Rucking

How Can Women Improve on Rucking for Special Ops Selection

Rucking is one of the biggest discriminators for Special Operations Selection. It, along with Land Navigation are two of the biggest problem areas that candidates face when attempting to enter into one of the units in the military. And now with Special Operations open to women, they face the same issues that men face. In fact, they are generally facing an even tougher go of it, which we’ll get to shortly.

We’ve had women successfully navigate Ranger School as officers, and recently a woman NCO just successfully completed Ranger training which is looked upon in the Army as one of the premier leadership schools for not only members of the Ranger Regiment but for the conventional Army as well.

And as there have already been women attempting SEAL and Special Forces Selection (SFAS) in the past few years and it is only a matter of time before several attempts to make the try again. Let’s be upfront here, we’re not here to debate whether or not women belong in Speciation Operations Forces units. That debate is dead, the government and the Pentagon have decided to allow any who wants to, the opportunity to try and pass Selection.

Likewise, we’re not delving into the territory of whether or not there is a double standard for women candidates having a different standard for passing the course as men. We’ve heard the accusations and read some of what is out there on the subject. And for the purpose of this piece, we could care less.

We were asked here at SpecialOperations.com, by a woman who is considering putting in a packet for Special Operations on how she can improve her rucking skills, which according to her, is a problem area, one not uncommon for women.

Men are physiologically vastly different than women, (There’s your SpecialOperations.com news flash of the day!). Generally, they are smaller and have less muscle than their male counterparts. This particular woman candidate that reached out to us, isn’t considered short by female standards but would be considered that for men (5’6-5’7) and has stated that she’s had issues keeping the pace with her male counterparts by walking, and has to often resort to a slow shuffling run to keep up.

This is hardly an issue strictly for women, many men, even taller ones have the same issues. Keeping up the pace that you’ll need to meet the standards of Selection requires a ton of practice. No one is an expert rucker on Day 1, like any other skill it will require constant repetition and corrective measures to constantly get better at it.

So, the only way to get better at rucking is to first, ruck more and more until it becomes a strength rather than a liability. And as this particular candidate pointed out, while she is a good runner, she’s had issues with the weight of rucking, again a common issue with male candidates who are inexperienced in doing it.

So how can women improve their rucking skills? We’ll try to answer that as simply as possible below.

Improve Lower Body/Core Muscle Mass: Women, for the most part, are loathe to add muscle to their bodies. The social media trolls who body shame women are quick to criticize everything women do, and while this is beginning to change in regards to packing on muscle, most women will be the first to say, that they’d rather be “toned than built”, but if you want to be in Special Operations, that attitude will have to change.

No one is saying that they have to look like Arnold in “Commando”, but if you want to lug that pain pill around all day long, your legs and lower body are going to have to bear the brunt of it. And for a woman 5’6-5’7, with appropriate body weight, that means the ratio of body weight to what you’re carrying is going to be much higher than a guy who weighs 210-215 pounds.

How do they build up that lower muscle mass? Squats. Plenty of squats, both front squats, and barbell squats. Start with lighter weights and do plenty of repetitions. Then, gradually increase the weight until your legs are getting the power and explosion that will give you the strength to push out carrying a heavy ruck all day long.

Squats are also great all over muscle builders and will help stabilize your core while carrying the rucksack.

Also, another great exercise is the weighted sled push. This should become a part of your leg training routine and will help immeasurably with your rucking. Go for a heavier weight to build up strength and power, (somewhere between 100-200 percent of your body weight) and go from there.

Don’t neglect upper body workouts either, the workouts we publish daily are a good way to build up the upper body to handle the weight of the ruck on your shoulders and back.

When it comes to the workouts and other considerations, such as boots, foot care, and rucking techniques etc., I would encourage women to check out our earlier posts on the way to improve. Those rucking articles would translate for women just as easily as they do for men.

So, while women will have to carry a larger percentage of their body weight as opposed to men while rucking, it isn’t anything that can’t be done and hasn’t been done. Many women are doing more and more rucking, not just in the military but outside of it as well. The Go-RUCK events are drawing more and more women into their ranks. And they are doing well at it.

