Your body composition can help REVEAL or MASK your true fitness. But just how BIG should you be? Check out this video here 👉 kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZXealsdwn5i3h7A.html

@charlielugtu1118

3 ай бұрын

I completely disagree with this data. Size does NOT matter at all because a very good example is to look at all the Gurkha Soldiers from Nepal. Their height is less than 5'4" and weigh less than 145 lbs and they are the toughest and bravest soldiers than all the special forces combined. Their exercise regiment is extremely brutal compared to American and British Special forces.

Greetings from a retired Malaysian officer. We used to train you guys in jungle warfare from the Vietnam war onwards, and helped set up your jungle warfare school too. In the late 1990s, we had US Marines joining us for jungle warfare exercises. We were very impressed with their physiques as they all looked like bodybuilders, were very fit and their backpacks were very "impressive". Whilst we Malaysian soldiers were all scrawny and wiry with small backpacks. However, on the first day of the exercises, we found that they were not keeping up with us, and lagging far behind. By the second day, we have had enough and told them to junk all their stuff to be picked up and bring only food, ammo, and communications. Even then, they could barely keep up with us. We used to joke with them, that they had the right muscles for flat ground but the wrong muscles for hilly, mountainous jungle terrain.

@mikefitzpatrick43

5 ай бұрын

Truth

@gustavoschneider8105

5 ай бұрын

Success in jungle warfare isn't determined by raw strength or carrying heavy equipmenta as during sellections for SOF, but rather by agility, endurance, and the ability to adapt to harsh terrain and environment. A lean, fit physique with energy reserves (some fat) proves more advantageous than muscle mass designed for success or mectrics from selections. This principle is universally recognized, evident in the training similar to Malaysian philosophies in jungle schools at UK-Belize, French Guiana, and Brazil's CIGS.

@cameronmckenna6939

5 ай бұрын

I know you are correct. Rucking at altitude is a skill

@christophergallagher3066

4 ай бұрын

Retired Australian digger who worked in the bush with Malaysian soldiers, Thai soldiers and Ghurkas. All of us were lean running machines in the 70s. I cannot remember a single heavily muscled bush fighter. Most Australian SAS troopers are pretty lean types, hardly any body-building types. Weight is not your friend in the grinder of hot high humidity theatres.

@darbyheavey406

4 ай бұрын

The British SAS show a similar pattern.

I am a former USAF C-130 Loadmaster. Many times we carried special forces, SEAL’s, you name it….. Most of those guys were super fit, wiry and obviously strong. ALL of them were very humble and respectful to the crew members. Very few were built like an Arnold. I think it would have been a hindrance for their line of work.

@stevenlowe3245

6 ай бұрын

Most of the accomplished SOF guys I've known have been average build to the eye but strong as hell. Bodybuilding seems to be the fad now, like Jocko Willink types, but as a career Martial Arts instructor i can say without hesitation is that muscle bulk does not equal functional strength.

@intensegamer7559

6 ай бұрын

I have to agree with stevenlowe here. The bodybuilder type is probably more of an exception in the special forces. Being tough, robust and strong but at the same time as lean as possible is where the sweet spot is. Besides, being +220 pounds you gonna have to eat and drink more often while wearing heavy gear around in the heat of a (semi) tropical third world country. Not ideal 😂

@TheSpecialJ11

6 ай бұрын

You want the most strength you can fit per pound, and you want the most "pounds per volume". Which means incredibly dense, incredibly efficient muscle fibers. Not the bloated fibers of a body builder or the extreme leanness of a rock climber. You want to lean towards rock climber, but a rock climber that lifts heavy weights, not just their body weight.

@MikAnimal

6 ай бұрын

@@stevenlowe3245size means everything when skills are equal. Size also multiplies skill. You are for all optics a very poor martial arts instructor.

@AndRei-yc3ti

6 ай бұрын

This entire thread is a massive cope. Wtf is "dense muscle"? That doesnt exist lmao. And you cant be "incredibly strong but lean". Your nervous system can be trained and therefore recruit more motor units to allow it to use more of the muscle in force generation but thats likited by the size of the muscle. Which is why the best strength programs includes hypertrophy (size) and neural work ​@TheSpecialJ11

I was a U.S. Recon Marine (2nd and 1st Recon Battalion) between '75 and '80. I went thru a weekend test to get an invite to Force Recon Selection. I was obviously in tremendous physical shape and had high skill levels in scouting/Recon field work. But I still remember what one of the Trainers told us; "I'm not saying that if you aren't 6 feet and 200 lbs of muscle that you can't make it, but it will certainly help if you are". I was a thin as a rail 5'10" 148 lbs...but I could run sub 6 minute miles forever and held up enough to the heavy humps to get through BRC, so I gave Force Recon a sniff. I passed the test but I knew in the back of my mind I probably just didn't have the body for the extremely long heavy humps I knew Force Recon selection required. Things worked out for the best though, as I had sky high SAT scores out of H.S. and I discharged not long after and was off to Engineering College, which led me to a long career where I recently retired after 34 years at Lockheed Martin as an Aerospace/Computer Engineer...Semper Fi.

@dylanmerediths

6 ай бұрын

Awesome career. Semper Fi

@johnd4348

6 ай бұрын

brains over brawn

@adods9824

6 ай бұрын

Nice ! Skunkworks?? :-)

@boathemian7694

5 ай бұрын

I got to Talega after you, what company were you in? I was Alpha. Was Daniels the Sgt major?

