Subscribe now

There’s still time to sign up for RTFU Ruck 2026.

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

You can join us by purchasing the T-shirt and committing to rucking 20 Miles with 25 Lbs. in 2026. This can be a single effort (preferred) or cumulative if that’s what it takes.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team where we provide support and answer your questions.

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

As a young Corporal, I was an assistant team leader in the 5th Marines Regimental Scouts. My team leader told me to get the guys together. We were going to go for a three-mile run.

I said, “Sure.” No big deal- three miles in the Southern California summer. Warm but not brutal.

I knew something was wrong when we turned off the paved road at 1.5 miles and headed onto a dirt road that soon turned into a rocky trail up the side of a mountain.

As ATL, my job was to bring up the rear, so I had to find a place to pass and sprint to the front. Hey, boss, you said 3 miles. We should have turned around back there.”

“Yeah, I know. We’re going farther. You have a problem with that?”

“No, but I didn’t tell the guys to bring any water.”

“They’ll be OK.”

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We kept going to the top of the ridgeline, then turned left, taking us farther from home. We were now approaching 5 miles, and he showed no signs of turning around. One of the newer Marines, who had been falling back, was now bent over, dry heaving. I yelled, “Keep moving.”

Finally, somewhere around six miles, the TL turned around and started heading back.

Back down the ridgeline to the rock trail, then to the paved road and back towards camp.

About 100 meters from where we started, he stopped and waited for us to catch up.

I had been wrangling the Marines who were falling out, so we finally made it to his location.

As I pulled up with the last man, he told us three things that have always stuck with me:

1. Never assume that because you have a plan, things will work out.

2. Always be prepared to go farther.

3. You can always go another mile.

Now I try to lie to myself at least once a week.

I tell myself that I will turn around at four miles, but at the last minute, I decide to go to five.

It’s never a huge surprise, but at the moment of truth, you still have to say, “Screw you, we’re going farther.”

So, tell yourself that you’re going for an easy walk in the park, then get out there and RTFU!

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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There’s still time to sign up for RTFU Ruck 2026.

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

You can join us by purchasing the T-shirt and committing to rucking 20 Miles with 25 Lbs. in 2026. This can be a single effort (preferred) or cumulative if that’s what it takes.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team where we provide support and answer your questions.

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

There is a saying in special operations, “It’s good to be hard, but it’s hard to be smart.”

When I arrived as a young Sergeant at 1^st Force Reconnaissance Company, I heard it often. We prided ourselves on being ‘hard’. Being hard meant that you never quit and you never complained. You suffered in silence.

Saying that someone was a ‘hard MFer’ was the Recon Good Housekeeping seal of approval.

If I’m being honest, we often focused on the first half of the saying, to the exclusion of the second.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the first half is critical. It doesn’t matter how smart you are if you can’t get to the fight.

Nobody cares about your I.Q. if you crumble at the first hint of adversity.

But the two halves aren’t mutually exclusive.

You can be hard and smart at the same time. In fact, it’s a lot cooler if you are.

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A huge part of being smart is taking care of small problems before they become big ones.

One of the most common rucking-related problems can be expressed with the formula below:

The equation is used to determine friction force, and I know what it looks like, but when we’re rucking, I can assure you, friction is no fun.

Friction causes chafing and blisters. Enduring chafing and blisters will indeed make you harder, but they may well sideline you for a few days, and in those days, just like Captain Willard, you will get weaker.

The best way to deal with friction is to avoid it. This is one of those ‘ounce of prevention’ situations.

The first step in defeating friction is to wear high-quality socks and base layers.

In future episodes, I’ll be offering some reviews and recommendations:

Like politics and football, a lot of rucking clothing choices are highly opinionated and personal (Of course, this is my newsletter, so you will get my strongly held opinions— which are correct).

The second critical step in defeating friction is pre-lubricating known trouble spots, and lubricating at the first sign of trouble.

To help with that, I reached out to Amy Tucker from Salty Britches.

Salty Britches has taken the special operations world by storm because it works. The website describes it as a soothing, long-lasting barrier against skin irritation for any occasion. Created to withstand saltwater chafing, it's now trusted by families, athletes, and military personnel for year-round, all-day protection.

I’ve used it during rucks, long runs, and to avoid sand abrasion while scuba diving with the National Park Service in Guam looking for unexploded ordinance from WWII. It works.

Amy was good enough to create the coupon code: RTFU20 to give you twenty percent off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

Get a tube or some single-use packets to keep in your ruck. You won’t regret it.

If you use Salty Britches, I’d love to hear your opinion.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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There’s still time to sign up for RTFU Ruck 2026.

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

You can join us by purchasing the T-shirt and committing to rucking 20 Miles with 25 Lbs. in 2026. This can be a single effort (preferred) or cumulative if that’s what it takes.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team where we provide support and answer your questions.

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

Last week, we discussed the question, “How much weight should I carry?”

And— just as last week didn’t produce a magic weight that will work for everyone, don’t expect a shoe recommendation that will work for everyone or even anyone in every situation.

During my career in the Marines, I found that boot preference was personal and incredibly contentious. What works for one person may not work for another, so you need to find what works for you.

But there are some things to consider when buying footwear for rucking.

Rucking demands footwear that can withstand the punishment of the added weight on your back. The more comfortable and protected your feet are, the farther, faster, and harder you can go.

So, we need to prioritize fit, comfort, durability, and support.

You don’t have to wear boots.

A lot of new ruckers make the (logical) assumption that they need to wear boots to get the durability and support they need.

Not so.

I am a big fan of rucking in running shoes.

For most rucks under 45 lbs on relatively level terrain, I use my Altra Lone Peaks.

These shoes fit me well; they have a wide toe box, and I enjoy running and rucking in them.

According to an annual survey, they are the most widely worn shoe among Appalachian Trail through-hikers. (They are carrying on average, less than 30 lbs)

Altras are zero- to low-drop, so they are not for everyone, but the point is that unless you carry over 35-45 lbs or the terrain dictates otherwise, you will be fine rucking in whatever running shoes you currently wear.

Realize, however, that rucking in running shoes will wear them out faster than just running. I would consider replacing them at around 200 - 250 miles.

