Detailed list and explanation www.gruntproof.us/

I’m a two time cancer survivor, two fractured back incidents, and other assorted injuries. I was rucking 10 miles a day with 25 pounds at a 15 minute pace two years ago. Tore hip ligaments due to the chemotherapy. I’m finally starting to walk again, 4 miles a day is where I’m at right now. At 58 years old it will just take time. On the bright side, I still have plenty of trigger finger strength. Semper Fi and Carry On.

Im a 51 year old infantry veteran 2 years ago I was smoking weighed 270 lbs had high blood pressure and could barely walk. I quit the smoking started watching what I eat , started stretching and walking 5-6 days a week and doing a lot of the same exercising i did in the army. and now Im down to 229 lbs and feel 20 years younger. No more high blood pressure and no more blood pressure medication.

I’m glad people like you are making this type of content. A lot of people have fitness at the bottom of their priorities. The first time you sprint under fire you realize you can always be faster and stronger

Just did my 4 miles in 56 minutes. Working up to keeping that pace to the full 11.5 miles that makes up my neighborhood (country) block. Spent the last 15 years getting destroyed by the construction industry and a new family. At 45, it's time to get it all back.

Was 170lb in the army. Got out Covid lockdown hit got to 310lb it was bad I’m 5,8 by the way so as you can tell I was an obese mother ducker. Try getting back into working out but at that weight I struggled. You know what was the best advice given to me. Just start walking. When your huge and super fat you can’t just go back to running 2 miles and benching 290lb every day it doesn’t work like that z you gotta crawl walk run. I started off just walking half a mile every day soon a mile then two then five stared adding weight started running again it all came back now I’m 195lb and feeling better then ever. Don’t quit and don’t go full balls to walls. Just start off walking and you get there

Been rucking and hitting the gym for the last six months it fucking helps so much...

Dude, the fact that you acknowledge that 50lbs is about the limit of practical load for movement gives me so much fucking respect for you. It's one of my biggest pet peeves hearing people say they rucked 12 miles with 120lbs or whatever bullshit.

Wrestling/Grappling, boxing, Muay Thai and other combative martial arts are also very good for fitness. Combine this with other stuff such as rucking, running and functional strength training and you have an amazing fitness program.

60th birthday I did 60 pushups. Deadlift 350 at 59yrs. You inspire to do rucking. Thanks for the motivation. Seven miles this past weekend, looking for ten in a week. I'm still at 3mph on mountain logging roads, but all components to my ruck are improving, everything on the up and up. Your content is being pushed on all my Bro's.

I completely agree with one caveat. I’m 42 and in great shape both strength and cardio. Best shape of my life but that says more about my previous habits than anything. I have a lot of friends my age asking me how to get in my shape and frankly, it’s almost impossible for them. I haven’t missed more than 2 weeks of working out in almost 20 years. Most of these dudes were, at one point, in way better shape than me. The difference is I kept at it. It’s harder to get in shape than to stay in shape.

Videos are great Randal. No stupid filler crap. Very professional. Straight to the point.

I love rucking. I did 4 miles with 25lbs in 1 hour 32 minutes. Not bad for a 44 year. I’m an E6 in the Air Force, I’d rather ruck as part of my pt test than run. I also train jiu jitsu which is an excellent workout. Great video brother! Keep them comin! 🇺🇸🫡🤙🏼

Excellent advice! I am 68 years old have been walking 5 km with a 45lb pack 2-3 times pre weak for years. I will start going out with boots now I love you common sense advice and gear reviews. Thanks

I am a 10 year vet never did any deployments, I was combat adjacent but I took the Mantra of every soldier's a riflemen to heart. Never was a 300 pt stud but I knew I could move in full kit effectively, short or long distances. I trained strength and my endurance was running with a weighted vest.. worked for me but I have no imagination when it comes to working out so I talk alot from these videos. Stay safe everyone

"if you overpacked, i dont blame you, i blame your leadership". WELL SAID. Flashback to 94' in Hohenfels when i was an RTO, I was chosen to carry one of the anti-armor rockets, and i got chewed out on a LRRP by my squad leader for humping a zleeping bag in my ruck, when i was young and still new and my TL just watched me get chewed out.... I learned.

