Physical Fitness

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 4, Day 2

We’ll start our Monday doing a mini-UBRR with Pushups, sit-ups, and crunches, with V-ups and dips. Then we’ll focus on some speed work with the shuttle runs rather than a longer duration.

Have you been breaking in the second pair of boots for the ruck march from yesterday? It needs to be done and will be giving you fewer problems in the long run. We’ll address that again as well in some upcoming posts.

UBRR Training:

More preparation for the UBRR

2 x 1-minute Pushups

2 x 1-minute Sit-ups

2 x 1-minute, Crunches

2 x 1-minute, V-ups

2 x Dips as many as possible to muscle failure

10 x 40-meter shuttle run

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 4, Day 1

Best way to start our Sunday before the sun comes up is our Sunday Ruck March. Grab your training partner and hit the trail. A little warm-up and a good long rucksack march. As always be sure to stay hydrated during the ruck march. It should be a habit that will carry over to Selection and training afterward.

Becoming dehydrated during a long training event such as a ruck march or long-range movement is a guarantee for bigger problems and failure, keep sipping on the water during the march. Ensure to mark your times in your workout logbook. You should start to see improvement in your times.

UBRR Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit-ups

8-mile rucksack march (2 hours/120 minutes maximum) over varied terrain. Try to keep your pace better than the standard (15 minutes per mile). And mark your times in your workout log book.

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 3, Day 7

An early spring snowstorm set back our timetable a bit this morning. Back in the gym this morning for some shoulders and back training before heading out for a run. We’ll break up the routine next week with some more speed interval running, that will help to build up your short area quickness and speed. And we’ll do some swimming which is also very important.

UBRR Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 10 Pullups

3 x 12 Seated Rows (go as heavy as possible)

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

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

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 3, Day 6

Friday is always a good day for Leg Day at the gym, we’ll go for the lighter weight in the squats but higher reps that will help with endurance. Weighted sled push builds up some explosion and strength. The leg work will bode well for you in Selection and in SOF units in your future if you are successful in your quest to get Selected.

Continue to prep for the UBRR.

UBRR Training:

3 x Pullups 10 reps

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

3 x Deadlifts 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

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

3 x 12 Lying Leg Curls

3 x 20 Leg Extensions

4 x 12 Standing Calf Raises. 4 sets, 12 reps.

3 x 20 Shoulder touch planks

3-mile run

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 3, Day 5

All the workout can be done outside this morning, no gym time today. We are going to max out on pushups, sit-ups, and crunches today before we head back out on the rucking trails. There is no time limit on any of the exercises, obviously, the goal is to get them done as quickly as you can.

With the snow due to hit the east coast today, it would probably be a good idea to start a bit earlier than normal. Stretch well before and after and ensure you hydrate well during the ruck march.

UBRR Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

100 Pushups (no time limit)

100 Sit-ups (no time limit)

100 Crunches (no time limit)

Rucksack march: Go as hard and as fast as you can for 1 hour. Do this without running. See what your distance is and make a notation. This will give a goal to achieve in later training sessions.

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 3, Day 4

Shoulder work in the gym is the order of the day along with some speed work. The sprints will help with your overall cardio fitness, build explosion in your legs and will serve you well with your endurance. It is also a functional part of your job in Special Operations.

There will be plenty of times where you’ll have to sprint short distances with your gear on. It will test you in a different manner than a distance run. This is a system that some NFL teams use to increase their speed.

UBRR Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

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

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

40-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

50-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

60-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

70-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

80-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

90-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

100-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

Stretch well after completion

Get Out And Ruck For a Cause While Prepping for Selection

We have frequently in the past advocated for many of the fine organizations that support our Veteran community here at SpecialOperations.com, especially those who care for our Special Operations Forces and/or are conducting a fundraiser thru rucking.

During the past weekend, the 30th annual Bataan Memorial Death March drew its largest field of ruckers and runners yet with 8,631 registered to run or march through the desert in the area of White Sands Missile Range.

People could register for the full 26.2-mile marathon march/run or a shorter 14.2-mile course. The Bataan Memorial Death March course was started by students from New Mexico State University back in 1989. Just three years later in 1992, the Army got involved and began holding the event on the military installation.

Sunday’s event was a huge success, besides the nearly 9000 event participants, there were 1500 volunteers supporting the course, thousands of spectators to cheer on the participants as well as four of the surviving Bataan Death March soldiers. One of the survivors, Ben Skardon who is 101 years old, led “Ben’s Brigade” on a three-mile course back to the base.

Skardon is a retired Colonel from the U.S. Army and a professor emeritus from Clemson University. This is the 12th time, that he’s attended and walked in the memorial event. He’s an inspiration to many for his “Never Quit” attitude. Way to go Ben.

