Quote Originally Posted by Ken White View Post
Why not run cross country in boots and toughen the ankles. Or a fifteen mile cross country ruck and vest march. Better yet, why not an Obstacle or Confidence Course..

Soldiering is an outdoor sport and it is not an eight to five plus structured early morning PT five day week sort of job. Too easy to forget that if one is not careful. Habits and mental conditioning can be dangerous...
We started doing combat-focused PT like this back in 2005 at the suggestion of a very smart infantry major. All running was done in the training area, and we would mix in jumping over connexes and fences to condition the boys for clearing gates and other urban structures. Almost all PT was squad/section level minus the mandatory unit "fun" runs. Once a week, combatives replaced the run. Squadron Runs typically ended after running through a training area and an obstacle course.

Additionally, officer PT consisted of 3 mile release runs tranisitioning into group competitions of an additional three miles of litter carry (after inserting an IV), LMTV tire push, Buddy Carries, until we reached the gym and maxed out repititions on the bench and hit the ropes to climb.

It was different: mentally and physically challenging. Moreover, it was fun. It worked.

Over the last two years, some SF'ers and Seals introduced me to yoga, Cross-Fit, and kettle bells as additional workouts to help repair the lower back after long tours of wearing the body armor.

The days of 8-10 mile runs are over even if we haven't realized it yet.

Plus, all that training was a good way to avoid the "thought police" (the Div CSM's minions that run around Ardennes looking for uniform violations!!!!).

v/r

Mike