Bataan Death March Training Plan

Bataan Death March Training Plan

$79.00

  • 8-Week, 6 day/week training plan to train specifically for the heavy division of the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands, NM
  • Rucking focused plan – you’ll ruck up to 4 days/week
  • Also includes low volume, gym-based strength training for durablity
  • This training plan is one of the 200+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription.

Description

This is a ruck-intensive, 8-week, 6x day/week training program specifically designed to prepare athletes for the Bataan Memorial Death March Heavy Division (35# Ruck) at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. This training plan also includes total body and core strength training for the first 4 weeks, but its focus is on rucking.

This training plan is designed to be completed the 8 weeks directly before the Bataan Memorial Death March. Weeks 7 and 8 in the plan are unload/taper weeks into the march.

This is Version 2 of this training plan, updated December 2019.

 

RUCKING

Pacing
This plan deploys three different ruck paces, and a progressed increase in weekly ruck volume and weekly long rucks to sport-specifically train you for the Bataan Memorial Death March’s 26.2 miles of rucking @ 35#.

(1) Threshold Pace – Monday’s in this plan you’ll compete either a 3-mile ruck assessment for time, or threshold 1-mile ruck repeats based on your most recent 3-mile ruck assessment. All of this training will be at a threshold pace – as fast as you can move.

(2) Moderate Pace – You’ll complete one to three, 4-18 mile rucks weekly at a moderate pace in this plan. Moderate Pace = comfortable but not easy. The distance of the moderate pace ruck increases as you work through the

(3) Easy Pace – You’ll complete one to two, 5-10 mile rucks weekly at an easy pace during this plan. Easy Pace = you can speak in complete sentences while moving.

Volume
The total weekly ruck volume/distance in this plan increases weeks 1-5, and then begins to taper weeks 6-8 into the event. Saturdays each week is your “long ruck” and these also increase in distance weekly until weeks 7-8, when they also taper into the event. Below is the weekly ruck volume and distance of the Saturday’s long ruck:

Week     Total Weekly Volume      Saturday Ruck
1            21 miles                           8 miles
2            25 miles                           10 miles
3            29 miles                           12 miles
4            35 miles                           14 miles
5            42 miles                           16 miles
6            34 miles                           18 miles
7            25 miles                           10 miles
8            15 miles                           None – Bataan Memorial Death March is Sunday of This Week

Strength Training
The first 4 weeks of this plan include one day in the gym of strength training. The strength training deploys dumbbells/kettlebells and includes one lower body, and two upper body exercises in the same circuit for efficiency. The volume is low – to focus on strength, and not unnecessarily fatigue the athlete for the rucking in the days to follow.

These sessions also include core training focused on low back strength and strength endurance.

 

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Because of the rucking volume in this plan, you’ll ruck 4-5 days per week. Weeks 1-4 include one day/week in the gym training strength. Weeks 5-8 drop the strength training, and vary rest/ruck days based on the total weekly volume goal and the distance of the long Saturday ruck. Below is the Week 1-4 Schedule.

Weeks 1-4 Schedule

  • Monday: 3-Mile Ruck Assessment or 1-Mile Ruck Intervals
  • Tuesday: Total Rest
  • Wednesday: 5-8 Mile Moderate Pace Ruck
  • Thursday: Strength
  • Friday: 5-10 Mile Easy Pace Ruck
  • Saturday: 8-14 Mile Long Ruck @ Moderate Pace
  • Sunday: Total Rest

 

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

  • Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)
  • 35# Ruck
  • Gym with full set of dumbbells and/or kettlebells
  • Pull Up Bar
  • Foam Roller
  • Optional: GPS watch to use to measure ruck mileage

 

COMMON QUESTIONS

How Long will the sessions take?
Gym-Based training sessions should take 45-60 minutes. Monday’s threshold or assessment ruck sessions should take 60 minutes. Other ruck sessions will push past 60 minutes, and depending on your ruck speed, may take up to 3 hours. Saturday’s long, 8-18 mile rucks may take several hours.

What does “3/5x Pull Ups” mean? How about “15/25#”? 
3/5x Pull Ups = women do 3x, men do 5x
15/25# = women use a 15 pounds, men use 25 pounds.

Should I ruck run during this plan? I heard ruck running was hard on your knees/body?
This is totally up to you and how competitive you want to be at the event. The goal of this training plan is to train you to complete the event as fast as possible. You’ll take a 3-mile ruck assessment for time several times during this training plan, and follow-on 1-mile repeats at a threshold pace. At MTI we ruck run for assessments/intervals, and often also ruck run for longer rucks. We’ve not seen research to prove/not prove that ruck running is harder on knees/body than walking. We do know that many military selections/courses, ruck running is a reality. As well, based on winning times for the heavy division of the event with a per-mile average of around 10 min/mile, we suspect the most competitive athlete ruck run most or all of the course.

Can I see a sample of the programming?
Yes – click the “sample training tab” to see the entire first week of programming from the plan.

