Coming from a Ranger School graduate, and soon to be Ranger Instructor my advice is this…put the ruck on, move your feet as fast as possible, and most importantly don’t quit
I did the 12-mile 75th Ranger Regiment test for a challenge a couple months ago and passed with a time of 2 Hours 55 Minutes. I carried a 55lbs Ruck instead of the required 50lbs to make it a lil harder. I'm 20 years old and an aspiring UK Royal Marine.
Too heavy mate . Concentrate now on passing PRMC. It sounds a little lame but training for the US army 12 Mile in 3 hours is good but quite different for the requirements for the Commando tests ( 9 miler , Endurance Course and 30 miler) . RM PTI will handle your train up just pass PRMC
Dude I’m 62 and had my second Back surgery in November. Had double pneumonia in 19 and was on oxygen for a year. Started rucking in March with 15lb and steel toe work boots just to lose the weight I put on. Lol my neighbors are like what are you doing!.I’m not going out like this and be some fat bastard on the beach. March on!! Lol
1. Nutrition; Hydration 2. The skinner you are the better success you have. Don’t need be packing on weight. Lift but lift to be lean strong not bulky strong 3. All of the other points he said are accurate. Run, run run. Best of luck to anyone going through selection or a school
Depends on the individual. If the soldier weighs 120 lbs soaking wet, they probably need to bulk up a bit with heavy squats and milk. A soldier who's built like a linebacker doesn't need to bulk up. But yeah, it depends entirely on the individual
Wouldn’t mixing in a few strength focused workouts be good to get the peak force up? Therefore making the required lift take up less energy percentage wise. Just asking
I know several skinny kids that got booted in selection because they couldn’t carry the weight. A lot of the ones that made it were somewhat bulky but had good cardio game
Week 7 of your 12 week get selected program. Knocked out the 16 mile today at a 13:06 min/mile pace (40lb dry). I'm not gonna lie, the army ruck (old digital II) killed my shoulders, but I'm proud of the pace. Thanks for all you do
HumbleDishwasher Go to Walmart and buy some thick Form Padding add them to your shoulder straps it will help. Or you can find the purple cushion cut it the width of the shoulder straps and a few inches past your shoulder.
@@joshuasaha5068, I think it is, but it has to be done beforehand. Being a rigger gave me the advantage of modifying my gear and I mean all the gear I had. And when you go there give you a list of equipment to bring with you. So get it modified before going.
Brother, I am a SFC mortarman and a pretty avid runner. I'm so glad you said that you need to run more to get better at rucking. I second this factual statement. I ruck once a week and run 5 days, along with strength 3 times a week. I smoke every ruck with no problem, regardless of weight and I'm 33 years old. Keep doing what you're doing, it's a great thing. Stay motivated.
@GWW-sb3hq they must’ve taken it down. My fault. I couldn’t imagine doing a hump and smoking. I remember seeing the young Marines smoking before a PFT and thought that was crazy.
Well again from the old guy, when in Korea we had a monthly 12 mile ruck, the key to our times where really simple, as a company we ran the 12 mile route, and it made a huge difference in our company times, I am not sure if the rucks you use today are similar to what we had, but the frame was the key, and then taking the ruck apart and setting up to fit your body! Thanks for sharing
Yeah, I'm 64 yrs. young and training for Bataan Death March Memorial 26.2 miles ( heavy ). Need all the help I can get. Thanks for the support, Brother!
Great advice and glad you shared your thoughts with the younger guys out there. As a young Marine Corps artillery officer assigned as a forward observer with Marine infantry units (way back in the early 1990s when I weighed all of 132 lbs), I did many forced marches with radios, weapons, etc. at distances ranging from 6-30 miles. I was in great cardio shape but load bearing conditioning was a skill I learned at Quantico. It required me to practice humps or loaded jogs on my own time. Learned EVERYTHING you teach here the hard way. Fortunately I never suffered a knee or other injury, and finished every hump in my starting position within the unit. I remember that running with light weight loads for short to medium distances really helped even when I had much heavier loads for longer distances. Now I am 54 years old, live at 6,000 feet and hike the Sierras for fun or when I go stalking/hunting game in the places farthest from human habitations.
Today I did a 6 mile ruck, 35lbs, and I finished in 1 hour, 19 minutes, 50 seconds. I found that not only did I meet the standard 10 minutes faster. But, my friend who went to PRE-RASP, told me that I met the cutoff times at PRE-RASP. Every week I am able to go faster simply because I trott longer and further. I appreciate the practical advice from this channel! Thanks again!
Infantry vet here (85-94). Outstanding video - totally agree with the tips. I love GORUCK, but disagree with their aversion to trotting and the waist belt. That’s how we did it years ago and glad to hear that’s how it’s still done. Keep up the great work. RLTW.
Learn to speed walk, roll your hips while leaning forward, you'll find the rhythm and it will save your ass (and your back and knees). This doesn't work going uphill, that you just have to muscle out. We carried 65lbs, lbe, water rifle etc...if you perfect this method you can do your 12 mile in 2:20 to 2:30 and never once have to jog or even breath hard. Day 30 of phase I we smoked while finishing the final 12 miler. Seriously, roll your hips, lean forward, speed walk....you can thank me later.
@@aaronthompson192 nah fam, learning some of the speed walk forms and implament them into rucking slowly and it makes a huge difference. Hip rolls alone took me from 5.8 kph to 7kph pretty easily (with regard to perceived exertion). And that's without being good at it. Its not about being as fast as him, just be faster than you are now.
I am not military, but appreciate these videos and lifestyle- I got my 1 mile 20# ruck down to 14:20, and the only thing that got me down from 16-17min was speed walking….BUT, I increased my stride length A lot compared to slower times where I was shuffling very quickly, but shorter strides. Increasing the stride length with the intense speed got me 2-3 minutes faster, like overnight. I also set my baseline for this trail near the house: 5.2 miles, 20#, 1 hr 42 min, lots of elevation but I don’t know the number, that was one was brutal. Skin was ripping off my heels after that.