So, good luck in your quest. Remember failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Who’s ready to go rucking today? DOL

Photo: DOD

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 1

It is time for our Sunday morning ruck march. We’ll do a six-mile course today over varied terrain, aim for a time better than the standard of 90 minutes. Do a quick warmup of pushups and sit-ups before heading out.

Stretch well both before and after the ruck march. Remember to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated out there. And wear your second pair of boots today.

Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit-ups

6-mile rucksack march over varied terrain, 90 minutes maximum. And mark your times in your workout log book. If your feet are hurting after completion, then that second pair of boots may need more break-in time. Don’t wait for Selection to get that done.

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 5

Back to the gym on Thursday morning for a Chest and triceps workout to include some pushups, sit-ups, and kip ups. Then a 5-mile ruck march with 45-pounds minimum.

The weather in the Northeast is currently in the mid-to-high-90s with the heat index of about 105, so, ensure that you are taking the proper precautions out there, remember to stay hydrated. And mark your progress down in your workout log book.

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

3 x 10 Kip Ups

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 20 Cable Push Downs (rope)

3 x 20 Dips or until muscle failure

5-mile rucksack march (45-pound minimum, 75-minutes minimum) over varied terrain, note your time

Stretch well after completion

Train To Pass The UBRR And You’ll Be Ready For Anything

About a year ago, we wrote a piece about preparing our candidates for Selection and in regards to the Physical Fitness test, training for the UBRR (Upper Body Round Robin) rather than the old, outdated 3-Event Physical Fitness test.

We had received several questions from potential candidates asking,“Why do use the Upper Body Round Robin Test, the UBRR to focus on for candidates fitness in your Special Operations Forces (SOF), Physical Training workouts instead of having them just ready themselves for the 3-Event test?

It was a good question and for the next generation of candidates coming into the pipeline for Special Operations, we’ll explain why we feel this is not only the best way but the only way to go.

But first, a bit of background on the UBRR. Several years ago, a group of Delta operators headed up by Ed Bugarin decided to test themselves physically and came up with a test that would take some of the already most fit special operators in the world and give them a challenge. They took certain things each of them did well and weaved them into a round robin type of workout that eventually became the UBRR.

So, why use the UBRR and not the 3-Event PT Test that each candidate will be tested on when they get to Selection? Let’s take a look at some of these and any questions you have should be answered.

The 3-Event Test is a Poor Test For “Functional” Fitness for SOF: Although the three event PT Test is still what the military uses to test a candidate’s physical fitness, It is a poor choice for testing a Special Operations team member on functional fitness.

What is functional fitness? The textbook definition is that functional fitness exercises train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports. While using various muscles in the upper and lower body at the same time, functional fitness exercises also emphasize core stability.

The 3-Event test doesn’t train your body to do the tasks you’ll be required to conduct in SOF and for the military for that matter. The Army is scrapping the 3-Event PT Test (finally) and is working on a newer, more functional test.

Ask any Special Operator about the 3-Event PT test and they’ll tell you it is a joke. Many of the candidates who regularly get 300 on their PT test at their unit, come to Selection and are completely unprepared physically for what comes their way.

UBRR is a Much Better Fitness Indicator Overall: When it comes to functional fitness and having core body strength, the UBRR is head and shoulders above the standard testing event.

As we mentioned above the UBRR was designed by Ed Bugarin and some of the other Delta Force operators many years ago. These Delta operators were into fitness and decided to come up with a physical fitness test for themselves that would incorporate total body fitness. That is how the UBRR was born. The test will measure, upper body strength, endurance, cardio as well as core fitness.

Selection is no joke. You’ll be pushed to your physical limits. That is what the course was designed to do. And if you want to be in Special Operations and be part of the best-trained units in the world, you’ll have to be ready for any and all challenges that come your way. The UBRR is a very tough test that will gauge a person’s fitness level overall and takes into consideration upper body strength as well as endurance and cardio.

Let’s refresh our memories on the events of the UBRR

The UBRR test consists of nine events.

