You snooze you lose?
Rucking is an aerobic exercise that can improve your heart and lung health.
If you plan on rucking outside at night or very early in the morning, carry a torch for visibility. And if you're going alone, make sure you inform someone of your route and what time you expect to return home.
Sources: (National Geographic) (Peloton) (Cleveland Clinic)
See also: The life-changing ways exercise modifies your brain
For a more comfortable experience, try a weighted vest or an ergonomic backpack with a waist belt to distribute the load.
If you've been rucking for a while, you may want to do some push-ups, lunges, or crunches during the break intervals.
Before you put on your weighted backpack, prepare your shoulders, upper back, and neck with some mobility work.
Interval rucking involves hard walking effort with a weighted backpack before removing it and taking a short break. You may wish to complete three intervals of 15-minute rucks with three minutes of rest in between.
Try slotting rucking into your existing fitness regime. You could do it while walking the dog or during weekend hikes.
If you have a history of injury, particularly related to the knees or lower back, it's best to speak with a healthcare provider before you get started with rucking.
Rucking is generally a safe and effective workout for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Although rucking is typically done outdoors, you can also do it on a treadmill, elliptical, or stair climber when the weather is poor.
Like other forms of physical activity, rucking releases endorphins, which can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Plus, you can get an extra boost from being outside.
According to research, rucking burns up to three times more calories than walking without a weighted pack.
A 2019 study found that 10 weeks of walking with weights alongside resistance training improved participants' physical performance and perceived rate of exertion.
In a study involving participants aged 65 to 74, weighted step exercises improved leg muscle strength, power, and functional abilities.
Increasing the frequency and intensity of each component of rucking simultaneously can lead to injuries and setbacks. Instead, try increasing just one element at a time by about 10% each week.
When you set off with your weighted rucksack, maintain an upright posture with your shoulders back. Choose a pace that feels comfortable or challenges you, depending on your goals.
If you're new to rucking, it's best to start off with a light load. Loading up your bag with heavy weights at the onset could lead to injuries like stress fractures.
Consider investing in a fitness tracker to monitor your pace, distance, duration, and weight load so you know when it’s safe and appropriate to push yourself further.
If you don't have workout weights, you can add books, bottles of water, canned goods, or bricks to your rucksack.
A stress fracture is an overuse injury. It happens when a physical activity, like rucking, puts too much pressure on a bone and it doesn’t have enough time to recover.
You can load your bag with dumbbells, barbell plates, or weighted sandbags. Exercise rucksacks have specifically designed weights that fit into the interior pockets.
Rucking is walking a predetermined distance while carrying a weighted pack on your back. Rucking focuses on three components: the amount you can carry; the number of miles/kilometers you can cover; and the number of minutes or hours you can walk.
Backpacks are typically roomier than rucksacks, as they're built to carry lots of items like jackets, food, sunscreen, and water bottles.
Some rucksacks have extra exterior handles, so you can use the bag like a kettlebell and do weighted lunges. Whether you choose a backpack or a rucksack, ensure it's sturdy enough to hold a heavy load.
United States Army infantry recruits must complete hours-long ruck marches as a test of physical and mental ability, and to prepare themselves for real-world scenarios where they must carry heavy loads for long distances and prolonged time.
"Rucking" comes from "rucksack," a durable backpack used for carrying equipment. It is also derived from "ruck marching," a practice used by militaries since the 7th century.
To get started, you'll need a rucksack or backpack, weights or heavy items, breathable clothing, and supportive walking shoes.
Rucking isn't just a workout for the upper body; it challenges the legs and core, too.
As we get older, bones lose density, and rucking is a great way to build stronger, more dense bones.
Rucking, or yomping or tabbing, is a form of exercise that involves walking or hiking while carrying a weighted backpack. Rucking originated from military training, but today it's a popular fitness practice due to its low impact and accessibility. It provides an efficient full-body workout and has numerous health benefits.
If you'd like to know more about the origins of rucking, its benefits, and how to get started with this simple exercise, click through the following gallery now.
Why you should try this simple military-inspired exercise
Add rucking to your workout routine
HEALTH Rucking
Rucking, or yomping or tabbing, is a form of exercise that involves walking or hiking while carrying a weighted backpack. Rucking originated from military training, but today it's a popular fitness practice due to its low impact and accessibility. It provides an efficient full-body workout and has numerous health benefits.
If you'd like to know more about the origins of rucking, its benefits, and how to get started with this simple exercise, click through the following gallery now.