (40 minutes or less) in a UBRR prep workout.

Remember to stay hydrated and mark your progress in your workout log book.

UBRR Training:

More preparation for the UBRR

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit-ups

2 x 20, Crunches

2 x 1-minute, V-ups

2 x 10 Dips (or to muscle failure)

2 x 10 Pullups as many as possible or to muscle failure (No time limit)

5-mile run (40 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion, mark your progress in your workout log book.

 

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 13, Day 1

Sunday morning Rucksack march. Do a quick warmup of pushups and sit-ups before beginning. Head out over varied terrain and try to go as fast as you can without running. Going to try to make it a little different by heading out in one direction for an hour by going as fast as you can. And then turning around and heading back the same way. How long did it take to get back?

Stretch well both before and after the event. Remember to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated out there.

UBRR Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit-ups

2-hour Rucksack march over varied terrain with a 45-pound minimum. Go as hard and fast as you can in one direction for an hour. Then turn around and go back to the start point. And mark your distance in your workout log book. Should have been a minimum of 8 miles if you are sticking to the standard.

Stretch well after completion