I'm a retired Army nurse and spent many years at Martin ACH in Benning; my observation is these guys are highly intelligent and use leverage vs. brute force. Thousands of pipe line medical records ran accross my desk, and they are of all sizes and compositions; I had a 5'3'', 130lbs Vietnamese refugee Ranger medic on my staff who later went on to serve in 1st SFG.

@bibekjung7404

6 ай бұрын

KAAVIR GOD ALMIGHTY 🙏😊

@outdoorlife5396

6 ай бұрын

I told the same story to many people.

@shootingbricks8554

5 ай бұрын

Guys 5'3" in Special Operations are exception not the norm.

@sheezy2526

5 ай бұрын

​@@shootingbricks8554U need small people for certain tasks. One example is in the Vietnam war where tunnel entrances were designed so small normal US soldiers could not fit in.

@koopspook

5 ай бұрын

​@@sheezy2526 sure bro theyre hiring midgets so they can fire them out of tanks 😂

I had a couple of friends who were in the British and Australian SAS and they told me that it was the big blokes that usually didn’t make it through selection. The bodybuilder types dropped like flies but the skinny wiry ones the ones that made it. A WW2 veteran who was a POW of the Japanese said that the biggest men were the ones to die first of starvation

@user-st9eo2ox7w

4 ай бұрын

Knowing the NZSAS What your friend told you was exactly the same as it was here

@MickAngelhere

4 ай бұрын

@@user-st9eo2ox7w yep it was the skinny blokes like me that made it. Mind you i wouldn't have lasted a week if I tried to do it and I was fit in my younger days.

@shammym4294

4 ай бұрын

Had a mate go through oz commando selection, said same thing, the big gym guys dropped out in the first three days

For people already in and dependents, Army Wellness Centers usually have a bodpod that can help track your body comp

@noalane3626

6 ай бұрын

It’s pretty good usually about a 1-3% discrepancy I’ve compared it to my dexa scans and gotten them from different bases all around the same time but that’s good enough even dexa can be slightly off but it’s 100% better then guesstimating or using a visual guess

I'm not a SOF guy but Muay Thai fighters legs have the highest bone density on record and rock climbers are the kings of upper body strength to weight. If you are looking for hobbies that will give you some useful skills and fitness for a SOF career might be worth trying.

@user-st9eo2ox7w

4 ай бұрын

That is interesting about the bone density and the muay thai fighters

@Tony.795

4 ай бұрын

@@user-st9eo2ox7w The professionals in Thailand hit hard objects to toughen the bones as part of their training.

@TheObeyMayhem

4 ай бұрын

They literally beat each others shins with bamboo to create microfractures so the bone heals denser. None of that is by accident and not every Muay Thai fighter is going to do the same thing though they would be foolish not to.

@np494609

4 ай бұрын

pro Muay Thai fighter here and I would say our bone mineral density absolutely hardens over the years, not just from shin cortical remodeling, but all of the weight bearing and resistance we encounter including punching which hardens the arms. Strength and conditioning has given me a huge leg up in the ring, because of the performance and durability I’ve gained from years of it. Now as it relates to this video and SOF, my hypothesis is that the cadets with higher bone mineral densities also have other beneficial qualities correlated to stronger bone structures: higher testosterone levels, more advanced levels of strength and conditioning, and likely better genetics. All of these things lead to the higher bone density, which also all help SOF soldiers in the line of combat.

As a Former 3rd Group and Q course instructor having the "right mentality" is crucial. Mentality is broad term but let me give some general idea. 1. Being in the right frame with your relationships ( ex. very distracting if you think your girl is cheating on) 2. have your personal life in order (ex. being financially stable and things being taken care of) 3. The will power to do the right thing (even when others are not). These things wont make you an SF guy but it will put on the path. The next thing is being prepared. Not a thing I did in selection or Q course was something I wasnt familiar with. Learn and practice until becomes part of you. I wasnt very good at rucking at all and I could not swim but I did it until I got it. I conditioned myself to be fast and efficient. Maintain your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses. I trained for muscle endurance by doing high reps with lighter weight. Lots more stuff but here is a starter. And REST is way more important than most think.

@lengreg1326

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for your in-put you make some valid points. Was a tough point in my life personally and professional was a medical washout in SFAS decided this wasn't my path. Was grateful for the experience though.

@jaimechapeau267

6 ай бұрын

I wish I knew you back in the day...but I made it up since then...

@ngc248

6 ай бұрын

As you mentioned the "Inner game" matters a lot.

Nothing beats heart. I remember going through AFSPECWAR and being the smallest guy (5’8” / 143LBS) and rucking like a savage using the run one telephone pole and walking the next telephone pole technique. Had a good 14 years in the community and loved being the underdawg

@user-st9eo2ox7w

4 ай бұрын

I think that applys to anything in soldiering I remember training with the Ghurkas and physically they are not as big as the rest of our army but they made up for it with heart.