#1: Bench Press– 80% of your body weight, 6 repetitions minimum, no time limit

Each additional repetition above the minimum is worth 3 points

#2: Pushups– 40 push-ups is the minimum, 1-minute time limit.

Each additional repetition above the minimum is worth 2 points

#3 Sit-Ups– 40 sit-ups is the minimum, 1-minute time limit.

Each additional repetition above the minimum is worth 3 points

#4: Pull-ups– 6 pull-ups is the minimum, no time limit.

Each additional repetition above the minimum is worth 3.5 points

#5: Dips– 10 dips is the minimum, no time limit.

Each additional repetition above the minimum is worth 2.5 points

#6: Rope Climb– Member must climb a 20-foot rope while wearing a 20lb vest. No time limit. Pass/Fail

#7: Kipp Up– 6 Kipp Ups is the minimum, no time limit.

Each additional repetition above the minimum is worth 3.5 points

#8: Shuttle Run– 25 meters shuttle run, done 4 times, 24 second time limit.

Each full 0.1 second under the maximum is worth 2 points.

#9: 5 Mile Run/Ruck– 5-mile run, 40-minute time limit.

Every full 5-second increment under the maximum time is worth 2 points

5-mile ruck, 75-minute time limit. 45-lb rucksack, not counting water.

Every full-time increment of 15 seconds under the maximum is worth 2 points.

As soon as an individual finishes one exercise, he must start the next exercise in no more than 1 minute.

There is only one common standard for all age groups.

A failure of any part of the test is a failure overall. The fact that there is no sliding scale for age groups is interesting in the fact that, when members are in the operational units, they are all expected to be able to do the same job regardless of one’s age.

Only one attempt is allowed per participant at each station

In order to pass the UBRR, participants must achieve the following:

Pass all of the events with at least the minimum score, and receive at least 1100 total points from all the events combined. For those with trouble with math in figuring out your score, there is an online UBRR calculator that will figure out your score for you.

This is a much tougher test to measure total physical fitness and much better functional fitness test for what Special Operations troops are required to do. And this is part of being in SOF, the ability to work harder and accomplish more than the average troop.

The bottom line is this: if you as a Special Operations candidate are ready to pass the UBRR then the first gate you’ll be required to pass, the 3-Event PT test will be an absolute breeze. For now, we’re stuck with the antiquated PT Test. Eventually, the military will break out their new test, which is much better but in our opinion still has a way to go, especially for what you are setting your sights on.

But that doesn’t mean you have to set your standards low. Set out to get 1300-1400 in the UBRR, then achieve it and you’ll smoke the 3-Event PT Test, that we can guarantee. And if you’re in that kind of shape, you’ll be much better prepared to handle anything that will get thrown in your direction during the course. Does it guarantee you’ll be selected? No, but the odds of you being selected will be much, much higher

Approach all of your workouts and your physical preparation like any other challenge, and meet it head-on. Better yet, approach it like you are the third monkey on Noah’s Ark and it is beginning to rain.

Photo: DOD

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 4

Happy Hump Day, it is back and shoulders day at the gym. Then a 5-miler rucksack march. Ensure that your second pair of boots are well broken in and wear them today.

Remember to stay hydrated while on the march, especially so now that there is a heatwave blanketing the East Coast and mark your progress in the workout log book.

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 Deadlift

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Arnold Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

5-mile Rucksack march (45-lb minimum, 75-minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

“We Keep Rucking Until Our Leg Falls Off…Right?

There are times in Special Operations where you just have to stand back and say WTF just happened. And it seems to crazy that it can’t possibly be true…but it is and then you just have to laugh. He’s a funny rucking story for you guys this morning.

Many years ago, while our Special Forces team was on a counter-narcotics MTT to Bolivia, the 7th SFG guys did what they always have done, they worked themselves out of a job. For years we had been sending A-Teams to Chimore and Villa Tunari for the “Red Dragon” deployments. Then came the “Stonebridge” deployments, along with teams that trained with other Bolivian units in Riberalta, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz and the Bolivian Rangers (the Manchego Bn), the unit that captured and executed Che Guevara after being trained up by Pappy Shelton and the 8th SFG from Panama.

