In Competition, LEO/Mil, Videos
January 17, 2010

The Ranger Challenge is the “varsity sport” of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, and cadets at Duke University are using CrossFit to help them in the nationwide competition.
Maj. Shane Finison is an Army ROTC instructor at Duke and a trainer at CrossFit Durham, and he believes CrossFit training can help his athletes succeed in the Ranger Challenge, an eight-event competition that includes the standard Army PT test, navigation tests, a marksmanship competition, an assault course, and a 10K march with a rifle and a 35-lb. pack.
According to Finison’s athletes, the training is working. For instance, one athlete reported that on a recent training march the Duke team took 10 minutes of its best ruck-march time from last year’s Ranger Challenge. Other athletes say CrossFit is helping the group come together as a team to perform at high intensity.
In Part 2, the team from Duke puts its training to the test and competes in the Ranger Challenge.
Video by Again Faster.
8min 19sec
Additional reading: Elite Soldiers, Elite Fitness by Staff Sgt. Matt Kostielney, published Oct. 15, 2009.

9 Comments on “The Ranger Challenge: Part 1”
1
wrote …
As a fellow Citadel grad, Shane Finison was, and still is, the real deal.
Mighty Mike!
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2
Louis Hayes wrote …
What a terrific exposure of CrossFit (and its effect) to the future military leaders of our country. Lead on.
Lou Hayes, FIAT SWAT Taskforce (Illinois)
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3
wrote …
This is a awesome video of the training that CF can provide for the military and Law Enforcement world!
Glenn Hyzak
US Coast Guard (MSST LA/LB)
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4
wrote …
Nice work Shane! It's always great to see your athletes at CrossFit.
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5
wrote …
Wow, the squat is lookin good Shane. Gotta get me some of that Dukie gear...
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6
wrote …
I hope those Duke students realize they have one hell of an ROTC instructor. Great to see Shane involved in crossfit.
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7
wrote …
I competed in this with University of West Florida's team around 8 or 9 years ago. If only we had trained crossfit style.... Duke already had a killer team then, now they will be crazy hard to beat.
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8
wrote …
Excellent video. It's nice to see CF being incorporated into programs and communities that are in desperate need of our methods.
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9
wrote …
Good to know we are getting fit butter bars in the future keep it up!
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