Rucking is gaining popularity as a useful way to enhance our walking routine and accelerate weight loss. This exercise combines the simplicity of walking with the added challenge of carrying weight, offering a full-body workout that's both effective and accessible. It is a great alternative to traditional cardio exercises like running or cycling, especially for people who are looking to challenge themselves in a different way.
What is Rucking?
Rucking involves walking with a weighted backpack or "ruck." The term originates from the military, where "ruck marches" are a standard part of training. This exercise isn't just for soldiers. It’s becoming a popular fitness trend for those looking to add intensity to their walks without the impact of running or the need for a gym. Rucking can be done anywhere - whether it's a walk around our neighborhood, a hike in the woods, or even a stroll through the city. The added weight increases the difficulty, making your body work harder and burn more calories.
Humans have carried food, water, supplies, and weapons for thousands of years, oftentimes on their backs. Wear a rucksack (loaded with some weight) and go for a walk. Rucking sounds like something that might land you in trouble if you do it in public. But walking with a weighted pack (What did you think rucking was?!) is an excellent full-body workout. It strengthens muscles, raises your heart rate and gets you moving outside. As a physical workout, rucking focuses on three components:
- Weight load. The amount of weight you can carry.
- Distance. The number of miles you can cover.
- Duration. The number of minutes or hours you can ruck.
How Rucking Helps in Weight Loss
Rucking can be a game-changer for weight loss. Rucking for weight loss is effective because it is one of the easiest workout routines to stay consistent with. Running is hard on your joints. Yoga classes are expensive. But rucking has tons of advantages for weight loss. It's low impact, so your joints don't take such a beating. Rucking is free (all you need is a rucksack and some weight). So rucking for weight loss is a good plan. We stand by it. Rucking is simple. If you want to lose weight, don't complicate things. Keep it simple. Simplicity fuels consistency (and you know how important consistency is for weight loss). The less you need to think about, the better. Here's how:
Increased Calorie Burn
Adding weight to our walk significantly boosts the number of calories burned. Carrying a 10-15% bodyweight load can increase calorie expenditure by up to 30% compared to walking without weight. Rucking with a backpack that weighs between 10-20% of your body weight is a cardiovascular exercise that can burn an average of 500-1000 calories in just one hour, making it an effective workout for weight loss comparable to running or cycling.
Read also: The Ultimate Rucking Guide
Rucking burns about 2-3X more calories than walking (you can use our rucking calorie calculator to figure out your own average calorie burn per hour). Your legs, back, shoulders, and core all play a role when you're carrying a heavy rucksack. If you want to train in heartrate zone 2, you should ruck.
Full-Body Engagement and Muscle Building
Rucking engages multiple muscle groups, including our core, shoulders, back, and legs. This full-body engagement means we're not just burning calories; we're also building muscle, which can further enhance our metabolic rate.
Building muscle burns calories. Remember that. When you ruck, you're using the large muscle groups of your legs, back, shoulders, and core. You'll probably feel some soreness after rucking (most beginners feel it in their back, shoulder, and leg muscles). That's a good thing. Well, your body is pretty good at repairing your muscles after a workout (which makes them stronger and bigger), but it requires a lot of energy. Rucking for weight loss is an easy choice because it has many of the same benefits as strength training.
Low-Impact and Sustainable
Unlike high-intensity workouts that may be hard to maintain, rucking is a low-impact exercise that’s easier on the joints. This makes it a sustainable way to keep active and lose weight over time, especially for those who may find running or other high-impact activities challenging. You're less likely to get injured from rucking than running.
Consistency is essential for weight loss. It means showing up every single day, staying locked in on your goals. If your goal is weight loss, rucking will keep you in the game longer because it's low impact. Running can be hard on your joints, especially your knees and hips.
Read also: Weight Loss Guide Andalusia, AL
Benefits of Rucking Beyond Weight Loss
While weight loss is a significant benefit of rucking, there are several other reasons to incorporate it into your fitness routine:
Improved Cardiovascular Endurance
Rucking improves cardiovascular endurance. Over time, this can lead to a stronger heart and lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Enhanced Posture and Stability
Carrying weight on our back requires us to maintain proper posture and engage our core, which can improve overall stability and reduce the risk of injury during other activities.
Mental Well-being
Like any form of exercise, rucking releases endorphins, the body's natural mood elevators. It also provides an opportunity to connect with nature or clear our mind, making it beneficial for mental well-being.
Improved Sleep Quality
Sleep is popularly known as a big factor in weight loss. Poor sleep is like poor nutrition: they both stress your body and lead to poor mental and physical performance. When you don't sleep good, you're likely to overeat and consume rich, sugary, processed foods. We always ruck outside, in the sunshine and fresh air. Exposure to natural sunlight while exercising--and breathing fresh air--will improve your sleep quality later on. Quality sleep isn't just about feeling fresh in the morning. It's a major ingredient when building a quality life.
Read also: Beef jerky: A high-protein option for shedding pounds?
