The United States Marine Corps will celebrate their 250th anniversary on Nov. 10, 2025. “The few and the proud” has seen many changes over the years. One such change came in 1801 when Archibald Sommers became the first Sergeant Major. 20 men have held that position, including the 20th and incumbent, Sergeant Major Carlos A. Ruiz. Ruiz may have an office in the Pentagon, but he still takes great joy being at various bases around the world alongside the men and women he leads.

“There are a few Marines here, but the Marines are in Camp Pendleton, they’re at (Camp) Lejeune, the Marines are over the globe, and that’s where I need to be,” said Ruiz. “I’m lucky I get to do that.”

Ever since he was a child growing up in Mexico playing soccer and watching the NBA, Ruiz has been very active. After moving to the United States, he found himself on his high school’s basketball team. His joy from sports and being active may be why joining the Marines felt like a perfect fit for him when he signed up in 1993. However, even as someone that was in great shape, Ruiz admitted to being a little overwhelmed at the requirements of service.

“That led to joining the Marine Corps and not being very intimidated by the physical fitness part of it because ‘ok, it couldn’t be that much.’ I was wrong,” Ruiz said with a laugh. “I was so wrong, but I had a great start.”

Leading From the Front By Example

For Marines, physical fitness is part of the foundation. That is why physical training (PT) is so important, whether they are in the Pentagon, on a mission, or stationed at the iconic 8th and I.

Throughout his career, Ruiz had served in several roles, including as a recruiter and drill instructor. As the highest enlisted member of his branch today, Ruiz knows he must not only meet the standard but push himself to do and be more. That’s why he chose to run in the Marine Corps Marathon after someone suggested it.

“I knew that there would be thousands and thousands of veterans in that marathon holding me accountable. They didn’t expect me to finish in two and a half hours, but I better finish.”

Ruiz will do the same at the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 26th. He could push himself to complete the marathon, but he doesn’t have to. His wife Andrea does a great job of that for him.

“She’s way faster than me. Because of that, it’s five miles every day, whether it’s at 2200 or 0400, I got to get my five miles in, and then my long run on Saturday or Sunday.”

Advocacy For The Betterment of His Marines

As the senior enlisted Marine, Ruiz serves as the voice for his entire branch. He feels that for each Marine to fulfill their pledges, they must be at their physical, mental, and emotional best every day. He uses his role and voice to advocate for them by speaking out about their needs so they can do what they agreed to do and be better off for it once they transition into veterans. Some of those needs range from tailored kits to trackable metrics technology, and beyond.

“That’s why I advocate for better food for our Marines and better barracks. That is in line because we are expecting so much of our Marines to be fit,” Ruiz explained. “The service has a responsibility to deliver the infrastructure such as the quality food, people in the gyms, sleep doctors, and everyone that can help them be better warfighters. That’s what the organization must deliver.”

He concluded, “If I had a dream, it would be to treat servicemembers as Division I athletes. We’re getting closer, but we’re still behind. That’s where we’re going, though.”

Don’t Try To Do It Alone

Whether you’re looking to join the Marines for a full career, serve for a shorter stint, or simply want to be better for yourself and those around you, Ruiz is always eager to share wisdom from his three decades of experience. When it comes to training, he sees the value of not only holding someone else accountable but making sure they are doing the same for you as well.

Ruiz said, “Balance your individual workouts with partner workouts.” It’s respectable to put headphones and focus completely on yourself, but the 20th Sergeant Major advised that having someone there to push you will help you find more reps, steps, and break barriers you may be tempted to avoid going solo.

“It will help you as you enter our service because in our service, we like to PT together. That is something I never want to lose.”

That physical component must also be matched by a strong will and desire to carry on. Ruiz confirmed that boot camp is still the place where civilians become Marines, and part of that transition is going past previously conceived limits. Being around other future Marines as well as the drill instructors like Ruiz used to be help push them beyond what they would likely do on their own.

“They have to push past that very young voice that is screaming ‘hey, this is hard. Quit.’”, Ruiz explained. “So, you get used to the concept of ‘we don’t quit.’”

