Why Reinvent the Wheel?
Remember, I am not a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I have zero credentials or certifications or degrees on this topic. What I do have is a shit ton of experience in this domain and an advanced research degree. I have all of the credentials of someone who is ideally positioned to develop a research design to evaluate existing programs, desired outcomes, and the demographics of the SFAS prep population. And I know precisely what works according to the literature…which is vast and not at all inconclusive. In other words I know what needs to be done, how to do it, and how to apply that to the unique requirements for SFAS.
I also recognize that this is a potential conflict of interest in that I often promote my own prep program so it would be in my best interest to simply tell you that all of the others suck and mine is the only good one. This is true (I’m kidding) but I also recognize that the best way to make a good argument is to present the strongest possible counterargument and then defeat that counterargument. So I want to see the analytical framework that I used in my evaluations so that you can apply it to whatever program you are thinking about…mine, another commercial option, or one you are developing yourself. What factors do I look at?
1- Simple. Simple is always better. I’ve repeated this mantra too many times to recall in all of my advice. Whether it’s foot care, boot and sock selection, decision making, interpersonal communication, land nav, or rucking…simple is always better. So, for programming I want this focus as well. The program shouldn’t need excessive explanation. It should be direct. Do this exercise this many times with this much weight. Run this far, this fast, for this time. Ruck this distance with this weight. Simple. I don’t want lots of charts, if/then options, diagrams, and maps. I don’t want extraneous exercises (“accessory work”…if you were working hard on the important stuff you wouldn’t have much energy for “accessory work”).
Example: Tactical Barbell – I like Tactical Barbell. Many folks have noted that SUAR shares many commonalities with TB. This is because TB generally follows my guidelines. But it is a veritable flow chart of if/then choose-your-own-adventure options. Just spend a few minutes perusing the TB subreddit. Tactical Barbell (which edition?), Tactical Barbell – Green Protocol, Tactical Barbell II – Conditioning, Tactical Barbell – Mass Protocol, Tactical Barbell – Fighter Cluster, Tactical Barbell - Ageless Athlete, Tactical Barbell – Physical Prep for Law Enforcement, Fighter, Operator, Zulu, Black, Green, cluster, HIC, LSS…I’m a reasonably intelligent guy and I struggle to make sense of it all. It’s no wonder that a novice athlete might struggle to make sense of it. If you were an experienced athlete who was well educated on fitness programming, then you might benefit from this. But I would not recommend this for novice athletes. And the ruck programming sucks.
2- Comprehensive – Proper preparation for SFAS is not just rucking, running, and lifting. It must include flexibility, mobility, and injury prevention. It also has to have non “workout” stuff like skills development, performance nutrition and hydration, recovery, sleep, and mental prep. And it must do all of this in a deliberate and interconnected manner. If your program has rucking and it doesn’t specifically address the prerequisite strength and endurance benchmarks and doesn’t include the appropriate prerequisite injury prevention exercises, then it is insufficient. They are called prerequisite for a reason. It also MUST include significant strength training…let me be clear…it must include weightlifting. Proper strength training.
I have adopted (which is a pleasant way of saying “stolen”) Terminator Training’s description of SFAS as an endurance event with a strength component when describing broadly what the performance environment is like. But too many hear that description and think that means focus on endurance and get a little bit of strength. You must be strong, likely stronger than you think. We’ve all seen the recent reports from many Candidates and the vibe is near universal that they lacked strength and in many cases this was cited as the reason for their performance drop. I know that many guys like to promote the social media Calisthenics Bros and the feats of strength. There is no question that lots of those dudes are freakishly strong and absolutely yoked. They are freaks of nature. They are impressive. That’s not you. You are not a freak and you are not impressive. You need to lift weights.
Example - Legacy SWCS SFAS Prep Program (Version 1.2). I used to recommend this program and I was wrong. I recommended it without really looking at it with a critical eye. It’s horrible. There is zero weightlifting. Not a single weightlifting day or exercise. All calisthenics. And this is from the “Official Source”. And the ruck programming sucks.
3- Proprietary Exercises. I also avoid programs that rely on proprietary exercises. If you are required to do an exercise that you’ve never heard of, that should be a red flag. It might not be immediately disqualifying, but it should make you pay attention. One of the programs that I reviewed had 2-3 exercises per day that I had never heard of. Some odd hanging, twist-grip, leg-twist with a pike. Yes, it was a very difficult exercise, but why? Specificity is important, buy there are no significant events at SFAS that aren’t adequately trained by common exercises. Squat, deadlift, benchpress, row, shrugs, overhead press. There are no events that SFAS that aren’t adequately addressed with these 6 exercises except maybe the deadbag lift in the Combat Fitness Test (aka Combat Readiness Assessment). But a bevy of made-up stuff is a red flag. Basics build champions.
Example – MTI featured in one single week of training, 10 proprietary exercises. 10…in the first week. And it was a bodyweight only program! Leg Blasters, Butt Bridges, Toes to Sky, Shoulder Teacups, Sean Specials, Hamstring Hell, World Stretch. What kind of shenanigans might they create when we get to add equipment into the mix? I’m trying to be as efficient as possible, and I need to pre-study 10 new moves before I can complete a workout. This is the opposite of simple. And the ruck programming sucks.
4- Confusing lots of programming with good programming. Those that remain overly-enamored and under-informed about the realities of SFAS believe that the legendary workload of an average Team Week day requires a proportionately large amount of prep training. They pack in massive training volume, de-prioritize recovery, and take a one size fits all shotgun blast to training. I should note that this a lingering critique of all “PDF” plans, that is plans that you buy the document and are left to your own devices. You won’t have a coach to monitor progress and customize workloads. It’s a valid critique of SUAR, but we were very intentional with prioritizing recovery. Most days you will only do about 60-90 minutes of work except for the final phase and the 5x5s. We are very deliberate with workload and there are only a handful of double workouts.