In preparing for your own Selection courses, these fundraisers are a great way to give back to your own community and to get out and break up the normal Selection prep routine. Many of the rucksack marchers in the “heavy” category, with a minimum of 35-pounds or more, filled their rucksacks with canned goods to donate to local food pantries at the conclusion of the event. That is even more civic-minded.

Our own Selection prep on Sunday consisted of our own weekly Sunday rucksack march. Since I couldn’t attend out there at the White Sands Missile Range in person, I decided that I’d be there in spirit. I got out in the cold a bit earlier than normal and extended my own Sunday ruck march out. I was finishing up about the time, the people in the desert were forming up, due to the time difference. But that event is on my own personal bucket list of events to attend.

This coming weekend is an event being held in places across the United States to bring the public to light on the plight of veteran’s suicides and to reduce the number while assisting military families.

The event called “Carry the Fallen” is not one I had personally heard of prior, however, it is a particularly noble cause and definitely one we can all get behind. According to their website, they hope to accomplish their goal by:

Establishing camaraderie to cope with Post Traumatic Stress (anger, depression, loneliness, substance abuse, and suicidal tendencies). Uniting veterans, families, and supporters to care for each other in times of need.
Training Team Leaders how to interact with suicidal veterans and the steps to assist them.
Developing a Peer Mentor and Ambassador community of veterans, military families and civilians who support struggling families and/or veterans.
Supporting Active Heroes programs including the retreat, community center, home repairs, and active challenges from donations raised by the Carry The Fallen events that will help reduce veteran suicide with outdoor activity programs and educational programs.

Teams form to ruck-march for 3, 6, 12 or 22 hours while carrying the weight that symbolizes the burden that many veterans carry post-war or post-trauma. This weekend the two events scheduled are Carry the Fallen-Boston, MA, March 23 @ 5:30 am – 7:30 p.m. and Roswell’s Salute To The Troops-Carry The Fallen, March 24 @ 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Another big fundraiser coming up is the “Tough Ruck 2019” which honors military, police, firefighters, EMTs and first responders who have fallen in the line of duty. The walk a 26.2-mile course in either the Heavy (35-lb) or Light (15-lb) category. This event is coming up on April 14, 2019, at the Old Manse, 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA (start/finish line), where the participants will raise money for the charity and if they finish the course, will be awarded a Boston Marathon medal.

So break up your training routine and support a good cause, there are plenty out there and take place nearly every weekend, especially since rucking has become the new cool thing for civilians to emulate the military.

It will not only help out those in need, but it will also break up your training regimen a bit and give yourself a chance to push your training a bit. There’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition to get the blood flowing.

Happy Rucking…DOL

Photo of Ben Skardon: DVIDS:

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 3, Day 3

Continue to prep for the UBRR. Leg Day at the gym, our favorite with squats, the sled push, and some lunges. We’ll follow that with a three-mile run at a good pace, faster than the standard. Remember to stretch well before and after the run and to hydrate.

UBRR Training:

3 x Pullups 10 reps

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

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

3 x 10 Deadlifts

3 x 10 Sled push or Fireman’s Carry

3 x 10 reps Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 25 Crunches

3-mile run (24 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 3, Day 2

This Monday we’ll focus on some speed work with the sprints rather than a longer duration.

It will build up some explosion in your legs and improve your overall running. We’ll hit the exercises heavy this morning and build up some endurance. Focus on correct form and then worry about the speed. Especially with the pushups.

By now after the training program has been in effect for a while, your feet shouldn’t be bothering you too badly after the ruck march from Sunday.

UBRR Training:

More preparation for the UBRR

2 x 1-minute Pushups

2 x 1-minute Sit-ups

2 x 1-minute, Crunches

2 x 1-minute, V-ups

2 x Dips as many as possible to muscle failure

10 x 40-meter sprints (walk back to the start and begin again)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 3, Day 1

A short warm-up and a good long Sunday morning rucksack march. Go as fast as you can without running. Go over varied terrain and learn to use the downslope of the hills to make time. It was a cold, windy morning today, after a spring-like thaw of 60 on Friday, we’re back in the 20s early this St. Patrick’s Day, which hardened the trail a bit, after being out yesterday in some muddy, soft spots, it was much easier going.

As always be sure to stay hydrated during the march. It should be a habit that will carry over to Selection and training afterward. Becoming dehydrated during a long training event such as a ruck march or long-range movement is a guarantee for bigger problems and failure, keep drinking water during the course.

Speaking of hydration, it is coffee time and then later, “hydrate” with your drink of choice. Moderation, guys, and gals….moderation.

UBRR Training:

Warm up

20 Pushups

20 Sit-ups

6-mile rucksack march over varied terrain. Try to keep your pace better than the standard, (90 minutes maximum). And mark your times in your workout log book.

Stretch well after completion