A Preparatory Training Approach To Improve Rucking and Loaded Movements

Rucking and load support in full kit is an activity that many Tactical Human Performance teams will help soldiers prepare for as part of their normal responsibilities.  The need for this may be due to preparation for selection, school, exercise, or deployment.  

The key contributors to improve rucking and loaded movements are aerobic development and structural support via strength endurance and capacity in key musculature. A problem with training for this task is the risk of associated wear and tear from high volumes under heavy loads and increases in injury potential from technical breakdown due to insufficient strength endurance. In this article, I will lay out an approach I have used to help improve rucking and loaded movements while trying to reduce injury potential.

The foundational concept that this approach operates on is that we can reduce wear and tear associated with load support in two ways.  First, we can prepare the body to better handle the distribution of loading throughout the duration of the event, thereby decreasing the occurrence of injury per unit of volume. Secondly, since we are not using the activity of rucking or loaded movement as its own strengthening or aerobic means in the preparatory phase, we can then ruck less early in the training cycle, meaning less overall volume or time in ruck/kit during the entirety of the training cycle.

When a soldier who is not properly prepared to withstand the physical load starts to fatigue, often a technical/structural breakdown will occur, and they will alter the distribution of load on their body.  This compensation will most commonly result in reliance on joint lock positions or positions and/or movement patterns that overload a specific grouping of muscles more so than when the load is more optimally distributed.  Both scenarios can lead to injuries or wear on tissues and joints in the compensated areas.  The targeted increase of strength and muscular endurance can help to lessen the severity or duration of these compensations.

By focusing on strength endurance in key musculature in the preparatory cycle instead of using the ruck/kit as its own strengthening means we reduce the time under load, which can reduce some wear.  We can also avoid a situation wherein soldiers lacking the strength or muscular endurance at the start fall into compensations early in the training.   This can further ingrain poor loading patterns and increase the amount of time/volume in these patterns over the course of the cycle.  It can be compared to taking someone new to squatting and loading them too heavy from the start before the proper pattern has been established.  The weights may still go up over time, but so does the misapplied loading and injury potential from poor mechanics and load distribution.

What this looks like in application is a three-phase preparatory cycle that focuses on structural preparation and precedes the phase where rucking will be a primary focus.  The rucking will be at a low volume and intensity during the preparatory period, serving mostly as technical development while also allowing for a gradual re-introduction/build-up to the load stressors.  During this period, running and low-impact means will serve as the predominant methods of aerobic development.  By focusing on aerobic and structural development in the preparatory period, the rucking emphasis phase can serve mostly to put all the pieces together in the “competition exercise.”

The structural support work in the preparatory period can be structured in a block sequencing fashion.  The focus of the first phase will be on strength development.  The second phase is aimed toward muscular endurance.  The third phase can then be focused on increasing the overall time under load, as well as possibly introducing a more dynamic environment for increased stabilization in those patterns.  This sequencing serves to increase strength in the key musculature, which increases the potential for increased load that can be sustained, and then training to extend the duration of efforts. The volumes, intensities, progressions, and weekly stressor distribution are at the discretion of the coach. These will be dependent on the coach’s programming style and their soldier’s readiness and preparedness.

The primary areas of concern for load support are, speaking generally, the traps/upper back, core, lumbar, hips, and legs.  Additional attention can be paid to any other areas, such as foot/ankle, that a specific soldier may need following the same pattern of progression.  While I am focusing on these specific areas in this article, there are other areas and performance needs that will still need to be addressed and balanced in the training program.  I am not highlighting those areas in this article in order to focus on the specific topic, but it is assumed that other work is being performed, such as for pressing musculature and targeted hamstring work, as a couple of examples.

Preparatory Phase Example:

The example below focuses on the main elements discussed while showing exercise sequencing across blocks.  Feel free to substitute exercises you like and program progressions as you see fit.

Phase One

In this phase, you will prioritize increases in strength overall, but especially in the specific areas of concern for load support.  Programming and progressions for each element according to the methods you have found have worked best for you in your career. 

Phase Two

In this phase, we will start converting the higher output levels developed in the last block into higher sustained levels of effort. This is predominantly accomplished through higher rep volumes at reduced loads. Once again, program and progress as you best see fit as the coach.

Phase Three

This phase increases the time under load via increased rep volume, the introduction of accentuated eccentrics and isometric holds, and optionally, the introduction of oxidative work, which was popular with Mark McLaughlin and Landon Evans. Where possible, introduce exercises that challenge stabilization a little more.

This article has laid out an approach for a preparatory cycle that can help prepare the soldier for load support by increasing structural integrity, reducing wear and injury potential, and increasing performance under load. Many roads may lead to Rome in the search for optimal preparation, and hopefully, this article has laid out a map for a new road to travel.