Military training – beginner, 8 weeks

Eight weeks building the base: bodyweight circuit, walk/run intervals that turn into running, strength with light weights and marches with 5–10 kg in the pack. Four days a week.

What military training is

The Swedish Armed Forces' own training rests on four things: bodyweight circuits (push-ups, pull-ups, squats, burpees, plank), running toward clear time goals, marching with a pack, and strength for lifting and carrying. The Armed Forces cite "2 km in 11 minutes" as a good starting point before basic training, and describe rucking as the most important thing to train – during training around 24 kg is carried every day on average.

The week

Monday circuit, Tuesday running, Thursday strength and carries, Saturday ruck march. In weeks 4 and 8 Thursday's session is replaced by the test session so you see what has changed, and Tuesday's run becomes 2 km for time.

The march

Start with the weight in the day's note and only increase when the last march felt easy. Broken-in shoes, thin socks, the load high and close to the back. Water or sand in bags works as weight.

The tests and the Armed Forces' requirements

The test session is the Swedish Armed Forces multi-test: push-ups, sit-ups, vertical jump, back hang and flexed-arm hang, 0–100 points per part (the scoring table is in the session), plus the plank from the ACFT. Basic training requires at least 125 points in total, heavier roles 175 or 300. Conditioning: a 2 km run in 11:35 (men) / 12:30 (women) is level 1; level 2 is a 2 km field test in combat gear in 13:30 / 14:14 or a 2 km run in 9:40. Log the results and compare week 4 with week 8.

The program is general training inspired by military requirements, not an official Armed Forces program. If you have an injury or illness, talk to a healthcare professional before starting.