@@SteamShinobi true, I am only 5’5 ok? The hip rolls, extending my stride length (instead of shorter and faster) brought my 1 mile down 2 minutes to 14 min. The key: long stride length and crazy speed 👍🏻
hey man i know i’m a couple years late, but i’m thinking of enlisting next summer! until then i’m working to prepare myself as much as i can and your videos are definitely great motivation! keep up the good work:)
Great advice! Ranger class 3-90. 10th MTN we had to do a 12 miler every 6 months. 35lbs. Biggest problem most people had, loosely loaded ruck! Made them stop adjust. Takes alot of time. My best time, 1 hr 58 minutes. Trying to beat my CO. He finished a minute and a half ahead of me. He was a marathon runner, never walked to take a drink of water!
I was with the 25th ID in the mid 80s when the division transitioned to the Light Fighter concept. Our Bn Cdr went crazy and instituted a ruck policy to crush all ruck policies. 12 mi march to EIB standard every week, if in garrison. 25 mi march as a company once a month, and we still did the 12 mi march during the week of the 25 miler. Once a quarter we did a 25 miler as a Bn. Let's just say that when the time came to do a ruck for a qualification, everyone passed, easy peasy
Thanks for sharing your experience. One of the reasons I watch these types of informational videos is to gain context that I don't have as a civilian for the purpose of preparedness. Due to not knowing what we are training for, because we are civilians without an specific mission, its hard to understand exactly what we need (gear and fitness included). So what I and many of us have been trying to do, is check as many boxes as possible (gear, fitness, and education). So lets check some boxes to illustrate some of my concerns and perhaps someone can help me adjust my expectations to make this work: Weapon with standard accessories - 9 to 12 pounds Chest Rig/Ammo/Med/Water/Admin - 8 to 10 pounds Ruck/Food/Water/Shelter/Rain Gear/Layers/Ammo/Tools - 50 to 60+ Potential additions/substitutions: Plate Carrier/Ammo/Med/Water/Admin - 20 to 30 pounds Belt with side arm and EM reloads - 4 or 5 pounds Not using your waist band due to potential contact and needing to ditch the ruck in emergencies..I like using my waist strap, it helps. But there are lots of mil guys saying you shouldn't use it in a conflict scenario for those reasons. Adding a plate carrier, which seems like a logical addition if there is potential to be shot at, seems like its just not a feasible thing to add to a 20+ mile movement. I suspect that military logistics solves some of these issues by vehicle transport for gear like plate carriers closer to the where contact is expected, as well as provides resupply for food and water. We of course can't necessarily plan for that luxury. I say all this because I'm trying to figure out logistically how to achieve an individual ability to sustain a movement that long with that much weight without injuring myself simply training for it. I've already attempted to hike a section of the AT with a 60 pound ruck and failed 9 miles in due to simple ill-fitness. The fitness problem is something I've been improving since the failure. But the weight still seems too high, so I'm suspecting the answer is probably to scale down and simply go without certain things or plan around needing some sort of vehicle transport, at least for some of the gear.
Not everyone has this, but if you have access to high altitudes use it. I have about a 6 mile trail near me that goes from 9k-11.5k'. Simply doing that once a week will make a 12 miler at a shuffle feel like a light day. Especially if you are going to Ranger or Selection where the altitudes are reliably low. Mountain Warfare; just grit your teeth and get through it.
I wish the military was an asperation of mine cause i love the fitness side of it. I'm always doing multiday hikes and bodyweight exercises. Challenging your mind and your body is motivating.
Trotting is the key. I just Ignorantly assumed I didn’t have enough stride to walk faster than 16min /miles. It never kicked my butt, but I’m gonna concentrate on breaking into 15-14:30 miles on short distances.
He is totally right. Think long term, cartilage can't last forever when you abuse them daily. Back in the 90's very few "specialized" guy were OK once they reached their mid thirties-forties. At the times collagen peptides N-acetyl glucosamine were not so main stream. 10 to 20 grams of collagen peptides + 3 to 6 grams of N acetyl glucosamine can slow down the breakdown of cartilages. God Bless, be fast, be strong, be resilient
What worked for me is.. use your surroundings.. I used telephone poles, trot to one walk to the next, trot to the next. Over time your trot will turn run. In training don't go more than 6 miles. 45 pounds was the standard, in SUT 90 pounds with double basic combat load for ammo. Machine gunner I invented a card board ammo box bib from mre case and duct tape. Run or ruck in the am crossfit pm. Sounds like someone been to Korea. 👍
First off thank you complimenting me on clicking on the video. Second, im just a civilian who is married with a kiddo in West Texas.. i already hunt and fish, hit the gym amd eat pretty good but i wanna improve. Im preparing for a Chinese invasion, civil war with the far left, grid down, our government turning on us. Im doing this with my civilian version of a ruck sack. I have a state park within a 5 hour hike/walk then once your in its the best for training. Thank you for your service
Hills, hills and more hills is a good idea, it'll build leg strength, calf's and hamstrings. Like your man says, build up the weight slowly, let your body get used to the pace first, you'll end up with shin splints and fucked knees otherwise, it's all about building it up, there's no need to jump in with both feet!! Well until you've passed I suppose, then you'll do a bit of jumping in with both feet!!
Spot on advice. Especially the hill conditioning. Most people leave it at walk the up hills but neglect to say you should be training by running or ruck shuffling the up hills. My Assistant Chief and I ruck run the biggest hill we have in town in a loop for a total of 7 miles with 700 ish elevation gain @ 45 to50 lb ruck. We got it down to under an hour. Keeping our goal to ultimately be the two with the strongest insurance level on a fire ground. Another good topic point maybe to speak towards in the future (if you start deep diving this topic to your audience ) would be tempo training, and heart rate training. I found after a year of training, my legs and stabilizer muscles were not a thought but the other two were the make or break of each training session. Great info, enjoyed the vid.
I am a little bit late, but this is amazing information. Please keep this type of content up, it helps with my training towards SFAS and definently helps other people, thank you.