Community and Accountability
Weight loss is hard, but it's a worthwhile goal. When we take on hard goals, it helps to have a community surrounding us. It's rare to meet a rucker who doesn't have a couple rucking buddies. They're easy to find at GORUCK Clubs, Events, and in Tribe 'n Training.
Military Roots and Effectiveness
Green Berets use the Ruck March as a pillar of training and all United States Army infantry recruits must complete hours-long ruck marches. Rucking has been a military fitness staple for decades.
How to Start Rucking
If you're new to rucking, it's essential to start slowly and gradually increase the weight and distance. What equipment do you need for rucking? A great thing about rucking is that the workout doesn’t require a gym membership or a major investment in equipment. Of course, supportive walking shoes and breathable clothing are always a must. Here are some tips to get you started:
Invest in the Right Gear
Invest in a quality backpack designed for rucking. These packs are built to distribute weight evenly across your back, reducing strain on your shoulders and spine. A backpack made for rucking is called a rucksack. Rucksacks have some advantages over regular backpacks when it comes to rucking, such as:
- Places designed specifically to hold weights high and tight on your back
- Spots for weights that help evenly spread the impact on your spine and prevent shifting
- Padded shoulder straps for more comfortable wear
- Chest straps to help hold the rucksack firmly to your body so it doesn’t bounce around
Some school backpacks may be bigger than rucksacks, and they may slide around as you walk or poke you in the back. Rucksacks are usually more compact and made for comfort during rucking. Some rucksacks also come with extra handles on the outside, so you can use them like a kettlebell or dumbbell while doing lunges or overhead presses. The sack evenly distributes weight on your spine with minimal bouncing or shifting of weights.
An alternative to a rucksack is a rucking vest. Rucking vests are made of sturdy material and have pockets for holding small weights. You can add or remove weights depending on how heavy you want the vest to be. Some vests are one-size-fits-all, and others come in sizes. You want a vest that fits well so it’s not shifting around as you walk.
Start Light
Begin with a weight that's about 10% of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 60 kilograms, start with a 6 kg load. As we become more comfortable, we can gradually increase our weight. You might start your initial ruck with 5 pounds and work your way up. Start with 5 to 10 pounds and work up from there. If you’re already in good shape, and 5-10 pounds feels too light, try walking with 10% of your body weight and build from there.
Exercise rucksacks have specially designed weights (usually flat and rectangular or square) that fit into the sack’s interior pockets. You can load a backpack with dumbbells, barbell plates or weighted sandbags. If you’re using household items, weigh them so you can track your workout progress. You may want to wrap the items in towels for cushioning.
If you’re using a regular backpack, you have many options for weighted objects that can add heft to your load. These include:
- Books
- Bottles of water
- Bricks
- Canned goods
- Plastic bags filled with sand, cat litter, rocks, or soil
If you add these household items, weigh them first to keep track of how heavy your pack is. You can also use dumbbells or barbell plates with a known weight. When you use a pack without special compartments for weights, wrap or cushion the items so they don’t shift or poke you as you walk.
Maintain Good Posture
Maintain an upright posture with your shoulders back and your core engaged. Avoid leaning forward or slouching, as this can lead to back pain. You should have good, upright posture while rucking. You don’t want to bend over at the waist from the strain of too much weight on your back.
Gradually Increase Intensity
As we get stronger, we can increase the weight or the distance of our rucks. Do not rush into this; increasing intensity too quickly can lead to injury. Dr. Kampert recommends increasing one component at a time by about 10% each week (depending on your fitness level and goals). Increasing frequency and intensity simultaneously can lead to injuries and setbacks. For instance, you might choose one of these strategies:
- Increase weights from 5 pounds the first week to 5.5 pounds the next week.
- Walk for 30 minutes the first week and 33 minutes the next week.
- Cover 2 miles the first week and 2.25 miles the next week.
Track Your Progress
Like any goal, you need to track your weight loss and rucking progress. Make a spreadsheet or use a notebook to document your starting rucking time, distance, and the weight in your rucksack. Write your starting bodyweight there, too. As a beginner, start with one or two rucks per week with 10-20% of your bodyweight on your back. Do just 1 or 2 miles your first few rucks, maintaining good posture and taking breaks when needed. Don't add more than 10% to your rucksack weight or distance/time per week.
Challenge Yourself
Don't forget to challenge yourself. Rucking builds confidence, and confidence leads us to try hard things. Embrace this mentality shift. Incorporate tough rucking workouts, sign up for Murph, and hold yourself accountable with a community. Challenging workouts (or events, like The GORUCK Challenge) are plateau-busters.
Nutrition Matters
Rucking will help you lose weight because rucking burns calories. But you can't ruck yourself out of overeating. Seriously, paying attention to your calorie intake is a gamechanger for losing weight. You can snack your way out of a caloric deficit, or push the limits with one heavy meal. If you're serious about losing weight, you must exercise and eat less. What's on your plate matters. Don't discount nutrition because you're exercising more. Weight loss is all about your calories out being greater than your calories in.