Rucking in ‘barefoot’ or minimalist footwear

I see this less nowadays, but when ‘barefoot’ shoes were all the rage, I saw many people rucking in minimalist shoes.

These shoes are great for strengthening your feet, but I don’t recommend rucking in them.

Michael Easter wrote a great post about this, citing a military study of 1,000 cadets over 9 weeks, which found that:

“soldiers wearing more supportive shoes were “49% less likely to incur any type of lower extremity injury and 52% less likely to incur an overuse lower extremity injury than cadets wearing minimalist shoes.”

So when do you need boots?

• If you are going heavy. I consider that over 35-45 lbs.

• If the terrain is rugged enough to warrant the ankle support boots provide, or if you have ankle problems or previous injuries.

• If you want to maximize the life of your footwear (boots will generally last longer than running shoes or cross trainers)

If you are in the military, the type of boots you wear may be dictated, but if you have the choice, here are a few options that seem to work well for a lot of people.

Go Ruck MACV-2

Lowa Zephyr

Salomon Quest

A pair of boots often weighs more than twice as much as a pair of running shoes, which adds up during a long movement. So, it is a good idea to mix it up and ruck in boots if you are preparing for a long movement that will require them.

Something in between?

For an option between a boot and a traditional running shoe, you might try a hybrid or hiking shoe if you want added sole durability and longevity with your ankle support.

In this category, I like:

GoRuck Rough Runners

Merrell MOAB

Solomon Pro

Again,

These aren’t recommendations for you; they are simply things I like or that I see many experienced ruckers using.

If you are still uncertain, I suggest checking out your local REI.

• They have pretty knowledgeable staff.

• They will not look at you weird if you bring in your ruck to wear while you try on shoes (which you should do)—Also bring in the socks you plan to wear!

• They have a very liberal return policy, and if you are not satisfied with your purchase after wearing it for a while, you can exchange it.

Break them in!

Often, a new shoe or boot does not feel great right out of the box. It needs to be broken in.

The best way to do this is to take them on increasingly longer rucks or even wear them around the house.

Some people swear by soaking leather boots in water and then wearing them until they dry. I’ve never felt the need to use this technique.

Take care of your footwear, and they’ll take care of your feet.

If you can, alternate your footwear. This is especially true if you are using running shoes.

Running shoe soles compress with use and need time to return to their natural state. Alternating between two pairs of shoes will make both last longer.

All footwear should be given time to dry out between uses.

Wrapping it up.

Over time, you may notice that one style, brand, or model works especially well for you. If possible, stock up. Shoemakers often change the model you love.

You should also pay attention to the similarities between the shoes or boots you like. Do they have a wide toe box, narrow mid-foot, or stiff sole? Do they have a similar heel drop or heel cup style?

Knowing the footwear characteristics that fit you best will help when you need to try something new.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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There’s still time to sign up for RTFU Ruck 2026.

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

You can join us by purchasing the T-shirt and committing to rucking 20 Miles with 25 Lbs. in 2026. This can be a single effort (preferred) or cumulative if that’s what it takes.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team where we provide support and answer your questions. Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

The question I get most frequently is:

“How much weight should I start with?”

Note that this is very different from “what is the standard for RTFU Ruck 2026,” which is 25 Lbs.

That’s a hard question to answer.

Conventional wisdom says to start with no more than 10% of your body weight.

That is a pretty conservative answer, but it is reasonable for someone who isn't in shape, may have injuries, and isn't used to carrying weight on their back.

The good news is that if you start with 10% and it’s too light, you can add more tomorrow.

If you start too heavy, you risk hurting yourself or having a very un-fun time and deciding that rucking is not for you.

I consider my standard ruck weight to be my ‘Combat Load.’ It is what I am used to and what I carry most of the time.

But How Much Can You Carry?

A Government Accountability Office report found that in 2016, the average combat load of a soldier or Marine was 120 pounds of gear.

This includes a ruck, body armor, and a weapon.

That is a bit much, and I don’t recommend rucking with that weight regularly, but it may be worth occasionally adding a short, heavy ruck to your training plan.

Once a month (when I’m healthy), I try to fit in a hundred-pound mile. If nothing else, it will help you appreciate the load the Marines were carrying.

What have historical soldiers’ loads been?

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The Roman Legions supposedly marched 20 miles per day, carrying upwards of 60 lbs, and made camp in time to construct a wooden palisade around their position each evening.

The Norwegian standard is 11 kg (25 lbs) for 30 km (18.6 Miles) at a pace of roughly four miles per hour.

Post WWI, a British commission found that although armies over the past 3,000 years have carried loads of between 55-60 lbs and used road marching as a means of conditioning, they concluded that “Not in excess of 40-45 lbs was a tolerable load for the average man on a road march.”

This 45-lb ruck dry (excluding water and food) has become the baseline that most military units adhere to in training.

It is also the upper limit, which I believe is beneficial for a regular ruck weight.

That doesn’t mean that it is the right weight for you.

To determine your ‘combat load,’ consider:

• Body weight

• Experience

• Goals

• Distance covered

• Number of rucks per week

Just as you probably don’t go into the gym and use one weight for all exercises, one ruck weight won’t fit all situations.

Pick a weight based on your workout that leaves you, in the words of the late, great Mr. Walyon Jennings, “Used but not used up.”

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work & RTFU!

John

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There’s still time to sign up for RTFU Ruck 2026.

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

You can join us by purchasing the T-shirt and committing to rucking 20 Miles with 25 Lbs. in 2026. This can be a single effort (preferred) or cumulative if that’s what it takes.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team where we provide support and answer your questions.

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

Energy gets you started, but focus finishes.

Your attention can spray across a dozen targets like a machine gun. Focus picks one like a sniper rifle. If you want to get better at something, decide what matters, aim, and stay on target long enough to learn.

That takes more than just showing up. It takes a crystal-clear goal. It takes working up to and beyond your comfort zone. It also takes seeking, listening to, and applying feedback without explanation or complaint. Watch your performance, and ask others to watch. Find your weakness and build your next practice session around addressing it.

Being good is fun. Getting better is hard.