Open Invitation To Make a Difference

After years of recruitment struggles across all branches, the tide is turning. That means more young Americans are seeing the benefits of service and the value in making a difference while being a part of something bigger than themselves. Ruiz made it clear that those that are weighing their options could and should consider being one of the few and proud so they can help continue carrying the legacy of the Marines forward as they enter the next 250 years.

“Along the way, they realize it’s not an accident they are in service. There’s something inside of them that makes them different,” Ruiz proclaimed. “It’s about people and improving yourself.”

Ruiz looks forward to meeting more Marines and seeing the next generation of heroes wearing the nation’s cloth. He just advises that they should prepare to face challenges and be willing to rise above them, and that includes exceeding physical standards that may not have been possible before.

“Being physically fit is an indispensable asset of being a Marine. You better get after it every day.” For more information on the Marines, go to their website.

M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this article.

Each year, 150 students make their way to the Naval Air Station in Meridian, MS, on the path to becoming a Top Gun pilot, but many won’t make it through the incredibly difficult process. In National Geographic’s new documentary series, Top Guns: The Next Generation, viewers are given unprecedented access to the trainees as they take on advanced challenges like diving at speeds they’ve never faced before, up to 575 knots ( 662 mph or 1,065 km/h), or dropping bombs with pinpoint accuracy, and engaging in head-to-head dogfights to graduate and earn their wings.

For Austin Claggett, the dream to become a pilot began at the age of 9 when he was photographed looking into the cockpit of an F-18. Fortunately, he stayed grounded long enough so that we could learn more about his training and mindset. “I’ve always had this fascination with machines and the edge of human engineering,” Claggett tells M&F. “And a fighter jet is definitely on the edge of what our engineer’s capacity and abilities are at.”

These incredible flying machines are one thing, but in terms of his own human abilities, Claggett doesn’t come from a military family—his love of fighter jets, and his belief that life is all about “setting unrealistic goals,” is what has him reaching for the clouds. To stay there, however, Claggett must break through the physical and mental barriers that this level of flying skill requires.

Sleep and Hydration Are Essential for G-Force Tolerance

“Something that’s not spoken about is the importance of sleep and hydration,” explains the passionate pilot. He knows that when rest, and drinking adequate fluid is neglected, his performance suffers. When G-forces are high, pilots squeeze their legs to keep from blacking out. “Your G tolerance is notably less,” he says of the pitfalls of being dehydrated. “Which means you’re squeezing harder with your legs.”

Flying a plane at such speed takes a massive physical toll, too. The seats on the jet have hardly any foam backing and are not moulded to the individual like in high-end race cars. As such, pilots often feel soreness in their backs after flying. “I’ve definitely felt it in my neck, as well,” says Claggett. “We do 5G turns all the time, and so your neck is just hanging out,” he explains. Because the seats are so standard, Claggett also points out that “the core takes a bit of a beating. You have to hold yourself steady.”

How Austin Claggett Stays Super-Fit to Fly

Not only must pilots like Claggett be super fit to fly, but they also undergo regular fitness tests to retain their position. Individuals are expected to figure out their own fitness plan, however. “We all just come up with our own workouts that work for us, and we get physically tested by the Marine Corps twice a year,” he shares.

The fit fighter pilot says that he loves to stay in shape with a mixture of bodyweight and weighted exercise sessions. With little free time, Claggett focuses on the exercises that he finds to be the most “efficient.” On leg day, he employs functional moves like pistol squats. “That’s a great strength builder,” he explains. “I’ll also incorporate single-leg calf raises.” Claggett says that to stay stimulated, he changes up his routine, sometimes holding the weight at the top of the lift for strength, and in other sessions he’ll focus more on volume for stamina. “For chest, I’m working one-arm pushups,” he says. “If you can’t do one arm pushups, I couldn’t initially, instead to an archer pushup, which is essentially doing an asymmetric pushup where you’re leaned mostly on one-arm. They are great for strengthening your arms, chest, and core.”