@bradenfry8939

4 ай бұрын

I’m going to be on the special warfare pipeline to be tacp in the af. As a 5”8 145er myself this is extremely reassuring. I have high endurance and mental fortitude, if I’m good enough, I’ll make it, and if not, then I’m not worthy. Need to get out my head about size

@user-st9eo2ox7w

4 ай бұрын

@@bradenfry8939As someone who has already been there and is the same height you need to really get that thought out of your head . Your mental grit and determination to be a better soldier by far makes up fora couple of extra inches in height. I was one of the best in my unit and my height I never really thought about it at all. I only really was reminded about it the day we had our unit photograph taken and we had to order ourselves from tallest to shortest and i automatically went to stand in the middle of the line when we were sorted by the photographer out of 120 men i was 3 to last. If you were to reshuffle that on respect and ability to-do our job i would of been close to the top.

Everyone in the British army, after serving alongside them, or just from meeting them and hearing the stories, that the Gurkha's are probably the most fearsome soldiers in the world, and have been since the 1940s, and yet their average height is 5' 4", and around 160lb, same with the SAS, generally they seem to be quite small in stature, being smaller, makes you harder to hit, harder to spot, and from my experience, generally a lot more aggressive and determined. . . Im 6ft, and couldn't even get close to keeping up with the Gurkha's in a cross country run.

@kevinmurphy5878

4 ай бұрын

5'4 and 160 is pretty cranked

As a former soldier selection into various SF units was an interesting experience. I would argue that it’s all good being physically up to the task. But most importantly I think mentally you have to be there. I have seen the soldiers you describe being ideal failing and the smallest guy blitzing the selection. I don’t think there is anything particular you can narrow it down too. Just want, nay need. The ability to push through and to get back up when others will quit. One foot in front of the other. Amazingly a lot of our operators looked like nothing special. Yeah a lot were big for a purpose. But a lot were on the short, wiry side of things. I guess the bigger you are the harder to hide therefore easier to shoot. 😅

Skeletal Frame will make a huge difference on how much "effective" mass you are going to carry. Don't try and carry what a bigger frame can carry successfully, when you can't. Work with what is YOUR ideal.

@iceandale7621

4 ай бұрын

Certainly wouldn’t want to work with someone like that in a team.

@sword-and-shield

4 ай бұрын

If its not effective muscle, they wont be there to "work" with anyway.

Your body composition can help REVEAL or MASK your true fitness. Which is yours doing now? What action will you take to improve?

@low-budgefudge2164

6 ай бұрын

Masking right now 😔

@sasquatchrosefarts

6 ай бұрын

Heavy strength training is a useless way to improve bone strength. High impact plyometrics is a great way. It builds both the bones and joints at the same time. This video is basically useless.

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

There are tons of exercises which are great but I don't recommend. Olympic weightlifting is great for explosive movements, and rugby or grappling for developing grit - but the reason why I don't recommend them is because there are more efficient ways to achieve the fitness required for selection Heavy strength training increases bone mineral density, reduces the risk of injury, and gets you stronger

@Chevydude1982

6 ай бұрын

@@SOFPrepCoach yes,u want those stress fractures strengthening ur bone before selection, not during.lol

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

@@low-budgefudge2164 the good news is your performance will improve once you lean down

Great material. I’m too old for the military but I definitely am looking at my health differently.

One of the best things you guys can do no matter what size you are is get a lot of Ruck time in. Lean mass could help but there is so much more to it. Little things like building that thick skin around your feet or breaking in a good set of boots. Another issue people hardly mention is making sure to study up on certain math or test skills. Do not try to manipulate certain test during Psych test. You also want to make sure you are mentally tough and help out during selection. Your peers will vote you down if you sleep all the time and never help out. Like I said, there is much to know.

@JoeRogansForehead

6 ай бұрын

Is it okay to sacrifice the few for the many Most people say yes . The answer is no . It’s never right to sacrifice any innocent person even if it will help the many. Trick question but it looks too see where your ethical boundaries are

@BaconSlayer69

6 ай бұрын

Being too lean isn’t good 😅

Just before COVID I had to opportunity to go visit part of BUDS training in Coronado, all students who had passed dive phase. What struck me the most was how much physically bigger the guys were, than folks had been 35 years earlier when I last visited. I'd be interesting in knowing if SFAS has this data going back to its founding in the late 80's, and if there has been any changes.

love how the narrator barely finished his last sentence and i get an advert for fried cookies filled with a Cadburys cream egg from dominos

Ruck Marching is a paradox since size helps likely because of the distribution of weight and shock absorption. But Ruck Marching is technically an aerobic action much more than it is anaerobic. Typically being lighter makes you better with long distance endurance work, but Ruck Marching is an interesting exception.

Amazing and informative video, thanks!

I spent 23 yrs in the army and thus ran into many SF and Seal types. The Seals I encountered weren’t supermen by visual methods as they weren’t huge in every case. Just highly motivated for the job. Much respect from me

As a PTI for exactely people like this, this video is quite... Well, there is a lot more to it!

I'm 6'3", 200lbs, 15% body fat. I can't squat in the 300s yet but I'm getting close. Current 5 rep max front squat at 245, so I could probably get close to 300 if I tried.

@aidenlee7892

6 ай бұрын

Squat 275 for five with someone giving you chest reps (helping you up on each rep) best way to get stronger for adaptation

@jonathanwilliams1746

6 ай бұрын

Guarantee you can hit 3 plates

@jonathanwilliams1746

6 ай бұрын

Front squats are sooooo much harder

@gamtoszinios1336

6 ай бұрын

Adaptation doesnt build a muscle lol soldier so dummy

@blainkrampe3209

6 ай бұрын

For whatever reason you prefer front squats, I would be really interested in you back squat performance, because as a 6'2" 180lb who can rep 315, I dont even think i could front squat that amount

An absolutely amazing video.