The SF guys trained the UMOPAR, Unidad Móvil Policial para Áreas Rurales (Mobile Police Unit for Rural Areas) the Bolivian para-military counternarcotics police. They wore camouflage uniforms, carried M-2 carbines and M-79 grenade launchers and worked alongside the DEA Snowcap personnel.

As we were getting ready to leave after our six-month deployment, the MILGRP commander and the Country Team made it clear that they felt the UMOPAR training no longer needed an entire (or at times piggybacked pair of A-Teams) to train them up. In fact, they were looking for the DEA to have their own strike force that would remain on the books for the Bolivian government but would be trained and answer only to the U.S. They asked us how it should be trained and put together. We threw together a quick concept and gave them an outline for that.

Fast forward a year later and my partner Dave and I are back and starting the training for this new UMOPAR unit. The first group of guys who were supposed to be the best troops in the UMOPAR for this new unit. The guys, mostly Bolivian campesinos were a mix of city guys from La Paz, Sucre and Cochabamba and the Indian tribes from the countryside who spoke Spanish as a second language.

They were really short but were good natural runners but their rucking skills were in the neophyte stage. So we decided we’d start with 35-lb rucks and not the standard 45-lb that U.S. Special Operations troops begin with.

So for the first cadre-led ruck march PT session, we lined up in the dark about 4:45 in the morning. They were bitching in formation like all soldiers do about being up so early. Our concept was simple since we were just a two-man training team. I’d set the pace up front and Dave would be the “pusher” in the back, keeping the stragglers from falling too far behind. This should be easy…right?

So we trudge out the gate of Chimore with a few guys having chemlights attached to their rucks on the back, just in case the odd driver would be traveling the highway at that time of morning. The pace was easy for the first half-mile, we had already done a test run with just ourselves and had the route marked out.

I started picking up the pace and it wasn’t long before I’d hear the all-too-familiar sound of one guy behind me begin to shuffle and then that sound echoing as the slinky effect took hold.

At the Mile-2 mark, I picked up the pace even more and now the sound of small, intermittent pattering of Bolivian feet became a steady shuffle to keep up with the gringo up front. About two minutes later, from the middle of the formation behind me, I heard something I didn’t expect to….laughter. I turned to see where it was coming from but in the near pitch darkness, I couldn’t see more than one or two guys behind me.

“Well,” thinks I. If they’re finding so much humor in this, let’s get this party started. I picked up the pace even more. Now the shuffling was accompanied by heavy breathing from our candidates as we were moving out with a purpose.

A moment later, more laughter from the Bolivian troops, this time followed by Dave’s voice, now far behind me, “¡Conejo”, “¡Carajo!” Good I thought, Dave is kicking their asses back into the formation.

This sequence repeated two more times and each time, I’d pick up the pace even more, on the way back to base as we approached the bridge that led up to the gate, I started running and urged them to tighten it up and away we went. I ran the last 300 meters or so and then into the compound to where we had our formation. The sun was just beginning to rise and the inky blackness of night was giving way to that grey dawn where everything looks like it is in black and white.

As the formation slowed to a stop, the heavy breathing of the troops was intermingled with more laughter and good-natured shit talking of the troops to one another. I was totally unprepared for what I saw next. Dave looked like he’d run over by a semi. His uniform was tattered and covered with mud, and he was really pissed off…at me.

“What the hell happened”, I asked him? He was hot but kept his voice low, “didn’t you hear me yelling in the back” he asked? The strap on my leg snapped and the f***ng thing kept falling off, and I must have wiped out about five times.”

Dave had lost his leg below the knee about three years earlier. And back then an SF guy or any army guy missing a limb still on active duty was a rarity. There was only three that I knew of. Dave, Carlos Parker, a Sergeant Major from 7th SFG who lost his in Vietnam and Major Dunford, who was our XO at SFAS and then lost his leg when his Hummer rolled over a mine during the first Gulf War.