You will meet resistance. You will feel the friction between what you can do now and what the mission demands. That’s good. Where there is friction, you can get traction.

In diving, you stay ahead of the pressure. Do the same with your life. Prepare before the demand arrives. Practice before the stakes rise. Put your time and energy where your priorities are, because:

What you do says a whole lot more about who you are than what you say.

Time keeps moving. You get to decide how to spend it.

Get to work & RTFU

John

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Look out for the Walking Point Podcast on Savage TV. Be Savage!

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The RTFU Ruck 2026 link is live!

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team.

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

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The future arrives at sixty minutes per hour, and it doesn’t give a damn whether you’re ready for it or not.

You say you’re “killing time” when you scroll for another hour, put off your workout until later, or promise yourself you’ll start tomorrow.

But time isn’t the thing that’s dying. You are. You are spending your life.

If you spend enough mornings that way, you’ve spent a year. Spend enough years, and you’ve spent the chance to become the person you said you wanted to be.

"Putting things off is the biggest waste of life: it snatches away each day as it comes, and denies us the present by promising the future." - Seneca

Not every second has to be productive. Eat, drink, and be merry once in a while. Hang out with the people you love. Those are good ways to spend a life. But be honest about the hours you throw away while avoiding what matters.

The clock doesn’t care, and it doesn’t stop.

Get up, move with purpose, and:

RTFU!

John

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Join us for RTFU RUCK 2026!

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store.

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The RTFU Ruck 2026 link is live!

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team. Please let me know if you didn’t get an invite.

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

Thanks to everyone who has already signed up for Ruck 2026. If you haven’t joined the Slack group yet, you should. If you need me to resend the link, let me know.

If you haven’t signed up, there is still time, and there is still time to go from couch to 20 miles with weight on your back before the end of the year.

This is a great time to start or ramp up your training. Even in coastal NC, this morning was relatively cool, and hopefully the trend will hold.

If I were starting from scratch and wanted to get up to 20 miles under load, I would start by going outside and walking for 30 minutes without a ruck, turning around and returning home.

I would determine how far I went and how I felt after (and especially the next day).

That walk would then become the standard. I would complete it at least every other day for a few weeks until it became a routine and I experienced no ill effects (tiredness, soreness, etc.).

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Then I would start adding weight. 5-10 lbs in whatever ruck or backpack you have.

In a week or two, you will be able to accomplish this ruck every other day without issue.

When that happens, I would add weight in 5-10 lb increments for weekday movements and on the weekend reduce the weight and start adding more time in 30-minute increments.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with rucking every day if you feel good. Maybe alternate days with and without a ruck.

If you will commit to doing this for the remaining 100-ish days of 2026, I guarantee that you will be more ready to start 2027 on the right foot.

Plus, if you sign up for the RUCK 2026, you will be supporting a great cause, helping find a cure for Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP).

Sign up here

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store.

Subscribe now

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The RTFU Ruck 2026 link is live!

Thanks to those who have already signed up.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an invite to join the Slack team. Please let me know if you didn’t get an invite.

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

STANDARDS AND RULES ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

Rules are for people who can’t be trusted. They establish the minimum acceptable behavior and tell you what you must do.

Standards are for people who want to achieve more.

A standard is a promise you make to yourself about how you will perform, especially when no one is watching. It doesn’t define the minimum. It demands you give your best.

Rules require enforcement while Standards require discipline. Rules answer the question, What am I allowed to do? While Standards ask, What does the mission require of me?

If you need someone standing over you, checking your work and forcing you to follow through, you don’t have standards. You require rules and supervision.

Set the standard. Hold yourself to the standard. Become someone you can trust.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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I got my bloodwork results, and the targeted supplementation had the desired effect. My numbers were all moving in the right direction. Check out Superpower HERE

Only 1 O.G. Garage Gym flag left.

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

The RTFU Ruck 2026 link is live!

Thanks to those who have already signed up. Be sure to join the Slack Team

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out this post

Learn more about FOP

Today I want to talk a bit about goal setting. I was thinking about this because one of this year’s returning RUCK 2026 team members emailed me to remind me that he didn't finish the full event last year, but he's setting a goal for this year.

When it comes to endurance events, I like to set what I call A, B, & C goals.

The ‘A’ Goal is just at the limit of possibility. If, between now and your event, everything goes according to plan. If you are sleeping great, nutrition is on point, training is optimized, and you wake up on the morning of the event feeling incredible, what could you accomplish?

It is important for your A goal to be beyond what you believe your reality to be because we often limit ourselves by our reliance on reality. In the wise words of the White Queen, “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

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So, set an ‘A’ goal high and do everything in your power to meet it.

But, as we know, real life often intrudes on our best-laid plans. Travel, illness, and life will interfere. That is where the ‘B’ goal comes in.

The ‘B’ Goal is a goal you would be happy to hit, and one that, with training, preparation, and a solid effort on game day, you should be able to hit.

Although you need to know your ‘B’ goal, it stays tucked away until achieving your ‘A’ goal becomes impossible. Don’t give up on yourself too early. But at a point in the event, if it is clear that the ‘A’ goal isn’t happening, there is no time to pout or give in to the stages of grief. You immediately downshift to the ‘B’ goal.

The ‘B’ goal is still a solid performance and will still require effort, and the longer you spend mourning the ‘A’ goal, the harder it will be to achieve. So RTFU and execute.

Sometimes, as Mr. Murphy loves to remind us, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Your training has been interrupted by illness, old aches and pains return out of nowhere, and new ones join the club, and by the morning of the event you can think of a million things you would rather be doing. Or, perhaps during the event you take a wrong turn or roll an ankle or your new shorts rub you the wrong way, and you watch as your ‘B’ goal fades into the rearview mirror.

The ‘C’ Goal. There will be time for crying later. Now it is time to downshift again into low. My ‘C’ goal was usually, “finish within the time limit, and without maiming myself.”

The ‘A’ goal is there to push us to be our best when everything is going right.

The ‘C’ goal is there to push us to give everything we have when everything is going wrong.

