soldiers rucking as a team

What 90% of Candidates Misunderstand About Training

ByDave

One of the greatest training mistakes candidates make is hyperfocusing on the fitness test.

In many ways, it’s like a college football player prioritizing the NFL combine tests over the actual skill of football.

Yes, the NFL combine is designed to test physical measures of performance, but the game of football is not the 40-yard dash, bench press, or vertical leap.

And the same is true for selection. The fitness test is NOT selection.

soldiers rucking as a team

If you’re worried about going from 50 to 55 hand-release push-ups or are focused on going from 75 to 85 sit-ups, you’re missing the point.

No one ever said they wished they did more sit-ups. Typically, guys quit because they get beat to a pulp and can’t keep up with the running or rucking, or they fail in water confidence – which they never trained for because it wasn’t on the fitness test.

The truth is, the Fitness Test is just to get your foot in the door.

Stay tuned for Friday’s edition on Why Fitness Tests Don’t Matter and How You Should Train for Selection. In it, I will include a hierarchy of training needs to guide you in your training.

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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.