For his arms, Claggett is currently working to complete one-arm pullups. To do that, he’s employing the same method that he used to unlock single arm-pushups, lifting himself with a bias on one side to strengthen each limb. For core training, the pilot primes himself with hanging leg raises. He further blasts his legs, arms and core with pike pushups and tells M&F that his favorite pushup variation is the handstand pushup. “That’s a great one for the shoulders,” he shares. “I’m not talking trash, but if you want to be smart with your time and get bang for your buck, a machine that hits one muscle group is not a lot of bang for your buck, in my personal opinion. So, when time is short, I switch to these calisthenic workouts that are hitting a lot of different muscle groups.”

Mentally, training to become a next generation Top Gun has really tested Claggett’s ethos of setting “unrealistic goals,” and yet he’s learned more about himself from completing the things that haven’t come so easily like hitting the correct altitude under stressful conditions. “As I continue through my military career, I’m continuously working and learning. How I can better myself?” he reflects. “I don’t think that will ever stop, right?”

While this must-see documentary chronicles Claggett’s journey at Naval Air Station Merdian, it seems like not even the sky is his limit. “I want to go to space,” he tells M&F. “At some point I want to be involved in designing sports cars, whether it’s like GT Series or Formula One. And outside of career goals, I want to be a father one day.” One can only imagine the amazing stories that Austin Claggett will tell his children.

Top Guns: The Next Generation is streaming now on National Geographic, Disney Plus, and many other major platforms. 

As the domestic Super League season draws to a close, England’s rugby players are now switching their focus to the three-match Ashes affair which is back after a 20-plus-year-break. To keep playing on, they’ll need to rehab injuries and build back better in order to withstand the brutality that is yet to come.

With this in mind, M&F made the journey to the Wigan Warriors training facility in Greater Manchester where several England players call home, so that we could learn more about their quest for international success beginning in late October and culminating on November 8, 2025. Since 1908, England and Australia have done battle on the rugby pitch in a series of games that leads to one team’s eventual dominance and bragging rights to hold the “Ashes Cup.” Much like with the Cricket series of the same name, owning the Ashes signifies the symbolic death of the losing team, but while the competitive rivalry between England and Australia hasn’t wavered in more than one hundred years, the methods of training certainly have.

The first thing to understand about Rugby League is that there really is nowhere to hide on the field.

Whatever your position, you must be strong and fast, fierce and flexible, and the sport is growing on the global stage too. Wigan Warriors and the Warrington Wolves recently went head-to-head in the first ever Super League fixture on American soil with a game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, drawing a crowd of more than 50,000 people in the process. Many football fans stateside are catching on to Rugby League for its continuous flow and quick resumption of play, leading to a rapidly rising fan base.

Rugby League Players Balance Effort With Nutrition to Maximize Performance

The players begin their training day at 8.30 a.m. for breakfast and, with an epic session ahead, make sure to load up with plenty of carbs and protein. We’re talking about a good old-fashioned English breakfast here with sausages, eggs, bacon, and beans on toast. After a short break, the team then limbers up with fun and games like some casual cricket before heading into the state-of-the art gym at Wigan Warriors for a workout.

Strength and conditioning sessions are overseen by coach Chris Baron and his team, who provide the athletes with individual programs based on their current state of health. A quick look around the gym floor shows that some players are focusing more on rehab and mobility, while others are going all out with some seriously intense lifting.

After the Super League season ends, players must maintain their fitness and deal with wear and tear in order to make the cut with England as the international games march on.

“You obviously want to get the load right in the gym, but it’s balanced right, with the stuff we do in the field,” explains Junior Nsemba, the 21-year-old forward for Wigan Warriors and team England, who must balance being strong with not carrying too much bulk.

The gym session itself consists of compound exercises like heavy barbell bench presses or seated dumbbell shoulder presses, designed to test several muscle groups in order to replicate the demands of gameplay. Every exercise must be functional. To that end, no stone is left unturned: From weighted pullups, plyometric chest-to-bar muscle-ups, or landmine rows, every movement is about building an all-round athlete for Rugby League. Nsemba shares that if he does put on too much unwanted fat, he’ll likely be given more running to do when they practice out on the field.