Sprints and burpees. Definitely worth doing.

73 and can still ruck up a mountain with 20 lbs and a rifle at 5 AM in the dark. Wearing boots and long John’s. Do it every year in deer season

Loadout depends on mission and mission length. Ive carried anything from 55-100lbs worth of gear in country.

I'm lucky I. The fact that I have a physically demanding job that has kept me in shape over the years. I'm 44 and still have the same body I had at 22. I usually have to run a multiple times a day at work, too. I can still run 150-200 yards and not be wheezing and barfing. I know a lot of people would say screw all that but I'm grateful for it. Edit: I build and repair concrete swimming pools and do everything from digging the hole to plastering and setting up the filter system.

The Sandlorian from Tacticon said basically the same thing about training like you would shoot when questioned about shooting in flip flops

Im 59 and lifted weights , started at about 14 years old until about 55 years old....at 49 years old benching 250lbs. 11 times at 214 bodyweight...got into kettlebell lifting at about 42 years old... Now all i do is jog about 27 miles a week, decline pushups with stands, pushups with suspension straps, kettlebell swings, and some inverted rows, i can tell you at 59 old i can run circles around most men half my age, not trying to compete with them of course too old for that but I feel very strong and have plenty of endurance...if you can handle your bodyweight exercise and jog , hike, walk, believe me its all you need....i eat to many sweets and need to loose about 12 lbs but other than that I feel very good....no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol, no joints problems, i take joint pills due to my age and want to continue to jog...

Thanks for putting these videos out. I am working on better fitness, but I know I can do better and these videos help a lot in the motivation department.

I hope that people understand this. Your gear wont replace fitness. Your skill wont replace fitness. Your bravery wont replace fitness. Get your body in the best shape you possibly can. Become a little bit harder to kill.

FWIW regarding gear weight for rucking... Helmet...3 lbs Rifle...7lbs Ruck...35 lbs NBC mask... 5 lbs Load Bearing Equipment...5 lbs water...4lbs ammo...7 lbs miscellaneous...5lbs 71 lbs starting. Now be the guy that carries the machine gun or the radio or spare batteries or extra belts of ammo Just pointing out that soldiers start out saying 35 lb ruck...but add 35 lbs of extra gear quick. And as reality hit those numbers climbed quickly. Not bragging. Just want people to understand the standard against which they may have to compete. Best of luck Phil

This was a good video....good pep talk...excellent motivator to keep from getting complacent! Thank you and look forward to more of your content!!

I agree and disagree. You may not need to specifically run 2-5mi, but the improvement to aerobic fitness can be applied to many modalities. The same goes for bench press. You may not ever specifically do a bench press type of movement in combat, but the upper body strength gained from it can be applied. Carrying a 240 + spare barrel + ammo + plate carrier + helmet + water source through uphill and marsh for MILES sucked ass. Strength is important, no doubt, but if I wasn't as conditioned as I was, I would not have carried it for long. Didn't matter how much I could've squatted and deadlifted. That being said I swear by Tactical Barbell. Best strength and conditioning program I've ever used.

And we thank you for the information Sir.

Very simple and effective training program. Many thanks for these impulses. I will try it out next week. You have very interesting videos and topics. Greetings from a former paratrooper from Germany.

Good job, it makes a lot of sense . Back in the 70s, we trained in our BDUs and combat boots. Shorts and tennis shoes weren't even a thought. 👍🇺🇲

This is great info. I'm a civilian with no military experience so the video is very beneficial for me. I appreciate the info.

Good stuff. Thanks! Like the emphasis on workouts that match the real-life task.