Don’t know if you made it there yet but just a heads up long ruck and short ruck will be well past 35 ibs and in soft sands but you’ll get used to it by week 2 and 3 good luck 😊
I remember doing 30 km march in the army, not a very heavy ruck though, but with the full field gear. In the boots with wool socks I got such blisters the grey socks was bloody red at the end. Then an instructor gave me this pro tip. Wear lady stockings underneath . Like the sexy silk kind. Next march I was blister free. That said putting on blister bandages on certain spots works too if you do it before blistering
Ty I was just about to do a 12 mile with 55 lbs; I’m now dropping to a more reasonable weight 45 and focus on increasing time. I picked 45lbs because I was able to get below 2 12 time with 40lbs
Lol my old unit at ft Campbell needs to see this video. We did a 8-10 mile ruck every Thursday, 50 pounds, and yes they brought a scale with them, and yes if you didn’t meet weight you had to go find a rock to compensate. Countless injuries and profiles would soon follow. By the way, we were a signal battalion 🥴. I finally passed air assault in 2014 when I was transferred to the s6 for the infantry bat, where they did little to no ruck marches at all lmao. Anyway I’m out now and I’ll never do that shit again!😋 Good video, I could’ve used this info many many years ago👍🏽
Ruck hack: Bicycling, especially hills, is an outstanding way to train for rucking. It gives your joints a break while still working your legs and cardio.
If you’re training for a leadership school with a test ruck and you have access to varied terrain, work a “heartbreak hill” into your route. Most of the difficult test rucks have a 6 mile hill, 8 mile hill, or both.
The Cole Range ruck march (run) sucked balls…the cadre who paced us was about 6’8” and had strides like a Sasquatch. Since then I have loved weighted jogs (heavy vest or ruck)…becomes addicting after a while. Good stuff man, great advice!
I wish you were around when I was active duty. One tip that was HUGE for me is to use leukotape on your Hotspots. If your limping 8 miles in your time is going to bleed out. As for the weight progression totally agree as a 100% Disabled Veteran. However when I had to do the annual SOF 55 pound 6 mile ruck, I would have different hot spots than 35 pound rucks. I would also add rucking with two four pound dumbbells to simulate carrying a weapon that is always required. Lastly, don't get into a race mode when you have a task at the end like shooting or weeapons assembly. I finished first in my infantry company EIB ruck, but passed the weapons assembly task by only a second from failure because my fingers were non functional.
I'm going to be applying your tips as soon as I can. I failed the last 12 miler for my company, and I'm trying to work on it. I'm already weight lifting. I do a standard push/pull/leg day routine and I do my best to incorporate at least 2 mile run after each workout. I'll probably shoot for a 7 minute mile on a treadmill immediately after the work out and shoot for a more relaxed pace on the actual road later in the day for a mile. Some times, I may do one over the other.
Hill sprints no weight or hill climbs with weight. If you have hilly area then perfect. Hills are you friend even if you hate them. Climb hill then do exercise at top, burpess, squats. Whatever you desire. Even better if cross country. Our yearly tests were with 25kg/55lbs 8 miles. Brought in a separate shorter 2 mile yearly test with around same weight but quicker pace. Used to have yearly test of 12 miles one day then 12 miles the next. Less weight 2nd day but faster pace. so at least once a week platoon fitness was a 25kg, 5 miles cross country. On other days maybe 1 or 2, 5 mile cross country runs and 1 or 2 circuit training sessions as morning platoon PT. So Weight training etc was evening afternoon in our free time. Battalion PT was Friday and could be anything. Things such timed cross country, weighted tab, some various exercise course over a 3-5 mile course Overall it’s just consistent training. Build up weight in your pack for your tabbing exercises. Just don’t go in at full weight. Let body adapt. Then some days reduce weight and go faster or just hit the hills. Switch in training such as how you would react going from position to position under contact.
Im preparing for Smokejumper school, the only thing that kills me in the pt standards is the 3 mile ruck, with 110lbs in 55min or less. Thank you for this video!
12miles @25lbs? That sounds like heavenly stroll. Should have joined the Army. For real though good vid. My advice is jog at altitude+steady inclines & !DECLINES!+Mountain Climbers every mile+wear your gas mask to increase lung capacity + EMPTY PACK!!!. I know its crazy but what your looking for is mental endurance. The physical endurance and strength will come regardless IF you are doing this system. My experience is Humping a .50 cal in the mountains of California for 4 years. Next Step???? Pick up e6 and you get the luxury of never humping 100lbs+ again. Then its just you enjoying the knees of a 60 year old man at the ripe age of 30. Document your pain and knees with the medic/corpsman being sure there is a PAPER TRAIL so when you get out the VA rates your ancient knees properly. You're Welcome young bloods. You have now earned the Grunt Knees Challenge Coin.
Great video. I think a lot of people underestimate the importance of leg strength. I did a 12 mile ruck at our Battalion's assessment event to send people to Sapper school, and I finished within the standard, but my legs were very worn out. I was not out of breath at all after jogging the whole way, but my legs got significantly weaker the further I got into the ruck march. Guess I'll be spending more time on the squat rack and more time on hills as well.
It helps to find a mental happy place as well. Especially the last half or so. Dwelling on the beating you're doing to your body will do you no good. One foot in front of the other, "happy place!" I still use this mental method on long hiking/backpacking excursions. Peace!
One of the easiest way to move faster is to own a backpack that doesn't extend to your hips or lower. Otherwise, you can grab the shoulder straps, lift them up so the backpack is above your hips, lower the shoulder straps and hold the straps down preventing the backpack from descending back to your hips. You loose your basic pace speed when a backpack sits at or lower than your hips.
So learned a bunch on this video. Got something to add. when you pack your ruck and you have to have 35 pounds. But 35 pounds isn’t always 35 pounds. Sometimes 35 pounds can feel like 100. It depends on how you pack it. So the best if allowed is to just take 35 pound weights duct tape them as close to the top of the frame. If it has to be a packing list condense that weight as much as you can and position the heaviest items as close to the shoulders as possible.
Currently I am on a couple break from the Pacific Crest Trail looking to increase my daily millage upon my return. My pace has now found me jogging for the length of a song a few songs a day. Your advice and demo on trotting has given me inspiration and direction on where to move next with my jogging when my feet touch dirt again. Thank you.
Glad I found this… I have a 240 miles race in October this year fast packing with 15 lbs of gear / hydration. I’m an air cav crew chief that hated road marches with squadron road marches ( mostly when we get a tread head commander). Started the ruck sack training w/35 # month ago, mostly hiking at 8k elevation at our local mountain, abandoned the ruck. I’ll reconsider the training with lighter weights after watching this video.
I remember one of my Drill Sergeant’s in Basic telling us,”If you’re using the waistband and chest strap on your ruck, you’re wrong. Stop being weak. If you’re in a combat situation you cant waste time unbuckling you straps.” Total BS.