Set all three, and you have the best chance of sucess.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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I am still waiting on the results of my follow-up bloodwork. I’ll let you know next week how it went, but I am optimistic. Check out Superpower HERE

Only 2 O.G. Garage Gym flags left.

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

The RTFU Ruck 2026 link is live!

Click on the image above to buy a shirt and sign up.

All profits will go to the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.

If you want to learn more about why we are doing this, check out last week’s post here

How does this work?

You go to the link, buy a shirt for 100.00. It’s a pretty cool shirt that was designed by Adam Richwine, Weston’s dad. After the shirts are paid for, all remaining funds will go to the IFOPA.

When you make the purchase, be sure to include your email address.

My vendor will mail the shirt. If you have any issues (printing is off or anything, please let me know.

I will send you a link to join the RTFU RUCK 2026 Slack channel.

But what is Slack?

Slack is a cloud-based messaging and collaboration app designed to help teams and businesses communicate in a single, centralized platform.

When you receive the invite, click the link and create an account to join the group, where you can introduce yourself, share goals, and ask questions about training, nutrition, equipment, etc.

Last year, those who joined the group finished the ruck at a much higher rate than those who didn’t.

I will also be available to answer any training questions you may have.

Although it is 2026, I have been convinced to keep the ruck at 2025 standards: 20 miles with 25 lbs. (You can add an extra pound if you want.)

As I mentioned last week, there isn’t a strict requirement this year to finish the event in one shot. Based on your fitness level and time available, you can break it into manageable chunks, but I would like you to set a hard goal for yourself and achieve it.

I have uploaded a beginning rucking guide to the Slack that gives all of the info you need to get started rucking, from equipment, nutrition, foot care, designing a training plan, etc. Plus, I will check in every day to answer questions, and Adam will jump in from time to time as well.

The goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to reach whatever goal you set for yourself, and help you end 2026 on a high note. Although it is hard to believe we are approaching the final quarter of the year. This is a time when most people start letting fitness go.

Ruck 2026 is a great chance to finish the year strong and ready to attack 2027 with vengeance.

Join the team, and do a hard thing for a great cause.

Start working on developing your goal and recruiting some friends.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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This morning, I am traveling to get my follow-up blood draw completed. In the past 2 months, I have raised my HRV by nearly 50%, and am absolutely sold on the need for regular detailed bloodwork. If you are interested in increasing your longevity, check out SuperPower

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

Only 2 OG Garage Gym flags left.

Subscribe now

Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

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So, you have spoken (or at least enough of you have).

RTFU Ruck 2026 to raise money for the IFOPA to help eradicate Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva is happening!

If you don’t know what FOP is, it is an ultra-rare disease that affects less than 1,000 people globally. One of those people is Weston, the young son of a Marine Raider, which is how I learned about it.

FOP causes “the body's soft tissues—like muscles, tendons, and ligaments—to turn into solid bone. This abnormal growth creates a second skeleton that locks joints in place and stops movement. It is caused by a gene mutation and often shows up in early childhood.”

What can I do?

We can make a difference, and do something hard at the same time. By next week, the RTFU RUCK 2026 sign-up link will be live.

What is RUCK 2026?

This year I plan to offer some options, because the real goal is for you to donate to a great cause and challenge yourself.

Last year the only option was to ruck the 20 miles with a 25-pound load in one shot.

This year, I would love to see you cover 20 miles with 26 lbs in one go, but I’d rather have you set a hard but realistic personal goal and achieve it.

So when you sign up, you will receive the event T-shirt (which will be cool). You will also be invited to the Ruck 2026 Slack page, where you can introduce yourself, share your goals, get help with training and nutrition, find a local training buddy (possibly), and have a measure of accountability for achieving your goal.

This is a great opportunity to talk some of your friends into joining you and working hard while the rest of the world sinks deeper into end-of-year malaise.

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Then you have until midnight on 31 December to hit your goal and start 2027 like a champ.

What do I do between now and next Monday when signups open?

Start working on developing your goal and recruiting some friends.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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I have just booked a follow-up blood draw with Superpower. In the past 2 months, I have raised my HRV by nearly 50%, and am absolutely sold on the need for regular detailed bloodwork. I’m not sponsored by them, but here is a link that will get you $50 off supplements if you decide to use them.

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

I thought I had sold all of the garage gym flags, but I found 2 of each in the bottom of a box. This is really the last chance.

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

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I have decided to dig through my old posts and rework the best ones. This idea originally appeared in March 2024.

Last year’s Ruck 2025 Challenge was great, and we raised a decent amount of money for the IFOPA, but frankly the results were disappointing. If there is enough interest, I will host a 2026 version. You complete 20 miles with 25 Lbs on your own before the end of 2026. The entry fee will be 100.00. You will get a cool T-shirt, and all profits will go to the IFOPA

You can’t spend five minutes on the internet without running into some jackass moaning about balance:

Work/Life Balance

Relationship/self-care balance

Fun/finance balance

You name it, somebody is trying to get you to weigh your effort equally among events.

Here’s the thing—balance is great if you want to be mediocre at everything, but balance is boring. That’s why standing on the balance beam isn’t an Olympic sport.

If you want to win a medal, you have to go all in.

You have to give up balance and become fanatical.

You need to do shit like this:

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You can bet that Simone Biles didn’t focus on achieving balance in her life; she focused on being the best.

That meant she was willing to sacrifice everything that didn’t help her achieve that.

Most of us aren’t willing to make the kind of sacrifices necessary to be the best, but this week try this:

Sacrifice something that is keeping you from being better.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

I have just booked a follow-up blood draw with Superpower. In the past 2 months, I have raised my HRV by nearly 50%, and am absolutely sold on the need for regular detailed bloodwork. I’m not sponsored by them, but here is a link that will get you $50 off supplements if you decide to use them.

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

Leave a comment

Some of you have requested an RTFU gym flag without the F Bomb. This is for you.

Only 1 left.

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

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August in North Carolina is miserable. In the mornings when I ruck, there is usually over 90% humidity, and temperatures are approaching 90 degrees. If I wait until later, the humidity drops but temps get closer to 100.

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I shouldn’t have to tell you that you need to be smart about rucking in the heat, but over the past few weeks I have seen several heat cases with core temps at 106. That’s not good.

