RUCKERS

“Why Do You Put Such A Premium On Rucking In SOF?”

We frequently get a lot of questions here at SpecialOperations.com about the Selection part of the pipeline, what the candidates for the various Special Operations units in the SOF umbrella must pass. Selection, as we say is just the first step but it is a continuous process and never really ends.

Candidates during Selection will be assessed on their ability to pass the qualification courses and give an idea on how well they’ll fit in the various SOF units. It isn’t an exact science, never was, never will be. Some candidates make it thru the entire pipeline only to fail in the units. That is because the level of training the operators must possess is far above what is required in the courses. Those are just to get your foot in the door. You’ll be assessed all thru your career in every new job, regardless of rank or position.

And one of the biggest discriminators as we’ve said here countless times centers around rucking. And I’ll repeat it here just to refresh everyone’s memory. Rucking is the basis of nearly every training scenario that you’ll encounter in Special Operations. In almost every case, an operator will have some rucking built into a mission.

Which is why I was intrigued by one two-part question I received last week. The person wanted to know “Why do you put such a premium on rucking in your SOF training prep articles?” And the second part which was, “do you believe that all of the SOF units place such a premium on such an exercise?”

I answered with a question of my own which I didn’t get a response but I’ll have to assume it was asked by a person who wasn’t an aspiring candidate of SOF but just a reader who was under some misconceptions.

So, I’ll throw this out there again. It doesn’t matter how good of a shot you are, how fast of a runner you are, how many pull-ups you can do etc. if you can’t handle a rucksack with a ton of “light-weight” gear, then you won’t last long in any Special Operations unit.

I believe some people who read the news or watch videos get caught up in the video game type of action they believe SOF only takes part in. It isn’t just fast-roping on top of a building and taking it down in a matter of seconds before being picked up by helicopters to do it all over again.

There are frequently long bounding movements associated even with direct action missions. And the kit that you see on the pictures and videos on social media, is hardly anything to sneeze at. Compound that with the operators who’ve been operating in the mountains of Afghanistan and you normally operating at above 7500 feet and facing steep terrain.

In Special Forces, back in the day, we used to do regular “certification” for SF ODAs before deployments to ensure that teams could accomplish their mission. It would consist of a couple of days jam-packed with basic SF skill tasks that we’d have to do and then each night doing a long-range movement with rucksacks consisting of 12-18 miles, with the final one being over 20.

If a team member couldn’t make the grade, then he was soon moved out. There just isn’t a gray area there, you can do it or you can’t. It is just that simple and ruthless in its intent.

The Selection courses are dealt with exactly the same, but the added stress is the unknown. You’re going to be tasked with rucking along a prescribed route, but the cadre won’t tell you how far it is or what your time is. Which is why no watches are allowed. The added stress of the unknown is a mind game that is designed to make it even more difficult.

As candidates and as members of the unit, we’d occasionally have the guy turn an ankle here or twist a knee there, and we’d offer a hand up and maybe take their weapon for a short stint. But, and this was especially true in the course if it happened time and again, other candidates would stop lending a hand to the same guy. Why? This is a guy that you may eventually serve on an A-Team with. Is this guy going to be able to do the job on a team? Or will you consistently have to carry his as well as your own weight? Again it is ruthless, but that is how the herd gets culled.

The Selection for Delta Force is exactly the same, the candidates are given map sheets and a point far in the distance and aren’t given a time window in which they’re supposed to arrive. To get a great look at how to pass the Delta Selection, read NEWSREP’s own George Hand who wrote a tremendous series of articles on just that. The first one is right here:

As to the second part of the question, yes other services do the exact same thing. As I’ve written in the past, I was there early in the process (3rd class) when Special Forces began Selection. Back then it wasn’t yet called SFAS, but SFOT which the candidates thought stood for “Special Form of Torture.”

And the truth of the matter is, we stole the entire Selection playbook from the SAS. Nearly all of our SF training today was based on the SAS model. Yes, I know, my Brit friends will never let me forget that little tidbit.

And the SAS really puts a high priority on rucking. The Breeland Beacons in Wales to include the infamous Pen Y Fan and the forced long-range rucksack march which the Brits call “Endurance” shows that they too use that as a prime Selection tool. I can’t speak for our potential adversaries in the case of the Russians or the Chinese, but I’d bet the house that they do things much the same way.