Counting calories certainly seems like the easier option here then! “We’ve got all the coaches, the nutritionists and physios…So, we’ve got all the help we need,” adds Nsemba, who won a player of the year award for the 2024 season. “I actually struggled on what to eat before a game,” he reveals of early teething problems, but notes that he was soon supported with a meal plan. “It’s really benefiting me,” he confirms. “So, I feel like my fitness has grown over the season.”

The subject of nutrition is certainly one of the areas where Rugby has progressed the most in the last twenty years. “I’d say nutrition is probably more important than the training,” explains Ethan Harvard, the 24-year-old Prop on the front line of all the ferocity. “The quality of what you’re eating, and the amount is very important,” he adds. “Putting good nutrients back in, after a tough session, is very important and it’s what keeps you on the field for longer.”

Harvard made his debut with England in 2023 and plays a crucial role in both defense and attack. Rugby league players can burn 1,000 calories in an 80-minute game at this level, so eating right is an essential part of a player’s strategy.

Wrestling is the Ultimate Body Weight Exercise for Rugby

While gym workouts and practicing drills on the field seem like fairly obvious ways to train, the coaches here test the players with a variety of other disciplines, too. Reaction times are improved by sending speeding tennis balls for players to catch at random. Then there’s the ultimate body weight challenge: mat wrestling.

“The boys have to be strong physically in the gym, but they have to also be able to transfer that into handling bodies, which is what they need wrestling practice for,” explains Sean O’Loughlin, the former Englander, and Wigan Warriors Captain, who is now serving as an assistant coach.

As I bravely (or foolishly) try to take possession of the ball in the wrestling class, I’m appropriately humbled and squashed like a bug. But despite my age and inadequacy, I instantly feel like I’m part of a team that wants to be at the very top of their game. England regular, Luke Thompson is an imposing force on the field, but behind closed doors he’s a motivator, advising me to support myself better with a well-placed knee before attempting a landmine press while in the gym.

Opposite me at this point is Brad O’Neill, the 23-year-old player who made his debut for England as a hooker in 2024. I offer my own words of support as he undertakes a heavy bench press.

“We’ve all got a good connection inside the club and outside the club,” explains Nsemba of the infectious camaraderie. The work ethic displayed at Wigan Warriors is not lost on Dean Lester, who serves as Academy Welfare & Wellbeing Manager, as well as being an S&C Coach at the club. “It’s incredible,” he observes. “We’re really just trying to build our capacity for the demands of the game.” Still, the warmth and fuzziness invested in praising teammates is always fleeting when you are preparing yourself to battle violent giants on the rugby pitch. “We’ve got to put it to them, and then recover on the back of it, and be ready to do it again the next week,” explains Ethan Harvard of the job at hand. As they grab meal two before heading outside for more hours of practice on the field, I leave Wigan with incredible respect for these worthy Warriors.

Rivalries will be reignited when England take on Australia in the ABK Beer Rugby League Ashes this autumn. The two nations will meet in a three-match test series, over 20 years in the making, and with the second and third test now completely sold out, Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 25 is your last opportunity to watch this fierce rivalry live.

Book your Wembley tickets here.

To follow the England Rugby League team on Instagram, click here. 

The Masters Olympia is a very prestigious stage for bodybuilders over 40 years old. Competitors that have not been in this contest before must qualify by winning a show before they can compete. The 2025 Masters Olympia took place in Tokyo, Japan in August and featured 10 pro divisions, including Classic Physique, which included fourth-year pro Kenyon Leno, who was making his second career appearance. He didn’t win the title but validated that he belonged on that stage with his showing.

“I’m not extra awesome yet. I’m just regular awesome,” he said with a laugh. While being on the Masters Olympia stage is an honor, Leno is no stranger to and performing at elite standards. It has been a way of life for the recently retired United States Army Green Beret.

Service Runs in the Family

Leno’s father served when Leno was a child. After his father retired, the family settled in Kirby, Texas. Leno’s parents both worked, but he acknowledged that anything they had came to them the old-fashioned way. Leno credited that upbringing as a reason he is so proud of his first car.

