Army Ranger Workout Plan + Tips

The Army Rangers have been called the “Tip of the Spear”. Their mantra or call out is “Rangers Lead the Way”.

To become a Ranger takes a full commitment, ultimate discipline and mentally grueling workouts.

You will have to turn off the cell phone and give up a few late night parties to begin on this journey.

Long endurance workouts and pushing the threshold of pain are par for the course. Waking up sore and working in mud and rain are daily regimen.

The Ranger Physical Fitness Test (RPFT) consists of the push-up, sit-up, 5 mile run, and chin-ups. You must score 70 points per event which means 49 push-ups, 59 sit-ups, 5 mile run in 40 minutes or less, and 6 chin-ups (with palms facing you). Anything less – you fail.

Do you have what it takes to become an Army Ranger?

Read on.

Video — Ranger School training

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To be competitive in any of these physical tests, the future Ranger students must not strive for the minimum standards above, but must maximize their personal physical effort and strive for the following:

Pushups – 80-100
Situps – 80-100
Chin ups – 15-20
2 mile run – under 13:00

Question: What is a good book to read and learn more about the Army Rangers?

Check out the book Ranger Handbook: Not For The Weak or Fainthearted.

This book will give you a good inside look at what is going on in Ranger camp and how you can get ready.

I would read it cover to cover.

Then go back through and outline stuff.

Question: Do you have a good book for training to get ready for the Rangers?

Answer: Yes—check out “So, You want to be a Ranger?” by Tom Coffey, SGPT coach and former Ranger.

Video – Ranger training

However, the most important pre-training exercise to do prior to Ranger school is the ruck march. A ruck is nothing more than a military backpack to haul your gear. But you must be able to ruck long distances in tough terrain – often during bad weather.

Check out this article that is loaded with Ruck Marching workout tips.

Army Ranger Workout Tip #1
Work your way up to running 3 times a week. Long slow distance is best but have variety with sprints up hills.

Army Ranger Workout Tip #2
Rangers are required to swim so you should be swimming twice a week. A swim workout in your field uniform (long pants and top) is encouraged. Never swim alone and always with a swim buddy.

Check out these Special Forces swim workout tips.

Army Ranger Workout Tip #3
Tip from Johnny B – It is recommended to go into Ranger training about 10 pounds over your current weight. You will lose weight during the length of the tough Ranger training course.

Question: What is a good pair of boots to train in and bring to Ranger School?

The Rocky S2v Boot is listed as a boot that is good for Ranger training and to bring to camp.

The good thing about these boots as they are lightweight and feel like they are already broken in.

Video – Ranger training

One of the key components of training for Ranger school is to do workouts with a ruck (military backpack). You can buy a ruck at a local Army surplus store. Begin by walking and breaking in your boots. Then work your way up to a few miles. Then add a 10 lb ruck (you can put a sand bag in it). Then slowly add more sand and increase mileage. Ruck march at least once a week. Don’t overdo it and never run with a ruck and boots due to impact on your feet and shins. Occasionally take a week off from rucking (or regular running) to avoid shin splints.

Question: What is a good sock to use to prevent blisters and chafing. I want to make sure the sock I train in will be allowed in Ranger school.

The Fox River Military Boot Sock is one of the best socks you can buy for the value.

These are allowed and recommended and you can get a 10 pack for about $100. Go ahead and spend the money and save your feet as you are going to need them on the ruck marches.

Ranger School — Surviving the Cut

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Army Ranger Workout #1
Run 0.5 mile
then 5 rounds of
5 pull ups
10 pushups
15 air squats
Run 0.5 mile
note time and record in your log book

Workout #2
“Santiago”
Seven rounds for time of:
35 pound Dumbbell hang squat clean, 18 reps
18 Pull-ups
135 pound Power clean, 10 reps
10 Handstand push-ups
U.S. Army Sergeant Anibal Santiago, 37, of Belvidere, Illinois, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia, died on July, 18, 2010, in Bagram, Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife, Mandy, sons Hannibal, Desmond, and Darian, and parents Anibal and Maria. This is a favorite Army Ranger workout routine.

Question: What is a good headlamp that I can take to Ranger school and will be tactical with a red lens?

The Petzl Tikka Headlamp is the headlamp most guys are using in camp now.

It easily flips to red lens, is very light weight, takes a lot of abuse and cost under $50.

Guys in Ranger school are using this light.

Video – Army Ranger swamp hike

Workout #3
McGee
as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes:
5 Deadlift (125 / 88 kg)
13 Push-ups
9 Box jumps, 24″

as a Ranger you will be expected to have strong core strength.

Army Rangers Ab workout
50 sit ups
50 four count flutter kicks
50 crunches
50 leg levers
50 russian twist
50 Toe to bar hanging from bar

Iron Ranger workout
For Time
22 second Silence
94 Goblet Squats (2/1.5 pood)
94 Push-Ups
94 Sit-Ups
94 Russian Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
22 Burpees
The workout, as designed, starts at the 00:23 mark after the 22 seconds of silence.

Here are a few questions we received from athletes.

Question: “Coach, I am in the Army now, my core is weak and I want to go for Rangers, what are some ab workouts I can do?”. I would start out with doing sit ups and leg raises 4 times a week. Mix it up if you can and add hanging leg raises and flutter kicks. Each week add more reps. Let us know how that goes.

Question: “Is there such a thing as a US Army Ranger workout list?”. Check out the list above for starters.

Question: “Do Rangers do CrossFit workouts?”. Yes; we know of many Rangers that use CrossFit to supplement their workouts.

Question: “What is a good Ranger school ruck workout?”. PT for 30 minutes with pushups, sit-ups, flutter kicks and end with pull ups. Then ruck 12 miles in hills at Ft Benning at night.

Question: Coach, when I am doing long Ranger style endurance workouts my feet get blistered and crotch gets chafed.

What do you recommend?

We tell our military athletes to use Bodyglide anti-Chafe balm on their feet and crotch and nipples and get a good pair of compression shorts.

Question: What is a good tip to build up for Army Ranger running? Start slow, get a good pair of running shoes and rest as needed. Mix it up with hill sprints and walking lunges as you will do these in Ranger training.

Question: Is CrossFit good for Army Rangers and guys training to go to Ranger School? Yes; but add an endurance workout like ruck marching to the gym and back. Or run to the CrossFit gym and back. You get the picture. Also check out the book we mention above—“So, You Want to be a Ranger?”.

Question: what is a good workout routine to prepare for ranger school? Check out the workouts above.

Question: Should I go ahead and get a pair of Army Ranger jogging shorts to get used to them? Yes; you can get a pair – they are actually comfortable to run in. Ha; they are also called “Ranger Panties”.

Question: I have a army PFT in 2 weeks – what can I do for pushup improvement. Do Pavels grease the groove method doing 5 pushups every hour or when you pass a door (or something similar). Do this every other day and slowly increase your reps.

Question: What are the best books to prepare for Ranger School or get ready for BUDS Navy SEAL training?

Yes; Check out Get Tabbed: How to Graduate Army Ranger School which is a good book.

Question: What is a good Army ranger strength training routine? Lift a heavy sand bag 30 times in a clean up to your chest. Sprint 200 meters and come back and do again. Pulling a sled or pushing a prowler would also be good strength training for a Army Ranger.

Question: Where can i find a Special Forces (SF) rucking workout plan? Check out the workouts above and add in the SEALgrinderPT weekly ruck marches to train for Spec Ops.

Question: What are some workouts for Army Rangers? Do you have a workout routine to get ready for Army Ranger school? Check out the workouts listed above.

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