In the 7th SFG, we would normally ruck 2X and run 3X a week during a regular PT week. But that would change on occasion depending on the situation. Most times, just like our runs, we’d start off as a group and then about halfway thru it would an individual movement to the finish.

Rucking is of paramount importance, that is why so many SOF guys in their later years have so many back, knee and shoulder issues…it comes with the territory.

So, who’s going rucking today???? DOL

Photo: US Army

Originally published on Special Operations.com

The GORUCK Challenge is a Fun, Interesting Event While Prepping For Selection

While preparing to go to Selection, there is a lot of individual work that must be put in. Finding and breaking in the best boots for your feet and prepping your feet for the long road ahead. Then there is the Land Navigation training and map reading which, if you aren’t ready for can be daunting. Then, of course, is the physical training, and finally, the rucking that goes in to prepare. No one says you can’t have a little fun while rucking and preparing for Selection which leads us the GORUCK Challenge.

What is GORUCK? GORUCK is a company that was started by Jason McCarthy after his Special Forces service with the 10^th SFG(A). He originally was trying to just sell the gear that he was manufacturing. But then he got an idea to promote the gear and let people, many of whom had never rucked or experienced anything close to being in the military a little taste of what Selection is like.

But this event is built on having fun, sweating up a storm, working within a team and accomplishing a goal under the watchful gaze of a Special Operations cadre member. It is built around events that you’ll encounter in Selection, doing PT in the sand, or in some cases the water, carrying heavy objects as a team, (logs, telephone pole sections) and then building an apparatus that has to carry about 500 pounds and then moving it around a city in the US. Sounds strangely familiar?

The different GORUCK events last anywhere from:

The Light – 4-5 hours, 7-10 mile distance
The Tough – 10-12 hours, 15-20 mile distance
The Heavy – 24+ hours, 40+ miles distance
Selection – 48+ hours, 80+ miles distance (has a less than 5 percent finish rate)

They also have an Orienteering course, a Scavenger Hunt, as well as others.

So, while you’re having fun, you are also getting some difficult and useful training in. Preparing for Selection is a lot of work. It is demanding, tough and generally a lonely process, as the onus is on yourself to get ready for the challenge ahead.

This is a chance to put together a like-minded group of individuals to enjoy the camaraderie of the course, getting some challenging training in, all while in a much more light-hearted atmosphere than the Selection courses.

If you want to give your friends a taste of wait awaits you or just want to get training partners involved in a break from the monotony of singular training than the GORUCK challenge would be a fun way to do just that. And if your Land Navigation is a particularly weak area, the 36-hour Navigator course, taught by Special Forces cadre members will be a good, learning tool while also being taught some survival skills.

Now don’t think that this is a harbinger of things to come at Selection. There is no way, I’d ever try to sell you that and the GORUCK people wouldn’t either. Their course is based on having fun while you’re working your tail off.

I’m in the midst now of trying to convince some friends and family members to put together a team and attempt one of the challenges that are upcoming in the next few months. My wife thinks I’m insane to want to do this, “After all this time, you want to go back to being in selection?” Perhaps she has a point.

But being a Special Forces guy means always being up to the challenge, right? That’s what it is all about. That and doing what we love and most importantly doing it with the ones we love. That being said, I doubt I’ll have any luck convincing anyone to do the Selection challenge, but hey, it is time to throw the ruck on and get outside and work out the kinks this morning. Let’s go rucking.

Photo courtesy of GORUCK

Article courtesy of Special Operations.com

Don’t Let the Elements Dictate Your Preparation For Selection

“No Days Off.” That should be the mantra of all aspiring Special Operations troops. And we do what we can here to help those young people prepare. We post a daily workout program to help aspiring Special Operations candidates to properly prepare themselves physically for the various Selection courses.

Being prepared physically will also carry over mentally as well, filling the candidate with confidence to be able to handle anything thrown at him. But with the preparation comes the inevitable running and rucking that must be done to be ready once the rubber hits the road.