12 miles? Our FTX march ended up being just under 30 miles. CO wanted to lead the march. Funny how a Ranger “got lost” and we ended up marching all night and part of it through a swamp. He was either a terrible Ranger or he just wanted to march.
Now I understand why my unit had such high injury rates. We were having to walk with 100 pounds in the ruck, doing 12-minute miles for 10 miles. And at the 5-mile mark, we got a 30-minute break to change out the socks and eat. I didn't realize that that was not supposed to be normal. we also had about 50 pounds of gear with the rifle, the snowshoes, the skis, etc.
I am very guilty of just throwing 50IBS in the ruck starting off strong and 2 miles in just flat out exhausted doing everything in my power just to keep the minimum pace.
I remember being so anxious before 12 mile ruck march I drank a lotta water to hydrate my body. Long story short I utilized a treeline every stop and on the way back my bladder was so full I had to pee WHILE marching
I find it so interesting how some peoples body's are better at rucking but they aren't as good with the cold, lack of sleep, or starvation. personally I can deal with putting pounds on my back and walking several miles, but I deal with the cold (cold water) or lack of food better. but at the end of the day it's about embracing the suck and not quitting!
Thank you very much for your service. I’m an ex collegiate athlete about to turn 35. I picked up elk hunting three years ago and want to achieve better physical condition than I had in my early 20s. I am a year out of ACL surgery and just got in to rucking. I did 7 miles of steep elevation variance my first time with a 30lb pack, and just did the same hike with my hunting pack weighted down approximately 80lbs. I want to make sure that I am enhancing my knee’s recovery rather than damaging it. What would you recommend to continue improving? I don’t have time standards that I’m trying to meet, but am concerned with safely strengthening my body to be exceptional in moving heavy weight over crazy terrain. To give context, I own and self perform all the work in my masonry business, so I am used to lugging 80lb bags of mortar around. I am also a bit bigger of a guy at 6’3” 210lb. Sorry for the book, but I your videos have resonated with me. I think rucking may be a little physical struggle that I actually enjoy and also can benefit a passion that I care deeply about. I would appreciate any insight. Thank you again for your service, and for creating great content.
Getting some 80 pound weighted vest repeats in. Obviously proceeding with caution. Big believer in progressive overload for maximal functional strength/movement .
I just like rucking over running. (Civilian) I ruck almost every day 3-6 miles with only 20lbs. I’m slow. 13-15 min miles but get faster as I go. Looking for pointer from the experts. Stamina or cardio is not an issue but at 8+ miles my body is hurting. What the waist band?
Great video I know you said not to go over 40 pounds but I’m 5 weeks in and have been using my 20kg for the rucks I do it twice a week got down to 14min miles I definitely think I’ can do 12 miles in 2.45 I will give it a go in the new year thank you
Well I am recovering from a severe tib / fib break in my right leg so I am starting to learn run again. Sucks having to learn that again at 50 but I refuse to give up lol. I will get some of it back just got to work at it. (Oh by the way the titanium rods suck!!!)
I just completed 3 miles at 48:38 on the treadmill 😬 that’s the first time for me, 30# GoRuck plate, maybe bump it down to 20. I sure felt amazing afterward though!!!!! I hate running, not trying to join the military just get in shape. Part of my meniscus got cleaned out because I went 10 years before replacing ACl, the speed and load hurts the knee a little bit. Oh well, I’m gonna keep going. Thanks!!!
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Coming from a Ranger School graduate, and soon to be Ranger Instructor my advice is this…put the ruck on, move your feet as fast as possible, and most importantly don’t quit
Couldn’t have said it better.
S.o.l. ah-oh
Gee wiz no shit guy
His rank is O-3 and his last name is Obvious
@@darkfangulas
all stride no shuffle.
I did the 12-mile 75th Ranger Regiment test for a challenge a couple months ago and passed with a time of 2 Hours 55 Minutes. I carried a 55lbs Ruck instead of the required 50lbs to make it a lil harder. I'm 20 years old and an aspiring UK Royal Marine.
Too heavy mate . Concentrate now on passing PRMC.
It sounds a little lame but training for the US army 12 Mile in 3 hours is good but quite different for the requirements for the Commando tests ( 9 miler , Endurance Course and 30 miler) .
RM PTI will handle your train up just pass PRMC
D ok 😂 Oooo of o tr r
Kk k
Dude I’m 62 and had my second Back surgery in November. Had double pneumonia in 19 and was on oxygen for a year. Started rucking in March with 15lb and steel toe work boots just to lose the weight I put on. Lol my neighbors are like what are you doing!.I’m not going out like this and be some fat bastard on the beach. March on!! Lol
💪
1. Nutrition; Hydration
2. The skinner you are the better success you have. Don’t need be packing on weight. Lift but lift to be lean strong not bulky strong
3. All of the other points he said are accurate. Run, run run.
Best of luck to anyone going through selection or a school
Depends on the individual. If the soldier weighs 120 lbs soaking wet, they probably need to bulk up a bit with heavy squats and milk. A soldier who's built like a linebacker doesn't need to bulk up. But yeah, it depends entirely on the individual
Please do this at the another video, thanks.
Wouldn’t mixing in a few strength focused workouts be good to get the peak force up? Therefore making the required lift take up less energy percentage wise. Just asking
I know several skinny kids that got booted in selection because they couldn’t carry the weight. A lot of the ones that made it were somewhat bulky but had good cardio game
Week 7 of your 12 week get selected program. Knocked out the 16 mile today at a 13:06 min/mile pace (40lb dry). I'm not gonna lie, the army ruck (old digital II) killed my shoulders, but I'm proud of the pace. Thanks for all you do
Glad to hear you’re sticking with it bro! Keep working hard! 💪
HumbleDishwasher Go to Walmart and buy some thick Form Padding add them to your shoulder straps it will help. Or you can find the purple cushion cut it the width of the shoulder straps and a few inches past your shoulder.
@@rigger8609 do you know if this modification is allowed in sfas?
@@joshuasaha5068, I think it is, but it has to be done beforehand. Being a rigger gave me the advantage of modifying my gear and I mean all the gear I had. And when you go there give you a list of equipment to bring with you. So get it modified before going.
