Most guys think speed work is what gets them ready for selection. It's not — your aerobic base is the single biggest factor in how you perform at SFAS, and most candidates build it wrong. Here's the mistake: hammering every run at max effort. That stalls the exact adaptation you need and burns you out before you even report. The fix is going slower on purpose — roughly 80% of your weekly running and rucking volume should sit at an easy, conversational pace (think 8:45-9:30/mile for most guys), with only about 20% spent on genuinely hard efforts. You're aiming for a 5-mile run in 35-40 minutes and a sub-13:00 two-mile as competitive benchmarks, but you get there by accumulating 6-10 hours a week of low-intensity work, not by redlining every session. This matters because SFAS doesn't test you fresh — it tests your aerobic engine after days of rucking and sleep deprivation. Guys with a big base recover between events; guys who only trained fast crash. What's your current 5-mile time, and honestly — how much of your weekly mileage is easy pace versus hard effort?

The Ranger School official standard is 49 push-ups and 6 pull-ups in two minutes. The candidates who show up strong don't train to the standard they train to a buffer above it. Aim for 80 push-ups in two minutes and 12 dead-hang pull-ups by the time you report. That gap matters because SFAS and Ranger School don't test you once on a good day they test you exhausted, sleep-deprived, and days into a ruck cycle. Two things guys get wrong in strength prep: they skip grip strength (you're carrying 50+ lbs for miles — dead hangs, farmer carries, and heavy rucking build grip that generic gym work won't), and they overtrain the final weeks instead of tapering, showing up gassed instead of sharp. Start a dedicated strength block at least 90 days out. Two sessions a week of compound lifts — squat, deadlift, weighted pull-ups, dips — is enough volume if the intensity is real. This isn't bodybuilding, it's building a body that survives selection. Where are you right now on push-ups and dead-hang pull-ups, and how many weeks out are you? Drop your current numbers below..

Most guys walk into strength prep with a powerlifter's mindset: chase a bigger squat, a heavier deadlift, more plates on the bar. That's not what selection tests. Cadre isn't checking your 1RM. What gets tested is loaded, repeated movement under fatigue rucking with 50+ lbs day after day, dragging equipment, carrying a casualty, then doing it again tomorrow on four hours of sleep. Strength that matters is the kind still there on day 12, not the kind that peaks once in a meet. Practical shift: trade a heavy barbell day for loaded carries (farmer carries, sandbag work), weighted step-ups, and single-leg/hip work. That's strength that transfers directly to the ruck instead of just a number on a bar. Baseline standards worth training toward: 80 pushups in 2 minutes, 15+ strict pull-ups, grip strong enough to carry heavy for hours. Where does your strength actually break down under a loaded ruck, grip, hips, or feet first? Drop your current ruck weight/pace below.

I think it's important we all focus on this. Even though selection and beyond is the main goal, you won't even be considered if you aren't close to maxing out several categories for the AFT. All the pretty work gets praised but nobody truly shines light on the long days, long nights, early mornings, no hanging out on weekends to put in the extra reps needed to outshine your peers in basic, AIT/OSUT, even those who are going to be airborne qualified. Make sure to dial in your run times get comfortable with putting on 5-10-20 miles a week minimum not including ruck sessions. Pushups right when you wake up and I recommend getting a dip/pull-up bar if the funds are available. If not, any calisthenics training will get you more comfortable and confident in the long run. Don't be afraid to reach out or share a post I'm looking forward to seeing us all reach the success we desire!💪🏽

If you are planning to attend RASP then this community can be for you, while I was going through my SFAS Training, we had guys training for RASP right along side us. Below are the standards that you should aim for in order to be successfull. RASP PT test standards require high-level physical endurance, including a minimum of 41 hand-release push-ups in two minutes, a 2:35 plank, 6 pull-ups, and a 5-mile run in under 40 minutes. Other critical requirements include a 12-mile footmarch with a 35lb rucksack under 3 hours, a 15-meter swim in full uniform, and various skill-based tests. Key RASP PT Test Requirements (Ranger Fitness Test - RFT) - Hand-Release Push-ups: 41 in 2 minutes. - Plank: 2:35. - Pull-ups (Chin-ups): 6 (dead hang, no kip). - 5-Mile Run: 40:00 or less. - 12-Mile Ruck: 35 lb rucksack + weapon, under 3 hours. - Water Survival Assessment: 15-meter swim in full uniform.