The Bolivians in the dark had no idea that A. Dave had only one leg and B. that is was falling off during the ruck march. They thought he was just stumbling and falling in the dark. We would get to that in a moment. But first, we had to set things up properly.

We explained to the troops that they’d be carrying more weight and equipment than the average UMOPAR troops and they’d be getting better kit once we got the unit manned. But, they’d have to learn how to move and move fast with all of that gear.

So with that, I asked if there were any questions. And sure enough, one smart-ass in the back said, “It is easy for you guys to move that fast, you have legs twice as long as ours.” There was the cue.

I nodded to Dave, who slid his leg out of his pants and tossed it in front of the formation. It landed perfectly with the boot down standing at attention. There was a gasp from the formation, most of the Bolivians had never seen a prosthetic limb before and they were shocked into silence. “Your legs may be short, but at least you have two of those,” Dave said. You could hear a pin drop.

He leaned in and whispered to me, “that got their attention, I’m grabbing a shower”, and with that, he hopped on one foot into our building. I stood there for a moment longer. “Any other questions or comments?” There were none. I turned the formation over to the local commanders for showers and breakfast. As the troops left they were all coming by and staring at the leg before resuming their grab-assery on the way to their barracks.

We left Dave’s leg there until after breakfast, he had a spare with him and as the regular UMOPAR dudes were doing their morning chores they’d pass by our building and stare at this metal leg with a US jungle boot attached and then stare inside. Dave sent his broken prosthetic back up to Walter Reed and rather than fix it, they sent him a new high-speed version to the Embassy (that’s a story for another time).

Dave became Sargento Terminator to the troops and they asked a few times if he had any more metal parts. I told them his member was made of steel and they rolled on the floor and said that he must be popular with the ladies…if they only knew.

As we progressed with the training, the Bolivian guys never got great at rucking but they improved. One morning we told them we were going on an 8-miler. We told the troops we would be setting a quick pace thru the entire ruck march.

The Bolivian sergeant major looked at me and smiled. We keep rucking until our legs fall off, right?” he asked. That’s called motivation boys and girls.

So when you’re rucking to prepare for your own Selection and your legs begin to tire, remember…you’ve got two. DOL

Photo: DOD

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 1

Sunday Morning Ruck March. Rucking is on the agenda for today after a quick warmup of pushups and sit-ups. Stretch well both before and after the ruck march.

Remember to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated out there, despite the bitter cold weather. And ensure that you have at least two pairs of boots broken in for the course.

UBRR Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit-ups

Rucksack march over varied terrain. Go as hard and as fast as you can in one direction alongside a road for one hour. Mark your distance. Then head back to the start point. This will be good practice for the selection course where you won’t know the route or the distance. And mark your times in your workout log book.

Stretch well after completion

Feed The Beast! Proper Nutrition Will Help in Rucking

When we write about preparing for the rigors of Selection and the qualification courses here in Special Operations.com, one specific area we don’t write about often is proper nutrition. It is an oversight on our part and it is for two very good reasons.

Number one, I am not a nutritionist and have no training in that realm. And #2, although I’m much better at it now than when I was younger, my nutrition is still pretty crappy overall. But we’ll resolve to do better by our readers, especially those younger ones who are candidates for or soon will be for the Special Operations Forces for our military

Years ago, I met a former professional athlete and we spoke about strength and conditioning programs that pros use and one of the first things he told me was proper nutrition was a key component. His words were prophetic, “There’s nothing in here that is a magic elixir but you should pay attention to the nutrition guidelines…which you probably won’t.”

The Special Forces of my generation weren’t big on nutrition at the personal or unit levels. From what I’ve been reading, both are much better at it today, which means a better trained, healthier force.

Unfortunately, more fraud exists in the nutrition industry than in any other segment of the fitness business. So, when we look at the preparation for rucking that we do to prepare for Selection, there are also nutritional guidelines that should be followed. These four guidelines should be applied to whenever you are doing a ruck march of at least one hour in duration.