Brother, I am a SFC mortarman and a pretty avid runner. I'm so glad you said that you need to run more to get better at rucking. I second this factual statement. I ruck once a week and run 5 days, along with strength 3 times a week. I smoke every ruck with no problem, regardless of weight and I'm 33 years old. Keep doing what you're doing, it's a great thing. Stay motivated.
🤘 glad to have you here brother!!!
@GWW-sb3hq Cancer?
@GWW-sb3hq they must’ve taken it down. My fault. I couldn’t imagine doing a hump and smoking. I remember seeing the young Marines smoking before a PFT and thought that was crazy.
I got a 2:20 at Sapper school. Jog the down hills and as much of the flats as possible. Walk the up hills. Everything you said was perfect.
Is the page uphill a walk or a brisk walk(toned down version of the trot)?
Well again from the old guy, when in Korea we had a monthly 12 mile ruck, the key to our times where really simple, as a company we ran the 12 mile route, and it made a huge difference in our company times, I am not sure if the rucks you use today are similar to what we had, but the frame was the key, and then taking the ruck apart and setting up to fit your body! Thanks for sharing
The Trott relieves the burning in my calves from slow walking
Yeah, I'm 64 yrs. young and training for Bataan Death March Memorial
26.2 miles ( heavy ). Need all the help I can get.
Thanks for the support, Brother!
Great advice and glad you shared your thoughts with the younger guys out there. As a young Marine Corps artillery officer assigned as a forward observer with Marine infantry units (way back in the early 1990s when I weighed all of 132 lbs), I did many forced marches with radios, weapons, etc. at distances ranging from 6-30 miles. I was in great cardio shape but load bearing conditioning was a skill I learned at Quantico. It required me to practice humps or loaded jogs on my own time. Learned EVERYTHING you teach here the hard way. Fortunately I never suffered a knee or other injury, and finished every hump in my starting position within the unit. I remember that running with light weight loads for short to medium distances really helped even when I had much heavier loads for longer distances. Now I am 54 years old, live at 6,000 feet and hike the Sierras for fun or when I go stalking/hunting game in the places farthest from human habitations.
This dude's info is gold. ESPECIALLY that run declines and walk inclines bit. Good luck to you all with your events.
Today I did a 6 mile ruck, 35lbs, and I finished in 1 hour, 19 minutes, 50 seconds. I found that not only did I meet the standard 10 minutes faster. But, my friend who went to PRE-RASP, told me that I met the cutoff times at PRE-RASP. Every week I am able to go faster simply because I trott longer and further.
I appreciate the practical advice from this channel! Thanks again!
Infantry vet here (85-94). Outstanding video - totally agree with the tips. I love GORUCK, but disagree with their aversion to trotting and the waist belt. That’s how we did it years ago and glad to hear that’s how it’s still done. Keep up the great work. RLTW.
🤘 RLTW!
Applied for the army, and I have about 35 pounds of weight in my bag at the moment. This video helps heaps, thankyou mate 😎🤟
Passed our IBOLC 12-mile this morning at 2:39 using some of your tips. Jogged/shuffled the entire way. Thank you for all of the videos, sir.
Absolutely brother, glad you crushed it! Don’t forget to help your buddies! 🤘
Learn to speed walk, roll your hips while leaning forward, you'll find the rhythm and it will save your ass (and your back and knees). This doesn't work going uphill, that you just have to muscle out. We carried 65lbs, lbe, water rifle etc...if you perfect this method you can do your 12 mile in 2:20 to 2:30 and never once have to jog or even breath hard. Day 30 of phase I we smoked while finishing the final 12 miler. Seriously, roll your hips, lean forward, speed walk....you can thank me later.
Only works if you're tall bud.
@@aaronthompson192 nah fam, learning some of the speed walk forms and implament them into rucking slowly and it makes a huge difference.
Hip rolls alone took me from 5.8 kph to 7kph pretty easily (with regard to perceived exertion). And that's without being good at it. Its not about being as fast as him, just be faster than you are now.
I am not military, but appreciate these videos and lifestyle- I got my 1 mile 20# ruck down to 14:20, and the only thing that got me down from 16-17min was speed walking….BUT, I increased my stride length A lot compared to slower times where I was shuffling very quickly, but shorter strides. Increasing the stride length with the intense speed got me 2-3 minutes faster, like overnight.
I also set my baseline for this trail near the house: 5.2 miles, 20#, 1 hr 42 min, lots of elevation but I don’t know the number, that was one was brutal. Skin was ripping off my heels after that.
@@SteamShinobi true, I am only 5’5 ok?
The hip rolls, extending my stride length (instead of shorter and faster) brought my 1 mile down 2 minutes to 14 min. The key: long stride length and crazy speed 👍🏻
Any hip roll tutorial
hey man i know i’m a couple years late, but i’m thinking of enlisting next summer! until then i’m working to prepare myself as much as i can and your videos are definitely great motivation! keep up the good work:)
Great advice! Ranger class 3-90. 10th MTN we had to do a 12 miler every 6 months. 35lbs. Biggest problem most people had, loosely loaded ruck! Made them stop adjust. Takes alot of time. My best time, 1 hr 58 minutes. Trying to beat my CO. He finished a minute and a half ahead of me. He was a marathon runner, never walked to take a drink of water!
I was with the 25th ID in the mid 80s when the division transitioned to the Light Fighter concept. Our Bn Cdr went crazy and instituted a ruck policy to crush all ruck policies. 12 mi march to EIB standard every week, if in garrison. 25 mi march as a company once a month, and we still did the 12 mi march during the week of the 25 miler. Once a quarter we did a 25 miler as a Bn. Let's just say that when the time came to do a ruck for a qualification, everyone passed, easy peasy
Wow! What inspiration. I am just a hiker 57 years young. Time to step it up. Run, squat, 10lb. Pack!
Thanks for sharing your experience. One of the reasons I watch these types of informational videos is to gain context that I don't have as a civilian for the purpose of preparedness. Due to not knowing what we are training for, because we are civilians without an specific mission, its hard to understand exactly what we need (gear and fitness included). So what I and many of us have been trying to do, is check as many boxes as possible (gear, fitness, and education). So lets check some boxes to illustrate some of my concerns and perhaps someone can help me adjust my expectations to make this work:
Weapon with standard accessories - 9 to 12 pounds
Chest Rig/Ammo/Med/Water/Admin - 8 to 10 pounds
Ruck/Food/Water/Shelter/Rain Gear/Layers/Ammo/Tools - 50 to 60+
Potential additions/substitutions:
Plate Carrier/Ammo/Med/Water/Admin - 20 to 30 pounds
Belt with side arm and EM reloads - 4 or 5 pounds
Not using your waist band due to potential contact and needing to ditch the ruck in emergencies..I like using my waist strap, it helps. But there are lots of mil guys saying you shouldn't use it in a conflict scenario for those reasons.