But if you’re one of those “fortunate” souls who lives or is stationed in the Northeast United States right now, Mother Nature has thrown us a curve. Or to put bluntly, she is a vindictive Bi**h. Back-to-back-to-back late season Nor’easters have blanketed the area with snow. While during the storms themselves, there isn’t much that can be done safely out of doors, once it is over, don’t let the elements stop or even slow down your preparation. It may be a bit different for a bit, but a break in the usual monotony can be a good thing.

As a member of the Special Operations community, the weather and elements won’t alter training or operations so don’t let it to you alter your preparation for the course. Someone once told me, “the difference between an average man and a warrior is that an average man looks at everything as a blessing or a curse. The warrior looks at everything as merely a challenge.”

Last week we posted about rucking in the snow. In it I alternated breaking trail thru knee deep snow in places to walking along the railroad tracks which was much easier. The deeper part of the snow was great exercise and tires you out much quicker than walking along level ground. At those times, don’t worry about the pace, trust me it is going to be much, much slower. As long as you are going as hard as you can, it will help in the long run.

Fruit trees that have a lot of deer in late summer, early fall shows the trail broken ahead by someone in boots sinking deep. (photo: Author)

Which brings us to Sunday, in our daily workout we had a ruck march on slate and I decided to break things up by incorporating a winter training event into the ruck march, rather than let the elements dictate. It was clear and very cold on Sunday morning with a wind chill of zero degrees, the little melting that had gone on earlier in the week had frozen over into ice and footing wasn’t the greatest.

We have a large trail off one of the roads I use for rucking that goes up a steep hill and overlooks a large lake in town. The snow had melted a little and re-froze giving it a crunchy, hard crust. After veering off the road, at the base of the hill, I switched over to snow shoes. Snowshoeing requires a different set of muscles and a bit of practice to get used to, but the average person can get comfortable in snowshoes in a couple of hours. It is also a kick-ass exercise and will work some different muscles in your legs and every little bit helps.

Again, forget about the pace, it isn’t going to be the same as a timed rucksack march in Selection. Just focus on technique and working as fast and as hard as you can. This particular hill is one that is familiar as my wife and I have snowshoed up here for several years. The climb is steep but once you get to the top, the hill is cleared and the view is spectacular of the valley around us and the lake and makes it all worthwhile.

My better half taking a break at the top in an earlier photo with the lake frozen over. (photo: author)

Same view in the fall. a good rucking hill. Start point is about 2 miles to the left of the finger that juts out into the lake. (photo: author)

I’ve been doing some extra rucking for a good charity cause, the GoRUCK “Pets for Patriots” fundraiser pairs dogs that need homes with veterans that could benefit with having a dog as a companion. The hashtag #RuckYourDog2018 is to be used on social media to chart your rucks and distances.

So, my partner (Bulldog) and I have been going out every day, albeit for short ones, usually before sunup. The ice and snow isn’t great on their feet and she’ll let me know when it is time to call it a day. Got to protect the pooch.

As soon as we started breaking trail in the snow, like always the dog was trying to get in front and lead and it didn’t take long for her to realize that is was much easier for her to follow for a change and allow me to break trail for her. Dogs are smart like that sometimes…

I veered off the course and saw someone had hiked thru the deep snow without benefit of any snowshoes and we followed it as far as it would go. Only about halfway before they turned back. After setting a brisk pace for moving uphill, and it IS pretty steep for the most part, it is a great workout and a bit awkward at first carrying a ruck and snowshoeing. But it leveled off at the top and is a nice flat perfect view.

My partner wasn’t into admiring the view and was anxious to get going back down, so we set an even quicker pace heading back.

Once at the bottom, switching back to just boots going home makes the going even better and your feet will feel as light as a feather.

The bottom line is, the weather will turn to crap more often than not on you. Don’t let it rule you, rise above it and keep driving on. There will be times when you’ll have to be creative with your workouts. With more crappy weather on tap in a day or two, more snow is on the way. It doesn’t mean that work stops. You can still get a heckuva workout, albeit a slightly different one in, and possibly learn a new skill at the same time.

Just another challenge…No Days Off. Happy Rucking. DOL

Photos: Author

Originally published on Special Operations.com

Aftermarket Rucksacks for Selection Preparation, Rucking and Hiking

We’ve gone over the rucking tips quite a bit and everyone preparing for selection should be very comfortable with a ruck on their back and be humping long distances. It goes without saying that rucking and land navigation is the bread and butter of special operations forces. If you can show the intestinal fortitude needed to keep driving on and keep your head about you, the rest will come with training.