Example- Gritty Soldier “Get Selected”. I’ll just let him describe his own program in his own words. "Get Selected" 12-Week SFAS Training Program (#1 Rated for SFAS Prep) – Gritty Soldier Fitness
“This 12-week Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) fitness program is the "go-to" selection train-up for future Green Berets [Really? I’ve never once heard anyone promote this program. That’s weird for a “go-to” program]. "Get Selected" is constructed to contain exactly what you need to be physically prepared for SFAS, without all the "fluff" you might find in other fitness plans.
This fitness program is also appropriate for other Special Operations (SOF) selection courses such as the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP), the Psychological Operations Assessment and Selection (POAS), and the Civil Affairs Assessment and Selection (CAAS). [You just told us it has no fluff, right? Are CAAS and POAS the same as SFAS? If not, then there most certainly is some “fluff”.]
Each week will consist of a 6-days of training (many days with 2-workouts a day) [You have to workout twice a day? You can’t focus intensity for one session? Seems unfocused.], with one rest day. This program is designed to maximize your ability to carry heavy-loads over long distances (ruck marching and equipment carries), improve your overall endurance, and increase full-body muscular strength.”
And the ruck programming sucks.
5- Ruck Programming. In case you haven’t been paying attention, ruck programming is important for SFAS. Rucking performance is the number one predictor of success for SFAS, up to six times more predictive of the next metric. Rucking is king. And we know the precise formula for the best way to build rucking performance. So if we know how important rucking is and we know how to program it then what does that say about the efficacy of a program if it gets the most important thing wrong? Is that something that you should invest yourself into?
Example – THOR3 - 6, 10, & 14 week programs. Each of these programs only includes one ruck a week, on average (some weeks have 2 and some weeks have none). Knowing what we know about ruck programming, and knowing what we know about fitness programming, does this make any sense? What other physical fitness trait would we only train once a week? Would you expect to see performance gains in running if you only ran once a week? Why is this different for rucking?
6- Excessive or aggressive marketing. Any program that guarantees success or 2x increases your chances, cites a ranking, or relies heavily on endorsements is an immediate red flag. There are no guarantees of success, how could they make that claim? Its usually tempered with language like “Guaranteed Success Coaching”. Guaranteed of what, precisely? 2x or 3x increase in chances of getting selected! 2x or 3x more than what? How do they know this? Do they track every client (customer) and compare that to the class, a year, or historical data? Is it self-reported only? Ranked #1!!! By whom? What was the criteria? How was the survey administered? And endorsements are almost useless. I could make them up entirely and if they are legit then I’m certainly not putting up bad ones. So how much do I really care that Josh (verified customer) says “This is the best program out there!”?
Example: 10x your chances!
Those are my criteria for evaluating programs.
1- Simple
2- Comprehensive
3- Proprietary Exercises
4- Confusing lots of programming with good programming
5- Proper ruck programming
6- Excessive or aggressive marketing
Whatever program that you’re considering should include these, and perhaps more. You might consider price, or access, or formatting. I’d have a hard time paying more than $100, unless it specifically included personalized coaching with regular access. But cheaper isn’t always better. I’d want to be able access the program indefinitely. If I’m paying for it, then I want to own it. I’m not renting it and I’m not subscribing to its access. Formatting is important. Analog is superior to digital. I want to have a physical copy in my hands so I can write down my progress and take notes.
You might also note that Shut Up And Ruck follows all of these criteria. It is simple. 6 foundational lifts that are universally recognized. No guess work for what to lift and when. Open the book and each day it tells you exactly what to do. It’s comprehensive. It covers strength, endurance, mobility, flexibility, injury prevention, recovery, sleep, nutrition, hydration, and cognitive performance. There are no proprietary exercises other than the 5x5 which is basic exercises in a specific order, so not that far of a stretch. It is the most efficient program that we could develop. You shouldn’t spend more than an hour on any lifting day and there are very few two-a-day workouts, they certainly are not the norm. And of course the ruck programming…the most important performance metric for SFAS success…is absolutely exquisite.
The one thing that I’m not including here is personalized coaching. In many cases this would be ideal, particularly if you were able to secure a slot with one of the preferred coaches. But this is a different tax bracket and its not like comparing apples to oranges, it’s like comparing apples to dump trucks. Completely different criteria. We are working to develop a webpage or an article that highlights coaches who we recommend. Stay tuned.
For the record, even though I have been critical of these other programs. I don’t think they are bad. I love CrossFit, which we didn’t discuss at all. But CrossFit isn’t appropriate for SFAAS prep. Tactical barbell is awesome, just not for SFAS prep. I own all the books and observant folks will recognize how similar SUAR strength training is to TB strength training…if you can figure out TB strength training. MTI is amazing and you will get yoked if you can follow the programming. I just think its too much volume with unnecessary proprietary stuff. Every person I personally know (anecdotal fallacy, I know) says that MTI is too much volume, but awesome nonetheless. What is perplexing is that MTI sponsored some of the best ruck research out there and they don’t even faithfully follow their own research! I think Gritty Soldier produces good content that is widely accessible, just not for SFAS prep (even though its “rated #1”). I think that the updated SWCS prep guide is really good. It’s free and its shockingly close to SUAR (shockingly), just not as comprehensive. But why is it so different from the last one? There are many more programs that I evaluated (I paid for, enrolled in, or subscribed to two dozen in the past 2 years) that didn’t make this discussion. That is neither an endorsement nor a criticism of them. It is what it is. And just know that none of the programs get rucking right.
Ruck Up or Shut Up!