Good information on the basics and not so good information about the rep ranges and warm ups and whatnot but still better than probably what 95% of people are doing. Overall appreciate the content and the effort to put together videos like you do.

This is very good information but I will disagree on this point. If YOU HAVE NOT DONE ANY STRENGHT TRAINING, then you should start out with weights in the 10 to 15 rep range to strengthen your ligaments and tendons. They take much longer than your muscles to strengthen and will keep you from getting hurt. Newbie muscles adapt much quicker to progressive overload. I believe that after two or three months in the 10-15 rep range with progressive overload throughout, THEN you can do a more aggressive program like STARTING STRENGHT progam. Do heavy compount lifts in the 3-5 rep range for 3 sets, and any accessory work in the 8-10 rep range after the compound lifts. Take it from someone who had several setbacks from injuries. Experience is a tough teacher. 😅

Kettlebell swings squats and pushups does wonders and takes little to no space to do so in

Good words man. I love you blunt approach.

Ive been doing powerlifting for years and have done CrossFit off and on (I like it). Started doing rucking late 2023, ruck every week or every other week now and man it's a game changer in terms of what it's done for me physically

After a lifetime of contact sports, MMA, a bad motorcycle accident, and years of work in physical labor I'm in rough shape at age 37. I need a total shoulder replacement in my left shoulder despite having a pristine rotator cuff. I have plates, screws and rods in both legs. And, after going to graduate school and having three kids in 3.5 years I'm out of shape which pisses me off. The conclusion I've come to is fitness starts with diet. I lost 50 lbs last year by just intermittent fasting. Now I'm able to walk and hike comfortably. For strength training I can only do light weights and exercise bands without risking injury. Now I focus on cardio, flexibility and high rep low impact strength training. I may be past my prime, but I'm slowly rebuilding a respectable baseline.

Hellyeah brother great video!!! Practical functional fitness. Nice IMT's in the beginning there too :) ya love to see it.

It’s called sports specific training. Training for a particular sport necessitates doing the actual sport.

There is no "one size fit all" physical routine. Everyone's physiology is different and weight training needs to be tailored for that. You need it all. There is a reason operators completing their pipelines are all 170-200 lbs. Cardio and strength have to be combined but age is a factor. The mantra "train as you fight" is a good guideline. Now we haven't seen what WW3 physical demands would call for. Ukraine a great example though. GWOT was high tech military against PJ's, sandals and small arms. Hardly the go to theory for the combat fitness for the future. In addition to any training you're doing now I recommend rucking, sprinting with a weighted vest, cardio calisthenics with a 20-30lbs vest including push ups and pull ups and flat range work with kit on. I do these exercises for 30 seconds and then engage targets. That's a reality check. That will show the flaws in your other training. Good video.

Plyometrics (Jump Training & Shock Training) is often neglected yet highly effective

I’m happy to find your channel and I really appreciate your content. You need more subscribers

Spot on! I can attest. My routine is pretty much that. I'm creeping up on 60. I do heavy, low rep, a few days a week, and alternate days with endurance cycling. I train for a couple of century rides, a year. It's been the proven method for me, for the last 20 years. Even if I have to take a few months off, it always gets me back to peak in no time.

I've always been active with physical activities or sports from grade school to high school. Spent over 30 years in the Navy pounding asphalt, steel decks, and desert sand. Spent 12 years as a contractor on the flight line and flight decks. I retired over 2 years ago and still hit the gym 5 days a week with my wife. I still lift heavy because I still can. I do 15-20 miles of cardiology each week. Despite all my ailments, aches, and pains, I still push through it. I still got $hit to see and do.

Did 9 in the Corps. My favorite PT was ruckin it. I ran frequently in boots and flack too, usually three 1.5 hr 45lb rucks a week. Here i am at 43 with significant spinal arthritis and four bad disks. Be careful guys, know your limitations and dont push to hard.

its great we are seeing more fitness in the prepping side of youtube, i currently overweight and extremely unfit but like your rucking style endurance exercises, its not to full on & loads of information & i bet most newbies like myself haven't even been out in the field with there full loadout. lol going to give it a crack today no time like the present.

