The Definitive "Where should I be before I ship"

[Silverback]

Here's the thing, there is no 100% answer to your question. There is no secret key to guarantee your success. The job you want is about 80% mental and 20% physical. Yes you have to be in great physical condition, but that alone is not enough. The most important requirement for the job (often overlooked) is mental toughness, being able to get to the puking point and work through it.

[Invictus]

Most of us DEPs post here looking for feedback on our physical training progress, essentially trying to get an idea of how close we are to where we should be.

What I would like to do is collect every Ranger's opinion as to what level of fitness is needed as 1) a minimum, and 2) the recommended.

Any fitness markers will be greatly appreciated, from APFT scores, 5 mile run times, strength, or anything else the Rangers of this forum deem appropriate indicators of readiness.

With luck this could change the attitude of the threads from "Tell me if I'm good or not" to "What do I need to do to reach the standards already established". I will copy it into the Minor Mayhem to add to the already sizable fitness resource in there.

Thanks in advance for any contributions.

I like your initiative shitshovel, but Ranger Silverback is spot on.
The minimum is no secret, it's the minimum needed to get past the RIP PT test. That's the bare minimum.

The maximum? That will vary from every Ranger you ask. If you need some guidance to help you make sure you're moving in the right direction, ask for a mentor in the appropriate area. PT is one of the things we work on.

If you have a specific PT plan, then post it and ask for feedback. I can tell you that the biggest thing lacking from most DEP workouts I've seen are the most important.

Pushups. Situps. 2-5 mile run.

[RRDTm3]

if you can't run 5 miles in 35 minutes, up hill, drunk, barefoot with a head wind........................................... stay home

[Columbus]

I think I have a good idea as to what type of P.T. standards you are expected to live up to, that is, the type of P.T. that is tested.

I would be interested in hearing from the Rangers here what they think good strength levels are. I know I'm not at those levels, but that's just something you can't find an answer for unless you are a Ranger... I would be curious to hear some opinions.

[Ranger Bill]

The Army PT Test, plus chin-ups is the standard. Just keep in mind that some graders are more lenient than others when it comes to form. Wha you, your buddy, recruiter or drill sergeant considers a proper pushup will probably not be the same thing that will be considered good to go in RIP. It is not uncommon for someone to have a 285 score in OSUT fail an event like situps or pushups in RIP because of improper form.

Strive to be as strong and fast as you can be and continually get better. That will serve you well. But like Ranger Silverback said, it is mostly mental. Guts, determination, attention to detail, never quitting, and a positive attitude are much more important.

[Earthpig]

Being in SpecOps means being the best. Every one of the Rangers on this site is a competitive Alpha Wolf, at heart. So to answer your question, here's how I looked at it when I went in. I wanted to be the fastest, strongest, smartest, best shot in my platoon. When I acheived that, I wanted to be the best in my company. I even ran at night with the drill sergeants, after they saw how serious I was. Everybody else was lying on their bunks fucking off. That drive carried over to Jump School, to RIP, and eventually to 2nd Battalion.

As Ranger Silverback stated, there is no exact number. There is no shining answer, wrapped in silk. It is a mental challenge. You either exceed the standards and become a Ranger, or you don't. It's really that black and white. If you do get to a Ranger Battalion and maintain the minimum standards, they will boot your ass out!

RLTW
EP