Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) Training Guide

Start Here: Weekly SDC Training

Start with one or two focused SDC sessions per week.

If you train it twice, give the two sessions different jobs:

Session A builds speed, turns, and transitions.

Session B builds the drag, carry, and your ability to keep moving under load.

ArmyFitHub SDC Training at a Glance

Session A — Speed and Transitions

Start with:

25-Meter Accelerations — 4–6 reps

Accelerate hard, then take enough recovery to make the next rep fast.

Walk back and rest about 60–90 seconds.

Use a few Prone-Start Accelerations within that set when possible. Start prone, get up cleanly, and enter the acceleration without wasting steps.

Then practice:

25-Meter Transition Shuttle — 3–4 reps

Run out, make a clean line touch and turn, then accelerate back. Practice the last few meters before the line, the turn, and the first few meters after it as one linked action.

The Army-listed 300M Shuttle Run appears in the Official Army Training section below. Use the official SDC event reference for the current scored sequence.

Rest 2–3 minutes between hard shuttles.

Keep the official line actions in the work: sprint and lateral segments use the required foot-and-hand touch without crossing the line during the lateral; the sled must cross the line fully; the carry reaches the turn line and crosses the start line before the implements are placed down; and the final sprint finishes with the required crossing. Use the current ATP 7-22.01 testing guidance for the full standard.

Finish with:

Transition Practice — 4–6 short repetitions

Rehearse only the changes between movements:

sprint to sled;

sled to lateral;

lateral to kettlebells;

kettlebells to final sprint.

Keep this work to the movement changes so the next segment starts without extra repositioning or steps.

Session B — Drag and Carry

Start with:

Backward Sled Drag — 4 × 25 meters

Rest 90–120 seconds between reps.

When AFT setup is available, use the 90-pound test sled for test-specific practice. The current test load and sequence come from ATP 7-22.01.

Sled resistance changes with the sled and surface, so match test setup as closely as practical. Keep strap tension controlled through the pull and redirect; do not sling or whip the straps to turn the sled.

Use short, quick backward steps and keep the pull continuous. Keep the drag fast enough to remain SDC-specific; use separate strength work for heavier loading.

Then:

Kettlebell Carry — 3–4 × 50 meters

For test-specific carry practice, use two 40-pound kettlebells.

Move as quickly as you can control while keeping both kettlebells stable.

Pick up both kettlebells under control, stabilize them before moving, turn under control, and place them down only after the required crossing. Do not drop or swing the implements into the next transition.

Rest enough that grip and posture do not fall apart from one repeat to the next.

Then choose one Army-listed strength exercise:

Straight Leg Deadlift — 3 working sets

or

Bent Over Row — 3 working sets

Use a weight you can control through every repetition.

The support work comes after the event-specific work.

How to Pace the SDC

Use full-event practice to judge the opening sprint. Judge pacing by total time and how well speed carries through the drag, carry, and final sprint.

If an aggressive first shuttle repeatedly slows the drag or later segments, reduce the opening effort slightly. If the drag remains strong, keep the speed; save effort only when the downstream segments show a repeated drop-off.

How to Progress Your SDC

Progress one part of the event at a time.

Your sprint and turns stay sharp

→ Add another high-quality repetition.

Your drag stays fast and controlled

→ Add a little work or gradually increase resistance during training.

Your carry stays stable

→ Increase speed before adding unnecessary extra distance.

Your last repeat is much slower than your first

→ Keep the same workload until the repeats become more consistent.

Your transitions are still messy

→ Fix them before adding more conditioning.

A cleaner turn that removes two unnecessary steps is progression too.

Why Train the SDC This Way?

The SDC combines sprinting, loaded dragging, lateral movement, carrying, and repeated acceleration across five 50-meter shuttles. Confirm the current test setup in ATP 7-22.01.

The Army classifies it across muscular endurance, muscular strength, anaerobic power, and anaerobic endurance in U.S. Army AFT guidance. Training therefore separates speed and transition work, loaded event practice, and supporting strength.

The Army-listed 300M Shuttle Run, Straight Leg Deadlift, and Bent Over Row appear in the U.S. Army AFT event guidance. Place that strength work after SDC-specific work.

If You Only Have One SDC Day Per Week

Use this sequence:

Acceleration, including prone starts — 4 reps

Then:

Linked transition / shuttle practice — 3 clean reps

Then:

Backward Sled Drag — 3 × 25 meters

Then:

Kettlebell Carry — 3 × 50 meters

Finish with:

One controlled full SDC if the preceding work is still sharp

Add a second only if speed and transitions remain clean. Add one Army-listed support exercise only while the event-specific work still has quality.

If You Are New to the SDC

Learn the sequence first.

Sprint → Drag → Lateral → Carry → Sprint.

Walk through Sprint → Drag → Lateral → Carry → Sprint until the sequence, equipment positions, and transitions are automatic. Then add speed.

How to Improve Your SDC Time

Break the final time into the first sprint, drag, lateral, carry, transitions, and final sprint.

If the drag is slow: use short backward sled intervals while you are fresh enough to produce force. Keep the steps short and continuous. Keep actual sled-drag practice in the program while using the Army-listed Straight Leg Deadlift for additional posterior-chain strength.

If the carry is the weak point: note what changes first—grip, posture, foot speed, or overall pace. Use shorter controlled carries before adding distance, then build speed with two 40-pound kettlebells.

If turns or transitions lose time: set a 25-meter line and rehearse approach, touch, plant, turn, and acceleration without running the full event. The Army-listed 300M Shuttle Run adds repeated acceleration and direction-change work. Use FM 7-22 for broader speed, strength, and conditioning principles.

If the final sprint falls apart: review the drag, carry, and transitions. If one segment slows markedly first, improve that segment and your ability to recover between hard efforts before adding more final-sprint work.

How to Train the SDC Without a Full Test Setup

Use short accelerations, prone-start practice where possible, 25-meter linked shuttles, direction changes, loaded carries, Straight Leg Deadlifts, and Bent Over Rows. A drag substitute can train backward loaded movement; resistance will vary with the implement and surface. Get some practice with a 90-pound sled and two 40-pound kettlebells before test day when available.

How Often Should You Run a Full SDC?

Use a full SDC periodically to check total time, transitions, pace drop, and the final sprint. Use the result to choose the next training priority.

Practice the Actual Test Setup

Before test day, practice the 25-meter lane, 90-pound sled, two 40-pound kettlebells, strap setup, carry pickup, and final transition in the arrangement you expect to use.

The Week Before Your AFT

Reduce hard sled and full-event volume during the final week. Keep one short early-week session with accelerations, turns, a brief drag, carry, and transitions. Finish fresh.

SDC is event three; PLK and 2MR still follow.

Common SDC Training Mistakes

• Running the full SDC every workout. Full attempts are useful tests, but partial work gives you more chances to improve the weak section.
• Opening too aggressively. A fast first shuttle is a problem when the drag or later segments repeatedly slow down.
• Ignoring the turns. Extra steps and poor line approaches cost time without making you fitter.
• Only training straight-line speed. The SDC includes braking, direction changes, loaded movement, and transitions.
• Progressing only by adding sled resistance. Keep the drag fast and controlled before increasing load.
• Never practicing the actual equipment. Sled friction, straps, kettlebell handling, and transitions all feel different from ordinary gym exercises.
• Doing heavy leg work too close to SDC practice. If your legs are already exhausted, the session becomes a fatigue test instead of useful speed work.

SDC Training Questions