Rucking has emerged as an effective and sustainable form of exercise for those looking to lose weight. It combines the benefits of walking with the added resistance of carrying weight. Rucking burns calories, builds muscle, and improves cardiovascular health-all while being low-impact and accessible to most people. Rucking engages muscles in the legs, core, back, and even the shoulders. The more muscles you engage during exercise, the more energy your body uses, leading to a higher calorie burn.
Understanding Rucking
First, let's clear the fog. Rucking is essentially walking with a weighted backpack, known as a ruck sack. While its roots lie in military training, where soldiers build endurance and resilience by lugging heavy loads across harsh terrain, its appeal has shifted to everyday fitness enthusiasts. Rucking offers a unique blend of cardio, strength training, and mental resilience, making it a versatile workout with potential benefits for all fitness levels. The term ‘rucking’ comes from military members carrying weighted rucksacks during boot camp trainings. Rucking or ruck marching prepares soldiers for real-world scenarios where they must carry heavy loads for long distances and prolonged time.
Benefits of Rucking for Weight Loss
Rucking's combination of cardiovascular and resistance training makes it a highly effective exercise for weight loss.
Calorie Burning
Rucking burns more calories than walking because of the added weight. The extra resistance forces your muscles to work harder, increasing your energy expenditure. For example, a person weighing 180 pounds might burn around 100 calories per mile while walking. Carrying a ruck increases your energy expenditure significantly compared to regular walking. This translates to a more efficient workout, burning more calories in less time. Whether your goal is weight loss, fat burning, or simply boosting your metabolism, rucking can be your calorie-crushing ally. Imagine turning your daily walk into a fat-burning furnace - that's the metabolic magic of rucking.
Muscle Building and Preservation
Rucking engages large muscle groups such as the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core, helping you build muscle as you burn fat. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest.
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One of the challenges of traditional cardio exercises is the risk of muscle loss when you’re trying to lose fat. Rucking also builds muscle, especially in your lower body - but it also taps into your shoulders, back, and core to support the added weight.
Cardiovascular Health
Rucking gets your heart pumping, and aerobic exercise is great for cardiovascular health, helping prevent heart disease - a major global cause of death. Rucking improves VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise, leading to better cardiovascular health and overall fitness.
Low-Impact Exercise
One of the biggest challenges in weight loss is finding a form of exercise that is sustainable and doesn’t lead to burnout or injury. Unlike high-impact exercises like running, rucking is gentler on your joints. This makes it an attractive option for individuals with joint pain, older adults, or anyone recovering from injuries. The cushioned ground beneath your feet absorbs shock, while the weight on your back helps maintain good posture, reducing strain on your knees and ankles.
Full-Body Workout
Rucking is a full-body workout, meaning it engages muscles in the legs, core, back, and even the shoulders. The more muscles you engage during exercise, the more energy your body uses, leading to a higher calorie burn. Every step challenges your core, legs, and shoulders, building strength and endurance like no ordinary walk.
Mental Toughness
Rucking isn't just about physical prowess, it's a mental marathon as well. Pushing yourself with a loaded pack builds grit, determination, and mental resilience. Every hill conquered, every bead of sweat shed, becomes a testament to your inner strength. Imagine facing daily challenges with the confidence of a seasoned ruck runner - that's the mental fortitude built on the rucking trail.
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Social Component
Unlike may other physical activities done for weight loss, rucking can be done in a manner that allows individuals of different fitness levels to participate together. A more fit person can simply add more weight in their ruck in order to maintain a pace appropriate for a less fit person. And, since rucking is done while walking, it allows for a pace adequate for holding a conversation. Rucking with others can also add a level of accontabilibty that can aid in reaching your weight loss goals.
Getting Started with Rucking
Here’s how to start rucking:
Choosing the Right Weight
The weight in your rucksack will determine the intensity of your workout. If you’re new to rucking, start with a light weight-around 5 to 20 pounds. This allows your body to adapt to carrying extra weight without overloading your muscles and joints. A good starting load is about 15 to 30 pounds for most people, but also said to use common sense when starting out. If you find the weight is too low, you can add from there. As you get started, try rucking with items you already have, such as exercise gear, water bottles, or even bags of rice on your next walk.