The Heat Tax.

The heat charges a tax and makes you pay for mistakes that you might get away with in cooler temperatures.

Forget to hydrate, forget to eat, go out too fast, they all take their toll. So you can pay through disciplined preparation, or you can pay by going down and getting a thermometer shoved up your butt.

I know which one I choose (Not the butt thing).

The biggest mistakes I see people make are:

-Not acclimatizing: It is important to get outside and start training in the heat. I like to use the sauna before it really starts heating up, or if I know I will be traveling to a hot area, I’ll bundle up and go out for a ruck.

-Not hydrating: Slugging a glass of water before heading out the door doesn’t cut it in the summer. You need to start hydrating at least 24 hours before an event and be sure to include electrolytes. Of course, a smarter move is to stay well hydrated and get plenty of sodium, potassium, and magnesium in your diet. Only add electrolyte powder as needed before and during an event.

-Not eating: I have always been a fan of fasted cardio, but if you are going to be out in the heat, especially if you are trying to perform at a high level, you need to eat. Preferably, you would get a carb-heavy meal in 2-3 hours before you start. A lot of heat cases happen because people are too lazy to get up early enough to eat before a hard effort. I am a big fan of getting sleep, but I’ll trade sleep for not getting the thermometer in the butt any day.

-Not recognizing their limitations: If you can crush a 10-mile 45-lb ruck in 2 hours in cold weather, don’t assume you can do the same in the heat. I’m not saying to take it easy on yourself; I’m saying to be smart. It’s better to finish a little slower than to get carted off to the hospital with a thermometer in your butt.

The goal isn’t to prove that you are tough enough to beat the heat; it is to develop the toughness to operate in it.

Life is hard. Be harder. But not stupid.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

Leave a comment

Some of you have requested an RTFU gym flag without the F Bomb. This is for you.

Only 2 left.

I’m not telling you to use Superpower. I’m not sponsored by them, but here is a link that will get you $50 off supplements if you decide to use them.

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

Subscribe now

Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

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In Recon we have a saying, “Plan the dive, dive the plan.” This is important because the planning takes place in relative safety and comfort. We are sitting around a nautical chart, deciding where the boats will drop us off, how close to the harbor we will swim on the surface, and then when to go subsurface to avoid detection as we enter the harbor, gather information, plant explosives, or whatever the mission requires.

This planning is critical to the success of the mission. It is done with clear heads and all available information. It is the first decision that must be made.

The second decision, to actually dive the plan, comes later when the water is freezing, legs are tired from finning, and it would be easy to modify the plan. During those times, a thousand reasons to justify the shortcut spring to mind. Many of them seem logical.

This is the time for the second decision. The harder one. To follow through with the plan even when your team is presenting you with reasons to deviate and their logic makes sense.

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Failing at the second decision point brings about the demise of many well-laid plans.

You develop a new fitness plan, but don’t actually wake up in time. You commit to a new eating plan but give in to the friends that invite you out. You promise to do something to improve your lot in life but falter when it’s time to act.

The first decision is important, but it becomes meaningless when it’s time to implement the plan, and you begin bartering with yourself to put it off or take an easier path.

Plan the dive, dive the plan, and RTFU.

John

Life is Hard. Be Harder.

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Some of you have requested an RTFU gym flag without the F Bomb. This is for you.

There are only 4 left.

I’ll write more about it soon, but I have been seeing solid results from my Superpower subscription and bloodwork. Use the link below to get $50 off supplements if you decide to use them.

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

Subscribe now

Share

Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

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Mental toughness is built through suffering. I’ve said this a thousand times, but the other day I realized suffering isn't the only way to build it.

Discomfort exposes weakness and teaches you that you can keep moving after your mind starts looking for a way out.

But pain isn’t the only thing that breaks people. Many are brought down by boredom.

Anyone can get motivated for a new program, new shoes, or a new goal.

The first week is exciting. The second week might still feel productive. But then the novelty disappears.

Workouts begin to repeat. Progress isn’t visible. No one is watching you. The finish line is still months away, and every effort today seems too small to matter.

This is where people either quit or start screwing with the plan.

Some will give up, but others start tinkering. They’ll add exercises. Change programs. Change their goal. Then they’ll tell themselves they are being productive when they are really trying to escape the repetition.

They are not tired of the work. They are tired of not being entertained.

This is the Long, Uneventful Middle

Combat, and preparing for combat, is made up of brief moments of intensity surrounded by thousands of hours of repetition.

Weapons handling, immediate-action drills, rehearsals, inspections, weapons maintenance. Practicing the same fundamentals until they can be performed flawlessly while exhausted, injured, or under fire.

None of it’s exciting after the hundredth repetition. But that’s the point.

You do not rise to the occasion when everything goes wrong. You fall back on whatever you have practiced enough to do without thinking.

Boring repetitions build a conditioned response.

The same is true in the War of Life.

One hard workout doesn’t make you strong. One disciplined meal doesn’t make you lean. One long ruck won’t prepare you for anything. One productive morning won’t make you productive.

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The outcome comes from repeating ordinary actions long after they stop being exciting.

That is the long, uneventful middle of every campaign plan. The initial motivation is gone, and the objective is still far away. You are no longer inspired, and you haven’t seen the results.

Nothing appears to be happening. But it is.

You are finding out whether you are committed to the objective or addicted to the newness.

Motivation Needs Stimulation

Motivation is useful, but unreliable. It shows up when the weather is good, the music is cranking, your goal feels within your reach, and people are paying attention to you.

Discipline works alone. Discipline knows that every workout won’t be memorable. Discipline doesn’t care; it works. Discipline just asks the question:

What does the mission require today?

Most days the answer is boring.

Ruck the miles. Eat the chicken and potatoes. Practice the fundamentals. Go to bed on time. Pack your shit for tomorrow. Then wake up and do it again.

Mental toughness isn’t just the ability to endure suffering. It is the ability to continue doing ordinary work without a constant reward.

Don’t Confuse Novelty With Progress

Changing the plan seems productive because it gives you something new to think about.