Thanks coach!

Outstanding

Bone Mineral density possible confounder: Bones increase in strength when under load. With means those with the "correct" physical background for military selection, will naturally have the right bone structure and composition. Example: We saw a higher frequency of skeletal problems in those who had limited experience carrying a heavy pack, compared to those who did this frequently in the years before enlistment.

Interesting statistics and excellent message! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Please also present the topic of attitude or “grit” (the best physique is rendered worthless if one lacks the required attitude…)

In the french sf, the typical body type at recrutement (not necessarly during the career) is called the "skinny cat". Basically people with very very little fat, because they last better during the weeks of selection. In an interview of a 13rd RDP guy, I heard "somebody that can carry a bag bigger than hilself for a day and not complain about it"

5'6 and 145lbs. Seeing these charts gave me a realistic view on what to expect instead of sugar coating expectations. I would like to be an SF Officer but was kind of in the loop on what to expect realistically when it comes to genetics which in turn can result to better performance such as rucking. Not saying that I can't keep up but someone who is much taller would definitely have more of an advantage. It's as if someone who is 5'8 wanting to tryout for the NBA. The NBA only want the best of the best to complete the mission and win. I don’t know if I could get through selection because no one can tell the future. But I do know I have responsibility to see it to end.

Old friend of mine encountered SF guys from time to time (he wasn't one himself). He was a big dude, over six foot, very built. One of the observations he made was that, in their gear, most (NOT ALL!) of the SF guys he encountered were about 5'8" to 5'10" and didn't look built-- especially true, according to him, of Force Recon. He said it *seemed* like most of the guys in Force Recon were on the small side in height and raw muscle mass. Not that they were weak (far from it) but they "looked small". This was twenty years ago though, and it was only the perspective of one SAW Gunner. Don't know how true to real life any of that is.

@shreysatapathy1049

5 ай бұрын

Well atleast for the SAS the goal is to blend in...

I agree that naturally acquired strength is important. I wouldn't try and bulk up with supplements. I would use weights in accordance with the normal diets in an average day. If you deploy, you never know what the circumstances will be. If you are a custom to bounding with 80 lbs of equipment in training and you're benching 225 for 15 reps... Try that after weeks on the move without regular gym and supplements. The chance of injury increases and the way you normally incorporate into your unit as well.

Super interesting data my friend

Ever since the great equalizer (light weight firearms) size has mattered (smaller is genrally better). As many have observed, weightlifter physiques generally don't do well over longer distances and more challenging terrain. Furthermore, it takes more food (calories) to sustain a heavier soldier. Of somewhat less importance, they make bigger targets.

A 12 minute two mile is awesome. I couldn't even do that when i was young and thin.

Anecdotally, when I was training for NAVY SAR at the Amphib Base in San Diego, we ran across the BUDs almost every day on based or on beach runs. I'm 6'2" and I saw very few BUDs candidates 6' or more. It seemed like most were 5'8"-9".

Not an SOF guy here, but I would say this is useful data to show you how to get your body in shape. However, how bad you want it is a huge factor. I would point to the case of Richard James Flaherty, who was an SOF captain and was only 4' 9". He had to fight hard just to get IN the Army.

My LT didn’t touch weights got selected my medic was jacked bodybuilder type did not do body weight exercises while we was overseas. He did not get selected. He stopped weights and did body weight exercises and then got selected his second time. I was an 11B in the army I seen several guys go to selection none that got selected lifted weights. Seen it myself.

@rickjames18

6 ай бұрын

That's true the biggest heaviest guys don't usually make it for varius reasons.

@joelenriquez5461

6 ай бұрын

Around what year did all this happen?

@user-pu1xq9ef9u

6 ай бұрын

@@joelenriquez5461 2007-2012 (I extended contract to catch the 500 extra for a second tour in Iraq Obama was giving out is reason for not being four years) I was in 2-12 CAV 4th BCT out of Ft Hood (now Ft Chavez believe is what new name is).

@user-pu1xq9ef9u

6 ай бұрын

@@joelenriquez5461 but the medic and LT was 2009 time frame after first deployment

@joelenriquez5461

6 ай бұрын

@@user-pu1xq9ef9uThat makes a lot of sense, a modern SFAS requires a hell of a lot more brute force and strength. I had a friend that went through recentlyhe was an absolute calisthenics and running stud but only weighed around 140 lbs going in. His lack of size and strength ended up with him getting rhabdo in his lower back, hypothermia with a core temperature of 86 degrees, and a flesh eating disease that nearly caused his arm to be amputated. After only two days of team week my man was hospitalized for an entire week. In my out brief they told me I was too weak, that I needed to heavily focus in size and strength. After witnessing that I believed it.

Only important tip to passing SF selection, learn how to carry weight. It is that simple. Carry a given weight over a given distance, over a given terrain at a given time? Train to the SF standards of all of the above, and you will pass.