Distance and Pace
While starting with shorter distances is important, increasing your distance over time will help you burn more calories and build endurance. Rucking is not about speed; it’s about endurance. The key is to maintain a steady, moderate pace that keeps your heart rate elevated without overexerting yourself.
Heart Rate Zones
To optimize fat burning, aim to keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone, which is typically 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. In Zone 2, you train at an easy-to-moderate intensity where conversation is still possible, corresponding to around 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.
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Incorporating Incline
Rucking on hills or inclines increases the intensity of your workout, helping you burn more calories in less time.
Tracking Progress
Tracking the calories you burn during rucking can help you stay on track with your weight loss goals. Use a fitness tracker to monitor your pace, distance, duration and weight load, so you know when it’s safe to push yourself further.
Maximizing Weight Loss with Rucking
While rucking can help you burn calories, weight loss ultimately comes down to creating a calorie deficit-burning more calories than you consume.
Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet rich in whole foods is essential for supporting your rucking workouts and fueling weight loss.
Protein Intake
Prioritize protein to help preserve muscle mass while in a calorie deficit.
Hydration
Rucking is a demanding physical activity, so staying hydrated is crucial.
Caloric Deficit
If weight loss is your goal, you’ll need to adjust your caloric intake to ensure you’re in a deficit.
Consistency
Consistency is key when it comes to weight loss. Rucking is an effective form of exercise, but results will only come with regular practice. Aim to ruck 2-3 times per week when starting, and gradually increase the frequency as your endurance improves.
Choosing the Right Gear
Invest in a good backpack: A comfortable and well-fitting backpack is crucial for rucking. Look for a backpack with adjustable straps and a good weight distribution system to ensure a comfortable and safe rucking experience.
Rucksacks have inserts or netting to hold specially designed ruck weights higher and tighter on your back. They also have padded shoulder straps and a chest strap. The sack evenly distributes weight on your spine with minimal bouncing or shifting of weights. Some rucksacks have extra exterior handles, so you can use the weighted sack like a kettlebell or dumbbell while doing lunges or overhead presses.
If you want to make sure you enjoy rucking before purchasing a specially made rucksack, Dr. Kampert suggests using a well-stitched backpack that’s sturdy enough to hold a heavy load. The backpack should also have wide, comfortable shoulder straps and a chest strap or waist strap to minimize bouncing. Weighted items you can put in your backpack include:
- Books.
- Bottled water.
- Bricks.
- Canned goods.
- Plastic bags filled with sand, cat litter, rocks or soil.
Integrating Rucking Into Your Routine
Rucking has long been a foundation of military fitness: Soldiers are often required to carry heavy gear over long distances, cultivating a love-hate relationship with the exercise among groups such as the Navy SEALs. You don't need to be in the Army Special Forces or the CrossFit Games to try rucking. A common mistake is leaning too far forward to offset the weight, which you can avoid by keeping your hips underneath your torso.
Rucking as a Middle Ground
While I’m not ready to throw in the towel on jogs, rucking provides a much-needed middle ground between a leisure walk and a strenuous run.
Making it Enjoyable
While treking around, I could catch up on podcasts or audiobooks, and it barely felt like exercise.
Rucking for Parents
If you’re a parent who wants to exercise, you’ve likely been told to just plop your child in a stroller and go for a walk. But that may not be challenging enough for you. You also may not want to splurge on an expensive hiking carrier or jogging stroller. Rucking strikes the perfect balance of intensity and manageability.
Potential Drawbacks
While undeniably effective, rucking isn't without its considerations. Improper form, using excessive weight, or ignoring fatigue can lead to injuries. Consulting a qualified professional for training guidance and starting with a light backpack is crucial. Additionally, pre-existing medical conditions may require medical clearance before embarking on a rucking routine. Remember, listen to your body, seek expert advice, and prioritize safety over pushing your limits too soon.
Unless you have painful bone or joint issues, rucking is generally a safe and effective workout for people of all ages and fitness levels.