Former Army here. I weighed myself before a mission in Afghanistan once and I was carrying 150 lbs of gear for a year. I carried the 240B a lot of the time and sometimes my ammo in my assault pack. I lost 50 lbs and I didn’t really have it to lose. Fitness is important.

The being able to run 3 miles in full gear thing is more or less (I know it'll get flack because people with chime in with outlier exceptions but...) it's more or less for more niche units, not necessarily SF or SOF as this'll mostly be Americans here but just units that are small and get into a contact and need to huff it away very, very quickly over a long distance because they're mostly on their own for whatever reason. One thing about training long distance runs with 50lbs of gear though is that it's very easy to injure yourself, you need to know how to do it because you may need to do it but practicing it can also fuck you relatively easily and it's a long recovery.

Good recommendations on the strength training program! Great intro music as wel!

I have been going to the gym since I retired last year at 62 years old. I was told repetitions since High School, I do fifteen to twenty, so that's what I've been doing. I also do two miles on the treadmill after the weight machines. I will try this different approach. I am an active person, besides going to the gym, I farm, and like the outdoors. Thanks for the info

Just found your channel I am 50 year father to two. You inspire me too get back into shape

Just hit 60, still do my 4 hrs road work with my dog. Not as strong as I was when I was in the Corps but can hold my own and be useful to others when need. Semper Fi

i enjoy watching you video for your input/ content/ and the area you live.. super jealous of your hillside/mountains. keep up the great work

I really enjoy your fitness series. You obviously use the kiss method. And that's what I appreciate about you.

They have you run to keep your endurance up so you stay active and healthy

These are great points and I love the channel. With age comes longer recovery times because the metabolism slows down. Injuries sustained throughout our highspeed youth never fully heal so us old guys seem to have to carry those as well. I'm no guru so I don't know which training is more beneficial to increase metabolism, faster recovery and enduring the aches and pains from youthful stupidity. I imagine that's where low impact cardio would help?

Glad to see an influencer say this for everybody to hear. To train optimally one most focus on the goal. CrossFitters that are strong in the Clean ladders, Deadlift ladders, etc., often have a background in competitive Olympic lifting or Power lifting. Starting Strength is a great starting point for beginners. If you want to expand on this video, explore the Conjugate Method for folks with some experience. This is the method often employed for athletes. Manage your weight get some aerobic conditioning, call it good.

this good stuff. Ive been training for about a year to get back in shape. I've lost 120lbs with diet, walking, strength training, and eventual running. ive slowed myself down several time due to lack of allowing recovery time. Ive found that combat fitness reminds me alot of my time playing football and training for that. sprints, strength training ect. 3 sets of 5reps was always the go to with heavy compound movements. ect...

This was great advice brother!

Its good to hear innovative out of the box practical approach

Excellent information brother. As a 11C we would ruck ridiculous amounts of weight. But they wanted us to be able to handle 40lbs more that what the maximum weight actually carried into combat by the experienced guys that had already deployed multiple times. Great information brother.

52 yo diabetic and running and lifting and love being told people mistake me for 35-40yo…love that you guys are focusing on this….many have a ton of high speed gear, and couldn’t last 2 seconds walking with it on….Thanks again for your knowledge and service

Thank you for this content sir!

Thanks for the age, weight and advising people to be balanced. In younger years I would tear it up FR...nowadays I'm getting tore up..walking while carrying something innocuous in nature is my goal. Your right to that getting out, getting moving is key. I try and sleep outside as often as possible. Thanks for making the video.

Great video man! I have been doing 8 reps for a year or so now and I am gonna drop that down to 5 reps.

