Workout regimen suggestion

[Bechorg]

Here is some stuff I put together for my mentorees. I personally do the workout regimen and have a 360 pt score, 1300+ UBRR, and meet all of the suggested goals. It has worked well to keep me strong and injury free. It works for me, and it isn't perfect. It's not for beginners or low performers. I believe if you meet this standard, there is no possible way you will not get selected due to fitness.

 Establish your physical GOALS, here are some examples of what I would expect a selection candidate to have prior to selection:

PT Test: 290+ (Candidates with 290+ have an incredibly higher chance at getting selected)
2 mile run: 13:00
4 mile run: 30:00
5 mile run: 37:00
6 mile ruck: <1:18
12 mile ruck: 2:30
Pushups 2min :85
Situps max: 80
Pullups max:15-20
Deadlift 5rep:275
Squat 5rep max:225
Bench: bodyweight x 5

The first step is establishing a baseline for all those events, and know that when you target certain exercises like squat that your ruck times will get better, so don’t worry about constantly testing yourself. The goal is to get to a point where you know that you will have no problem meeting a standard. 5 mile run? No problem, I know my pace and how to hold it. Knowing a 8 min, 7 min, 6 min paces is essential for running, and a 15, 14, and 13 min pace for rucking. It is really important. Work all the exercises above into your workout regimen.

 Develop your own workout plan with crossfit, SOFWODS, and make sure to focus mostly on running, rucking, and bodyweight exercises. Do not ruck run until you have been rucking for 3-4 months. Ruck running should not be faster than a 10 minute mile. Do not increase your distances or speed on your runs more than 10% per week. Make a schedule for three months and stick to your goal paces.

Generally, your workout regimen should resemble the following:

LIFTING days are two a days and should be between 45 minutes and one hour for the lifting, and 30-45 minutes for the runs. Your lifting sessions should be based off of SOFWODS or crossfit and you need access to Olympic bumper weights because the core of your lifting is Olympic lifts and bodyweight exercise. Power endurance is the goal of these lifting sessions and lifting is secondary to rucking and running. All of your sets should be around 3-5 and your repetitions per set should be 10-15. It is good to gear the workouts towards body parts (upper or lower body, back, chest, arms, shoulders). I generally do Mondays and Fridays chest and Wednesdays back and shoulders. All lifting days should include pushups, dips, and pull-ups with a premium placed on high sets with high repetitions. That is the best way to get better at pushups, situps, pullups, and dips. For instance, on a Monday lifting day I will do 30 pushups every hour for 6-7 hours. Or after the lift session I will do 10 sets of 15 pushups, or 5 sets of 15 pushups, 10 pullups, and 10 dips. Scale the number of repetitions but keep the sets near the same. Also throw in core exercises like planking, bridges, and other ab exercises.

RUCKING is the single most important part of your success. You must be able to ruck with 65 pounds quickly for around 200 miles in selection. The trek at the end is around 30-40 miles and you need to be in the front. If you have not started rucking get on it! Start with a 2 mile ruck, 4 mile ruck, and 6 mile ruck per week. Keep doing that until you can maintain a sub 15 minute pace. I would not increase distance too much, only the pace. Try to get near a 13:30 pace.

RUNNING should be progressive in nature. Do not increase more than 10% per week in distance or pace. I generally do not run more than 35 miles per week. Running gets you hurt over time and pay attention to your shins, knees, and ankles especially. When in doubt REST!

INTERVALS are the best way to lower a two mile and five mile time. I do around two miles total intervals breaking it down to 2x800M, 4x400m and 4x200m. Establish a goal two mile pace and make sure that you meet that pace every single 400m. It will train you to keep a pace for an entire race and ensure you get a consistent time. This is the best way to be faster as well.8-10 iterations of 30 second sprinting 60 second resting can also be used, as well as 30 minutes of stair work.

Monday: LIFT (INCLUDE SQUAT, BENCH) INTERVALS

Tuesday: SHORT RUCK( 2 MILES AT 14:00 PACE)

Wednesday: LIFT( INCLUDE SQUAT, DEADLIFT, PUSH PRESS) INTERVALS

Thursday: MEDIUM RUCK (4 MILES AT 15:00 PACE)

Friday: LIFT (INCLUDE SQUAT, POWER CLEAN )

Saturday: LONG RUN (6-8 MILES AT 8:00 PACE) OR LONG RUCK (6-10 MILES AT 15MIN PACE)

Sunday- Rest

 If you can invest in some gear, do so. I would look at a GPS watch to measure pace and distance. You won’t be able to have this at selection but it will help you in knowing your pace and distance. Look at some good running shoes that have support like Asics GT 1000, as well as a lighter 6oz pair for PT tests. Nike SFB boots are the best boots to ruck in.

[craigepo]

That looks like a great workout plan. I have a couple of questions:

1) Do you have any sort of special stretching workout, or do you just stretch after each workout?

2) Do you work any swims in?

3) Do you use a heartrate monitor, and if so, how?

