Odd question about military marching pace

[Tobus]

Couldn't find an answer to this with a Google search. Maybe someone here will know.

I've been watching the Sharpe Series via Netflix, and I'm actually enjoying them every bit as much as the books, even though they don't follow exactly the same story line.

Anyway, in one of the movies there was a segment where Sharpe and his Chosen Men were road-marching in loose formation. They would walk for perhaps 6 paces, then jog for 6 paces, alternating between the two. It seems like a pretty efficient way to cover ground without wearing out. Does anyone know what this style of marching is called? Does it even have an official name? It's not a quick march or a double march.

I've been trying it lately while hiking. My wife has been training a new trail horse, so she often breaks him into a trot and pulls far ahead of me on the trail. To catch up, I've been doing this alternating walk/jog thing. It's great exercise and really lets me improve my overall speed. But what is it called?!

[cryerelizabeth]

That does sound like a great way to boost speed. While I was in JROTC the closest thing to doing that was double-time march for a little bit, then calling quick-time march to go back to a walking pace. Another thing I have been doing with my national guard recruiter is that we run as fast as we can for 60 seconds, then walk for 2 minutes over and over again. But that wears you out after a little bit.

[Father Bill]

When I was a lad, the Boy Scouts referred to that as "Scouts' Pace" I don't think that the numbers were the same, but the walk some, jog the same concept was the basis of it.

[carlb]

In runners' circles it's usually called "The Galloway Method" after Jeff Galloway, a running guru who promotes an alternating run/walk pace as a way to increase the distance you can run while keeping away from injuries. He doesn't go for quite so short an interval; it's usually something like 3 minutes of running to one minute of walking (or more as you get fitter and faster). Certainly helped get me through my first half-marathon.

[fluter]

When I was a lad, the Boy Scouts referred to that as "Scouts' Pace" I don't think that the numbers were the same, but the walk some, jog the same concept was the basis of it.

If I recall correctly, the Scout Pace was 50 steps trotting, 50 walking. It's better for endurance than run/walk, but if you're training for speed there's probably a better way.

[Tobus]

When I was a lad, the Boy Scouts referred to that as "Scouts' Pace" I don't think that the numbers were the same, but the walk some, jog the same concept was the basis of it.

Excellent! When I Google that term, I find results that sound very similar. I'm seeing a wide range of intervals for walk/jog. Everything from 22 yards (roughly equivalent to 22 steps, I would imagine) to 100 steps. The interval they were using in the Sharpe movie seemed much shorter, but looks like the same concept.

From memory, The Rifle Brigade--Sharpe's outfit were part of that, but I can't remember the connection

Yep, Sharpe's outfit was the (fictional) 95th Rifles of the South Essex Regiment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Essex_Regiment

I know Mr. Cornwell did a lot of research in writing his books, and he usually did quite a good job of explaining any historical discrepancies at the end of his books. What I don't know is how accurate the movie portrayals were, in terms of uniforms, maneuvers, weaponry, etc. I would hope that they were historically correct in their costuming and such, and not taking the American Hollywood approach of making it look "cool" at the expense of history. I find the movies very entertaining and enlightening, though.

One disappointing part is that I see lots of kilted soldiers in the background, usually marching around in formation, but never becoming part of the main story line.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

Yep, Sharpe's outfit was the (fictional) 95th Rifles of the South Essex Regiment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Essex_Regiment

Not to diverge too far, but the 95th Rifles were a real regiment, and only the South Essex was fictional.

[Father Bill]

That sounds familiar, Fluter. Thanks!

[Jock Scot]

From memory, The Rifle Brigade--Sharpe's outfit were part of that, but I can't remember the connection-------march at 140 paces a minute whilst the rest of the British army march at 120 paces per minute. The faster pace of the Rifle Brigade was to cover more ground more quickly in their scouting and skirmishing role and were armed with rifled muskets rather than the smooth bore "Brown Bess" musket of the rest of the British infantry during the Napoleonic wars---"Sharpe's" time.

[PEEDYC]

In the Royal Marines we called this speed marching but we jogged for far longer then broke into a fast paced march. Now a nine mile speed march in full fighting kit is undertaken in less than 90 minutes as part of the Commando course to gain the coveted Green Beret.

The purpose has not changed :- To get a body of men from A to B in the shortest time possible and still have the energy for a fight at the end.