Rucking for A&S

[nsmithrpd]

Im training right now to attend the up coming MARSOC A&S. I have been told many times to focus my training on rucking. Im looking for advice or some knowledge on how to do this. Im an infantry man in the Marine Corps so I have been on so long hikes, 15-20miles and have never had a problem. But everyones got their little tricks and ideas of how to get better so lets see what ya got ?



Thank you in Advance,

- D1-1

 

[surgicalcric]

I am going to venture that you didnt try the search button. You may want to give that a go...I am positive we have discussed rucking here a couple times.

Crip

 

[x SF med]

I am going to venture that you didnt try the search button. You may want to give that a go...I am positive we have discussed rucking here a couple times.

Crip

Um, maybe a couple of hundred... but who's counting? :doh:

 

[nsmithrpd]

Mhhhh well then. Thank you for all the friendly advice. I was unaware of the weve already talked about that topic dont bring it up again clause. Ill adjust...

 

[AWP]

Mhhhh well then. Thank you for all the friendly advice. I was unaware of the weve already talked about that topic dont bring it up again clause. Ill adjust...

It helps the board believe it or not. Think of it like this: a new thread tries to reinvent the wheel. If you read the older threads you'll probably find what you are looking for. If not, that's when a user starts a new thread. It cuts down on the clutter and storage space on the server.

 

[JimMCpog]

I know someone who was a non-select in MARSOC A&S this year. He believes it was due to land nav amongst other shortcomings. I don't know how common that is, but from reading here, land navigation is a killer in other service selection courses as well.

 

[SoloKing]

JimMCpog is correct! Land Nav will kill most of a A&S class. If you can ruck, great. If you can land nav, great. Now put them both together and do it by yourself all day or all night, till some one says your done. Then get up the next day and do it again and again and again and............you get the point.
Good Luck!

 

[nsmithrpd]

Awesome, thank you very much for the information. Im continually trying to improve in both of those areas.


D1-1

 

[MooseKnuckle]

I just completed A&S. No I will not tell you what to expect!!!!

Follow the guide they gave you for PT it will prep you for the course.

I find it funny that you are a grunt and have questions about rucking just put the pack on and start moving 70lbs or more.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR FEET. I can't say this enough!!!!!! Tape them before you get blisters. There is a waterproof tape you can find at Walmart called NEXCARE 5.99 a roll get 3 of them you can thank me later.

Use quality duck tape for your feet and get good boots Oakley or Rocky's are recommended.

 

[SoloKing]

Use quality duck tape for your feet and get good boots Oakley or Rocky's are recommended.

Oakleys, really? I know different boots work for different people but Oakleys are shit made boots. I'v seen many a pair fall apart on first use in a shoot house. Rocky's are a better made boot, but they are not a hiking boot. In fact both boots are intended to be an assault boot and don't support heavy wieght well at all. Not because they are bad boots but because they were not designed too.
Like I stated though, different boots work for different people, and it sounds like you made it through. Congradulations bro!

 

[MooseKnuckle]

I know the oakleys suck mine fell apart after the 3 weeks. But everyone who had Oak's or Rocky's did not have any foot problems.

I guess what I should have said was that he can purschase any boot made for the military as long as it is brown or tan. You must bring at least one pair of Marine Corps issued boots but you do not have to wear them.

Thanks, I had a blast A&S will be a good time if you like that kind of stuff.

 

[Jdub31]

Just start with moderate weight and and distances. Start with 30lbs or so and 4-6 miles. If you have a gps forerunner use that to watch your speed and distance. Try to hit 10min a mile at first and work your way to 8 min a mile. By the end of your training aim for 45lbs 8 min a mile for 10-12 miles. It's more mental than anything.The way I think you get better at rucking is simply rucking your ass off. Ive known some people to throw on a 100lbs and ruck 12 miles trotting the whole way just to thrash themselves.I am by no means a pro at it, but it works for me. I'm sure there is better methods out there but that is what I have seen. Diet plays a big role in it as well , so factor that in as well.

 

[7point62]

Just start with moderate weight and and distances. Start with 30lbs or so and 4-6 miles. If you have a gps forerunner use that to watch your speed and distance. Try to hit 10min a mile at first and work your way to 8 min a mile. By the end of your training aim for 45lbs 8 min a mile for 10-12 miles. It's more mental than anything.The way I think you get better at rucking is simply rucking your ass off. Ive known some people to throw on a 100lbs and ruck 12 miles trotting the whole way just to thrash themselves.I am by no means a pro at it, but it works for me. I'm sure there is better methods out there but that is what I have seen. Diet plays a big role in it as well , so factor that in as well.

