Army Ranger with heavy rucksack

The Drivers of Improved Rucking Performance

ByDave

In this edition, I’m going to build on a previous edition, where I shared three techniques to ruck faster and more safely.

You’ve probably heard me saying that rucking is the greatest predictor of selection success.

According to a NATO technical report analyzing 8 studies, these are the greatest predictors of rucking performance.

Rucking Predictors Table
  1. fat mass (more is bad)
  2. lean mass (more is better)
  3. height (taller is better)
  4. VO2 max

It makes sense that reducing the fat (dead weight) you’re carrying and having more lean muscle mass will allow you to ruck faster.

But what should you take away from this?

Training alone is not enough.

You don’t need to look like a bodybuilder

BUT

Shedding some fat (if you’re overweight), or building muscle (if you’re skinny) will lead to improved rucking performance.

A quick note on height – I’ve been doing a deep dive into the 2019 study on body composition at SFAS. Once you control for body weight, the significance of height almost entirely evaporates.

Stay tuned for that update

I'm a coach with a passion for helping athletes dominate the toughest selection courses in the world. Over the years, I've trained well over 100 athletes for Special Operations selection courses, including SFAS, RASP, Air Force A&S, BORTAC, SWAT, and MARSOC A&S. My mission is to bridge the gap between traditional performance training and the unique demands of tactical and military athletes.

I got my start coaching hybrid athletes, blending strength, endurance, and hypertrophy training to achieve peak performance. As I worked with more tactical and military athletes, I realized there was a need for a specialized approach tailored to the grueling physical and mental challenges of SOF selections. This realization drove me to focus on prepping SOF candidates for success, combining cutting-edge research, proven training methodologies, and real-world experience.

Whether you're preparing for selection, seeking to level up your fitness, or simply curious about what it takes to thrive in these elite environments, I hope you'll find the information I share helpful.