I’ve gotten a few emails about gear. Like I’ve said before, when it comes to personal gear, it is all a matter of taste and what works best for you. However, in one of the emails that I received from a brother from 12^thSFG(A), Jeff M. he asked for my opinion on some aftermarket rucksacks and what would work for some training and weekend type hikes.

You’ve come to the right place, Jeff! As my wife would tell you, I collect(ed)…boots and 3-day rucksacks like some guys had trading cards. Just couldn’t get enough of them and would always be testing out another new one. That’s why when it comes to boots, I love Merrell’s because they work for me, and Under Armor workout shoes. Those two brands fit my feet perfectly, why I have eight pairs of Merrell’s and three pairs of UA workout/running shoes. But again, whatever works for you.

I’ve had tons of backpacks/3-day packs and will go over some of the ones I’ve had and still had. Now as a caveat before we go any further if you are heading to a selection course, you’re going to have to use what they issue. And if you can’t stand ALICE packs as Jeff M. and myself or the MOLLE, you’ll have to suck it up during training. There’s no way around it.

I too hated the ALICE, to me it was as my Brit friends call “shite”. I had a couple of them. One courtesy of someone in the 20^th Engineers who didn’t attach his lowering line to it on a jump on Holland Drop Zone and I found it in the treeline. I guess someone skipped over that on their JMPI. But I had an aftermarket frame and a few different accessories put on by a guy right outside of Ft. Bragg that made it tolerable. For issue rucks I liked the British Bergen much better. But if you’re doing your own personal training and want comfort while embracing the suck…read on.

These are listed in no particular order but I’ve either owned or tried these out and think you’d be pleased with the results.

5.11 Rush 72 Backpack

This one was my favorite it has so many features we could do an entire piece just on it. It was one of a series of 5.11 tactical packs, the Rush 12, the Rush 24 and the Rush 72. You can pack enough stuff in there to easily get by as a weekend backpacking ruck and it works outstanding in for rucking around during physical training prep.

The internal frame support keeps it rigid and distributes the weight well, there are four areas of padding in the back and ventilation to keep you cool. The contoured yoke for the shoulder straps was comfortable and wide. One feature I really liked for hiking was the chest straps were adjustable so your height was never a problem.

Another great feature was the waist straps that folded up and stowed away when I used it as carry-on luggage when flying. It had a padded pocket at the top that could carry sunglasses or a cell phone. The inside was roomy with plenty of mesh pockets that come in handy finding smaller items.

For rucking or hiking, it comes with a large hydration carrier with a hanger that will accommodate a large bladder. The top of the ruck has ports on either side for hydration hoses and a heavy-duty grab handle.

The one time the airline made me check it because some guy just HAD TO carry a trunk that belonged on the Titanic, it never made it to the baggage carousel. Someone either in JFK or Dakar got themselves a helluva nice backpack. Not to mention a pair of the stretch fabric 5.11s, my favorite running shoes and other stuff including my favorite Patriots hat.

GORUCK Rucker

I haven’t owned one of these, but I got to try one out and am sold…this is a great ruck and is a perfect day ruck or for the weekend bugout back. These babies are tough and built to last…no wonder the company is owned and operated by Special Forces vets. They’re constructed out of 1000 denier CORDURA, which is heavy duty and holds up well.

They put on their website that the stress points are sewn to withstand 400 pounds and I believe it. The ruck just has an extremely well-made quality to it. This too can accommodate a good size water bladder with a hanger at the top. It has a pouch that they advertise for their ruck plates which fit in snugly and take up little room.

It is rainproof and the day I test drove it, it showered hard for a few minutes. The water beaded up perfectly and everything stayed bone dry inside. A neat feature is the YKK silent zipper pulls made from 550 cord that are glove friendly when rucking in the colder months…something we can appreciate here in New England.

Extra padded straps and handle, MOLLE Attachments and the fact that it opens nice and flat make this a very attractive, tough customer.

The only drawback is that it is a bit price at $195. And that is without the padded MOLLE Hip belt, and the MOLLE Sternum strap, which for rucking or hiking, I’d add. That being said, the next ruck I buy will be this one or the GR Bullet.

