The Essential Workout for Service Members Performing Load-Bearing Military Activities

Preparing for load-bearing activities commonly found in many military training programs involves building a strong foundation and improving your conditioning. The combination of leg and core strength, along with cardio conditioning through weight movement, makes you better at rucking, carrying equipment and simply walking for long periods in your full kit of gear, ammunition and weapons.

Here is a workout we like to do that combines these activities:

Warm up with a squat and toe touch half pyramid. This warm-up, which takes approximately 5-7 minutes, will prepare your legs for weighted movements and running.

Begin with one squat and a toe touch, then a 50-meter jog. Do two squats and toe touches, then jog another 50 meters. Continue up the half pyramid until you complete 10 repetitions of each exercise, then run 1 mile at a moderate pace.

Read Next: The Best At-Home Fitness Exercises Without a Lot of Equipment

This is still considered the warm-up phase:

• 1 squat, 1 toe touch, jog 50 meters
• 2 squats, 2 toe touches, jog 50 meters
• 3 squats, 3 toe touches, jog 50 meters ... continue up to Level 10.
• Run 1 mile.

Strength/Muscle Conditioning

To build strength, perform 3-5 reps of heavier weights in each set. However, this is a strength-endurance combination set up with a range of 8-12 reps each set. The hanging knee-up strengthens your grip, core and hips while decompressing your spine; we like to mix them with exercises such as squats, cleans and deadlifts. You can use heavier weights with a barbell or use dumbbells or kettlebells if you prefer; just keep the rep range in that 8-12 zone.

Repeat five times.

• Barbell or kettlebell squats 8-12
• Hanging knee-ups 10-15

Weights for Distance

The following section incorporates weighted movements, and core and leg exercises to help achieve the desired distance. These exercises are load-bearing and prepare the body for carrying weight. It is up to you to decide on the appropriate weight to use for the exercises below. We use either kettlebells, dumbbells, sandbags or weight vests.

Try walking lunges for 50-100 meters nonstop, if possible. Add weight if you can do this without weight. Then proceed to kettlebell Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) and swings for the hip-hinging movements that are critical to practice when your future involves rucking and other loaded walking or running. Finally, perform a one-handed farmer's walk for 50-100 meters, keeping your torso straight and changing hands with the weight as your grip weakens. If you have a similarly weighted partner, try adding the fireman carry to the list or carry an appropriately heavy sandbag over your shoulder for that distance.

Repeat three times.

• Kettlebell lunges 50-100 meters
• Kettlebell Romanian deadlifts 10
• Kettlebell swings 20
• Kettlebell farmer's walks and/or fireman carry 50-100 meters
• Run 800 meters at a moderate pace.

Later in the week, make your cardio day a load-bearing day with a 3- to 4-mile ruck. Start with 15-20 pounds and gradually build up to 40-50 pounds (and more) as you also increase the distance of these rucks. You will be glad you didn't skip leg days like these when the day's goal is a ruck of 12-plus miles with all of your gear.

After any load-bearing training day, make sure to decompress with hanging, stretching and-or foam-rolling/massaging, if needed. This type of training is not easy and requires a significant buildup to this level of activity in a single workout.

Check out more articles in the Military.com Fitness Section on running and rucking progressions, fitness testing, endurance and tactical fitness that will help you understand the importance of preparing for tactical professions.

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