Rucking Part 1: What Is It?

When I was in the best shape of my life, it wasn't from repetitive gym workouts or from vigorous sport. Now looking back, at age 56, the treadmill and tennis had their place but real results came from another activity. I have always been a walker and recent years has seen me turn that motor function to hiking, lots of hiking. But it was during a chunk of my 30's, that my fittest self came from rucking.

My old blue, sun-faded Invicta knapsack was a trusty friend in those days. By the way, we say "knapsack" in Canada but it is the same thing as a backpack or rucksack. I'll switch to rucksack from here on. I'd position a 30 pound dumbbell at the bottom of the rucksack and...drum roll please...go walking. That is the simple definition of rucking: walking with a weighted rucksack. 

It's not rocket science but it sure works. It is so accessible and has few barriers to get going. Since I was first into rucking, it has become extremely popular. There are now clubs, specialized equipment, and holistic associated workouts. We will cover all that and rucking's military origin in future blogs. Consider this your introduction to the practice and the amazing benefits it offers. 

In its simplest form, rucking builds strength and endurance. Character gets built along the way too. Rucking works because of its simplicity and it’s sustainable. You can ruck with friends, or do a quick 30 minutes if time is pressing. The choice of weight is up to you, scale up or scale down, depending on how fast and far you want to go. 

I have always detested running, but walking isn’t enough (probably one of the many reasons I gravitated to hiking). If you want to burn up to three times as many calories as walking, ruck instead. Rucking’s caloric burn is more in line with running, depending on the weight and pace.

Goruck.com writes extensively on this benefit, "Rucking is an ART. That’s Active Resistance Training. The good Sir Isaac Newton taught us that, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While rucking, the ruck is the action trying to fall to the ground, your muscles are the equal and opposite reaction to stop it. Without you, the ruck wouldn’t go anywhere. With you, it goes everywhere. And your muscles get stronger."

This next benefit should really appeal. We are all sitting way more than ever. Our backs our rounding as we stare at screens. With rucking, though, you’re forced to roll your shoulders back. It’s more comfortable with great posture, so rucking forces you to improve your posture, naturally. The weight rests close to your spine and your chest opens up. As your upper body adapts to rucking, it becomes more comfortable to maintain that posture in your daily life.

Lastly, the active part of rucking means your heart is pumping. Because of the weight, it’s pumping a little more than usual. And that is a really good thing. Best of all, you can do this with anyone, anywhere and at anytime.

All of this has inspired me to get at it again. As I type this, I have a planned outing with a few friends to walk 10km today. I will strap on my ruck and add 25 pounds. Experts recommend novices start with 20 pounds and do a moderate walk. Get comfortable with the resistance and feeling before attempting more. 

So mix up your workout by considering this quote from Paul Coelho, “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal.”

Coming Up: Ruck's Military Origins