I was a 11C in 2003, Mortarman, as a Gunner I carried the canon, bi-pod, Sight unit and Small Baseplate with 4 rounds of 60mm HE and all of my basic Kit. To include 7 Mags, an M4 and a full Mopp suit and Gas mask with all of its filters. And 2 1qt canteens and a Camelbak with water. Total weight 104lbs and we walked from 1 hour before dawn to well past dusk from village to village all the way to Baghdad with the occasional ride here and there.

I was just about to say Starting Strength!! Best book I've ever purchased! The only limitation is your willingness to follow the system! 💪💪💪 When I'm just lifting, I still have enough gas to do 6mi rucks once a week.

Terrific info. Thanks !

I feel bad that I didn’t get the chance to watch this when it was first published. Good info for newbies. I love the realistic take on the subjects he speaks on.

Great information, thank you!

I just discovered your channel 3 days ago. Your content is very good and straight forward. Like the title of this video. No b.s.

I completely disagree. Me being the 220lb guy in the platoon I always felt concerned that if I get hit I’m screwed. Stay lean and mean and you will be way better off. I normally agree with this dude but don’t buy this crap. Find a balance. Be strong enough to move my fat ass but quick enough to do it again and again and again……

Really good video overall! I'm a physical therapist and run my own clinic working with athletes and you're pretty on point with this. I would say that some muscles benefit from the higher rep range BUT when talking about the major strength building compounds, 3-6 reps for 3-8 sets works wonders for strength. When I use higher reps is for when we want to target hypertrophy for a targeted reason and / or the muscle group is a stability oriented one and fiber makeup dictates that higher reps and endurance are more important vs maximal strength. You've consolidated a lot of information that are commonly in the darkness for field and tactical athletes alike. Former 0311 that graduated from crayon eating to getting a doctorate and having a passion for fitness and performance. Get some!

I'm so freaking happy somone else has the same concept I have had regarding military PT. I was an 11B and quite honestly a shitty runner, but strong as hell. I caught so much crap about my running and same thing when deployed OEF 11-12 not once did we run more than a few meters at a time. But what we did is climb freaking mountains and lift heavy shit all damn day. So yeah all those PT studs running 11 or 12 min 2 miles couldnt keep up with any sort of weight on their backs. Im not saying that we shouldnt incorporate running into out programs but it needs to be more realistic, short fast sprints of long drawn out runs...

I did bigger leaner stronger for about 8 months before covid. Mike Matthews does a great job making things dummy proof. I have since gained a disgusting amount of weight. Thabks for this video. It was the kick in the ass I needed. Im restarting that program today.

When I was in the 101st (MOS 11C30), we did an NTC rotation and some intellectuals from the Pentagan came out to the box to study the soldier's load. They weighed everything, including our boots and BDUs. My load was the heaviest in the mortar section (I was the old guy and section leader). My total load was 138 pounds, and I weighed about 180 back then (1993). One of the skinny guys in my section was carrying less weight, but his load represented a higher ratio of load to body weight than mine did. Of course we were gassed by the time we made it to the objective. Now that I am 61, I am feeling all the mileage, but I am still trying to stay somewhat ready to respond to SHTF

Starting Strength is solid. 100%

You must be reading my mind, I was just hoping you might make a fitness video! One thing that's helped me a lot: Something is always better than nothing. Even if you really don't feel like it, or you're incredibly busy, just get out and do something. It's way better than just sitting around and ditching your exercise for the day. The main thing is that even if it's not a really hardcore workout, it will keep your momentum going. Once you miss one day, it's way easier to miss the next.

Good stuff! Yeah, in iraq we just ran block to block, building to building or back to the Stryker.

Many years ago I read a book written by a mercenary on combat fitness and he mainly stressed the importance of anaerobic and strength training.

I don’t know who you are or why you’re video came across my feed. But I really felt this video, you sir have a new follower 👍🏽

I used to have a sheet from my football days that a coach designed for us. On our heavy days or max out days we worked up in weight for each lift over say 3-4 separate sets. That final set to push your max was listed as a 2+ and the coach had to be there to verify the reps. Generally if we could do 4 he would allow us to increase our max 5# for the following weeks schedule. While in school we obviously incorporated conditioning (many times plyometrics) before or after lifting. If we had a weights "class" we lifted every day but it was always alternating upper vs lower body. As you stated just do both every other day.

