The Truth About Muscle and Selection Success

There’s a common misconception out there: people think the guys who get selected are small, scrawny, and weak. Maybe that’s what movies have shown, and it feels good to root for the underdog.

But here’s the truth: the average selected candidate is 5’10” and 180 lbs.

Half of those selected are bigger and half are smaller-but that average gives us a lot of insight into how you should approach your size, muscle mass, and body fat when preparing for selection.

Why Size and Body Fat Percentage Matter

Candidates with the most lean mass and the lowest body fat have a much higher chance of being selected. Take this for example: candidates with around 161 lbs of lean mass had a 58% selection rate, while those with 119 lbs had only a 20% selection rate.

The same goes for body fat. 14% body fat meant a 51% selection rate, but at 25% body fat, the odds dropped to just 13%.

Body composition plays a powerful role in how you perform. And it’s one of the few factors you have complete control over.

Find Your High-Performance Body Fat Percentage

While building lean mass is important, I’m not telling you to start bulking up.

What I do recommend to everyone, though, is to find your high-performance body fat percentage.

If you’re sitting at 20% or higher, dropping some fat will make you run and ruck faster-no question about it. But, if you go too low, you’ll feel sluggish and weak.

For most guys, 15% body fat is the sweet spot. That’s where you’ll perform at your best without feeling drained. Work your way down gradually and see how you feel when you hit that mark.

Before You Bulk, Assess Your Fitness

Now, let’s say you’ve achieved a lean body composition. Before you focus on building muscle, you need to assess your current fitness.

If you’re running a sub-38-minute 5-mile and rucking at a 14-minute pace or faster, you’re good to go. That’s your green light to think about gaining muscle if needed.

But if you’re falling short of the standards, focus on building endurance first. If your endurance isn’t dialed in, additional muscle will only slow you down.

Your Next Steps

So, here’s a quick recap of how to think about muscle, body fat percentage, and size.

1. Focus on Performance: Remember, the end goal is to perform your best-whether it’s running, rucking, or calisthenics. Lower body fat will help you move faster and building muscle will keep you resilient and make your ruck feel lighter.
2. Find Your Ideal Body Fat Percentage: Most guys perform at their best around 15% body fat-lean enough to run fast but not so low that it impacts energy levels. This is all about function, not bodybuilding.
3. Build Muscle That Helps: The muscle you add should serve a purpose-making you stronger and more capable at selection. If you’re already failing to meet the endurance standards, more muscle is not helping.
4. Be Honest: Look at where you’re at now. Do you need to lose fat, build lean mass, or some combination? Tailor your plan to your needs, not your personal preferences.

One of the most common mistakes I see guys make is biasing their training to their strengths and what they’re comfortable with.