Training For the Military (Vol. 1) + The GOGGINS Program

So this is a pretty important post I've meaning to create for a long time. How should you train to enter the military in a combat/special forces role in the army or navy? Here's how.

1. Strength Training

This is a no brainer. Training with weights is going to make you better at everything else on this list. Also, who doesn't want to just look jacked? Being able to move heavy things will definitely help you move things in the military.

2. Running and Rucking

Also a no brainer. Being a soldiers involved running long distances, as well as sprints to duck from enemy fire or chase down the enemy. Also, you will be running with weight on your back, so rucking/hiking is beneficial. I recommend rucking on a track since hiking has a lack of standardization. Unless your willing to hike on a completely flat hill, rucking on a track will be better since you can track how far you have rucked and you can aim to get better every week. Also, tracks are more accessible to most city-dwelling folk compared to a huge fucking mountain. I recommend spending 2 days sprinting, 1 day running endurance, and 1 day rucking (low running and rucking frequency since these are high volume and do beat up the leg joints quite a bit). 

3. Swimming

If your on a navy ship and that bitch gets hit by a torpedo, you better know how to swim, otherwise your doomed for Davy Jones's locker. Again, I recommend a mix of sprint swimming (short distance), and long distance swimming. I would focus on freestyle and survival breaststroke only, since backstroke restricts your vision and butterfly is fucking useless. If you have the facilities, you can even try scuba diving (if you are preparing for a naval force, like the Navy SEALS). 

4. Martial Arts

In my opinion, the best martial arts to train for military folk are (in order from best to worst):

1. MMA: In an ideal world, you will be good at every martial art, so you can bitch slap any opponent who crosses your path. But MMA does require a higher training frequency since its made up of so many disciplines that must be trained uniquely. 

2. Boxing: Most practical for soldiers who are probably carrying gear and firearms. Punching is easy to do compared to kicking when you have so much heavy gear on. 

3. Muay Thai: Same as boxing, good since it can help keep space between you an the enemy, who could be using a knife.

4. Wrestling/Judo: Ideally, you don't get to close to your enemy since if they have a knife, your fucked. But this is useful in getting them to the ground and pinning them for arrest.

5. BJJ/Taekwondo: Sorry, but both of these are highly unlikely to be useful for soldiers. BJJ will require you to get really close to your enemy, and then wrestle with him on the ground whilst presumably carrying a firearm and gear, including grenades and pistols! Taekwondo will be hard if you are carrying a huge ruck or carrying stuff in your leg pockets.

Honorable mention: Knife training

You should probably get some training in using knives, but that isn't really part of 'physical' training, so I have left it out.

5. Climbing/Gymnastics

These both are basically interchangeable. They both help you pull yourself over a surface, whether that be a wall, fence, or rock. I guess gymnastics would be better for an airman since it involves G forces. I prefer climbing because the carryover is more clear. For climbing, I think any type of climbing works other than speed climbing.

6. Team Sport Of Choice

Here you can play any team sport that requires communication: rugby, football, basketball, or volleyball. Playing any team sport that uses a high level of communication between players will teach you how to talk and perform under pressure. People often talk about the importance of leadership. Well, real leadership is not explaining to your office coworkers or classmates why coffee is an essential part of human performance. No, real leadership comes when your down 51-52 and there's 1 minute on the clock, and your whole home crowd is watching you play. That's when real leadership shows. Team sports will build military-like leadership. 

Addressing other factors in relation to physical training for soldiers:

There are some types of training that I just don't think are worth training. Firstly, obstacle courses. Yes, you will be put through obstacle courses during selection. However, if you are good at lifting weights and climbing and running, a measly obstacle course will be a walk in the park! Overspecializing your training specifically for obstacle courses won't make any real impact on your body or your physical qualities like speed or strength. An obstacle course is simply a way of TESTING your physical qualities, not DEVELOPING them. I also think gymnastics is a waste of time for military training. Real gymnastics is a short of showmanship rather than of actually developing strength. Although gymnasts do have incredible physiques and strength, they acheive this strength by doing pullups, dips and other conventional movements you could do in any old commercial gym. Most gymnastic-special skills like those on rings, a straight bar or on trampolines have NO carryover to military life. So don't waste your time doing gymnastics and just incorporate useful gymnastics movements (like ring dips, for example) into you typical strength training.