Find a Good Trail
Look for a well-maintained trail or park that is safe for rucking. This will ensure a more enjoyable and scenic rucking experience.
Is Rucking Right for You?
Rucking is a versatile and effective exercise that can help us lose weight, improve our cardiovascular health, and build muscle, all while enjoying the outdoors. Whether a seasoned athlete or just starting a fitness journey, rucking can be adapted to suit our level and goals.
Rucking is a good workout option for all fitness levels. If you’re someone who doesn’t currently exercise, start slowly. See how you feel walking without a rucksack before jumping into weighted walks. You need to be able to walk for at least 30 minutes without feeling tired or short of breath before adding the rucksack to the mix. When you’re ready to start walking with weights in your rucksack, use light ones first, even if you’ve already been doing other weight training. The strain your body takes on for rucking is different from targeted strength training exercises. Your goal is to walk a 20-minute mile or less while rucking. If you’re struggling to keep that pace, scale back on your rucksack weights. Once you’ve built up your endurance, challenge yourself by adding more weight or by walking farther or faster.
Considerations and Precautions
Like any workout routine, rucking can have some risks. Starting slow is a must, especially if you aren’t doing any exercise. Walking with a rucksack before your body is ready can add strain to parts of your body that aren’t ready for it, and can lead to injuries like stress fractures. Build up slowly as you go, starting with once or twice a week and eventually getting to rucking every other day. Keep your rucks short in the beginning, walking for about 15-20 minutes, and then add more minutes once that feels easier. Your shoulders and neck take a lot of the stress during rucking, so pay close attention to how they’re feeling as you go. Stretching workouts like yoga or different kinds of aerobic movements like swimming can help keep muscles loose on days when you’re not rucking. Don’t forget that all bodies need a rest day. Give yourself 1 day off a week to let your muscles recover. It’s also a good idea to mix in other activities like yoga or swimming. You should challenge your body in different ways and also take time to rest and recover.
It’s a good idea to check with your doctor before starting a new workout routine, especially if you have conditions that impact your movement or overall health. Rucking may not be for everyone. Take caution if you:
- Have a neck or back injury. Because of the specific stress a rucksack or weighted vest puts on neck and back muscles, be sure to clear it with your doctor if you’re nursing an injury in those areas.
- Have other injuries or chronic pain. Be sure rucking won’t make any current issues worse.
- Are pregnant. Many people ruck successfully while pregnant. But it’s important to check in not only with your doctor beforehand, but with your body as you go. Don’t overdo your weights, stay hydrated, and walk at a pace that feels comfortable.
The Importance of Consistency
Weight loss is simple because it only requires you to burn more calories than you consume. Because you can't just burn more calories than you consume for one hour, one day, or one week. Your food choices and exercise routine matter today. But they also matter next month. In other words, you need consistency.
You'll lose the most weight at the beginning of your journey. As your weight loss naturally slows down, you might be tempted to try something new. Remember: consistency is key! It's normal for weight loss to slow down. Stay on your path, because weight loss is about good habits and a lifestyle shift, not changing your approach at every setback or slowdown.
Muscle vs. Fat
Muscle weighs more than fat, and rucking builds muscle. As rucking becomes a bigger part of your life, your body will look more toned and stronger. This might slow down your weight loss. However, because rucking is a cardio workout, it's unlikely to make you gain big muscles and more weight.
Rucking: The Verdict
So, is rucking good for you? The answer is a resounding maybe. If you're looking for a challenging, versatile, and effective workout that builds strength, improves cardio, and strengthens your mental resolve, then rucking can be your fitness MVP. However, consider your fitness level, any medical conditions, and the importance of proper form and training guidance.
Ultimately, the decision to ruck rests on your shoulders, just like your ruck sack. But for those willing to embrace the challenge, the trail ahead promises a journey of physical and mental transformation, one heavy step at a time.
Real-Life Success Stories
We've been building the best rucking gear for over a decade, putting years of development into each product we make. We've heard enough success stories to know that rucking is effective for weight loss.
"I didn't start rucking until I was in my late 40s and desperately needed to change my lifestyle. I was obese, and presenting a host of related medical problems. The simpleness of rucking appealed to me. Throw on a ruck and walk. This may sound cliché, but rucking saved my life. I was late 40s, somewhere north of 340 pounds, pre-diabetic, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and all the rest. Through cycling and GORUCK, I lost the weight, built-up strength, and finished my first Tough at 51. I lost almost 150 pounds, and am in the best shape of my life. All my medical problems vanished."
"I ruck to heal my heart. Shortly after turning 40 l woke up one morning with chest pains and one ER visit later I end up with three stents in my chest. I was never an athlete and lived a decidedly unhealthy lifestyle, but rucking has helped me change all of that. I tried running but was never really able to go too far."
"Rucking has become a significant part of my life as I have successfully introduced it to my weight loss program. I have lost 80 lbs. and it's largely due to the rucking!" - J.