More questions? Email coach@mtntactical.com

 

 

DISCLAIMER
Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that you are in proper health.  Physical training contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, muscle strains, tears, physical and bodily injury up to and including death.  This training program is not meant to provide medical advice; you should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner.  If you are unable to assume these risks then you should not engage in this training program.  No liability is assumed by Mountain Tactical Institute, Inc, its owners or employees, and you train at your own risk.  Mountain Tactical Institute makes no warranty, express or implied, of any kind in connection with this training program.

Required Equipment


  • Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)

  • 35# Ruck

  • Gym with full set of dumbbells and/or kettlebells

  • Pull Up Bar

  • Foam Roller

  • Optional: GPS watch to use to measure ruck mileage

Sample Training

Below is the entire first week of the plan.

 

MONDAY

SESSION 1

Obj: Threshold Ruck Assessment

Warm Up:

3 Rounds

5x In-Place Lunges

5x Hand Release Push Ups

Run 100m

Instep Stretch

Training:

(1) Ruck 3 Miles @ 35# for Time, Flat Course

RECORD FINISH TIME

(2) 2 Rounds

Hip Flexor Stretch

Instep Stretch

Pigeon Stretch

******************************

 

TUESDAY

SESSION 2

Total Rest

******************************

 

WEDNESDAY

SESSION 3

Obj: Moderate Ruck

Training:

(1) Ruck 5 Miles @ 35#, Moderate Pace. Hilly course if possible.

"Moderate" = comfortable but not easy

(2) 2 Rounds

Hip Flexor Stretch

Lat + Pec Stretch

Foam Roll Legs, Low Back

******************************

 

THURSDAY

SESSION 4

Obj: Strength, Low Back Fitness

Warm Up:

3 Rounds

Dumbbell Complex @ 15/25#

5x Hand Release Push Ups

Instep Stretch

Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:

(1) 6 Round Grind ...

4x Dumbbell/Kettlebell Front Squat - increase load each round until 4x is hard, but doable

8x Dumbbell/Kettlebell Floor Press - Increase load each round until 8x is hard, but doable

2/5x Pull Ups

Hip Flexor Stretch

(2) 3 Rounds

20/20 Standing Founder

20/20 Low Back Lunge

20/20 Kneeling Founder

10x Face Down Back Extension

(3) 2 Rounds

Foam Roll Legs, Low Back

******************************

 

FRIDAY

SESSION 5

Obj: Easy Ruck

Training:

(1) Ruck 5 Miles @ 35#, Easy Pace. Hilly course if possible.

"Easy" = you can speak in full sentences while rucking

(2) 2 Runds

Toe Touch Complex

Foam Roll Legs, Low Back

******************************

 

SATURDAY

SESSION 6

Obj: Long Ruck

Training:

(1) Ruck 8 Miles @ 35#, Moderate Pace. Hilly course if possible.

(3) Foam Roll Legs, Low Back

Testimonials

4/4/22


Just a quick word of thanks for your effective programming.

I’m a 48 year old homicide Detective that doesn’t have as much time or energy to train as I’d like.  2022 should have been my 8th Bataan, and I was planning on rucking the heavy division, but of course COVID ruined it again.  I purchased your plan and started it on time to taper right into the event.  After the first couple of weeks the volume was more than I could handle, both in terms of physical and time demands, so I didn’t complete every session of every week, but I’m certain that what I did, helped tremendously.

I was trained up, according to my own ideas, for the 2020 Bataan, which was also cancelled due to COVID, and went 8:12 on a relatively flat paved trail.  This year I went 7:42 on a course that was predominately not paved, including rucking several miles in a dry canal bed to have the pleasure of moving in sand.  Having gone more that a minute per mile faster on a more challenging course, with another 2 years of miles on my body, is proof to me that your programming works.  My feet were killing me, of course, but my legs, chassis, and ability to support the 40# ruck were all good to go!

Thank you, and I’ll be back for more!


*****************************


Completed the Bataan Memorial Ruck (virtual) yesterday, and then some...I finished the 26.2 and said to myself "30 miles is in reach," so I made a sock change and busted out the last 3.8 with a headlamp.


Your Bataan program was key!  Throw in good nutrition during the ruck and some proper advance planning and it was a success.  In all honesty, I never even got into a "gut check" mode and, get this, aside from a couple of swollen tendons in my ankles and a new blister or two, I don't even have so much as a sore muscle.


Thank you very much for the Bataan programming.  It works.

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By Rob Shaul

I received notes frequently from athletes hesitant to purchase a subscription or training plans asking me to sell them on why they should make the purchase.

While I understand the question, I’m not a salesman – so I can’t put a hard sale on anyone for our programming.

I can tell them the process we go through to design our programming.

We begin with extensive research on the fitness demands of the event, identify the exercises and progressions which sport specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the plan.

Then we test the cycle on ourselves and our lab rats here in Wyoming. We document, note what works and doesn’t work, re-assess, and make changes and modifications.

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We understand our programing isn’t cheap, but we believe it’s a great value. The $79 for the Ruck Based Selection Training Plan, and $39 for the Dryland Ski Training Plan reflect the, research, work, innovative theory, iteration, testing and feedback we’ve put in and received to make these plans effective.

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Questions?
Email: rob@mtntactical.com

COMMON QUESTIONS:

Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete’s Subscription
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You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
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What Equipment is Required?
Click the “Required Equipment” tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming. You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.

What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com

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