A diverse and relatively "unfocused" resistance training plan helped me a lot more than I expected Hadn't really touched my ruck in a few months but walk all day at work (security) as well as do a bunch of resistance training (alternating between contrast-power, slow strength and GPP-Accessory-Anaerobic endurance days) A couple weeks ago I decided to slap ~25lbs total weight into my ruck and ruck to the airport (~8-9 miles one way) I managed to get there and make it back halfway before my feet just absolutely killed (metatarsalgia-esque pain) I went snowshoeing with 30lbs in the valleys and hills nearby for a few hours and barely felt encumbered after a bit of warming up My jogging times aren't great but I dropped from an 8 minute mile to a 7 minute mile over the past few days despite hardly jogging Resistance training, walking and ESPECIALLY sled work have been so damn helpful

The military has never looked for or wanted the huge, muscled guys. They need men who are strong but can also walk 20 miles with a pack on their back if need be. Stamina and endurance is way more important than brute force to the military. The Army doesn't need you to be a tank. They already have those.

@The_Caledonian

6 ай бұрын

Exactly, plus the bigger you are, the more of a target you are.

You need to have high T and androgen receptor activity. That will drive up muscle mass, down body fat, bone mineral density up, and improve performance and will power.

You are very inteligent with the miniature!

Weights can be helpful, but i can the only SOF guys that I’ve been around at Benning, Bragg, in shooting packages, or overseas were in staff positions. I can’t recall any operational SOF soldiers that didn’t look fairly average in build.

Great 👌 content respect from Australia looking at SF here

@OutdoorCleaningDoctor-du1tr

6 ай бұрын

Same brutha, 2 cdo?

@homersimpson6167

6 ай бұрын

yes great challenge May 2024 is around the corner for tryouts@@OutdoorCleaningDoctor-du1tr

@homersimpson6167

6 ай бұрын

you going direct entry or already in like me? @@OutdoorCleaningDoctor-du1tr

There are so many other factors that come into play. Everyone knows about the physical and mental aspect but something that has always blew my mind is how fast performance can degrade when circumstances are not optimal for some people. I was around 6'3'' and 195 lbs. Good at (speed) marching but not so fast at running. Decent at everything, good allround but not exceptional good at any specific thing. Just avarage compared to others in my team. I did not smoke but I enjoyed alcohol and my diet was shit but because I had a low fat %, I didn't care much about it. My performance would hardly degrade with days of bad eating and sleep while I had colleagues who, on day 1 where physically far above average but a few days in where completely wrecked. The thing is that they might not have to tap into their mental resilience on day 1 while on day 2 or day 3 they can have it so much harder than those who are physically less fit, which will make it even extra difficult for them.

So should I avoid machines and instead pack on lean mass through weighted calisthenics and free weight lower body movements to optimize core strength/stability??

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

I suggest keeping free weights the majority of your volume. But I still like machines and cables for accessory work

It's nice to see this numbers, becuz i used to serve on the special ops quarter of brazilian mariners, but here their body compositions is not the same as in USA. Here, if you have almost 85kg, you will loose almost 25kg in 6 months of training. But, if you have 70-72kgs you will loose much less weight. Than your body will suffer less and you will be able to complete the training better than the other ppl. In brazil they value more cardio than body mass. The test for selection is very hard and when u have more than 80kgs its not easy to complete it.

Is 5'4" too short for special forces?

2 Mile time is a 14:30 even if i shitbag it, and ive developed a lot of posterior chain strength and cardio between then and now Squat and deadlift are unknown at the moment Overhead press is only like 65 lbs of proper form. I have difficulty using only my shoulder muscles instead of my back

@wabbit6653

6 ай бұрын

My 2 mile run at 40 yrs old is 30 minutes 😢

@mingus445_gaming

6 ай бұрын

​@@wabbit6653 not bad, faster than the obese people

it really depends on your role as a special forces soldier.. if you do LRR, being a mid-sized guy who has killer endurance is best.. If you're a marine raider it doesn't hurt if you're 230 and strong as a bull

Prepping for selection but NOT READY to sign the 18X yet..... I simply wouldn't make the cut. Planning on signing in six months depending on progress. Currently my week consists of one 3 mile run at a pace of 7.5 minute/mile. And one run where I get in one mile as fast as I can (currently 6.5 minutes). I try to put these two runs on the same two days that I train legs (concurrent training... like you advised). I'm also a little sub-par on strength right now but it doesn't make me as nervous as my running does. I've been lifting weights for a long time. I kinda know how to build strength when I REALLY have to..... but running/cardio has always been something I've neglected. What's your tip on how to build endurance and speed in the most timely fashion. Run longer? Rune faster? Run more often? Planning on taking your prep course 10 weeks out from signing

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

Hey, I highly suggest watching the aerobic conditioning and running videos on the channel. Get on a progression and build a massive aerobic base. 2 runs for 4 miles per week is not enough The good news is you’re running fast for your low mileage, so you should make improvements quickly Keep in mind, you build your fitness 2+ months out from selection. By 10 weeks out you’re just peaking and revealing the fitness you’ve already built

@andrewlohr6697

6 ай бұрын

monday 6 miiles slow wednesday 6 mile tempo friday 10+ slow add miiles every week... jog long distance slow = run short distance fast

@asnark7115

4 ай бұрын

The way you learn to judge yourself and your progress as a runner- to become a runner in yuor own mind- as opposed to just trying to run faster, is to set your runs by time. Start with 15 minute runs for survival a few times a week/a couple of months and go from there. This will get you to dial in on just being a runner, rather than just setting you up to fight against one specific goal or obstacle. That's what you already do with strength work. You may never run a 2 hour marathon, but you can damb sure be able to visualize what you can and can't do, and how to make changes, without getting stressed or bothered by it.

