What are some tips or ways to improve performance during ruck marches?

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:14:50 -0400

This is not just for me but future teaching soldiers how to do their best during ruck marches.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 12:19 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:19:24 -0400

Great question. I think some of the most obvious I have found are:
Pack high and tight
Good boots
Good socks (extra socks)
Sugary snack for every 3 miles or so
Don't actually run during the ruck...it's called the Airborn "shuffle" for good reason.
Lean forward going up hills
Take down hill slowly
Find a good beat to a decent paced song. Sing this song if you find yourself slowing down to get back on pace
Lastly....embrace the suck. The glorious suck of ruck marching.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Aug 4 at 2016 12:19 PM

SFC Stephen King — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:19:42 -0400

PVT Private RallyPoint Member First practice will assist the most. Second load it properly heavy weight on top lastly ensure your ruck is up high and you have a good set of boots, socks and plenty of water.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 12:21 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:21:18 -0400

Learn to pack the ruck (hint: heaviest to the top and closer to the body)
Learn to configure ruck and tighten securely (hint: tape and S-fold)
Learn to wear with AND without kit
Understand how to run,jog, and walk with ruck
Polyester socks and gold bond extra strength
Athletic aftermarket (ie. Sof Sole) insoles
Comfy, durable, and athletic boots
Always have pogey-bait and full camelback or two
Have multitool
Consider bandana under ACH or PC for sweat (i'm bald)
Learn ways to better access and secure mentioned tools
Think of it as HIIT (interval traiing)

Let me know if you want more.
https://jtspratley.com/blog/5-major-components-for-better-rucking

5 Major Components for Better Rucking

JtSpratley.com is the hub for music, videos, podcasts, and Go Live Lively blogs by Jacqueem Jt Spratley. Read about IT, cybersecurity, and free open source software (FOSS).

Response by SFC Stephen King made Aug 4 at 2016 12:23 PM

SFC Stephen King — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:23:25 -0400

http://www.guardyourhealth.com/ask-the-experts/fitness/ruck-marching/

Prevent Injuries While Ruck Marching. Ask the Experts at ARNG Guard Your Health

What's the best way to avoid injury while conducting a foot march? Guard Your Health

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 12:32 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:32:23 -0400

Get back to work before I tell CSM Dow that you are on RallyPoint instead of analyzing the enemy situation!

- Your ruck sack straps should be adjusted so the ruck sits high on your shoulders.
- You should fasten your kidney pad belt around your waist and connect the chest strap in front. When you hop up and down there should be very little if any movement of the ruck.
- Your boots should be well broken in and not tied too tight.
- Wear your black dress socks or pantyhose stockings under your green socks.
- When you walk you should take full strides and "lock" your knees as you step, especially going up hill. This will help keep your quads from becoming tired or stressed.
- Walk heel to toe, if you tip toe your calves will get tired or cramp.
- hydrate a couple days prior to rucking and ensure you drink water during the ruck.
- If you are carrying a weapon use a two or three point sling. Lay the sling over your shoulders with the weapon to your front. You can lean into the weapon a little and it will give you some counter balance.
- Eat banana the night before and take one with you on the march. The potassium in the banana will help fight cramping and give you energy.
- Don't think about rucking, let your mind go to your happy place and just put one foot in front of the other.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 12:44 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:44:27 -0400

Slowly build your distance and weight every week.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 1:07 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 13:07:17 -0400

keep your feet dry and your pack up high

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 1:16 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 13:16:57 -0400

It was always about my feet. If my feet were comfortable I was G2G. Get some good inserts. Otherwise as CSM Private RallyPoint Member said, "Don't think about rucking, let your mind go to your happy place and just put one foot in front of the other."

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 3:04 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 15:04:00 -0400

Be light on your feet. Even though your times will take a hit right off the bat, don't move faster than you can be "light." I frequently see guys stomping the ground. Also pay attention to your feet as you fatigue and make sure they're pointed forward. Most people have a tendency to let their feet angle outward. (Also makes a big difference when running.)

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 4:09 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 16:09:32 -0400

Eat and hydrate before, during, and after. Some people wear pantyhose because it helps with blisters. That shits for chicks. If you ruck once a week you won't get blisters anymore. Blast some good tunes on your headphones. Vary your routes, distances, and speeds. Pack your heavy shit on top and lighter stuff on the bottom, and adjust your ruck so the weight is distributed evenly across the top of your back.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Aug 4 at 2016 5:18 PM

Capt Tom Brown — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 17:18:32 -0400

How far are troops required to ruck march in this day and age and is there a designated list of contents to packed?