But new is not always better. There are, of course, reasons to adjust a program. Injuries happen. Conditions change. A plan that isn’t producing results may need correction.

But most people won’t even stay with a plan long enough to discover whether it works.

Every change resets the clock. New routines create new friction. Instead of accumulating small gains, you repeatedly return to the beginning.

You don’t need a more interesting plan. You probably need more weeks on the boring one.

The fundamentals are rarely complicated:

• Train consistently.

• Recover deliberately.

• Eat mostly good food.

• Eat the biggest frog first each day.

• Keep your promises.

• Repeat.

The answer is boring because the answer works.

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The 30-Day Boredom Drill

Choose one useful action that you have been avoiding, modifying, or repeatedly restarting.

Keep it small enough to perform every day but big enough to matter.

For the next 30 days:

1. Define the standard.

2. Execute it.

3. Don’t add to it.

4. Don’t optimize it.

5. Don’t replace it with something more interesting.

6. Don’t advertise it.

7. Record whether you completed it: Yes or No.

That’s it.

The task matters less than the repetition. The task will train you to act without novelty, applause, or immediate results. It will train you to remain at your post.

The world is full of people who start hard things. They buy the gear, announce the goal on social media, attack for the first week, and disappear when the work becomes boring. Don’t be one of them. Expect boredom. Plan for it.

When it arrives, realize it isn’t a crisis. Just another form of enemy contact.

Pain gives you the chance to keep going when it hurts. Boredom gives you the chance to keep going when it doesn’t, and sometimes that’s harder.

Anyone can charge when the war drums are beating. Professionals operate when the battlefield is quiet, the objective is distant, and today looks a lot like yesterday.

Life is hard. Be harder.

Do the work. RTFU!

John

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Some of you have requested an RTFU gym flag without the F Bomb. This is for you.

Only 5 are left.

I’m not telling you to use Superpower. I’m not sponsored by them, but here is a link that will get you $50 off supplements if you decide to use them.

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

Subscribe now

Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

Normal Is Not Optimal

I mentioned that I had a relatively extensive blood panel recently through SuperPower. (No, they don’t sponsor me).

Everything came back normal, but I learned that “normal” doesn’t mean optimal.

Normal doesn’t even necessarily mean healthy, much less hard to kill, or ready to do hard things.

Normal means you are within a broad statistical reference range.

Most lab reference intervals are built around the central 95% of a selected reference group. In plain English, that usually means the bottom 2.5% and top 2.5% are cut off, and everything in the middle gets labeled “normal.” That is not the same thing as saying, “This is the best range for performance, longevity, resilience, or excellence.”

If your standard is “normal,” you have already accepted that you want to be average, so you are probably not reading this.

The lab range isn’t useless, don’t ignore it. It can tell you if you’re outside of the normal range, which is worth checking out, but even being outside the normal range may not be a bad thing. A lot of high-performing athletes, including Olympic athletes, are outside the ‘normal’ range in many metrics.

If your doctor says something is dangerous, listen to them, but realize that they may be less likely to listen to you when your values are within the normal range, but you want to move them into the optimal range, even if you have done your homework.

A reference range tells you where most people in the tested reference group fall. It does not automatically tell you where you should be.

The reference range doesn’t take into account the fact that you might run ultras, ruck twenty miles, jack steel, and plan to remain dangerous into your 80s.

It is measuring you against your peers who are sedentary, overfed, chronically inflamed, sleep-deprived, iron-deficient, and hormonally wrecked underachievers.

My bloodwork from Superpower told me where I fall in the normal range, but also flagged what my optimal range should be.

These are some examples of where the normal range may not be sufficient or where out-of-range values can be misinterpreted in athletes.

Example 1: Vitamin D

Different organizations have disagreed over what counts as deficient, sufficient, or optimal. Some guidelines have treated 20 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) as sufficient for many people. Other experts have argued for levels above 30 ng/mL. More recent guidance admits the optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration for disease prevention is still uncertain in people without clear indications for testing or treatment. The optimal level is probably more like 50-80 ng/mL.

A lab range is meant to keep you out of the danger zone. That doesn’t mean it has identified your best operating zone.

Example 2: Ferritin and Iron Status

Ferritin is a marker of stored iron.

An endurance athlete can have ferritin that is technically “normal” but still too low for strong performance, recovery, and oxygen transport. Iron matters because it supports red blood cell function, oxygen transport, muscle function, and endurance performance. Iron deficiency, even before full anemia, can hurt athletes.

So, if you are a rucker, or runner whose hemoglobin is still “normal,” but ferritin is at the bottom of the range, you may be plagued by low energy, poor recovery, dead legs, and declining performance.

The normal low level is usually 24 ng/mL. My optimal low level begins at 60 ng/mL.

Example 3: Creatine Kinase

Creatine kinase, or CK, rises when muscle tissue is stressed or damaged. Lift hard, run downhill, ruck heavy, or do a lot of volume, and CK can spike.

But, a study of athletes found upper limits in athletes that were about twice as high as limits reported for moderately active non-athletes and up to six times higher than limits reported for inactive people.

So, if you are training hard, you might get flagged as “high” by a regular lab even when the number reflects training adaptation, muscle damage from recent work, or recovery demand.

Context matters. A sedentary office worker and a savage who just crushed heavy legs and rucked hills are not the same animal, and the same number does not always mean the same thing.

Example 4: “Sports Anemia”

Endurance athletes sometimes show lower hemoglobin concentration because training expands plasma volume. This is sometimes called “sports anemia,” but it is not necessarily true clinical anemia. In trained athletes, total red blood cell and hemoglobin mass can actually be higher even while concentration values look lower because the blood plasma volume has expanded.

That is adaptation. Again, context matters.

Example 6: White Blood Cells in Elite Athletes

Elite endurance athletes can also show lower resting white blood cell counts than non-athletes. A 10-year analysis of elite athletes found that white cell counts at rest may be lower in athletes from highly aerobic sports.

So, if you get your bloodwork back, and your doctor says, “Your labs are fine.”

What they are saying is that you are within a very broad statistical reference range. Not that you are performing optimally.

There is a massive difference between not being clinically broken and functioning optimally. The medical system is designed to detect disease, not turn you into a weapon.