Again, sounds like a heck of a workout regimen.

[Quaker]

I'm going to use this once I get back to the states. Will be interested to hear the answer to the above questions. Thanks for posting; I have been searching for a good workout plan.

[Bechorg]

1) Do you have any sort of special stretching workout, or do you just stretch after each workout?

I am all bout lower body flexibility, so I do alot of leg swings and lunges to warm up. This will help in your stride with running and rucking. I would do 2 sets of lunges and squats before stepping off with a ruck.

For any lifting or cardio a dynamic warmup is essential, not a static stretching routine. That is for after workouts. Dynamic warmup is anything that gets your whole body warmed up, it can be anything really.Personally before every lifting session I do 4-8 minutes of machine rowing for a dynamic warmup. Also using a foam roller to work the lactic acid is really important if you are doing alot of legs.

For events like a two mile run I would do one lap of warmup, with 3 or 4x100m warmups at a good speed. The problem with most people's two milers is they start WAY too fast (for example they go 1:20 for the first 400m when their target goal is 1:30 per lap) so it is ESSENTIAL to understand what a 1:30 lap feels like. You get that by repeating over and over.

2.) Do you do any swimming?
I do swimming as sort of a cardio exercise twice a week. I think the low impact and core building qualities of it is a really good thing to have. I usually do 500m and 100mx3. Nothing serious, but that is just my personal preference. If you aspire to be on a scuba team then do more because it also helps with rucking and running.


3) Do you use a heartrate monitor, and if so, how?
I have never had experience with it because I believe that if you work hard you don't need it. Push yourself to your limits and beyond, what does it really matter? As long as you get to the level you need to be and know how to maintain it, I don't see a need.

[Bechorg]

Just make sure if you are doing what I am doing you have REALISTIC, PROGRESSIVE goals. My regimen is all about mixing it up with the workouts and exercise, but still giving the same amount of effort in the areas that you need. You have to know your own body and know your weaknesses. I completely avoid abs and legs because I run so much and know my situp score is always 100+ su. Just get to know yourself and if you have any questions as to what a decent lifting day looks like let me know.

[MR2]

I give this Thread 5 Advils!



Edit: 2,000th post!

[Quaker]

Sadly, I have problems in the upper body department. I'm Just over 6' 155lb and never benched or lifted weights (regularly) in my life. That's where I really need to focus.

[Bechorg]

It's only sad if you continue allowing it to be an excuse. Look at YouTube videos on form and hit the gym. Make a calorie goal, a protein and carb grams goal per day and meet it until you bulk up to 190. Lift your butt off and eat like a spartan.

[Jerry4463]

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to Beechorg. Been following this for a couple of weeks now and have already seen improvement in my rucks and runs. The rucks are coming up even quicker than I expected so I'm going to focus more on the runs for another month then run through the program in Get Selected. I've lifted a fair amount my whole life and just finished cutting from 230 to 205 so its definitely the running and pullups that need the most attention.

In any case, thank you for sharing this. I think if every new user here read this you guys could avoid a lot of the repetitive questions. The routine you outlined has plenty to keep just about anyone occupied and is easily scalable. Thanks again.

[Flagg]

About a month ago I had the chance to meet Pat McNamara running a 1 day gym activity.

I'm sure Mac's known to many here.

He's calling it Combat Strength Training.

To my amateurish eye it appears to be a mix of cross fit-like activities, with some Gym Jones, and some unique/creative stuff Mac comes up with.

Of note is his focus on flexibility, longevity(for mature fellas like me who are no longer trying to die young), strength/power balance, and maintaining fitness on the road.

He's been developing it for a couple years now, but he seems to be gaining a head of steam by the looks of things.

Great guy, with some really creative/austere ways to look after your body better.

He has an Instagram account and a blog that covers a fair bit of what he's up to as well as a nice little ebook I have found to be of good value.

Definitely worth checking out in my amateur opinion, especially for folks like me who are far closer to the end than the beginning of their physical careers.

[DanHeller88]

This sounds like an awesome plan, I am very excited to try this. Thank you for sharing it with us. I am going to give this a shot for 4 weeks(probably carry it out longer if I am progressing).

[JimP]

Just a plug here for the heat-rate monitor. I started using one a few years back after years and years of just "running hard". The gains I made were amazing. Turns out, I - as I guess most in here - was seriously overtraining. I ran too fast too often and did not give my entire system the breaks it needed.

Now, the problem is that my cardio bounces back faster than my old broke-ass can handle it. be careful with it. Also highly recommend the book: Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot by John Parker (spelling is Brit). Use the search function as we had a thread a few years back on this.

A heart rate monitor will get you right where you need to be on the days you need to run hard, and it will keep you from running hard on your "rest days".

[prchulousa]

Does anyone know the size of foam rollers allowed at SFAS? length and width. I see there's a bunch and own one myself but I'm sure there has to be a limit before they're like "WTH, THAT'S NOT ALLOWED".