What is your favorite endurance workout?

For endurance that matches how armies actually moved, I’m biased toward the “loaded march” in some form. From Roman legionaries (Vegetius talks about training marches as a staple) to Napoleonic columns to WWII infantry, operational endurance was as much about steady movement under load as it was about speed.

My favorite workout is a steady, conversational ruck for time—think 60–90 minutes—followed by a short “finisher” of easy bodyweight (air squats, push-ups, step-ups). It mimics the historic reality: marching, then still having to work. Keep it boring, keep it repeatable, and track distance/time so you can progress gradually.

Endurance workout I come back to: ruck intervals on a hill or stadium steps. Example: 5–8 rounds of 4 minutes steady uphill with 2 minutes easy down. It’s simple, it works, and it’s easier to control than “just go fast for 3 miles.”

Gear-wise, the workout is way better when the setup doesn’t wreck you: snug hip belt, weight high and close, and boots/shoes that don’t hot-spot. If you’re getting blisters or low-back pain, it’s often pack fit and weight placement, not “lack of toughness.”

For me it was always a two-part combo: easy run + strides. Like 30–45 min easy, then 6–10 x 20 seconds fast-but-smooth with full recovery walk/jog. You build the aerobic base without turning every day into a sufferfest, and the strides keep your legs snappy.

In the service, the people who stayed consistent (sleep, easy mileage, a little speed) outlasted the guys who tried to “win training” every session. If your knees are getting cranky, swap one run for bike/row and keep the habit alive.

I’ll say it: most people’s “endurance plan” is just slow jogging with zero intent, then they wonder why they plateau. Endurance is specific—if you want to be good at sustained discomfort, you need controlled, repeatable hard work.

My favorite is threshold intervals: 4–6 x 5 minutes at a strong, sustainable pace with 2 minutes easy. Not a sprint. Not a death march. You should finish feeling like you could do one more rep. Do that once a week and your “long run pace” improves without endless miles.

I like endurance sessions that feel like mission profiles: sustained output with periodic surges, kind of like an operator monitoring systems for hours and then responding fast when something changes.

Workout: 45–60 minutes zone-2 cardio (run/bike/row) but every 5 minutes add a 20–30 second surge. It trains you to recover quickly and keep going. Also, if you’re tracking with a watch, don’t get hypnotized by the numbers—use them as guardrails, not commandments.

Mechanized crews don’t “ruck all day,” but they absolutely need endurance for long operations—heat, vibration, awkward posture, then sudden bursts of work (ammo, recovery tasks, maintenance).

My favorite conditioning is an aerobic circuit that stays sub-max: 10 minutes easy row + 10 minutes incline walk + 10 minutes bike, then repeat. It keeps your heart rate steady without pounding joints. If you want it more “crew-like,” add carries (sandbag or kettlebell) for short sets, but keep the session mostly aerobic.

On ships, endurance is often about sustained output in cramped spaces and odd hours. I’m a fan of long, steady sessions you can do anywhere: stair-climb or incline treadmill for 45–75 minutes at a pace you can maintain.

If you want a simple progression: add 5 minutes per week for three weeks, then back off one week. It’s boring, but that’s the point—operational endurance is mostly controlled monotony with good pacing.

Aviation angle: long sorties are endurance plus posture and focus. I like low-impact endurance so I can still lift and not feel trashed—assault bike or rower.

Go-to workout: 3 x 12 minutes at a steady “working” pace with 3 minutes easy between. It’s long enough to build stamina, short enough to fit in a schedule. If you’re running a lot already, this is a great swap to save joints.

If your goal is military fitness tests or selection prep, pick an endurance workout that matches the standard you’ll be assessed on (run time, ruck event, etc.), then build around it.

A safe, repeatable template for most people: one easy long session (run or ruck), one quality session (intervals/tempo), and one cross-training endurance day. Keep the increases gradual. If pain keeps showing up, it’s worth checking form/shoes and, if needed, getting a coach or clinician to look at it.

Most “elite unit” prep talk gets goofy fast, but the common thread is durability: you can’t do the hard stuff if you’re always injured.

Favorite endurance workout: steady ruck on mixed terrain for 75–120 minutes at a pace you can hold while breathing through your nose part of the time. Not a race. Add a short jog-only day later in the week so you’re not only training under load. Consistency beats hero sessions.

In the field, endurance is often “hours on feet” plus problem-solving while tired. So I like long hikes/rucks where you practice something simple while moving—navigation checks, route planning, even just deliberate pacing.

Workout idea: 60–90 minutes brisk walk/ruck, and every 15 minutes stop for 60 seconds of an easy skill drill (map check, tying a knot, quick gear adjustment). It keeps the session practical and trains you to stay calm when you’re winded.

Endurance is underrated at the strategic level because it’s not flashy, but it’s what lets units sustain tempo across weeks. The training parallel is: avoid peaks and crashes.

My favorite is the “easy volume” approach—one longer, easy session you can recover from quickly. It supports everything else: strength, intervals, and even cognitive work. If your life stress is high, the best endurance workout is the one that doesn’t wipe you out and cause missed sessions.

From an engineer/logistics perspective, endurance is work capacity: moving tools, lifting awkward loads, repeated trips, then doing fine motor tasks.

I like a time-based endurance circuit: 40 minutes continuous, rotating 5 minutes each of step-ups, light sled drag (or treadmill incline), farmer carries, and easy row/bike. Keep it steady, not a max effort. It builds “all-day” legs and trunk without relying only on running.

I’m still learning too, but the one that’s helped me not quit is a run/walk endurance session. Like 5 minutes easy jog, 2 minutes walk, repeat for 40 minutes. Every week I shorten the walk a little.

It feels doable and my legs aren’t wrecked the next day. Question for the group: is it better to do this 3x a week, or mix in one bike day?

I think of endurance workouts like building a force structure: you need a base (sustainment) and a surge capability (rapid response).

Favorite session is a “pyramid” that blends both: 10 min easy + 8 min steady + 6 min strong + 4 min stronger + 2 min hard, then back down 2/4/6/8, with 1–2 minutes easy between blocks. It trains pacing discipline, and you can scale it by adjusting the intensity, not just adding endless distance.

Until exoskeletons are truly field-ready at scale, the human endurance engine is still the limiting factor. But training can be smarter than “more miles.”

My go-to is a mixed-modality endurance session: 20 minutes easy run, 10 minutes row, 10 minutes incline walk with a light pack. It’s like distributing load across systems—less overuse, more total work. If you track anything, track consistency and how quickly you recover (sleep/resting HR/training motivation), not just speed.