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 6:38 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 18:38:33 -0400

I ruck in my free time and I always add weight, and when it comes to company matches, it's cake.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 8:05 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 20:05:30 -0400

One thing I haven't seen addressed here is boot composition... look for something that has as flat a sole as possible. Boots with a separate heel/front area such as above right will cause the front of your foot to literally slap the ground with each step, and over long distances can cause increased fatigue and even damage to bones and connective tissue. The boots on the left will more naturally allow your foot to roll through the step, lessening the impact on your tarsals. Someone also mentioned that aftermarket insoles are also valuable, and I can't stress this enough. Many people claim benefits of wearing pantyhose or dress socks under regular socks, and I will say as a preference I prefer a single pair of Thorlo Fatigue Fighters... I've tried dozens of different socks/combos at all different price points, and I keep coming back to the Thorlos. The other side of getting your feet toughened is no matter how tired you are after, wash your feet with soap and water immediately after the ruck, and then throw on fresh socks. If you're trying to toughen up in a hurry, wash your feet with soap and water and then wipe them with an alcohol pad to dry out those wet feet and build tough skin, particularly your heels, balls of the feet, and between the toes.
When I'm rucking for fitness, I wear boots, shorts, a brown t-shirt and my ruck and I run as much of it as I can... I'll do the first two miles in around 10:00 each, then slow back a little... I'll double-time and count each time my left foot strikes to 100, then I'll stride-walk to a 50 count to catch my breath, then I'll do it again. This helps keep my mind occupied against the inherent boredom of rucking and I can cover distance fast. I'm usually around 12-12:30 per mile on the course they use at RASP for the 12 miles. My point is find a pace that pushes you and then find something to occupy your mind against the suck!
I hope this helps.

Response by CPL Anthony Slaughter made Aug 5 at 2016 3:33 PM

CPL Anthony Slaughter — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 15:33:23 -0400

Stay hydrated before during and after, lots of stretching both before and after, and do more rucking on your own. The only real way to improve on a weak area is to do it more often, and make sure that if your Soldiers decide to ruck on their own, they go in teams.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2016 2:51 AM

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 02:51:59 -0400

Ruck on the weekends and during your free time.

Response by PFC Ishmael Scott made Aug 26 at 2017 9:03 PM

PFC Ishmael Scott — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 21:03:30 -0400

30 miles Camp Pendleton MCCRES MARCH

Response by CPL Richard Henderson made Aug 28 at 2017 9:51 PM

CPL Richard Henderson — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 21:51:16 -0400

Just do there nothing you can change. Fill up and ruck it

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Mar 9 at 2018 10:44 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 22:44:27 -0500

Pack the ruck right, for weight distribution, pad the shoulder straps (towels, OD work well.) Keep the ruck high on your back, not your butt, add padding to the back strap and even add foam between the ruck frame and your back. Thick socks, good well broke in boots, good physical tng, moleskin and soaking your feet in brine are good point too.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 24 at 2019 11:39 AM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 11:39:24 -0400

One of the biggest tips I can put out that hasn't been stated yet is this.
DON'T RUN! You will destroy your knees, and risk tripping. Do you want to fall on your face or wrists with an extra 50 lbs on you?
Trust me, I used to run only occasionally with a ruck and now have at least 1 torn meniscus and a rebuilt ankle.
Learn to vary your paces. Fast walking is still walking (it is an Olympic sport). Taking larger steps can speed you up a little, but will tire you. Short tiny steps can speed you up a lot and not tire you as quickly. Go "slow" uphil and short choppy steps downhill. Learn how your body works. When I speed up it looks like a drag car starting off. shoulders drop, head lifts, back goes down a bit and i go. When I switch paces to a longer stride, my shoulders and back pick up, lean forward, head goes down a tad.
Knowing how you work allows you to figure out your strides, speeds, capabilities, ruck set up etc...
You should be able to keep the same overall speed but with a different stride/gait, short choppy vs long and extended.
There are tons of people who just throw on an unbalanced ruck, with issued socks and unbroken in boots, looks like a gypsy caravan with straps hanging everywhere, and 4 miles leter they're dragging their rubber duck by the muzzle, doing that "road march limp" all Thurs and Fri, and who hate road marching - it's just walking. You do not need more than 45 lbs plus water - ever. Yes, even if going to Selection. 45 lbs.