“It was a red 1987 Honda Excel. I had to earn every penny to get that.”

Growing up in Texas meant playing football, which Leno did all the way through college as a walk-on at Texas State. He said wanting to play when he was a kid was a factor that led him to start training.

“My father said I couldn’t play because I was too little. That lit a fire in me,” he recalled. The commitment he made to himself to play was what stuck with him the most, and he feels that has been a part of his life since.

“I’ve worked hard for everything I have. I just work my ass off.”

His entry into service came when he and his girlfriend – now wife – were expecting their first child. His hustle and grind of his youth led him to acquiring various skills, which helped him provide for his new family. Once he graduated college, he opted for a career that was more stable, which led to him joining the Army.

“I joined the military, went to Officer Candidate School (OCS), and the rest is history.”

Leno eventually made his way to Special Forces and considered himself “blessed” to be a Special Forces officer. Being a Green Beret meant he had to hold himself to the highest standards possible, but he saw that as an opportunity more than a challenge.

Leno said, “I learned other languages, went to other countries, and made the most of involving myself in that culture. It has been a highlight of my life.”

His Resilence Was Tested and He Passed

Leno’s career has seen its fair share of adversity. Upon returning from a mission in Afghanistan in 2019, Leno was doing physical training when he felt a pop in his left knee that resulted in severe swelling. He thought the swelling would secede but was still there after two weeks, which led to him getting an MRI.

“I had a partial ACL tear, partial meniscus tear, and during the surgery, the doctors found I had no more cartilage in my knee and bone fragments. It was basically a disaster.”

This was Leno’s first surgery, and the recovery took longer than expected. It also led to him having another surgery. All in all, it was three years with limited physical activity in total.

Leno explained, “I was so used to being active, and then all of a sudden I wasn’t.”

The inactivity led to him gaining weight and his physique changing. When he saw a photo of himself from an Easter Sunday gathering, he didn’t recognize himself.

“That day, I decided that even though I couldn’t run, I was going to do something.”

That something turned out to be bodybuilding. He had done it in the past but had to commit himself fully in order to change what he saw in that photo.

“I looked back on my first show that I did, which I won, and decided to do it again,” Leno stated. “I found out about Men’s Physique because the legs didn’t have to be that big.”

By 2021, he earned his IFBB Pro League card as a Men’s Physique athlete at that year’s NPC Nationals, just his second show since he recommitted to the sport. He started competing in the pro level the following year and by 2023, he was gracing the stage at that year’s Masters Olympia. In 2024, he shifted his focus to Classic Physique. The significance of that decision was that his new category requires more leg visibility. However, he had done the work it took to not only recover but make his lower body a strong component of his physique.

“My legs started growing again, and people wanted to see me do it. Now I am in Classic and winning shows as an over 40 athlete.”

Leno credited his time in Ranger school for helping him fulfill his potential as a world-class bodybuilder and pushing himself beyond perceived limitations.

“That experience showed me the differences between what you think you can do or what your mind is telling you that you can do and what you actually can do. Tell your mind less talking and more going.”

Retirement From Service and Returning to School

2025 has turned out to be a pivotal year for Leno both professionally and personally. Wins at the 2025 Indy Supershow Pro and 2025 Tampa Pro as a Masters Classic Physique athlete earned him a second Masters Olympia qualification.

The year also marked the end of his military career, having retired during his bodybuilding season. In his first interview as a veteran, the father of three shared that he has a lot of plans, including celebrating his 21st wedding anniversary with his wife in December and going back to school to further his education. Leno is looking ahead but will utilize the skills and his gifts from the past to move himself forward.

“Resiliency, teamwork, and really applying the best of yourself has really gotten me to this point and will continue to help me do even more in the future. I’m excited about what’s ahead.”

You can follow Leno on Instagram.

M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this article.

They say that success leaves clues, and since 2021, Fit to Serve has covered, documented, and featured the strategies of success that have been shared by over 100 military leaders, servicemembers, and first responders. They must always be ready and go to great lengths to make sure they are.

Those that are considering a career in service could save themselves a lot of time and frustration by taking the clues that have been shared and integrated them into their own fitness plans so they could be fit to serve themselves on Day 1.