Adding a plate carrier, which seems like a logical addition if there is potential to be shot at, seems like its just not a feasible thing to add to a 20+ mile movement. I suspect that military logistics solves some of these issues by vehicle transport for gear like plate carriers closer to the where contact is expected, as well as provides resupply for food and water. We of course can't necessarily plan for that luxury. I say all this because I'm trying to figure out logistically how to achieve an individual ability to sustain a movement that long with that much weight without injuring myself simply training for it. I've already attempted to hike a section of the AT with a 60 pound ruck and failed 9 miles in due to simple ill-fitness. The fitness problem is something I've been improving since the failure. But the weight still seems too high, so I'm suspecting the answer is probably to scale down and simply go without certain things or plan around needing some sort of vehicle transport, at least for some of the gear.
Not everyone has this, but if you have access to high altitudes use it. I have about a 6 mile trail near me that goes from 9k-11.5k'. Simply doing that once a week will make a 12 miler at a shuffle feel like a light day. Especially if you are going to Ranger or Selection where the altitudes are reliably low. Mountain Warfare; just grit your teeth and get through it.
I wish the military was an asperation of mine cause i love the fitness side of it. I'm always doing multiday hikes and bodyweight exercises. Challenging your mind and your body is motivating.
I'm 10 years out the service and have the Norwegian Foot March in 6 months (just for fun). This is some great info, thanks.
The little Squat/leg day reference is super helpful, building them hams and calves is essential for anything endurance relating.
The intro made me feel good, thank you. From start to finish, this video is great. Also very kind of you to want to let the information spread.
Great post. 17kg Bergen (Ruck) plus weapon 10 miles in 1 hour 50 mins British Parachute Regiment minimum standard
Trotting is the key. I just Ignorantly assumed I didn’t have enough stride to walk faster than 16min /miles. It never kicked my butt, but I’m gonna concentrate on breaking into 15-14:30 miles on short distances.
He is totally right. Think long term, cartilage can't last forever when you abuse them daily. Back in the 90's very few "specialized" guy were OK once they reached their mid thirties-forties. At the times collagen peptides N-acetyl glucosamine were not so main stream. 10 to 20 grams of collagen peptides + 3 to 6 grams of N acetyl glucosamine can slow down the breakdown of cartilages. God Bless, be fast, be strong, be resilient
That beginning statement is so true
What worked for me is.. use your surroundings.. I used telephone poles, trot to one walk to the next, trot to the next. Over time your trot will turn run. In training don't go more than 6 miles. 45 pounds was the standard, in SUT 90 pounds with double basic combat load for ammo. Machine gunner I invented a card board ammo box bib from mre case and duct tape. Run or ruck in the am crossfit pm. Sounds like someone been to Korea. 👍
First off thank you complimenting me on clicking on the video. Second, im just a civilian who is married with a kiddo in West Texas.. i already hunt and fish, hit the gym amd eat pretty good but i wanna improve. Im preparing for a Chinese invasion, civil war with the far left, grid down, our government turning on us. Im doing this with my civilian version of a ruck sack. I have a state park within a 5 hour hike/walk then once your in its the best for training. Thank you for your service
Best athlete on youtube and you can't change my mind
Thanks brother! 💪
Wow. Thank you for being proud of me right off the bat 🙏🏼
Hills, hills and more hills is a good idea, it'll build leg strength, calf's and hamstrings. Like your man says, build up the weight slowly, let your body get used to the pace first, you'll end up with shin splints and fucked knees otherwise, it's all about building it up, there's no need to jump in with both feet!! Well until you've passed I suppose, then you'll do a bit of jumping in with both feet!!
Thanks for this information! I'm planning on enlisting again and rucking wasn't my best thing to do and this will definitely help in a long run.
💪 Glad it’s helpful for you!
I really appreciate your advice! It's getting me excited about rucking all over again.
Spot on advice. Especially the hill conditioning. Most people leave it at walk the up hills but neglect to say you should be training by running or ruck shuffling the up hills. My Assistant Chief and I ruck run the biggest hill we have in town in a loop for a total of 7 miles with 700 ish elevation gain @ 45 to50 lb ruck. We got it down to under an hour. Keeping our goal to ultimately be the two with the strongest insurance level on a fire ground.
Another good topic point maybe to speak towards in the future (if you start deep diving this topic to your audience ) would be tempo training, and heart rate training. I found after a year of training, my legs and stabilizer muscles were not a thought but the other two were the make or break of each training session.
Great info, enjoyed the vid.
I am a little bit late, but this is amazing information. Please keep this type of content up, it helps with my training towards SFAS and definently helps other people, thank you.
Don’t know if you made it there yet but just a heads up long ruck and short ruck will be well past 35 ibs and in soft sands but you’ll get used to it by week 2 and 3 good luck 😊
100% agree with focusing on improving the cardio with the running.
Just a civilian here, I'm training for a Spartan Ultra and incorporating rucking into my routine
I remember doing 30 km march in the army, not a very heavy ruck though, but with the full field gear. In the boots with wool socks I got such blisters the grey socks was bloody red at the end. Then an instructor gave me this pro tip. Wear lady stockings underneath . Like the sexy silk kind. Next march I was blister free. That said putting on blister bandages on certain spots works too if you do it before blistering
Ty I was just about to do a 12 mile with 55 lbs; I’m now dropping to a more reasonable weight 45 and focus on increasing time.
I picked 45lbs because I was able to get below 2 12 time with 40lbs
🤘
Lol my old unit at ft Campbell needs to see this video. We did a 8-10 mile ruck every Thursday, 50 pounds, and yes they brought a scale with them, and yes if you didn’t meet weight you had to go find a rock to compensate. Countless injuries and profiles would soon follow. By the way, we were a signal battalion 🥴. I finally passed air assault in 2014 when I was transferred to the s6 for the infantry bat, where they did little to no ruck marches at all lmao. Anyway I’m out now and I’ll never do that shit again!😋
Good video, I could’ve used this info many many years ago👍🏽
You probably did a timed 12 mile ruck to graduate Air Assualt school though. We did. Peace!