Reps for this response.

 

[G.Avrakotos]

I found that Garmont T8's work really well. I've also heard some really good things about Rocky's (regardless of what they were made to do). Like jdub said "its more mental than anything" willpower is probably the most important thing. I will say though, a good set of boots will make it easier to keep it up. Take the advice about taping up your feet with duct/riggors tape before they get blisters or hot spots. good luck.

 

[Hitman2/3]

Don't tape your damn feet with riggers tape. All that's going to happen is that on mile 3 or 4 the tape is going to start rolling and moving and fuck your feet up even more.

First off get good boots that fit properly (I like original duties), then get good socks i.e. smart wool. Check out REI they've got a good selection. Finaly get some good sock liners, once again REI has a good selection. I'd go with the glove types that enclose all your toes in a seperate compartment. Make sure the socks are rated for heavy duty hiking. Then get out and build up your feet, legs, and back by rucking. Build up to the distance you need. Don't just think your going to knock out a 12 mile ruck on a whim and not get any blister or cramped up.

If you do these things your feet will get conditioned and you will get little to no blisters. If you still manage to have a hot spot or two use Mole Skin to cover that spot only. Thats the simple down and dirty of it.

 

[G.Avrakotos]

Don't tape your damn feet with riggers tape.

I've found that if you tape the spots of your feet up that usually get fucked up first, the tape reduces friction-hence, no blisters. If im walking it wet terrain, having good socks as well as tape worked really well. If im walking in rocky/dry/hot terrain where my feet are sweating a lot, the tape does tend to roll but I would rather retape every 6-8 miles than deal with a blister. ....Just what I have found. Also the smart wool socks work great.

 

[0699]

I've found that if you tape the spots of your feet up that usually get fucked up first, the tape reduces friction-hence, no blisters. If im walking it wet terrain, having good socks as well as tape worked really well. If im walking in rocky/dry/hot terrain where my feet are sweating a lot, the tape does tend to roll but I would rather retape every 6-8 miles than deal with a blister. ....Just what I have found. Also the smart wool socks work great.

Yeah... I'm going to have to agree with Hitman on this. I've never seen rigger's tape on feet come out well. Good boots, good socks, and conditioning is the only way to go.

(Telling the story because it fits...) Many moons ago, when I was a young and good-looking gunnery sergeant, I had a Marine falling out of a hike at the three mile mark. I get up to him (yeah, I was screwing around in formation, one of the bennies of being a gunny ) and give him the "WTF is your problem" speech. Turns out someone had convinced him that the best way to prevent blisters (and this idiot was a corporal) was to rub your feet with vaseline, then put plastic bread bags over your feet inside your socks. I have NEVER seen feet that messed up... Moron...

 

[JimMCpog]

http://www.injinji.com/

I'm not sure if these toesocks are just a gimmick, but I've worn them for the last year without getting any blisters. I haven't done much in the way of rucking in the last year, but I do run about 5 miles a day 6 days a week. The manufacturer claims that this design will wick moisture off the feet faster. You can find them in the Pacers running shoe stores and in large sporting goods outlets.

 

[Hitman2/3]

http://www.injinji.com/

I'm not sure if these toesocks are just a gimmick, but I've worn them for the last year without getting any blisters. I haven't done much in the way of rucking in the last year, but I do run about 5 miles a day 6 days a week. The manufacturer claims that this design will wick moisture off the feet faster. You can find them in the Pacers running shoe stores and in large sporting goods outlets.

Yeah those are the ones I had. I used them preping for for selection, during Sniper, and during selection. Those mixed with some smart wool and my original duties (with super feet insoles) and I only got one or two minor blisters. The poor soles at selection that didn't know any better tried regular issued boots with regular g.i. socks had feet that looked like hamburger by the third day.

Mole skin is your friend and will last duct tape will screw you, possibly beyond repair in time to complete the course.

 

[Chaos 4]

Speaking of boots...I'm presently in the Farah Province with 5th ANGLICO and I am kicking a pair of Original SWAT Classics. I've had them for about a year now and been patrolling in country with them for about 2 months. Nothing but great things to say. They are holding up very well. The only thing I can't comment on is how well they would hold up in the mountains. All of our movements thus far have been over open desert, with the occasional ridgeline. The boots have very soft suede leather with no chemical treatment to harden them. I'll let you know how they fair as the deployment progresses. Anyone else have experience with these boots?