Special Forces Preparation
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TX Supplementary Guide
Physical Preparation
To earn a Green Beret, you must be able to meet extreme demands day after day for weeks at a time with limited sleep and, in some cases, insufficient nutrition.
Be careful with your sources! Ensure anything you are doing follows the basic principles below.
- You must progress. One more rep, pound, mile, or second faster every week is required to get better.
- You must incorporate strength training. Bench, squat, deadlift, and farmers carry.
- Focus on weaknesses. It does you no good to spend four days a week on the things you are good at.
- Do not ruck and run 6 days a week. Frequency of rucks/runs should increase as you approach SFTP of SF Selection.
- What you do at night is as important as your workouts. Proper rest and nutrition are key to meeting the demands of Special Forces preparation.
Mental Preparation
With a few exceptions such as family, earning a Green Beret must be the most important thing in your life for you to meet the challenges ahead. If you are a "maybe" on this, you are wasting your time.
You must push all weakness and uncertainty from your personality. If you are doing research to figure out if you will be tested on normal or hand-release pushups, your mind is in the wrong place. Prepare physically and have confidence in your ability to meet unknown challenges.
Here are some ways to mentally prepare.
- Get aggressive about seeking out leadership roles in your daily life. To be successful at SFAS, when you are in charge, do it decisively. When not in charge, be the best worker.
- Get tactically proficient. Buy a Ranger Handbook and learn it. Use makeshift models or a whiteboard to walk through every duty position for each task. Being able to do this without referencing the handbook will set you up for success after SFAS.
- Get out and do land navigation. Land navigation failure at SFAS is more a function of poor physical and mental preparedness than it is failure to grasp the simple concepts. However, rucking cross country is a great way to build confidence and mental and physical toughness.
- Read books about Special Forces history and operations. Your desired end state is to be a Green Beret, not a professional ruck marcher. Understanding what you are trying to become will increase your motivation.