BLACKHAWK! S.T.R.I.K.E. Predator Hydration Pack

Another favorite bug-out bag, hiking bag that grew feet, this one was my own fault. Don’t go to Wal-Mart and leave it in the back seat with the car unlocked…even for a 5-minute shopping trip.

This is an outstanding, comfortable, versatile ruck. It has enough room (830 cubic inches) to cram enough stuff in there for a day hike. Like all Blackhawk products, it is rugged, well-constructed and had several nice features.

It has a nice molded back channel that gives plenty of ventilation with either a shirt or with a light jacket in the fall months. I loved the contoured shoulder straps, that along with the sternum strap makes this a very comfortable fit.

The hydration system works easily although they didn’t come with filters, so clean water has to be introduced. The ruck has a heavy duty reinforced drag handle, YKK zippers with silent glove friendly pulls, and a ton of MOLLE straps for lashing down any extra gear in a tactical situation.

The only drawback for this ruck that I remember is that it didn’t open all the way. But for a smaller day-type ruck it was a small issue.

SPEC-OPS Assault Pack

I’ve had this one for the past 13 years and it has taken a beating and keeps on ticking. At the time I got this, I was working as a contractor on a training job and one of my friends just bought it in ACU and then was heading home and gave it to me.

It is heavy duty, very well constructed and very comfortable. It is made from the same 1000 denier CORDURA that lasts, wears well and is water resistant. The ruck unzips and opens flat with a high visibility yellow lining that makes it easier to find items.

It has two large outside pockets that are easily accessible and a large main compartment that is roomy for plenty of storage for a weekend hike or as a weekend bag to travel in. The ruck has a comfortable shoulder harness with a sternum strap and padded waist belt. SPEC-OPS also has those heavy-duty buckles that secure the pockets.

There is a ton of MOLLE loops for lashing extra gear. Dual ports on the top of the ruck allow for hydration tubes as well as a heavy-duty carrying strap. Compression straps make everything tight when carrying it on a plane or rucking through the woods.

Thanks for the question Jeff and if anyone else has any more, feel free to email me [email protected] or at my Twitter account @SteveB7SFG

Photo courtesy of DOD

Originally published on Special Operations.com

Rucking For a Cause on Veterans Day

Yesterday in a post we spoke about giving back to our people and community by getting involved in many of our Veterans Day events locally. Here is a way everyone regardless of whether they served or not can give to some great and needy veterans organizations. While searching for local events on Veterans Day, I came across several events across the nation where veterans and citizens are combining rucking and fundraising.

The will not only help out for vet causes but will also play into our Selection prep work which will serve our readers who are aspiring to become members of the best fraternity in the world, our Special Operations Forces.

As we’ve stated here many times, rucking is the basis for virtually all of the missions that you’ll be tasked with accomplishing in the Special Operations community. It is an activity that we push here in both our preparation workouts and while conducting any other kind of training like Land Navigation as it can, and will be easily incorporated with. It is also one of the harder parts of the various Selection courses as well as the Qualification courses.

It is great to see so many people, civilians, as well as veterans, take to rucking. It is becoming increasingly popular with the masses as they like to challenge themselves in different ways, more and more outside of the gym and this is different and a challenge.

Here are just a few that jumped off the screen where you can combine rucking for preparation as well as donating to a veteran cause this weekend.

The guys at GORUCK have Veterans Day events all over the country, including two here in Massachusetts. You can check out their webpage for events near yourself.

Veterans Overcoming Obstacles Veterans Day Ruck will take place in Pueblo, CO. on Sunday, November 11. They are conducting a 10-mile weighted ruck, a ½ mile walk, and a 5K Walk Run. All proceeds raised will go to the non-profit organization Veterans Overcoming Obstacles to help aid in their fight to battle Veteran substance abuse and PTSD related suicide.

Carry the Fallen- Ruck March: Teams ruck-march for 3, 6, 12 or 22 hours while carrying a weight that symbolizes the burden that many veterans carry post-war or post-trauma. The ultimate purpose of “Carry The Fallen” is to reduce veteran suicide and assist Military Families.