That’s not its job. It’s yours.

Normal is a reference point. Optimal is the objective.

RTFU.

John

References used

1. Boyd JC. “Defining laboratory reference values and decision limits.” Clinical Biochemistry Review, 2010. Reference intervals commonly represent the central 95% of apparently healthy individuals, usually from the 2.5th to 97.5th percentiles.

2. Acute Care Testing. “Reference intervals and percentiles: implications for the healthy patient.” Explains the common 2.5th–97.5th percentile definition of “normal.”

3. Mougios V. “Reference intervals for serum creatine kinase in athletes.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007. Athlete CK ranges can be far higher than sedentary/non-athlete ranges.

4. Mairbäurl H. “Red blood cells in sports: effects of exercise and training on oxygen supply by red blood cells.” Frontiers in Physiology, 2013. Explains plasma-volume expansion and “sports anemia.”

5. Horn PL et al. “Lower white blood cell counts in elite athletes training for highly aerobic sports.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2010. Elite aerobic athletes may show lower resting WBC counts.

6. Solberg A et al. “Iron Status and Physical Performance in Athletes.” Nutrients, 2023. Reviews iron status, ferritin, oxygen transport, and performance implications.

7. ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline summaries, 2026. LDL targets vary by cardiovascular risk, showing that clinical decision limits are not the same as generic lab normality.

8. Endocrine Society Vitamin D guideline resources, 2024; vitamin D consensus review, 2024. Shows disagreement and uncertainty around “optimal” vitamin D concentrations.

Some of you have requested an RTFU gym flag without the F Bomb. This is for you.

Only 6 are left. One is mine, 5 are up for grabs:

I’m not telling you to use Superpower. I’m not sponsored by them. There is a link below that will get you $50 off supplements if you decide to use them. Recommending and selling supplements are a big part of their business model.

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

RTFU!

John

Life is Hard. Be Harder.

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Bravo Zulu is the naval signal often sent via flags to acknowledge a job well done:

BZ to six-year-old Sam Shepard for crushing his first Spartan race! And his dad, writes a great Substack you should be following:

Resilient Mental State

Practical challenges, evidence-based strategies, and principles of Stoicism to improve mental, physical, and spiritual resilience.

By Kyle Shepard

If you’ve crushed something, let me know.

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

Lately, I have been getting a lot of emails from new ruckers asking for advice on setting up a training plan to train for a non-selection event.

Many of them are reading these posts, following Assessment & Selection preparation plans, and complaining about nagging injuries that never recover.

Almost all Assessment & Selection training plans are built for people with a solid base who are looking to refine their fitness and ramp up for a significant, often life-changing event.

If you are just trying to get back into shape and crush a local 10K with a ruck, that is not you, and if you train like it is, you’ll wind up with injuries that will likely set you back further than if you had just stayed on the couch.

So, let’s be smart for once.

The fastest way to improve is to train like an athlete and use a sensible progression.

*If your goal is just to put on a ruck and walk, there is nothing wrong with that. Do it. Start light, short, and slow, and increase weight, distance, and pace one at a time until you hit your goal.

But, if your goal is increasing overall fitness, longevity, body composition, strength, and preparing for an event, keep reading:

Phase 1: Build the Engine

If you can’t run/jog without a ruck for 45-60 minutes, forget the ruck.

(Obviously, if you have injuries that prevent running, don’t run)

Spend 6-8 weeks building your aerobic base.

• Walk.

• Run.

• Ride.

• Hike.

Most of your work should be easy in Zone 2 (slow enough that you can carry on a conversation)

This is building your engine, and a bigger engine makes everything else easier.

Phase 2: Build Durable Legs

The weight room is where you become harder to kill.

Focus on movements that build strength and resilience.

Lower Body

• Squats

• Romanian deadlifts

• Step-ups

• Walking lunges

• Bulgarian split squats

Upper Body

• Pull-ups

• Rows

• Overhead press

• Farmer carries

• Sandbag carries

Core

• Planks

• Side planks

• Pallof press

• Heavy suitcase carries

Muscle is armor. Every pound you can squat, hinge, carry, and stabilize makes every pound in your ruck feel lighter.

Phase 3: Introduce the Ruck

Now add weight. Start with no more that 20 pounds dry.

Walk before you run. (And don’t run with the ruck on unless you have a reason to)

Increase only ONE variable each week:

• Add a mile.

• OR 5 pounds.

• OR speed up.

• OR add hills.

Never all four. Your body adapts to stress, but it revolts against complete chaos.

Phase 4: Build Specificity

If you are training for an event, as it gets closer, your training should begin to look like your event.

Longer rucks at race pace on terrain that matches the course.

The goal of the previous phases was general fitness. Now it is specificity. You need to become really good at the thing you are about to do.

Running Still Matters

Some people think that if you’re training for a ruck, you should only ruck. Wrong.

Running develops:

• Aerobic capacity

• Cardiac output

• Recovery between efforts

• Movement economy

You don’t need to put in every mile with weight on your back. Save your joints.

Here is a simple sample weekly plan

Monday
Heavy lower-body strength

Tuesday
Zone 2 run (45-60 min)

Wednesday
Upper body + carries

Thursday
Intervals or hill repeats without a ruck

Friday
Full-body strength + mobility

Saturday
Long ruck

Sunday
Easy walk or complete recovery

I am a huge fan of doing hard shit, but remember this: you don’t get better from doing hard shit. You get better from recovering from hard shit.

Train progressively.

Recover intentionally.

Then RTFU and crush everyone.

Life is Hard. Be Harder.

RTFU,

John

Some of you have requested an RTFU gym flag without the F Bomb. This is for you.

Only 7 remain. One is mine, 6 are up for grabs:

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If you are interested in checking out Superpower for bloodwork, here is a link that will get you $50 off supplements if you decide to use them. Recommending and selling supplements are a big part of their business model. If you use the link, I also get $50 bucks off, so thanks!

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

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RTFU is- and always will be- focused on two key lines of effort: rucking for fitness and developing mental toughness.

Those two things are connected.