I need help🙏 Im about a month out to shipping , got my option 40. After looking at the vids I don’t feel confident on my training anymore lol. I’m athletic but I’m worried about my VO2 , I’ve got a good base in strength training but I’ve only seriously been running for less than a year. What can I focus on to boost my endurance??

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

At a month out, the hay is in the barn. Train hard, stay healthy, and give it your all

A 12 min 2 mile (9 min 1.5 mile) was pretty standard for soldiers when I was in the British army, with that speed being sustained to 8 miles and regular runs being no less than 4 miles. That said we really didn't focus on in depth training programs and body monitoring. We just strapped on boots and ran.

I've seen trials like this previously and it was interesting how much the 'professionals' tried to push the theories....heres my story. I did SF selection just over 10 years ago. When we started we did some physio tests based around flexibility and we were the guinea pigs. of my course I know of at least 2 guys that were told they were 'made of wood, and would fail due to injury'. (if you dont know these selection processes are high failure rate so 2 guys is a really high percentage) Any way, after the course the successful candidates went to our units and while their, as part of the rotation the same physios had incorporated the same flexibility program to see who was at risk from the already qualified personnel. What was most telling was the opening brief about how the data had never been wrong and every candidate that was highlighted as a fail on selection did indeed fail. what she was unaware of was the 2 guys in the audience about to absolutely embarrass here in front of a large group. Those test were with drawn and are no longer looked at. My point being, Selection processes are arduous by their nature. You get all shapes and in my experience carrying a few extra pounds is no bad thing at the start. Because once that calorie deficit kicks in you've got some thing to fall back onto. Most importantly, if you've got the right mental attitude you'll get through. Every one always says barring injury. But very few that complete the course get through injury free. I personally carried several injuries through and im by no means special in that regard.

When I was USMC recon it was interesting how some of the bodybuilder types couldn’t swim as well as the lean lanky types. We ran everywhere. Enduring horrible conditions like hypothermia and thirst is what broke people. But this was 40 years ago, who knows today lol. I imagine it’s very competitive?

oddly, once you get to combat, you find that the enemy, and your allies, have a large % of extremely deadly combatants, who aren't even on the chart, re fitness.

Do you think they make a bulletproof cup

I am 55, overweight and can't run more than 30 meters before am I out of breath. But listening to self empowering You Tube videos makes me believe even I can join the SEALs!

5'7, 183lbs. 500lb deadlift, 365lb squat, 135lb x 5 strict overhead press, currently 14:30 2 mile😪. Very injury prone when I log high run mileage (knees). My run time is the main reason I haven't requested a class date yet. Think I should diet a little? I need to do a bod pod but I estimate I'm around 14% body fat.

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

DM me on Instagram. You’re very close

@scottkenward7358

6 ай бұрын

Also checkout kneesovertoes guy for knee strengthening inspiration. Partially ruptured patella. No joke complete turn around doing his stuff. Bullet proof your knees!

The person who photoshopped the bag on Sam Sulek's body did a great job i gotta admit you almost got me🤣

I am curious if this shifts based upon operating environment as you would think some operating environments such as arctic enviroments may have a requirement for body fat as an insulator --- seals cold water activities have me wonder if dropout rates are higher in low body fat people--- and I am curious how these people do in KETOGENIC environments if they loose supply are they all going to be unable to extend for extened periods without food supply in an operating environment that is non permissive and they don't have food supply, my guess is these are very good strike forces but could have limitations for conventional warfare operations where having stored energy in the form of body fat can help with thermogenesis - such as winter conditions -- that said I have no doubt in the capability and physical fitness of people in the SOF, its pretty obvious that for "strength and endurance" physical activities in a fed environment muscle will win over fat, no brainer -- but I would think in non fed environments you may see the people able to sustain ketogenesis being survivors but that isn't the operation set of TWOT but in WW3 environment where SOF are field deployed to sustained operations if it ever came to that rather than FOB patrols or strike missions you might see performance drop off when high energy foods stopped being available - and yes I realize the US M and SOF wouldn't want to put their soldiers in that type of enviornment and might opt to engage in manouver rather than static operations but we see in Ukraine that a lot of the combat is static combat operations as the ability to manouver has been made more limited where logistics suply exists. There are ways around that but the generals havn't used methods to attempt manouver warfare in a non permissive enivornment. Body fat can matter in survival situations -- but its obvious SOF is all about overcoming obstacles by force and speed, not about sitting in a trench in winter for 3 months on starvation rations. That said atheletes have low body fat and SOF are all star atheletes fitness wise in many cases.

Good night I ran my first mile under 6 minutes for my three miles in the Marines finishing with a 17 minute 3 mile. If you can’t run two miles in 12 minutes you shouldn’t even be trying out for the military let alone special forces! Genetics matter but at the end of the day heart and that warrior spirit is what I want in the man next to me!