BICENTENNIAL VETERANS DAY 5K RUN/RUCK: Takes place in Bloomington, Indiana this weekend. The Ruck challenge will be completed as a group, with obstacles and challenges placed throughout the trail. The ruck will be led by local members of various branches of the military.

The run and ruck are for adults ages 18 yrs. and up, but there are family-friendly games and entertainment at RCA Community Park throughout the event. Bloomington-area veterans services will be on site to connect with military members and their families.

Hope for the Warriors: Is a ruck march that will take place at Southern
Illinois University Carbondale. They are conducting a 24-mile ruck march from the Murphysboro, Illinois VFW to the Marion Illinois VFW in attempt to raise money for the
Student Veterans Organization.

This money will be used for small emergency needs such as electric bills, social events, and assistance for students to attend the 2014 Student Veterans of America National Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Saluki Veterans Organization will be assisting the organizers and participants during the ruck march. Another organization called Team Red, White, & Blue will also be in attendance and assisting.

United War Veterans Council 2018 Honor Ruck: will be conducting a walk/ruck (at the participant’s discretion) in New York City and visiting several memorials, including East Coast (WWII), Korean War, Vietnam War, America’s Response and end at the 9/11 Memorial, where there will be a short closing ceremony. As part of the 9/11 Memorial’s Salute to Service, participants in the ruck will receive complimentary admission to the 9/11 Memorial Museum during the next available timeslot.

Ruck and Food Drive will be conducted at the University of Washington campus by the Student Veteran Life organization. The participants will be rucking canned food from one location to another and they are turning it into an adventure.

It’s like a ruck march and scavenger hunt combined for an awesome race. The prize goes to the person who can cross the finish line with the most food for donation.

Annual Veteran’s Day Family Fun Run and 10K Ruck Challenge are to be held in Birmingham, Alabama where all of the proceeds from the Fun Run and Team Ruck Challenge are distributed to local charities that support veterans, as chosen by the winning teams.

Team Ruck participants are required to individually complete the 5k/10k course carrying a set amount of weight in a military rucksack (a ‘ruck”), a commercial backpack or a weighted vest. Participants are required to provide their own ruck & weights.

Veterans Day 10K Ruck/Walk & Run is being conducted in S.Hamilton, AL where the proceeds will go to Team RWB that helps veterans. Ruck participants will be required to carry 55lbs dry for males and 35lbs dry for females. Dry weight means ruck without water, electrolytes or snacks. Rucks will be weighed prior to and after ruck challenge to verify weight.

There will be race day event activities to include: Live music, Vendor booths, Food, a Rock Climbing wall, a Gladiator pit, and other family activities. More information can be gleaned from their website.

In this day and age, we have to put forth the disclaimer that we don’t personally vouch for the validity of any of the organizations involved but they all appear to be first class organizations at first glance but you know how that is today.

But this is a great way to get out and get your rucking in over the Veterans Day weekend while promoting some great causes and having fun with your friends, workout partners, family, and pets even.

As I pointed out in yesterday’s column, we’ll be visiting our area schools and old age homes on Thursday and Friday and we have a Veterans Breakfast at the community center for one of the new developments in town. So, to keep in the spirit of the weekend’s events, I’ll volunteer to do a 12-miler on my own, since I didn’t register for any events. And I’ll donate some money to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation,which supports SOF warriors and their families from all of the services.

I hope to see you all out on the rucking trail this weekend.

Don’t be Light, Don’t be Late, and Don’t be out of uniform. DOL.

Photo: US Army/Author

Originally published on Special Operations.com

Speed Up Your Recovery After the 12-Mile Rucksack March

Our Sunday daily workout piece to help our prospective candidates prepare for Selection featured a 12-mile rucksack march. And hopefully for those that followed it and conducted it, (it was a cold 40 degree, rainy morning here), followed our normal rucksack marching tips. Wearing the correct boots and socks, having the correct and comfortable clothes on with anti-chafing powder, packing your rucksack correctly and having the weight up high where it belongs. Now we’ll talk a bit about recovery.

Back in the day, when I was a young buck and going thru Special Forces training, recovery wasn’t something that we paid any attention to. At best, we’d drink water, eat and take a nap. As we got a little bit older, and our recovery time increased, we got a bit smarter about recovery, but the troops today have much better trainers and training staffs on hand and they’ll help the troops out in what is a very important part of fitness.

