How Gritty Soldier programs progress

Test. Train. Retest.

How Gritty Soldier programs progress

Start with a baseline test, follow a plan, retest, then move to the next program. You don’t need to guess what comes after Week 8.

Shop programs Get an AFT baseline

The four steps

A good plan has a start point, a block of work, a retest, and a next step. That’s how we build training. If someone told you Gritty Soldier programs have no structure or progression, they didn’t look at the actual plans.

  1. 1

    Baseline test

    Don’t jump into a peak plan just because the title sounds hard. Establish where you are.

    • For the Army Fitness Test, use the free AFT Calculator, then train from that score.
    • For running, use the Run Time Calculator.
    • Many programs include their own test in Week 1. Bodyweight Warrior II, for example, starts with the Bodyweight Warrior Test.
  2. 2

    Follow a plan

    Pick one plan. Run it as written. These are day-by-day blocks, not a pile of leftover workouts. Length and price are on each product page. Most plans are $34.99 or $39.99, one time.

  3. 3

    Benchmark and retest

    The point is to see if the work moved the needle. That might be a mid-block test, a final test, a rehearsal ruck, or a full recycle of the same plan.

    • Bodyweight Warrior II tests in Week 1, Week 4, and Week 8.
    • Max the AFT is built to raise your total AFT score and can be run more than once.
    • Get Selected includes progressive ruck work up to a 20-miler test.
    • The 13-Week Ranger School plan includes three RPA 2.0 rehearsal sessions with worksheets.
    • The Bataan plan uses performance checkpoints and ends with an 18–20 mile rehearsal and a structured taper.
  4. 4

    Next program

    When the block is done, you don’t start over at zero. You move to the follow-on plan, shift to a more specific goal, or recycle the same plan if the test says you still need it.

Program ladders

These are the live progressions. Links go to the current product pages. Don’t use old or unlisted URLs.

Bodyweight: no gym, then the harder block

Start with Bodyweight Warrior (8 weeks, $34.99) if you can train five days a week with no equipment. Then move to Bodyweight Warrior II (8 weeks, $34.99). It picks up where Bodyweight Warrior left off. Same no-equipment rule, with five phases: Establish, Build, Intensify, Peak, and Prove It. The Bodyweight Warrior Test is in Weeks 1, 4, and 8. Tempo, reps in reserve, and rest are prescribed for every exercise. Fillable training logs, a test tracker, and a weekly check-in are built into the PDF.

Bodyweight Warrior 8-week fitness program

Bodyweight Warrior

8 weeks · $34.99

21 reviews

View program

You can get both at 15% off through the live Bodyweight Warrior I & II bundle on either product page.

Hybrid: strength first, then power and endurance

Start with Hybrid Warrior (12 weeks, $39.99). Strength-focused hybrid training, typically 10 to 20 running miles most weeks, plus four high-volume gym sessions. Then run Hybrid Warrior II (12 weeks, $39.99). It’s written as the follow-on, with a three-phase approach: accumulation, intensification, and performance. It can also be used as a stand-alone if you’re already trained. Weekly running usually sits at 20 to 25 miles, split between sprints, intervals, and long runs.

The Hybrid Warrior I & II stack is 15% off on either product page.

Army Fitness Test: score it, train it, run it again

Baseline with the free AFT Calculator. Then run Max the AFT (8 weeks, $34.99): five training days a week, 45–60 minute sessions, with work aimed at every AFT event. The program is recyclable, so you can run another block if the retest isn’t where you want it. Retest with the calculator, or with a full AFT.

Rucking: build the 12-miler, then go longer

Know your current 12-mile ruck time, or start conservative if you’re new to load carriage. Embrace the Ruck (8 weeks, $34.99) is aimed at a 12-mile ruck in under 2 hours 45 minutes, with 2–3 rucks a week and five total training days. If you’re training for the official march, move to the Bataan Memorial Death March Fitness Program (16 weeks, $39.99): progressive ruck distance and load, strength work, foot and lower-leg durability, fueling, checkpoints, an 18–20 mile rehearsal, and a taper. The 2027 event is Saturday, March 20, 2027, at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Event registration is separate, at bataanmarch.com/register.

Bataan Memorial Death March 16-week fitness program

Bataan Memorial Death March

16 weeks · $39.99

View program

Ranger School: full prep or short notice

The 13-Week Ranger School Fitness Program ($39.99) is the full prep plan, updated for RPA 2.0. It includes three deliberate rehearsal sessions with worksheets. This is the default if you have the time. The 6-Week Ranger School Fitness Program ($34.99) is the condensed, short-notice option.

If running is the weak point going in, Run Faster (6 weeks, $34.99) can sit in front of either block. If rucking is the weak point, start with Embrace the Ruck.

13-Week Ranger School fitness program

13-Week Ranger School

13 weeks · $39.99

73 reviews

View program
6-Week Ranger School short-notice fitness program

6-Week Ranger School

6 weeks · $34.99

11 reviews

View program

Selection

Get Selected (12 weeks, $39.99) is a selection train-up: six training days a week, heavy emphasis on rucking and equipment carries, endurance, and full-body strength, including a 20-miler test. The product page describes it as appropriate preparation for selections such as SFAS and similar assessment courses. This is not a beginner plan. Get a base first if you need one, then start this block with enough time to finish it before your report date.

New Soldier and general military prep

Military Preparation (12 weeks, $34.99) is a readiness block for basic military and service academy training. Pair it with Max the AFT if the test score is part of the goal. For a strength focus, use Military BUILD Sequence (12 weeks, $39.99).

Where the app and Challenges fit

If you want weekly training, follow-along workouts, and a weekly Q&A while you run a plan, that’s the NO EXCUSES Training app: 7-day free trial, then $14.99 a month or $99.99 a year. An app membership is a different product from a one-time PDF.

If you want to test yourself against a published standard with verified results, that’s a Gritty Soldier Challenge. Current open events include LEGION MARCH (Nov 26–Dec 6, 2026, $40, 18.4 miles / 45 lb / 6 hours) and GRIT 100 (Apr 1–30, 2027, $40, 100 miles in 30 days). Train first, then take the event. Don’t treat a challenge entry as the training plan.

New to the brand? Start with What is Gritty Soldier.

FAQ

Do I have to buy every program in a ladder?

No. Pick the block that matches the goal and the time you have. The follow-on plans are there when you’re ready, not as a requirement to start.

What if I only have six or eight weeks?

Use a shorter plan that matches the goal: Run Faster (6 weeks), the 6-Week Ranger School plan, Max the AFT (8 weeks), Bodyweight Warrior (8 weeks), Embrace the Ruck (8 weeks). Don’t compress a 13- or 16-week plan into half the time and hope.

Is there a recommended starting point if I don’t have a specific school or test?

If you have no gym, start with Bodyweight Warrior. If you have a gym and want strength plus running, start with Hybrid Warrior. If you’re entering the Army or chasing a better AFT, start with the calculator and Max the AFT or Military Preparation.

Where do I see all current prices?

On the product pages linked above, and in the fitness programs collection. Prices here are current as of November 9, 2026.

Pick your next block

Browse the live catalog, or start a 7-day free trial of the app if you want weekly training and a Q&A alongside a plan.

Shop programs Start 7-day free trial

Prices, event dates, and trial terms are current as of November 9, 2026 (America/New_York). Confirm the live page before you buy.