“Rucking”: What is it and how does it transform your body? – Healthy digestion

You’ve seen the hashtag #goruck on TikTok. Or maybe you haven’t. CrossFitters will include rucking as part of their WOD (workout of the day) or supplemental exercise to keep them in shape. GQ loves running so much it named rucking the workout of 2024.

Rucking comes from the military. Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) cadets must complete a 12-mile ruck march with 35 pounds of gear—including a rifle. Arguing for ordinary citizens is not quite so extreme. Male CrossFitters might add 20 pounds to their weight vests, while women add 14 pounds, and a 12-mile run isn’t in their plan. Sometimes they go for a mile and then complete 50 squats and 25 push-ups – and then repeat.

You don’t have to do CrossFit to be a geek either. Some people just put books, bricks or weight plates in a backpack and go for a walk. When you think about it, you’re probably already cringing if you’ve ever carried a heavy load on your back around town, an amusement park, or an airport. Adding weight to your body can help you build muscle, and you may also find that running can improve your posture.

If you’ve ever carried a heavy backpack, you may notice that the backpack itself helps pull your shoulders back for better posture. The extra weight makes it harder to lean forward because it throws you off balance. Rucking helps you walk more efficiently while creating more stability in your shoulders. You will also strengthen the muscles in your back, core, legs and glutes.

Running with a weighted vest can also improve your cardiovascular system, according to a 2022 article in Ergonomics. People who ran with a heavy vest on a treadmill had a 7% higher heart rate and needed more oxygen to keep running. They also said it made running more difficult. Running with a heavy vest caused them to burn more calories. Because their heart rate was higher, they burned more carbohydrates but less fat during exercise.

Exercising with a weight vest is also good for older adults to prevent age-related muscle loss. In a 2018 study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11 women between the ages of 65 and 74 participated in a step exercise program while lifting weights three days a week for six weeks. They improved their leg strength by up to 11%, which helped them climb the stairs 9% faster.

If you want to try riding a bike, you probably don’t need to go to the store. Any rucksack will do, although the extra straps and padding of a hiking rucksack might make it easier to carry heavy loads over longer distances. Some backpacks are specially designed to pack and even have weight plates to fit easily into the pack. If you’re using dumbbells, books, or bricks, be sure to wrap them in towels or other forms of padding so they don’t pinch your back. It also helps if you can keep the weight higher on your back.

While the amount of weight you use will depend on your fitness level, GoRuck recommends starting with 10 to 20 pounds if you can walk a mile in less than 20 minutes. You will use less weight if it takes you longer to walk a mile. Your first workout can be a 2.5 mile walk at 17 to 20 minutes per mile. For next week, try for 3 miles. Do only one workout a week for the first two weeks, especially if you’re new to fitness. You can gradually go to two exercises a week and start walking with power.

Because many people are used to hunching their shoulders from sitting at a desk or looking at a smartphone, be aware of your posture and balance when you start hunching. It may be uncomfortable at first as your body gets used to the distribution of weight on your body.