Burpees equals strength and conditioning. Add weighted vest do 100 to 200 at a time. Prision style and you will be in the best shape of you're life.

Tactical Barbell is exactly along the lines of what he’s talking about, super awesome and simple program. Two books Vol I and II, very short reads (a few hrs each). Plug and play. Compound lifts 3x a week and conditioning 3x a week. Tried a ton and this one’s mine for life to run!

My movement consists of BJJ drilling and sparing twice a week, basketball for 2 hours once a week, and strength training 2-3 times a week. It has been a good mixture of movement and will be adding more rucking in the future. Love the topic and really challenges me to think practically.

Good stuff. I'm north of 66 (Retired LEO), and am sadly very out of shape. BUT, I have begun a strength training program. I have been working out 3 times a week, but not like you said. So, I will start giving it a try (Weight wise) that is. Rather than 10 reps, I will try 5 as much as I can do. I have a good place to go ruk around my home so that should work. If someone calls, I know most of the SO\Police around. Thanks for the info. One thing I think you missed is incorporating Firearms drills in-between these work outs! One needs to know his tools even in the dark.

alot of great tips in short time

I live in the burbs, but near a beach. I have a civilian black back pack with 30 pounds of water and other stuff innit. I hide a pistol belt that weighs around 12 pounds hidden under my shirt. I walk 3.5 miles once a week on sidewalks and sand. I walk in regular tennis shoes a mile or two everyday. I run in shorts and tennis shoes in the sand for 3 miles. I do a shit ton of pushups and pull ups. I'm strong AF from doing it for 50 years, mixing in some heavy sometimes just for a change. LIkewise with martial arts. Do a lot of stuff everyday for a long time and your body adapts. What I do different from civilians except for hikers is a carry heavy stuff for an hour or so. It's hard. Choose your hard.

Ya know, I know this stuff and I should train myself this way, but I need someone to remind me sometimes. Much appreciated.

Most excellent sir. I hope people listen to what you're saying.

Glad you talked about pack weight as a leadership failure - it is to a point. Vest and ammo is going to weigh 40#, there's no way around that, but no one needs the large MOLLE on patrol. However, this is a GWOT perspective where we have a base that you come back to. Conducting dismounted patrol base ops and/or guerrilla ops for an unspecified duration, you have to carry your life with you. On one hand, mandatory packing lists are dumb, on the other hand, so are 18yo pups. My life fits in a medium and as an O-type no one's telling me otherwise, but I've also had younglings show up to a month-long exercise with no spare socks; you earn that light pack by experience.

Out tabbing With or without a 40 kilo Bergen over Brecon Beacons mountains where I live and train , Thai boxing instructor , mountain biking and circuit training and kettle bell and battle ropes isometric excises HIT training variety is the key , and enough time to go hunting , lucky I come from a family that loves hunting and fishing , I’m 56 now and just keep going and most of all enjoy it sometimes I have easier workouts and harder workouts just go with way you feel 👍

I put a hiking backpack on. Then put some weights, to mimic a load out in my bag, since I cannot wear my gear when training outside in public. I am 46 and strength training 4 days a week.

Cardio is a must as well combat art like boxing/wrestling mix.

A 60lb pack is a standard western mountain pack weight for an adult man going into the high country for 7-10 days.Its a good practice in so many ways if you dont already do longer distance pack trips of 50+ miles over a week or two.

Excellent advice

a lot of people can't handle high altitude you should train for that also, good video man

Do some activity in uneven terrain at least once a month in shoes that don't support your ankles. No high intensity or high load stuff, just something to keep the stabilizing muscles and tendons in shape.

Started hitting the gym last week after 5 years; focusing on the big three strength training.