Anyone here do rucking?

[FREE866]

I've been reading great things about this exercise?
anyone with experience that could share would be appreciated
thx

 

[MarieIG]

The closest I've come is a 12 pound pink vest which I wear walking around the house.

I have seen a few podcasts regarding the health benefits of rucking. My sons have rucked in conjunction with their military training and based upon that, I would suggest not running up and down steep terrain, in poor light, heavily weighted down. The proper balancing/ placement of the rucksack seems to be a big factor and starting off lightly on flat terrain and gradually increasing slope/ weight might reduce risk of injury.

 

[FREE866]

Thank you Mariel. The reviews of it I'm reading sound great.....Just doing research for now, but will talk to my PT first before rushing into anything that might hurt me

 

[Chuckanut]

For many years I did my own version of rucking. I would fill a couple of plastic milk containers with water, put them in my hiking pack, and proceed to walk the hills in my community. If the weight was too much, I poured some of water out. If it got thirsty, I drank some of the water. It’s a good way to get into hiking shape.

 

[FREE866]

For many years I did my own version of rucking. I would fill a couple of plastic milk containers with water, put them in my hiking pack, and proceed to walk the hills in my community. If the weight was too much, I poured some of water out. If it got thirsty, I drank some of the water. It’s a good way to get into hiking shape.

Yeah, I've read about people doing "home made" ways of doing it like that. I'm still researching it, but I might buy an actual vest designed for it that I think carries sand or weights. Just want to be careful as I tend to overdo stuff. thx for responding Chuck? or do you go by Nut ?

 

[Just_Steve]

No rucking since 1979, uncle sam cured me of ever doing that again.

 

[Chuckanut]

Yeah, I've read about people doing "home made" ways of doing it like that. I'm still researching it, but I might buy an actual vest designed for it that I think carries sand or weights. Just want to be careful as I tend to overdo stuff. thx for responding Chuck? or do you go by Nut ?

Actually, my last name is Anut. Maybe.

 

[GBcycling]

I still backpack a couple times a year so I do some rucking mixed in with my walks. Put about 15 or 20 lbs in a day pack and go. Great for the legs. Agree, do not run with a pack, that's for youngsters.

 

[Dtail]

Never heard of it but interesting.

 

[Ronstar]

Not rucking per se. But I normally hike with a backpack full of camera gear. Not sure of the weight.

 

[marko]

Never heard this word before. Thought the thread was about something else..

 

[tutan]

Have done it unplanned mostly while hiking..collected some pretty rocks - lava, obsedian, shells, jade?, etc.

 

[FREE866]

PSA:

Rucking is a straightforward and highly effective exercise: it's simply walking (or hiking) while carrying a weighted backpack (often called a rucksack or "ruck") on your back.


What started as military training—soldiers marching long distances with heavy loads to build endurance for real-world scenarios—has become a popular civilian workout. It turns a regular walk into a full-body session combining low-impact cardio with strength training.

 

[SnowballCamper]

No rucking since 1979, uncle sam cured me of ever doing that again.

Similar here. Lots of rucking from 1992-2012ish. The marketing of "military" fitness amazes me. The long term detrimental musculoskeletal effects are not trivial. Of course some people just have the genes, and will thrive on it for their entire lives, or let you believe they do.

 

[FREE866]

Similar here. Lots of rucking from 1992-2012ish. The marketing of "military" fitness amazes me. The long term detrimental musculoskeletal effects are not trivial. Of course some people just have the genes, and will thrive on it for their entire lives, or let you believe they do.

Can you elaborate a little more?
Any cons to this exercise would be appreciated
thank you

 

[hesperus]

I've been reading great things about this exercise?
anyone with experience that could share would be appreciated
thx

Yes, I have tried it. It is basically fast walking with a weighted backpack. Good for endurance and surprisingly tough on the legs and core. Start light and build up slowly. It is simple but effective.

 

[srblanco7]

Have not tried but did look into it a bit. I believe the rule of thumb is to start with a weight that’s roughly 10% of your body weight.

 

[street]

Not rucking per se but like others have mentioned a pack is on my back many days of the year. With different weights put yes that extra weight does make the body work differently and much more of a challenge.

Interesting thanks.

 

[engineernerd]

I tried it with an inexpensive rectangular 10-lb. "rucking weight" bought on Amazon (bought a pair but started with just one), tied into a cheap freebie backpack I already had. Cheapwad approach that probably didn't do it justice.

The first thing I noticed was it made my back sweatier (the weather at the time was warm).

The second thing I noticed was it pulled back on my neck and shoulders in a way that caused pain there.

The third thing I noticed was that just in those couple of outings the weight had rubbed almost through the backpack fabric at the bottom corners of the weight plate.

Decided to chuck the whole idea since it seemed like a fad to me. But if you do try it, I recommend better equipment.

 

[Sunset]

Have not tried but did look into it a bit. I believe the rule of thumb is to start with a weight that’s roughly 10% of your body weight.

I've done it the natural way by gaining weight

 

[WhenIsItTime]

Careful how you choose your gear and where you walk.

In January 2023, a man rucking prompted a 911 call and a police response after his weighted workout vest was mistaken for a device carrying explosives

 

[YB88]

Funny how language evolves. When I did this stuff in the Army I don't recall the word 'ruck' being used; maybe it was and I've forgotten.

The German word for 'backpack' is 'rucksack', which is where I think this term comes from (and I was stationed in Germany in the Army, FWIW). The German word 'Ruck' by itself just means 'back', so if you were going backward, a German would say you were going rückwärts.

In the long distance backpacking community a 'ruck' is an event, a gathering. ALDHA-West is the national organization for long distance backpackers, and they organize 'rucks' on a regular basis: https://www.aldhawest.org/rucks

I did 'weighted training' for long backpacking trips without having heard the term 'rucking' --- because I don't think it was in use that way at the time. I guess it makes sense.
The idea for my weighted training was along the line of Josephus' famous line about the Roman Army; if I recall correctly it was "Their drills were bloodless battles, so that their battles were bloody drills". Train well enough with weight before doing a long backpacking trip and your body adjusts to the trail more easily (never 'easy' but easier).

What was common in training for a climbing or scrambling trip was to use water as weight: hike up (and up) to some high point with containers of water in your pack, then dump the water out at the top to limit knee stress on the way down.

What is now called 'rucking' is a fine idea in context, and particularly if not taken to the point of too much joint stress.

 

[MuirWannabe]

I do it via backpacking, carrying anywhere from 20lbs - 40lbs depending on food and water needs. The offset is the beautiful nature I’m experiencing while rucking it.

 

[audreyh1]

Never heard this word before. Thought the thread was about something else..

Rucking must come from rucksack which is German for backpack,

 

[marko]

Rucking must come from rucksack which is German for backpack,

I know. I was trying to be clever.