Eat a good meal (3-4 hrs) prior to rucking can improve your performance.
Preload carbs/fluids: Start the rucksack march fueled and hydrated by having a light snack an hour or more before setting out
Eat during (WHAT? More below) the ruck: Eat some carbs and hydrate while on the go
Post Ruck Meal: Recovery time folks, continue to re-hydrate and eat some carbs

So, let’s go over these one at a time and see how each can help the candidate out. And be advised, during the Selection and/or qualification courses, candidates’ schedules may not allow them to follow this guideline perfectly. Take these and try to follow along as best you can.

Eat Well Prior To a Long Ruck March:

Candidates should consider eating a meal well stoked in carbs 3-4 hours prior to a long distance ruck march. However, as we mentioned above, the time frame and schedule of the class may preclude this from happening. Many marathon runners “carb up” with pasta the night before a 26-miler.

Try to do the same, if possible. Pasta has always been a favorite of mine but everyone is different and you have to find what works best for you. If you can, whole grain, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit

Preload Carbs/Fluids:

About an hour before the ruck, candidates should ideally be hydrated to start the ruck with a full tank. A light snack that has a high amount of carbs and moderate in protein and lower in fat should be consumed, if possible.

Oatmeal, cereal, bagels, peanut butter, bananas are all good ideas. In the Selection course, eat what you can, when you can.

Eat and Drink During a Long Ruck March:

Some guys believe it is blasphemy to eat anything while on a ruck march, that it will slow you down, cramp you up or make you sick. But once again, if possible it is most advisable to eat something from carbs during the ruck. It prolongs the onset of fatigue and keeps your head in the game, mentally keeping you sharp as your tank runs dry, the drop in blood-sugar levels will adversely affect your decision making and concentration.

Sports drinks are perfect for this, however, in Selection? You probably won’t have access to them so hydrate constantly with water. About 45-60 minutes into a ruck, your body will be craving sugar and anything you take, Jolly Ranchers, Lemon Drops, Gummi Bears, candy bars that you are allowed to have will help out. Keep them handy in a pocket that can be reached while on the course so it doesn’t slow you down.

When taking in water, ensure you drink before feeling thirsty. If you wait for thirst to kick in, you’re already 2-3 percent dehydrated. The amount of water varies that you’ll need to replenish during a high-intensity event such as a ruck march and the weather conditions.

Cool water works the best, that’s why during the summer when you’re working hard outside an ice cold beer or Coke tastes so good. Your body is craving it and it does work the best. Obviously, there won’t be any beer on the drop zone or ruck march. But it is a nice thought, even if it is bad for you. Beer or anything else with alcohol is a diuretic and dehydrates you even faster.

Something to consider down the road, if you use anything other than water in your Camelback system, it will have to be cleaned thoroughly after its use. Leaving Gatorade or a similar type of drink in there can cause bacteria which can you to get sick as a dog. I’m guilty of this often, but I’m doing it while rucking from home, and it is much easier to clean here than in the field or in a school environment.

Recovery Post Ruck Meal:

Immediately after the long ruck, most candidates will want to sit or get off their feet. It is natural and trust me everyone feels that way, especially after a 20 miler. However, if possible (there’s that caveat again), Keep walking, albeit slowly to cool down your muscles and this will decrease your soreness the next day.

Now when it comes time to refuel after the race, fruit juice is excellent for restoring your glycogen stores. Now is the time (30-60 minutes post ruck) to ingest some protein. Milk and/or soy milk actually will rehydrate your body faster and better than plain water. Eat something simple right away that is rich in carbs before indulging in anything heavy. Wait a few hours before doing that.

There will be no easy way to prepare yourself during Selection. But during your training prior to going, work on this routine and find what works best for you and then stick to it. Selection is a different animal, your schedule and the cadre will control your clock but do your best to follow this.

You’ll notice I didn’t list any weights for carbs, protein, and fat. Like so many of the runner’s magazines and fitness articles where they say, “eat X grams of protein, X grams of carbs.” I don’t believe in cookie cutter formulas. Not to discount them entirely, I’m not doing that. Everyone’s body is different and you have to find what works for yours. That’s what the train up period is for. Work out the kinks and treat your body like the well-oiled machine it should be.

