Posted on Aug 4, 2016
What are some tips or ways to improve performance during ruck marches?
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This is not just for me but future teaching soldiers how to do their best during ruck marches.
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Physical Training
Rucking
Physical Training Rucking
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 19
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One of the biggest tips I can put out that hasn't been stated yet is this.
DON'T RUN! You will destroy your knees, and risk tripping. Do you want to fall on your face or wrists with an extra 50 lbs on you?
Trust me, I used to run only occasionally with a ruck and now have at least 1 torn meniscus and a rebuilt ankle.
Learn to vary your paces. Fast walking is still walking (it is an Olympic sport). Taking larger steps can speed you up a little, but will tire you. Short tiny steps can speed you up a lot and not tire you as quickly. Go "slow" uphil and short choppy steps downhill. Learn how your body works. When I speed up it looks like a drag car starting off. shoulders drop, head lifts, back goes down a bit and i go. When I switch paces to a longer stride, my shoulders and back pick up, lean forward, head goes down a tad.
Knowing how you work allows you to figure out your strides, speeds, capabilities, ruck set up etc...
You should be able to keep the same overall speed but with a different stride/gait, short choppy vs long and extended.
There are tons of people who just throw on an unbalanced ruck, with issued socks and unbroken in boots, looks like a gypsy caravan with straps hanging everywhere, and 4 miles leter they're dragging their rubber duck by the muzzle, doing that "road march limp" all Thurs and Fri, and who hate road marching - it's just walking. You do not need more than 45 lbs plus water - ever. Yes, even if going to Selection. 45 lbs.
DON'T RUN! You will destroy your knees, and risk tripping. Do you want to fall on your face or wrists with an extra 50 lbs on you?
Trust me, I used to run only occasionally with a ruck and now have at least 1 torn meniscus and a rebuilt ankle.
Learn to vary your paces. Fast walking is still walking (it is an Olympic sport). Taking larger steps can speed you up a little, but will tire you. Short tiny steps can speed you up a lot and not tire you as quickly. Go "slow" uphil and short choppy steps downhill. Learn how your body works. When I speed up it looks like a drag car starting off. shoulders drop, head lifts, back goes down a bit and i go. When I switch paces to a longer stride, my shoulders and back pick up, lean forward, head goes down a tad.
Knowing how you work allows you to figure out your strides, speeds, capabilities, ruck set up etc...
You should be able to keep the same overall speed but with a different stride/gait, short choppy vs long and extended.
There are tons of people who just throw on an unbalanced ruck, with issued socks and unbroken in boots, looks like a gypsy caravan with straps hanging everywhere, and 4 miles leter they're dragging their rubber duck by the muzzle, doing that "road march limp" all Thurs and Fri, and who hate road marching - it's just walking. You do not need more than 45 lbs plus water - ever. Yes, even if going to Selection. 45 lbs.
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Pack the ruck right, for weight distribution, pad the shoulder straps (towels, OD work well.) Keep the ruck high on your back, not your butt, add padding to the back strap and even add foam between the ruck frame and your back. Thick socks, good well broke in boots, good physical tng, moleskin and soaking your feet in brine are good point too.
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Stay hydrated before during and after, lots of stretching both before and after, and do more rucking on your own. The only real way to improve on a weak area is to do it more often, and make sure that if your Soldiers decide to ruck on their own, they go in teams.
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I ruck in my free time and I always add weight, and when it comes to company matches, it's cake.
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How far are troops required to ruck march in this day and age and is there a designated list of contents to packed?
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MSG (Join to see)
I think the general consensus is an annual 12 miler with a 45lbs ruck (dry) wearing individual equipment and assigned weapon. Anyone else required to do differently.
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Suspended Profile
Capt Tom Brown when I was a Corpsman, the Marines "loved" doing 25 milers. I'll take 12 any day, there has never been a pleasant 25 mile hump.
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