Develop Pullup Power

If you’re in need of help getting better at pullups, then the key is to do more. Beverly Hills Police Department Chief Mark Stainbrook is well admired for his proficiency with them, and he offered a simple plan.

“Do one pullup, then go down and do two pushups, and keep going until you need to rest,” Stainbrook explained. “If you can do 10 pullups and 20 pushups, then pyramid down, you’ll get your 20 pullups in the Marines Corps really easy.”

A Chest of the Century

If you don’t feel pushups are enough to build powerful pecs, you can add “century” workouts to your pesonal plan, as explained by retired US Air Force Technical Sergeant Chris Ferrell.

“You do every exercise until you reach 100 reps with a 30-45 second break between sets,” he said. If you perform 15 reps on the first set, start the next with 16. Keep that count going until you reach 100 reps. You then move on to the next exercise.”

Ferrell went on to share that he did this with all his training, but he emphasized the bench press, incline bench press, dips, and several other exercises for his chest, specifically.

Be a Murph Master

If you have been around military members or CrossFitters, then you are likely aware of the Murph workout. Named after the late U.S. Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, the workout calls for 100 pullups, 200 pushups, and 300 air squats, bookended by 1-mile runs. Using this workout can be a short for military readiness, and police officer Kailee Fessock

provided some advice that should be adhered to if you need to build up your ability to complete the legendary WOD.

“You can always scale it down,” Fessock said. “If you can’t do pullups, do assisted pullups with a band or ring rows. Just do what you can to finish.”

Sleep Sound

There has been a growing focus on the importance of sleep for overall wellness and to maximize the performance of those that wear the nation’s cloth. Dr. Tina Burke has spent years providing education on why resting matters to be fit to serve.

“We are seeing more athletes understand the weapon that is sleep,” she said. “Recognize how important it can be for you.”

Hacks that Burke had offered included making it a priority and setting up the environment to suit sleep. A nightly routine can also be a game changer.

“We don’t recognize how important our sleep routine for us as well,” she stated. “Small things like brushing your teeth, putting on pajamas at the same time, keeping environment in a good place that is conducive to sleep is very important.”

Keep a Straight Face

It isn’t just what you do but how you do it. Even in the face of extreme adversity or discomfort, staying strong matters. This is especially true for the US Marines World Famous Body Bearers. Even as they perform their solemn duties while surrounded by those in mourning, they must remain stoic.

They develop this skill in the most intense fashion, while training. Even while performing upwards of 60 reps of barbell curls or running laps in a parking garage, they are reminded to now show signs of strain. Cpl. Jacob Dorton and Cpl. Kent Place explained that this is intentional and reinforced so they are always ready and can honor those they lay to rest with the honor that is deserved.

Dorton said, “It is very important that they can maintain their faces while pushing themselves because they cannot show any emotion or strain while they are performing their duties.”

Place added, “This is the family’s worst day, which is why we must always be at our best.”

Follow the Principles of H2F

Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) is a system that has been a key in helping the US Army provide support for soldiers through the five domains: physical, mental, nutritional,

spirtual, and sleep. This is good news, but there is better news, you can start paying attention to these domains now and increase your confidence as you get closer to active duty.

Major General John Kline feels H2F and those that adhere to it could be akin to a tactical athlete, a military equivalent of a professional athlete.

“If you look at some pro teams, it’s been going on for a while. At the collegiate level, it’s been going on for over 20 years,” he explained. “We want our soldiers to be like athletes.”

Keep Pushing

Even when the workouts get tough and the motivation is waning, that is when you must remain steadfast and keep giving your all. Those in service shine when faced with challenges, physical or otherwise.

To help develop this skill, learn from retired Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEAC) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Troxell. His philosophy has served him throughout his career and well into retirement.

““I call it PME Hard—Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally Hard,” he explained. We have to train ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally to be best-prepared for the worst possible situations. The people that were with me on those tours, and those I led, needed me to be my best, and vice versa. So, I made sure to work out as hard as I could in all facets.” You can read more about Fit to Serve here.