Rucking is like anything else, it requires much practice and patience. Part of that, a large part is the techniques you will use. But proper nutrition also plays an important part. When your body starts to wear down in the course, your body can recover much faster by using proper nutrition.

Photo: DOD

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 5, Day 5

Back to the gym on Thursday morning for a Chest and triceps workout to include some pushups, sit-ups, and kip ups. Then a 5-mile ruck march with 45-pounds minimum. Remember to stay hydrated and 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

3 x 10 Kip Ups

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 20 Cable Push Downs (rope)

3 x 20 Dips or until muscle failure

5-mile rucksack march (45-pound minimum, 75-minutes maximum) over varied terrain, note your time

Stretch well after completion

Ruck, Ruck, Rucking The Hills for Selection Prep

Before hitting the gym this morning, I went back out on the rucking trails and hit the woods among the hills here in Central Mass. We have a small state park called “Purgatory Chasm” nearby that has some shorter hiking trails that we could take advantage of rucking the hills before they fill up with the hikers in the area. Rucking in the hills shouldn’t be something to be feared, just another chance to excel for the aspiring Special Operations candidate.

The trails were still muddy and slow from the severe thunderstorms that wracked the area in the past few days…but not climate change, right? The mud actually adds to the workout, and while it will slow down your time, it builds leg muscles for the long haul. The trails are short enough that we had to do a couple of loops to get the distance in that we were looking for.

In Special Operations, and especially in Selection, training doesn’t stop when the weather turns to crap. And the standards remain the same, so rather than wait until the trails are dried up, our candidates for Selection should get out and get some experience rucking the muck and mire. It is good practice and you’ll either experience rucking in the mud or the soft sand of Camp Mackall if you opt for SFAS. In many classes, you’ll get to experience plenty of both.

I was going to take my bulldog along for the company but my wife, who is the smart one in the household, pointed out that the dog just had a bath and taking her out on a muddy trail would just make more work for us when we return. The dog, watching the conversation, seemed to understand just fine and after I said I’d leave her behind settled back down in her bed, belched, farted and promptly went back to sleep.

Rucking in the early morning is therapeutic for your brain, most especially after a very long and stressful week. Back before the arthritic knees, I used to love doing it all the time, now I have to pick my spots. But a couple of days in a row is the best medicine for relieving the stress and leaving the B.S. behind for a while.

My 45-pound sandbag is packed up high between the shoulder blades as much as possible. The ruck that I’m using has radio pouch up high, that is where the sandbag was placed, just like we pointed out in our Monday morning post. But you can pack anything you want in there as long as the weight is correct. My Camelback was full of Gatorade again….tsk, tsk. The hills here are rolling but pretty steep on both sides of the ridgeline, much steeper than anything you’ll find in Selection, so it is a really good leg day workout.

As we also mentioned on Monday, I cinched the waist strap on my rucksack, so that, the weight rides more on your hips and not on your shoulders. I find this especially effective when rucking in the hills. This allows you to loosen your shoulder straps just a bit so that the weight isn’t all on them and your lower back, the weight will ride more on your hips. Ensure that the waist belt is snug but not tight nor too loosely.

So, I popped my iPod in place, listening to Eric Clapton this morning, I hit the trails very early. When trudging on the upside of the hills, I like to lean forward just slightly and lengthen, not shorten my stride. Some people like to do the opposite. I will say this…try both ways and whatever works for you, stick with it.. There really isn’t that big of a difference, just an ever so slightly longer one which will keep your momentum going.

Back in the day, we once had to accompany some intelligence types into the mountains in Central America to put in trail sensors to monitor the level of traffic the bad guys were using in the area. It was rumored they had a trail network and basecamp on top of this steep peak. We were already high up in elevation and the nights were cool to the point of putting on sweaters or Gore-tex jackets. This peak was nearly vertical of about 700-800 meters and it was almost as steep as climbing a ladder. With about an 85 pound ruck, my thighs felt like they were going to burst by the time we reached the top.