May thai for cardio and bone density and Jits or wrestling for strength and flexibility ...

hey man, this is random, but what should we do when illness tries to get in the way of training? i watched your video and it motivated me to go on a run as soon as i had free time (as i admittedly haven't been running enough lately), but a few hours before i could run, out of nowhere I started to feel like i was going to vomit. thankfully I'm better now and i can run, but now im wondering: if we get mildly ill, should we just push through it like we would have to at selection, or should we let ourselves rest? thanks in advance!

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

As long as it’s "above the neck” and mild like a runny nose, I’d say continue to train If you’re truly sick, then training will set you back and take longer for you to recover. In that case, it makes sense to rest

@zaria4165

6 ай бұрын

@@SOFPrepCoach tysm!

I’ve met a ton of ex special forces and most of them are between 5’7-5’10 and 140-160 lbs but you knew they could kill probably everyone else in the room lol

Was this body comp data gathered before or after the selection courses?

@SOFPrepCoach

5 ай бұрын

Before

5'11 190 lbs bit dad bodish but focusing on mobility, bones and joints, muscle last but yes muscles but mental the cerebrum is more important

1:39 interesting content but some of the data seems odd. There were individuals with a lean mass of 26 to 50 kg? 57 to 110 pounds? Overall weight would be very low

Hey, I was wondering if you could give some feedback about my stats. I'm 5,6 and 165 lbs, I’d say my body fat is around 22% being pessimistic. I’m for sure what you call skinny fat. My cardio which is my biggest strength is running at an 8:30 pace at 5 miles. My rucking is horrendous due to my short legs. I’m rucking at a 20:00 pace very comfortably. Lifting is what I’m focusing on most this season. My max bench press with reps is 175lbs. My squats are at 225lbs with my deadlift being slightly higher at 275lbs. My overhead press is at 75lbs. And finally, my plank is around the 2:30 seconds mark. I lost about 20 pounds last year with some of that being muscle. My strength used to be a bit higher. I didn’t mention this above but my pullups are what I struggle with the most. I can only honestly do about 2-4. I want to ask, should I continue to lose weight, about another 10 lbs or so? I want to lose the belly fat but I don’t want to keep sacrificing muscles. More background information about me is that I plan to reclass to 11B to get better accustomed to the skill set I need for Special Forces.

@scarfacezaezae2895

6 ай бұрын

Also, I didn't DM because I'm taking a break from social media.

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

Eat plenty of protein and to maintain your bodyweight. If you train hard and recover well you can build muscle and strength while losing fat

Makes me want to do it. 19 6,2 Bench 250 Sub 5 mile 8:03 1.5 mile Squat 335 Dead 405 Bw 190

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

Great numbers

@Jessersadler

5 ай бұрын

whats your height?

@AmericanPendetta

5 ай бұрын

@@Jessersadler 6,2 😏

@Jessersadler

5 ай бұрын

@AmericanPendetta Man, I'm blind. . . Seems like your strength numbers could be better. That run is solid.

I'm not, and never have been military, but I've been athletic for most of my life with shifting approaches to fitness styles. Something I've noticed is that I feel at my best mentally and physically when I do a combination of heavy compound lifts and strongman style workouts with long distance running and plyometrics. It's a tricky balancing act when it comes to dieting and progressing evenly with both styles of fitness, but I find I'm at my best and having fun when doing it.

So what's a 5'8 mf'ers to do to increase our chances coach?

@low-budgefudge2164

6 ай бұрын

Train.

What is a good ruck and run time?

@garrywynne1218

6 ай бұрын

Try the British Para 1 hr 45 16 Km with a 35lb load in boots plus water and hand held 10 pound long weight. Total 45 + lbs . Run walk , run walk , long strides . It’s all in the gait and momentum to keep the pace. Try it. Good luck 👍

Any advice for short fellas?

Once again good science shows that it's fitness, not height, that determines success.

@user-st9eo2ox7w

4 ай бұрын

Fitness is the essential base all selected must have, but what usually sets those selected apart from those not is mental fortitude and willpower to push your body over and above what you are normally capable of.

I served in uk infantry with sas who after a few years came back to their former regiments,none i met were big mostly slim and wiry this was late seventies early eighties i wouldve thought that would be a better physique

If this video is true, the selection course needs a serious overhaul. Large muscle mass needs a large support system; more food, more water (especially more water) which means significantly more weight to carry in order to maintain oneself in the field. In my experience of 14 years in Special Forces and six wars, the best operators were thin, wiry, and had great cardio fitness. Of course, intelligence and the ability to subordinate all other considerations to mission accomplishment meant a hundred times more than physical capability.

@SOFPrepCoach

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have the citations in the article in the description

Pozdro, Mattyniu!

I passed SF selection as a big guy by not giving up. Its the brain, not the body. I guess they figured I was weird when during push-ups I drank from an oily puddle in the asphalt. I could only do 10 at a time, so they singled me out to do more, and hey- I got thirsty!

There are a lot of smaller guys getting through the Q course now. Just about anyone makes it. But, muscle will help to avoid injuries.

Physicality is important but what separates fit from Special Forces capable is mental attitude, l love reading books by former special forces personnel and that is the constant, their attitude, you don’t have it all you physical ability won’t matter.

