A person with a shaved head, clad in a black T-shirt, is taking part in GORUCK's Teen/Preteen Ruck Training Program by hoisting a sandbag over their shoulder. They confidently stride down the street surrounded by parked cars and passersby, proudly demonstrating their commitment to strength and conditioning.
A woman with a long braid strides along a concrete path beneath a bridge, carrying a tan duffel bag as part of the GORUCK Teen/Preteen Ruck Training Program. She is dressed in a sleeveless shirt, leggings, and sneakers, with the background featuring a grassy field and the bridge structure.
A person with a shaved head, clad in a black T-shirt, is taking part in GORUCK's Teen/Preteen Ruck Training Program by hoisting a sandbag over their shoulder. They confidently stride down the street surrounded by parked cars and passersby, proudly demonstrating their commitment to strength and conditioning.
A woman with a long braid strides along a concrete path beneath a bridge, carrying a tan duffel bag as part of the GORUCK Teen/Preteen Ruck Training Program. She is dressed in a sleeveless shirt, leggings, and sneakers, with the background featuring a grassy field and the bridge structure.

Teen/Preteen Ruck Training Program

$64.00
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This ruck training program is designed for preteens and teens who want to get stronger and fitter. It is a stand-alone program that can also be used in physical education classes or as a strength and conditioning program add-on for any sports team. The program is four weeks long; there are four workouts each week (16 total workouts), including three strength and conditioning workouts and one ruck per week.

Demonstration videos are included for all exercises and in the daily warm-ups and workouts. Each workout will take 30-60 minutes; the ruck march on Day 4 each week will take up to 90 minutes. There are added post-workout challenges each day; all will be re-tested to measure progress. When the four weeks are complete, repeat or use the demo video library and the given workout structure to design your own program!

This program is NOT designed for children who have not reached puberty. Prepubescent children do not have the level of hormones (estradiol and testosterone) present yet, which allow them to recover well from lifting heavier loads. For children, please see the “Elementary School” specific program.

Equipment needed per Athlete:

  • 1 ruck (with ruck plate, or sandbag added for load; choose 1 weight: 10/20/30#)*
  • 1 lighter sandbag*
  • 1 heavier sandbag*
  • 1 plyometric box or bench for step-ups

*Sandbags and rucks can be used interchangeably for most movements. However, sandbags allow for heavier weights to be used during the strength portion of the workouts

Program Notes:

This is a strength and conditioning program for preteens and teens. It is designed specifically for this age group to help them build strength and rucking capacity. Though the program lasts 4 weeks, it is possible to do 2 workouts a week and extend it to 8 weeks, or even to do the 4 weeks as written then continue to repeat the cycle adding weight, intensity, and experimenting with the volume.

This program is NOT designed for children who have not reached puberty. Prepubescent children do not have the level of hormones (estradiol and testosterone) present yet, which allow them to recover well from lifting heavier loads. For children, please see the “Elementary School” specific program.

About the Trainer
Jaala Shaw

Jaala (CCFT/CF-L3, PN L-1, CrossFit HQ Seminar Staff) has been coaching various sports worldwide for the past two decades. She started her career as an assistant swim coach at the University of New Mexico, then coaching club swimming in California and at the Sichuan Institute of Sport in China. Eventually, she owned a CrossFit Affiliate where she coached a mix of competitive crossfitters, weightlifters, and endurance athletes; she has varied coaching experience across many sports. 

As an athlete, Jaala has loved sports her entire life. She swam on scholarship at D1 University of New Mexico, where she also ran track. In her adult life, she competed in CrossFit Games Regionals as an individual 2x, qualified for the Boston Marathon, finished 5th place overall female in the Bryce Canyon 50 miler, finished GORUCK Team Assessment, FT. Bragg HTB, competed in the 1st annual GORUCK Games and has participated in GORUCK Selection 6x. 

Jaala currently directs GORUCK Tribe Kids, teaches kindergarten, works for CrossFit HQ as Seminar Staff, and is the Founder and Head Coach at Drop by Drop Fitness, her online nutrition and fitness coaching business.

FAQ

Teens and preteens

None.

4 weeks

Yes. It can be done alone or as a strength and conditioning program for sports teams or as part of a school physical education program.

4 when used as a stand-alone program

This is a stand-alone program; however, if it is paired with a sports program, it can be done twice per week after practice. Doing it four times per week, paired with a sports program, is too much volume for most middle school and high school-level athletes.

In the rucksack, athletes could use 10/20/30 pounds depending on their development and experience with weight lifting and rucking. The same rule applies for the sandbag 20/40/60 depending on their development and experience using weights. Start lighter and work up in weights across the program if things feel too light. It is better to start lighter than heavier!

If the movement or load is too difficult, lighten the load, reduce the volume, or reduce the intensity. Doing movements with very little load and trying to complete them with a full range of motion, like the demo video, is better than lifting too heavy a load with poor form. If the movements are too easy, increase the weight and intensity. Try to move perfectly before making it heavier. Try to move perfectly in the workout piece, then add speed.

To learn more check out the Intro video HERE