It was and still is amazing, that that much vegetation could grow on such a steep peak. Leaning forward wasn’t only preferable but necessary. I think if any one of us had lost their balance, that person would have tumbled a long way before being able to stop. The view was spectacular, the trail and Basecamp? Not there.

We covered boots in a several of our earlier pieces. I have several favorite pairs that I take on hikes depending upon the conditions. I normally don’t ruck anywhere without my Merrells anymore. But today I wore my Army issue boots from Bates. Digging thru some old boxes and duffel bags full of Army shit, I found my favorite pair of jungle boots. The ones that I had worn down to nearly nothing and fit like a tennis shoe. Those boots had more frequent flyer miles than you could imagine and had hundreds of take-offs of C-130s back in the day. Not many landings…from inside the aircraft. I half thought about wearing them but the boot was beginning to come apart from the sole on both pairs. We had to say adieu to those selfless companions on so many rucksack marches and jumps.

So you should use what you are going to wear in the course and ensure that you have at least two pairs broken in and ready to go. Once you graduate and become a member of the various units, the opportunity to wear what you want will be there for you. Until then, go with the issued boots.

The walking stick I made for my son I took with me and it will definitely help here and there on the trail especially when you reach the downside of the slopes. And it can help for the pesky wildlife and occasional stray dog that attempts to get froggy with you out there in the dark on the trail.

Speed, Speed, We All Want to go Faster:

I don’t know how many times I’ve said this but will keep repeating it because it bears repeating. Learn to increase your speed without resorting to running. It is like any other skill you acquire and hone, it requires practice but it can be done.

Running with a rucksack puts an incredible amount of stress on your knees. You will find on any course you ruck on that there will be some steep downhill slopes where it is easy to pick up a shuffle for a short distance. However, although it can speed things up there is a difference between doing that and for running a longer distance.

Now, as I’ve also said many times, while in the course, that has to be tempered with the reality of your situation. “They’ll be times in your selection course or the qualification course that you’ll have to make up time or want to pick your pace, especially on the downhill slopes. At those times, you’re going to have to do what you must.”

I can’t stress enough as someone who now has two arthritic knees and a back to boot to learn to increase your speed without running. Lengthen out your stride and generate power with your legs and your speed will come naturally without resorting to running. But while in the course…do what you must to pass.

Back when I was assigned to be an SFAS Cadre member, we had to go thru Selection before working there. Why? I was one of the “dinosaurs” who went thru the SFQC before there was SFAS. And as I admit, on the long-range movement rucksack march, I jogged the last mile and a half, almost two, just to get it over with as I still had plenty of time (why do people who give advice, never take their own?).

The standard is a 15-minute mile pace to pass the course. That is the minimum. You should be aiming much better than that. I used to keep about a 12-minute per mile pace. It is plenty fast enough for where you’ll finish a 12-mile ruck march with just over 30 minutes to spare and is a pace that you can keep up for an even longer distance.

Hydrate Constantly: Water and hydration are very important as we keep harping on in every PT piece every morning. On this day, despite the cooler rainy, wet conditions, I drank nearly all 36 ounces of Gatorade. It is a good habit to get into during training to continue to push water all the time. If you get into the habit now, you’ll keep it up during the course.

The hardest habit to get into is hydrating during the winter months when your body won’t trigger your thirst as quickly. But it is still imperative to keep drinking and staying hydrated. When you are even a little bit dehydrated, it affects the cognitive aspects of the brain. It can adversely affect mood, energy levels and the ability to think clearly.

The body doesn’t trigger the thirst reaction until the body is approximately 2 percent dehydrated which means dehydration is already setting in and will have negative effects on cognitive testing. Since you know you’re always being evaluated, keep your mind as sharp as your body and stay hydrated.

Learn to love rucking and practice it just like you would your shooting skills, they are that important. Hills won’t be a problem…now I have to ward off a bulldog that didn’t want to ruck with me but is wide awake and intent on sharing my bacon.

If anyone else has any questions, feel free to send them along to [email protected] or at my Twitter page @SteveB7SFG and I’ll be glad to answer them.

Photo courtesy of US Army