Ruck hack: Bicycling, especially hills, is an outstanding way to train for rucking. It gives your joints a break while still working your legs and cardio.
If you’re training for a leadership school with a test ruck and you have access to varied terrain, work a “heartbreak hill” into your route. Most of the difficult test rucks have a 6 mile hill, 8 mile hill, or both.
The Cole Range ruck march (run) sucked balls…the cadre who paced us was about 6’8” and had strides like a Sasquatch. Since then I have loved weighted jogs (heavy vest or ruck)…becomes addicting after a while. Good stuff man, great advice!
Ahhhhh hello Ranger buddy
And a good morning to ya, Ranger brother.
I hate Sasquatches. I got a 30 inch inseam at 5 '11".
Waiting on my waiver, hopefully I’ll be able to re-enlist. Former 11B trying to go 18x. Thanks for the advice!
Hell yeah man good luck!
I wish you were around when I was active duty. One tip that was HUGE for me is to use leukotape on your Hotspots. If your limping 8 miles in your time is going to bleed out. As for the weight progression totally agree as a 100% Disabled Veteran. However when I had to do the annual SOF 55 pound 6 mile ruck, I would have different hot spots than 35 pound rucks. I would also add rucking with two four pound dumbbells to simulate carrying a weapon that is always required. Lastly, don't get into a race mode when you have a task at the end like shooting or weeapons assembly. I finished first in my infantry company EIB ruck, but passed the weapons assembly task by only a second from failure because my fingers were non functional.
I'm going to be applying your tips as soon as I can. I failed the last 12 miler for my company, and I'm trying to work on it. I'm already weight lifting. I do a standard push/pull/leg day routine and I do my best to incorporate at least 2 mile run after each workout. I'll probably shoot for a 7 minute mile on a treadmill immediately after the work out and shoot for a more relaxed pace on the actual road later in the day for a mile. Some times, I may do one over the other.
I’m running a 20 miles once a week w 40 pound weighted vest and a book bag w 10 water bottles I’m going for seals navy
Hill sprints no weight or hill climbs with weight. If you have hilly area then perfect. Hills are you friend even if you hate them. Climb hill then do exercise at top, burpess, squats. Whatever you desire. Even better if cross country.
Our yearly tests were with 25kg/55lbs 8 miles. Brought in a separate shorter 2 mile yearly test with around same weight but quicker pace. Used to have yearly test of 12 miles one day then 12 miles the next. Less weight 2nd day but faster pace.
so at least once a week platoon fitness was a 25kg, 5 miles cross country. On other days maybe 1 or 2, 5 mile cross country runs and 1 or 2 circuit training sessions as morning platoon PT. So Weight training etc was evening afternoon in our free time. Battalion PT was Friday and could be anything. Things such timed cross country, weighted tab, some various exercise course over a 3-5 mile course
Overall it’s just consistent training.
Build up weight in your pack for your tabbing exercises. Just don’t go in at full weight. Let body adapt. Then some days reduce weight and go faster or just hit the hills. Switch in training such as how you would react going from position to position under contact.
Run outside
😮
0:00 0:00 😮b
I did a ruck march/race as training - it was sooooo beneficial. If ya can do it with a heavy ruck and soggy boots, You've got it.
Im preparing for Smokejumper school, the only thing that kills me in the pt standards is the 3 mile ruck, with 110lbs in 55min or less. Thank you for this video!
Smokejumper, that’s sounds awesome
Smokejumper is super hard good luck
@@GrittySoldier Thank you sir! Few things sound as appealing to me as jumping out of planes to kill some fire
@@sterlingjohnson4172 Thats exactly whats drawing me to it. Thank you!
12miles @25lbs? That sounds like heavenly stroll. Should have joined the Army. For real though good vid. My advice is jog at altitude+steady inclines & !DECLINES!+Mountain Climbers every mile+wear your gas mask to increase lung capacity + EMPTY PACK!!!. I know its crazy but what your looking for is mental endurance. The physical endurance and strength will come regardless IF you are doing this system. My experience is Humping a .50 cal in the mountains of California for 4 years. Next Step???? Pick up e6 and you get the luxury of never humping 100lbs+ again. Then its just you enjoying the knees of a 60 year old man at the ripe age of 30. Document your pain and knees with the medic/corpsman being sure there is a PAPER TRAIL so when you get out the VA rates your ancient knees properly. You're Welcome young bloods. You have now earned the Grunt Knees Challenge Coin.
I appreciate this, Marine going into the guard for the try one program to go SF
Good luck brother!
Helpful video for a total noob, greetings from japan!
Great video. I think a lot of people underestimate the importance of leg strength. I did a 12 mile ruck at our Battalion's assessment event to send people to Sapper school, and I finished within the standard, but my legs were very worn out. I was not out of breath at all after jogging the whole way, but my legs got significantly weaker the further I got into the ruck march. Guess I'll be spending more time on the squat rack and more time on hills as well.
It helps to find a mental happy place as well. Especially the last half or so. Dwelling on the beating you're doing to your body will do you no good. One foot in front of the other, "happy place!" I still use this mental method on long hiking/backpacking excursions. Peace!
Thank you💪 I’ve been training for about 4 weeks now trying to build up endurance and health.
Doing the Fan Dance UK in July 2023.
Loving the vids
I should be there too 😉
I Ruck now to keep mentally and physically fit as I can't run due to injury, I also enjoy the outdoors 🏴
12 mile in 2hrs that's better than time while training, thanks for the advice
I erased my original comment because I didnt finish the video. Solid advice all around.
good deal I was like…. What? 😂 Thanks! 👊
Excellent info. I sip water every klick or so to stay hydrated
👍
One of the easiest way to move faster is to own a backpack that doesn't extend to your hips or lower. Otherwise, you can grab the shoulder straps, lift them up so the backpack is above your hips, lower the shoulder straps and hold the straps down preventing the backpack from descending back to your hips. You loose your basic pace speed when a backpack sits at or lower than your hips.
Really helpful advice for a soon to be Soldier. Thank you.
