Pack March advice

[u/Ausanann]

Hey guys, after some advice around pack marching / weight.

I’ve done plenty of pack marches at 25kg and never had a problem. But recently I upped the weight to 30kg and did a 6km stomp. Not a long stomp by any means, and I’ve done further with the 25kg with no problems.

But on this stomp, I want to say for the last fourth of the way, I started getting a pain at the top of my spine. Not the sort of muscle discomfort you’d normally expect, but in the actual spine. Once I finished and took the weight off, there was a momentary sharp increase in the pain for a second or two then it subsided. And just had a bit of soreness for the rest of the day.

Obviously no one here can say for certain as they weren’t there. But are there any common mistakes that you guys know that could be the cause of this? Or has anyone experienced the same sensation?

I get that I’m not used to 30kg yet, but that seems like something that shouldn’t happen from just a 5kg increase in what I’m used to.

I had my sleeping gear in the bottom compartment in a dry bag, my DP1 in the main compartment also in a dry bag as well as my day bag in the main compartment.

I’ve also got the pack quite compact, so an overall small, compact pack. Any input is appreciated, thanks.

[u/NonCredibleAirstrike]

Spinal/ bone pain is an instant "fucking stop".

Get it checked. Not worth breaking yourself.

[u/Ghost403 → u/NonCredibleAirstrike]

This, and if you do break yourself, make sure it's on the ADF's time.

[u/WhatAmIATailor → u/NonCredibleAirstrike]

Yeah it’ll fucking haunt you if you don’t. I still get flare ups from one particularly stupid stomp inflicted on me well over a decade ago.

[u/Minimum-Pizza-9734]

first thing is to stop, no one cares if you want to be a hero.

Then I would be looking at how you have progressing, so be slow progression eg 25kg @ 5km then say 25kg @ 6kms etc. then make sure you look at your set up, are you using the belt, because I knew a lot of people who don't (because it looked weak) and all that weight gets distributed differently rather than having it sit on your hips. I personally would be resting for a while and going to the RAP to make sure there isn't something more to it, it could be a rest for 2 weeks type of deal or if not looked at could turn into a med discharge, thanks for coming

[u/CharacterPop303]

A random list of suggestions or questions to follow

a. Have another go at 25kg and see if the problem replicates, to know if it is truly a weight problem, or just by chance this happened on the day you increased weight?

b. Was your pace the same between the 2 stomps?

c. Consider only a 2.5kg increase?

d. Same time of day/weather conditions as the previous stomps? Though you probably wouldn't normally put pain down to weather, IF it was harder conditions, the harder work might have led you to be sloppy somewhere compromising and techniques that bought about the pain.

e. Issue pack and frame? It could be your setup is wrong/poor, and below 30kg your body was able to deal with the imperfections, but thats hard to tell without seeing it.

f. Might be best to isolate it to just a weight increase to know thats the issue, if your comparison to the lower weight is at a different pace, distance, conditions, then there's not to much way to know for sure.

[u/Ausanann → u/CharacterPop303]

Thanks, I’ve done 10km+ stomps at 25kg and not had a problem. So I would think that would be enough to do a 6km at 30kg.

Pace was the same, no change. Same for weather conditions.

I can’t change the weight to only a 2.5kg increase. I’m a retread at new IETs so the stomp was part of the course. So I’m not allowed to deviate and change the weight / distance.

[u/CharacterPop303 → u/Ausanann]

I can’t change the weight to only a 2.5kg increase. I’m a retread at new IETs so the stomp was part of the course. So I’m not allowed to deviate and change the weight / distance.

Well yeah thats a little different then. I took it from your post this was either own training or unit training where you got to pick your own destiny.

I also presumed that you weren't silly enough to need to be told to go to the RAP if this was anything more then a blip. Considering its Sunday, I doubt you were writing that mid stomp, or that you have been bed ridden since Friday morning.

[u/Ausanann → u/CharacterPop303]

Yeah it was on Friday but haven’t been bed ridden or anything. Was just a little sore for the remainder of the day, which would be expected regardless

[u/CharacterPop303 → u/Ausanann]

Well I guess if it happens again then next stomp you know to alert your staff or go to the RAP'er.

I can only assume your withholding that information from those 2 above groups to get through IET's, and people saying to do that here won't effect your decision. In which case, id have a look at how the other people in your group are setting up thier rig to make sure your not missing something blatantly obvious, particularly those the same height as you to make sure your frame is close to correctly sized.

[u/saukoa1]

Considering you're still in training and avoiding injury should be of high priority this is 100% something that Physio / EP could help with.

The pain your describing is similar to nerve pain / spinal compression, something to not just push through and hope for the best.

[u/kungfucowboy1]

If you’re serious about getting better at stomping then get on an actual program is my first piece of advice.

It takes the guesswork out and gives you some actual progression to work off so you a) don’t injure yourself, and b) actually progress and don’t just spin your wheels.

There’s heaps out there if you do some research, at the cheaper end you got tactical barbell, the SFET prep on the DRN, or even hitting up a PTI to get one (just make sure they’re one who has an actual clue), and on the more expensive end you can go for a more personalised one from companies like Building the Elite or MilGym.

Once you’ve got some experience with them you get an idea of the progression and how it works, and if you want can go back to your own thing.

[u/Ausanann → u/kungfucowboy1]

I’m a retread and at IETs again, we’ve been told we’re not allowed to do any stomping in our own time, that it has to be done at designated stomp sessions. Otherwise, yes I would 100% be doing one of those training plans

[u/kungfucowboy1 → u/Ausanann]

Definitely raise this with your secco and the PTI then so they can adjust the PT program accordingly.

[u/Starfireaw11]

The absolute most important thing about packs is to make.sure the straps are adjusted properly. This becomes much more critical once you start upping the weight.