I've met a few ex specials in the UK . They have all been low fat , lean but muscular . Only one of them was well above average height - although I don't think being a bit taller is a big disadvantage, being very big gives you no advantage ( and a slight disadvantage ) in covert / commando type operations . Met a few Ghurkas in my time as well and not one of them was over 5' 9" , if that, and apparently rather slight ( although I bet they would surprise you on a weighing scale ) . My experience is only anecdotal and I'm not military but I would say that both the UK special forces guys and especially the Ghurkas were some of the most respectful, polite and gentle men I have ever met . They make excellent non military security operatives , not least because of their apparent passivity and evenness , which would disarm most people well before they had an aggressive thought . Also, they don't look like gorillas, so you probably won't have a clue who they are and what they could do . Nice chaps

I'm so tired of people saying that all you need to do is cardio and calisthenics for SOF selections. I'm here to tell you, all you need to do is run and lift and be able to do enough pushups etc for the test. Get as big as you can while passing the pt events. That's where you want to be.

Be lean - but not too lean, you should have enough to fuel your mind when things goes sideway

As a soldier that was under the weight requirement and had no measurable body fat, I was let through on my attitude. Attitude, mental strength and discipline always beat size or height . This is the case for strength, endurance,recovery and functionality ,especially when stress,injury and trauma are calculated.

How close do they check your test levels ?

@low-budgefudge2164

6 ай бұрын

Bro wants to bring roids to selection 💀 I'm telling you, don't do it.

Do they supply the steroids?

not always true. Check out the British Spec Ops. They often look more like marathon runners than weight lifters

If you look at group photos of special forces teams (for instance from some of the famous missions), you will notice that from the outside these guys don't look that impressive at all compared to the hollywood cliches. They can be short and/or thin but they are all very fit and have lethal skills.

@The_Caledonian

6 ай бұрын

Yup, look at photos from the SBS or people like Christian Craighead.

So as I 19 year old 1.75 m tall, 95 kg heavy dude with a body fat percentage of around 14 % being able to do some advanced calisthenics shit like a 90° pushup and lift decently heavy I'd have pretty good chances lmao. Just gotta work on that endurance then.

Maybe for US special forces but any commonwealth nations being a big bulky meat head will not help you pass selection into the SAS... Most of the guys are strong, but not big like American special forces.

I just got selected with around 8% body fat. I’m around 6’1. Was in the top 15 of every ruck and run. take from that what you will

i hardly doubt i can pass run tests now. i barely run 3km for 16 mimutes now. i weight 242lbs with about 16% body fat, or less. im 6`3 tall when i get down to 213lbs to about 7% bodyfat, i just have no power to run. but i feel way way lighter. but anything like calesthenics, pullups, push ups, are nothing to me. easily can do it, and pass required tests. when i was 21, i was skinny and ran way better than now, but i was way weaker.

There is a human component in the selection process and so the guy that looks like GI Joe with the bigger build Bone wise is probably going to get selected over the guy who looks like he's going to get hurt when he takes his next step😅 if the two individuals are otherwise equal

Very different than regular infantry. I was the best at infantry training and military style PT when I was between 155 and 175lbs. When I started to bulk up and get stronger, even if i was lean, my performance would always drop. But I have noticed SF guys and Seals on average tend to be more muscular than infantry guys.

@eaglet6703

6 ай бұрын

What unit are you with, you seem pretty senior mabye you can give me some bulk up tips, Its so hard getting enough calories.

Im 5’7 skinny, how can i get mass when my metabolism is fast as hell?, i want ti train cuz imma join the AF; but really wanna try out SOF in the future

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

Hey, check this video out kzread.info/dash/bejne/qpmYqMyufbDcZqg.htmlsi=yzyYSBWI7vCRQEvh

I think these videos are great, but i am a bit confused. So i have applied to join the army, with the hopes of ones day going for special forces selection. However, everyone has said to stop weight training as it conflicts with aerobic endurance training. Whats the best way to train?

@L0G0.ACC1

6 ай бұрын

Keep weight training. Olympic marathon runners weightlift.

@AndreD-re6nr

6 ай бұрын

Do Both. Periodized, or at the same time. Depends on your Overall Fitness Level. Look at his other Videos, he explain it there.

@SOFPrepCoach

6 ай бұрын

If you want to maximize your chances of success, you should be strength training. I actually just released a video on the smartest way to train 👉kzread.info/dash/bejne/qpmYqMyufbDcZqg.html

@AndreD-re6nr

6 ай бұрын

You Need to be Resilient in every Aspect, Not just in one.

@eaglet6703

6 ай бұрын

weight lifting is critical to overcome the weight from rucksack. you can only add certain amount of weight to the ruck relative to your own strength level and weight. it would be almost impossible for a 120lbs person to carry 120lbs worth of weight to Ruck for hours. but not so much for someone who is 180lbs with very built legs and backs.

The bone density part can probably be explained in 2 different ways. For 1 more testosterone = denser bones, and more testosterone also corrleates with more muslce mass, less body fat, larger lung capacity, aggression and higher red blood cell count. But also the more resistance your bones face from running, lifting, blunt force etc. the denser they get. So if someone has very dense bones it means they likely have higher testosterone and/or more overall fitness training. Also you don't magically lose the ability to densify the bones when you hit 30 lol. Like not even close. You could still densify your bones at 100 years old.

The fact that heavy strength training is what increases your bone density is the reason bone density % had a higher selection success. Higher bone density=more strength due to training