Glad this came out now, next school for me to tackle is Air Assault so this video will definitely help with training
Check this out too: grittysoldier.com/products/air-assault-prep
In case you didn’t know about it! 😉 💪
@@GrittySoldier Thank you Sir!
So learned a bunch on this video. Got something to add. when you pack your ruck and you have to have 35 pounds. But 35 pounds isn’t always 35 pounds. Sometimes 35 pounds can feel like 100. It depends on how you pack it. So the best if allowed is to just take 35 pound weights duct tape them as close to the top of the frame. If it has to be a packing list condense that weight as much as you can and position the heaviest items as close to the shoulders as possible.
Currently I am on a couple break from the Pacific Crest Trail looking to increase my daily millage upon my return. My pace has now found me jogging for the length of a song a few songs a day. Your advice and demo on trotting has given me inspiration and direction on where to move next with my jogging when my feet touch dirt again. Thank you.
Glad I found this… I have a 240 miles race in October this year fast packing with 15 lbs of gear / hydration. I’m an air cav crew chief that hated road marches with squadron road marches ( mostly when we get a tread head commander).
Started the ruck sack training w/35 # month ago, mostly hiking at 8k elevation at our local mountain, abandoned the ruck. I’ll reconsider the training with lighter weights after watching this video.
I'm in jROTC and I'm taking it seriously soon as I hit 17 I'm joining but it's always good to learn the basics before joining
To add to the reason to practice sand and dirt trails, is it is far less damaging on joints, ligaments, and bones.
Thanks. I'm bout to get some right now!
I remember one of my Drill Sergeant’s in Basic telling us,”If you’re using the waistband and chest strap on your ruck, you’re wrong. Stop being weak. If you’re in a combat situation you cant waste time unbuckling you straps.”
Total BS.
My man! Delivers what we ask for!
😉
12 miles? Our FTX march ended up being just under 30 miles. CO wanted to lead the march. Funny how a Ranger “got lost” and we ended up marching all night and part of it through a swamp.
He was either a terrible Ranger or he just wanted to march.
I got my ruck for EIB tomorrow so I just wanted to reassure myself
Man these tips helped me huge. Thanks!!
Now I understand why my unit had such high injury rates. We were having to walk with 100 pounds in the ruck, doing 12-minute miles for 10 miles. And at the 5-mile mark, we got a 30-minute break to change out the socks and eat. I didn't realize that that was not supposed to be normal. we also had about 50 pounds of gear with the rifle, the snowshoes, the skis, etc.
I am very guilty of just throwing 50IBS in the ruck starting off strong and 2 miles in just flat out exhausted doing everything in my power just to keep the minimum pace.
Gotta try not to do that man ☠️
I remember being so anxious before 12 mile ruck march I drank a lotta water to hydrate my body. Long story short I utilized a treeline every stop and on the way back my bladder was so full I had to pee WHILE marching
Have some hard GORUCK events coming up. Thanks for this.
Nice man have fun
I have been rucking and took all this advice, i trotted 6.25 in 1 hour 20 minute. Going for a 10 mile this afternoon.
LOVING THE VIDEOS SIR, i finally can enlist in 2022 i cannot wait to do bct! army infantry 11b well 11x obviously lol
Awesome! And thanks for the support man! 🙏
I find it so interesting how some peoples body's are better at rucking but they aren't as good with the cold, lack of sleep, or starvation. personally I can deal with putting pounds on my back and walking several miles, but I deal with the cold (cold water) or lack of food better.
but at the end of the day it's about embracing the suck and not quitting!
That’s right! 💪
Thank you very much for your service. I’m an ex collegiate athlete about to turn 35. I picked up elk hunting three years ago and want to achieve better physical condition than I had in my early 20s. I am a year out of ACL surgery and just got in to rucking. I did 7 miles of steep elevation variance my first time with a 30lb pack, and just did the same hike with my hunting pack weighted down approximately 80lbs. I want to make sure that I am enhancing my knee’s recovery rather than damaging it. What would you recommend to continue improving? I don’t have time standards that I’m trying to meet, but am concerned with safely strengthening my body to be exceptional in moving heavy weight over crazy terrain. To give context, I own and self perform all the work in my masonry business, so I am used to lugging 80lb bags of mortar around. I am also a bit bigger of a guy at 6’3” 210lb. Sorry for the book, but I your videos have resonated with me. I think rucking may be a little physical struggle that I actually enjoy and also can benefit a passion that I care deeply about. I would appreciate any insight. Thank you again for your service, and for creating great content.
Getting some 80 pound weighted vest repeats in. Obviously proceeding with caution. Big believer in progressive overload for maximal functional strength/movement .
I just tripped over your channel. Good on ya 😉👍🏻🇺🇸
🇺🇸 💪
Squat and deadlift heavy helps a ton
Squats..leg presses. Put the ruck on..gradually..increase weight and distance. Get your boots broken in...
Just finished basic, we r going into ait training for infantry soon, wish me luck
I just like rucking over running. (Civilian) I ruck almost every day 3-6 miles with only 20lbs. I’m slow. 13-15 min miles but get faster as I go.
Looking for pointer from the experts.
Stamina or cardio is not an issue but at 8+ miles my body is hurting.
What the waist band?
How often should you conduct training rucks? What’s the recovery time after a ruck before you start training again gym/run?
I did a 12 mile today with 60 dry in preparation for sapper school I slowed down drastically 2:47 today 2:30 normally. Is this common
Great video I know you said not to go over 40 pounds but I’m 5 weeks in and have been using my 20kg for the rucks I do it twice a week got down to 14min miles I definitely think I’ can do 12 miles in 2.45 I will give it a go in the new year thank you
Thank you!
Well I am recovering from a severe tib / fib break in my right leg so I am starting to learn run again. Sucks having to learn that again at 50 but I refuse to give up lol. I will get some of it back just got to work at it. (Oh by the way the titanium rods suck!!!)
I just completed 3 miles at 48:38 on the treadmill 😬 that’s the first time for me, 30# GoRuck plate, maybe bump it down to 20. I sure felt amazing afterward though!!!!! I hate running, not trying to join the military just get in shape. Part of my meniscus got cleaned out because I went 10 years before replacing ACl, the speed and load hurts the knee a little bit. Oh well, I’m gonna keep going. Thanks!!!
as an old cross country runner, that faster you get done faster you can be don mantra is good lol
😂 it’s true!
This is the way
🤘