We preach here that there are “no days off” and we have to be ready to go back at it first thing in the morning. So now recovery is even more important… and then the nap will feel even better. As we mentioned above, it was cold and rainy here, and that cold and damp plays hell on arthritic joints, but it will put a damper on just about everyone as it tends to take a bit longer to get your speed and pace going. However, it does help with not overheating. Although wearing a lightweight rain jacket this morning, it was almost halfway unzipped allowing plenty of that cool air to stop overheating from occurring.

Rucking, in general, will put some strain on your joints, your knees, back, ankles. But rucking over a longer distance like a 12 or 20 miler increases that stress on your joints and these techniques will help speed your recovery time.

Feed the Beast:

While you should be drinking water throughout the ruck march, and with our Camelbak system we were doing just that, you need to eat soon after finishing. Everyone is different and your body may not react well to food or different things going into it so soon after exercise.

As soon as possible, preferably less than 30 minutes from completion of the ruck, down a protein shake. My trainer tells me that your body is depleted and hungry for nutrients to replace what was burned up during the three hours or less of the ruck march. By introducing a protein shake it stops your body from introducing cortisol into your system.

After that, eating a meal, if your body allows it is preferred. I’m always ravenous after a long ruck march. But everyone is different.

Ice Bath or Cold Tub:

While some recommend that you jump right into a cold tub as soon as the ruck march is over if you are like me, you have to shower first. I hate getting into a tub, hot or cold without having a shower. On Saturday, I bought three bags of ice from the liquor store and as soon as the shower was done, I filled the tub with cold water and dumped the bags of ice in there.

My bulldog has been conditioned to know that when the bathtub is getting filled it is HER bath time. So, with all the subtlety that bullies are known for, she burst into the bathroom using her head to push open the door and was contemplating diving in on top of me until she noticed the ice. Sticking her snout in for a second, with a quick shake of her head, she nixed that idea and promptly padded out…Bitch didn’t even close the door.

However, all it takes is about 10-20 minutes of the ice bath to reduce any inflammation in your muscles and helps ease those sore shoulders, hips, and knees from rucking. I did save two cubes for a medicinal glass of Single Barrel Jack …although that part isn’t what the docs would call smart. Ah well.

Foam Roller and Lacrosse Ball Time:

One of the best things my trainer ever introduced me to was the foam roller and a lacrosse ball. I was never a believer in either until I tried them and they help immensely. They help to get everything back in line after the strain of the rucksack compressing your lower back, hips, and shoulders.

I start with the lacrosse ball under my lower back and do some slow crunches and sit-ups. Eventually, I move the lacrosse ball up between my shoulder blades and during the sit-up motion, I extend my arms out, that will stretch out the shoulders.

The foam roller works wonders at getting your lower back, rib cage area and upper back/shoulders stretched back out and feeling like everything is back to where it needs to be. All of the compression of the ruck march is erased in just a few short minutes.

Stretching It All Out:

The last thing we do is a nice, slow stretch which really helps out after a long-range movement. Most people, myself included, feel shoulder fatigue, or sagging after a ruck. That is completely normal and once you get in Special Operations and begin carrying those ridiculous amounts of “light-weight” gear, you will too.

I begin with a shoulder shrug/stretch. Stand up straight pull your shoulders back and rotate them up and down. That will help loosen them up after being pulled down with the weight of the rucksack. And then open your arms wide, almost like a Predator pose and stretch your shoulders out wide. Keep your chest up and pull your shoulders back.

I then do some standing calf stretches and then finish it off with glute and hip stretches that always feel like they get everything back in line.

These are the things I wished I did back in the day, it may have helped many of the aches and pains I suffer from today. But they will definitely aid in speeding your recovery times. Remember that while in the Selection course, your recovery/downtime is liable to be much shorter if not almost non-existent.

But this will help you in your quest to get prepared for the rigors of the Selection course that will follow. And soon after the long ruck marches, you’ll be ready to go do it all over again. Now, I’ll finish this and head over to the easy chair and ice my aching knees. Whoever said, aging gracefully is a given? DOL, Happy Rucking.

Photo: US Army

Originally published on Special Operations.com