Rucking is simple and effective. It builds strength, endurance, durability, and grit. Mental toughness is what keeps you moving when your shoulders ache, when the weather turns to crap, when motivation disappears, and when life does what life does.

But the longer I do this, and the more I hear from readers, the more I’m realizing something important.

A large majority of this audience is men aged 30 or older. That matters. Because at some point, the conversation has to expand beyond just doing hard things today. It also has to include the ability to do hard things 10, 20, 30, and 50 years from now.

That brings me to longevity.

You can’t swing a stick without hitting 50 people talking about longevity right now. I’ve read a lot of them. Some of what they talk about is useful. Some of it is expensive, complicated, inaccessible, or probably not the highest-impact thing most people could be doing.

So, I’m not changing the mission.

RTFU is still about rucking and mental toughness. But I am going to start adding more thoughts on performance for longevity. Rucking is a huge part of that. I would argue mindset may be even bigger. And mental toughness is often the predecessor to mindset.

Recently, I attended a U.S. Army Holistic Health and Fitness symposium and listened to several speakers discuss the value of more detailed bloodwork than what most of us probably get during a standard annual physical.

After researching several companies that provide expanded blood testing, I settled on Superpower.

I’m not saying they’re the best. I was looking at cost, ease of use, and whether the process was U.S.-based and straightforward. It was easy to sign up. I paid 199 bucks, went to a local business to have my blood drawn, and within several days, I had results for more than 110 biomarkers.

That gave me far more clarity than I get from an annual physical.

I was able to share the results with both my doctor and a nutritionist at work to get their input. The Superpower app, and I’m sure other companies offer similar systems, uses AI to provide recommendations and lets you speak with a live person.

For the 199.00 price, I got the blood draw and a year subscription to the app, which I find really useful.

Although only one blood draw is included, you can purchase more, or you can get them from your doctor and upload the info.

What did I learn?

My vitamin D was significantly low. There were also a few other things I needed to pay attention to, especially issues that may be affecting my heart rate variability. HRV is one marker of overall fitness and recovery, and mine appears to be lower than it should be.

The likely culprit may be that I’m working out too much.

That is a hard thing for me to hear.

I enjoy training. I like doing hard things. I like getting after it. That probably doesn’t surprise anyone reading this. But there is real value in understanding that more does not always equal better. Harder does not always equal better.

That does not mean we stop doing hard things.

It means we get smarter about how we do them.

There is a difference between training hard and just constantly beating yourself down. There is a difference between building resilience and ignoring what your body is trying to tell you. Longevity is not about becoming soft. It is about staying dangerous, useful, and hard to kill for as long as possible.

Some of you have requested an RTFU gym flag without the F Bomb. This is for you.

Only 11 exist. One is mine, 10 are up for grabs:

I’m making some changes to my supplementation based on the results, and I’ll report back once those changes have had time to take hold and after I get more bloodwork done.

I’m not telling you to use Superpower. I’m not sponsored by them. There is a link below that will get you $50 off supplements if you decide to use them. Recommending and selling supplements are a big part of their business model.

https://app.superpower.com/register?invite=aed69b5b-a3ac-46e8-a43a-335901413b0c

But I am telling you this:

It is worth getting regular bloodwork done.

At a minimum, talk to your doctor. Ask better questions. Get more information. Know what is going on under the hood.

Because the goal is not just to ruck hard this week.

The goal is to keep showing up, to keep doing hard things now, and still be able to do hard things decades from now.

RTFU!

John

Life is Hard. Be Harder.

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now

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There is a difference between hikers and climbers.

Hikers go for a while.

They enjoy the trail, take in the view. They walk until they get tired, bored, uncomfortable, hungry, or until the weather starts to turn bad or the sun gets low in the sky.

Then they turn around.

Nothing wrong with hiking.

But don’t confuse it with climbing.

Climbing is different, and climbers are different.

Climbers leave the trailhead with a target. The summit.

They know the mountain will get steep. They know the air will get thin. They know their legs will burn, their lungs will scream, and they know that at some point, a little voice in their head is going to start making very reasonable suggestions about quitting.

Both hikers and climbers hear that voice. Climbers just don’t listen

A hiker measures the day by how far he feels like going.

A climber measures the day by how far he has to go. That’s the difference.

Most people treat their lives like a hike.

They start something. They go hard for a little while, then the trail gets steep. The novelty wears off, and it stops being fun.

Then they turn around and call it “listening to their body,” or “being realistic.”

Sometimes that’s true. But most of the time, it’s just a way of quitting and trying to save face.

The climber respects the mountain, the weather, and the risk, but he also respects the summit. Because the summit matters.

Not because there’s magic at the top, but because of who you have to become to get there.

You don’t become harder by wandering around until you get uncomfortable and then walking back to the truck.

You become harder by picking a hard thing, pointing yourself at it, and refusing to negotiate with the weak version of yourself.

That weak version is the version you will have to kill to give birth to the version of yourself who is capable of reaching the summit. The weak version doesn’t want to die, but he needs to, like shedding a skin that’s too small.

Be smart, but don’t forget why you started. You didn’t set out to go for a stroll.

You came here to climb, you came to summit.

So pick the mountain, put on your ruck, and start moving

And when the trail gets steep, remember:

That is not the sign to turn around.

That is where the climb actually begins.

RTFU!

John

Life is Hard. Be Harder.

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If you’re looking to spice up the home gym, grab a limited-edition flag.

Last chance! There is still 1 flag left, and when it’s gone, it’s gone:

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Don’t forget to check out the RTFU store, and my pals:

RUCKTFU Use the code RTFU26 to get 10% off any shirt.

My pals at SOFLETE provide world-class training, supplements, and gear. I love their training app, and they are getting ready to launch an even better updated version. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20

Salty Britches coupon code RTFU20 will get you 20% off an already ridiculously underpriced insurance policy against chafing and blisters.

I now have a new favorite all-purpose belt from Marine Raider-owned company, BoldBannds. Bold Bands are not only stretch/roll proof, anti-microbial, waterproof, crackproof, bombproof, and maintenance-free. The owner, Chris Bannister, will work with you to create your personalized belt. Use the coupon code RTFU to get 10% off.

Subscribe now