This is a ruck-intensive, 6-week, 6x day/week training program specifically designed to prepare athletes for the Norwegian Foot March. The Norwegian Foot March is a 30K (18.6 mile) event carrying a 24# ruck. It can be walked or ruck ran.
This training plan also includes a weekly recovery run and core strength training, but its focus is on rucking.
This training plan is designed to be completed the 6 weeks directly before the Norwegian Foot March. Weeks 5 and 6 in the plan are unload/taper weeks into the event. Schedule it so complete the event the weekend of week 6.
This is Version 1 of this training plan, built March 2025.
Ruck 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 event’s 18.6 miles of rucking @ 24#.
(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 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 plan.
(3) Easy Pace – You’ll complete 1 easy pace ruck this plan. Easy Pace = you can speak in complete sentences while moving.
Ruck Volume
The total weekly ruck volume/distance in this plan increases weeks 1-4, and then begins to taper weeks 5-6 into the event. Saturdays each week is your “long ruck” and these also increase in distance weekly until weeks 5-6, 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 13 miles 4 miles
2 15 miles 6 miles
3 17 miles 8 miles
4 19 miles 10 miles
5 14 miles 8 miles
6 6 miles None – event week.
Weekly Schedule
- Monday: 3-Mile Ruck Assessment or 1-Mile Ruck Intervals
- Tuesday: Total Rest
- Wednesday: Easy-Pace Moderate Pace Ruck
- Thursday: Recovery Run + Core
- Friday: Moderate Pace Ruck
- Saturday: Long Ruck @ Moderate Pace
- Sunday: Total Rest
Required Equipment
- Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)
- 24# Ruck
- Foam Roller
- Optional: GPS watch to use to measure ruck mileage
Common Questions
How Long will the sessions take?
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 rucks may take several hours.
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. The offical event can we walked or ran.
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
- Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)
- 24# Ruck
- Foam Roller
- Optional: GPS watch to use to measure ruck mileage
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
Ruck 3 Miles
-
Ruck 3 Miles for Time, 24# Ruck – Flat course
RECORD FINISH TIME
2 Rounds:
-
Hip Flexor Stretch
-
Instep Stretch
-
Pigeon Stretch
TUESDAY SESSION 2
OBJ: Total Rest
(No Warm Up or Training)
WEDNESDAY SESSION 3
OBJ: Easy Ruck
Training
Easy Ruck
-
Ruck 3 Miles @ 24#, Easy Pace – Hilly course if possible
"Easy" = you can speak in full sentences while moving.
2 Rounds:
-
Hip Flexor Stretch
-
Lat + Pec Stretch
-
Foam Roll Legs, Low Back
THURSDAY SESSION 4
OBJ: Recovery Run, Low Back Fitness
Training
Recovery Run
-
Run 25 minutes, Easy Pace – increase load each round until 4x is hard, but doable
"Easy" = you can speak in full sentences while moving.
3 Rounds:
-
20/20 Standing Founder
-
20/20 Low Back Lunge
-
20/20 Kneeling Founder
-
10x Face Down Back Extension
2 Rounds:
-
Foam Roll Legs, Low Back
FRIDAY SESSION 5
OBJ: Moderate Ruck
Training
Moderate Ruck
-
Ruck 3 Miles @ 24#, Moderate Pace – Hilly course if possible
"Moderate" = comfortable but not easy
2 Rounds:
-
Toe Touch Complex
-
Foam Roll Legs, Low Back
SATURDAY SESSION 6
OBJ: Long Ruck
Training
Moderate Ruck
-
Ruck 4 Miles @ 24#, Moderate Pace – Hilly course if possible
"Moderate" = comfortable but not easy
3 Rounds:
-
Foam Roll Legs, Low Back
1) Mission Direct
Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance.
To this end, MTI's fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.
We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.
2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up
MTI's programming is not "re-tread" bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We've built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.
The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.
Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.
Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.
Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.
3) The MTI Method
→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.
→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan "Lab Rats" at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming's effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn't.
→ Publish & Assess Again: Plan is published for purchase as an individual training plan and made available to our subscribers. Feedback/results are assessed.
→ Iterate: We take what we learn from lab rats and athletes, re-visit, update and improve already published training plans. Several of our individual training plans are on their 4th or 5th version.
4) Mission-Direct Research
MTI exists to "Improve Mountain and Tactical Athletes mission performance and keep them safe." To that end, we have developed a unique research methodology aimed at identifying real world areas of improvement and identifying immediately deployable mission-direct solutions. Click HERE to learn more about MTI's Mission-Direct Research methodology, and Here to read about just few of our research efforts.
5) Field Proven
Our stuff works. Weekly we receive unsolicited reviews of our programming and testimonials to its effectiveness.
6) Programming Breadth
MTI's library of 200+ sport-specific fitness plans for mountain and tactical athletes is unmatched. Resources range from specific programming for tactical special forces selections, to specific plans for climbing Rainier and Denali, to general fitness solutions such as running improvement, to post-rehab from injury.
Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.
7) Worldwide Influence
Our work is not limited to US Athletes.
We've developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.
Canadian, Australian, UK and western European law enforcement and fire/rescue athletes have used MTI programming for mission-direct fitness.
On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI's programming to prepare for mountain objectives.
8) Mission Performance beyond Fitness
MTI’s exists is to improve Mission Performance for mountain and tactical athletes and keep them safe.
This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety.
Fitness is just one area of our work.
Our non-fitness research has included tactical cultures, combat uniforms, and gore-tex performance, and effect of stress on marksmanship.
Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.
9) Direct, Honest, Clear Answers
Since 2007 we've taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We've saved these individual Q&A's and now thousands are archived on our site.
We're not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn't for everyone. If we can help, we'll let you know. If we can't, we'll let you know that, too.
- Rob Shaul, Founder
All of the Above is Backed Up By Our Promise: Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.
Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete's Subscription
Yes. Click HERE.
Is it true you guarantee your stuff works?
Yes. If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.
How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.
You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
MTI is driven to improve mountain and tactical athletes' mission performance and keep them safe. This emphasis and focus on mission performance sets us apart. Read about more that sets us apart HERE.
If I purchase a plan or subscription, how do I access the programming?
All of our plans are online, accessible via username and password.
You can log in through our →Website or Mobile App →IOS and Android.
Do you have downloadable .pdf's of the training plans?
No. But you can print the programming, by week, from your browser. You access individual training plans online via a username and password.
Do you have a mobile app?
Yes, we do. Available for IOS and Android.
What is the difference between purchasing an individual training plan, packet of plans or an Athlete's Subscription?
- Plan - Like purchasing the DVD of the first Star Wars movie. You own it forever, including any updates we make to the plan.
- Packet - Like purchasing the DVD's of all the Star Wars movies. You own them forever, including any updates we make to the plans.
- Athlete's Subscription - Like subscribing to Netflix. You get access to all 200+ plan in our library, but lose access if you unsubscribe.
If I purchase an Athletes Subscription Can I cancel on my own, anytime?
Yes.
Do I have to contact MTI to cancel or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself. Instructions HERE.
If I purchase a subscription and have questions about where to start or what plans(s) to use for my goals, will you help?
Yes. We answer dozens of training questions from athletes weekly. Email coach@mtntactical.com.
If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
Yes. We are continuously adding training plans and packets (2-5/month) and updating plans. With your subscription you'll have access to all new plans, new courses and plan updates.
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