Rucking for Health - The Apeiron Life Perspective
- Elizabeth Bradley, MS
- Aug 11, 2024
- 5 min read
What is it:
Compared to most animals, humans are relatively weak and slow. But the one capability we flourish in is carrying heavy loads over long distances, especially in hot weather. Our bipedal anatomy with springy arches, big butt muscles, and strong grip is made for carrying and moving stuff. While the famous book might say humans are "born to run," it is more accurate to say we're "born to carry."
Rucking involves walking or hiking with a weighted backpack. It is a low-impact, high-cardio exercise that combines the benefits of hiking and weightlifting. According to Jason McCarthy, the founder of the company GORUCK, it is "cardio for people who hate to run, and lifting for people who hate the gym." The term 'rucking' originates from the military, where soldiers carry heavy packs as part of their training. The weight can vary but typically ranges from 10 to 50 pounds, depending on the individual's fitness level and goals. The emphasis of rucking is not to get big like a bodybuilder, which isn't practical in the functional sense, but to get strong for everyday tasks so you can move efficiently and hopefully without injury.
Purported claims:
Adding weight to a walk increases the intensity of the exercise, forcing the body to engage more muscle groups. This makes rucking a great all-around workout. The fitness benefits of rucking include:
Increased cardiovascular fitness
Increased muscular strength and endurance
Increased bone density
Increased calorie burn
Improved mental health
What the science says:
Rucking increases the heart rate by combining walking with the added resistance of a weighted backpack. The heart works harder to pump blood, improving its efficiency over time. A small study with male participants who completed a 10-week physical training program consisting of resistance training and weighted walking resulted in a significantly improved rating of perceived exertion during the load-carriage task after training. The training program also increased the results in squat jump maximal force, push-ups, sit-ups, and estimated maximal oxygen uptake.
Rucking recruits multiple muscle groups simultaneously, promoting balanced strength development. A study with eleven female participants aged 65–74 independently completed a six-week individualized and progressive step exercise training program wearing a weighted vest. Following training, lower limb power output improved by 10–11%, with a corresponding 9% improvement in stair climb time and a 10% improvement in normalized stair climbing power. The study authors emphasized the beneficial effects of weighted stepping for the potential to prolong independence and prevent age-related health conditions such as sarcopenia. Carrying a weighted backpack requires more core and lower back stability than walking to maintain balance, proper alignment, and posture, making it a great way to strengthen the abdominal and oblique muscles and lower back muscles.
The weight-bearing nature of rucking can help increase bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, which increases as we age. A long-term study with post-menopausal women found that weighted vest plus jumping exercise maintains hip bone mineral density by preventing significant bone loss at the age when women have a higher risk of osteoporosis.
As we all know, the heavier you are, the more calories you burn when you exercise. Therefore, adding a backpack that carries extra weight will increase your calorie burn. A person is estimated to burn two to three times more calories with weighted walking than when strolling without a backpack. How many calories you burn depends on how much extra weight you carry, the terrain’s difficulty (flat, trail, hilly, etc.), and how efficiently you move. Beginners usually use more energy than advanced exercisers.
Research clearly shows that time in nature is good for our mental health. Exercise boosts our feel-good hormones like endorphins, but when we combine exercise with time outdoors, mental benefits, such as lowered stress levels and blood pressure, seem to increase even further. One recent study showed that a 30-minute walk in nature could decrease ruminative thinking (a persistent and repetitive pattern of self-focused, negative thinking) in healthy participants, whereas walking in a city did not. In addition, nature walks significantly reduced negative mood and elicited more awe and more externally oriented thoughts than the city walk. An Australian study says that visits to outdoor green spaces of 30 minutes or more at least once a week could reduce depression and high blood pressure by up to 7% and 9%, respectively. According to a recent Spanish study, spending time outdoors is related to lower anxiety, depression, loneliness, and tiredness and a higher likelihood of happiness.
Our take:
Rucking adds the element of weighted resistance to aerobic activity, offering a unique combination of cardiovascular and strength benefits. This type of movement is a versatile and effective way to enhance overall fitness, suitable for a wide range of fitness levels and goals.
Will this benefit you?
Yes. Rucking is easy to do just about anywhere. Rucking can help improve core, hip, and lower-body strength in addition to the cardiorespiratory benefits of walking. According to the American Lung Association, we spend about 90% of our time indoors daily. Rucking is a great way to exercise and spend more time in nature and away from our desks and offices in front of the screens.
If you’re still interested, here’s what to keep an eye on:
As good as rucking might sound, there are drawbacks and risks you should consider before starting this activity. Evidence shows that carrying weights changes gait mechanics, which impacts the ankle, knee, and hip joints. If you already have issues with your lower body joints, rucking could exacerbate them. People with structural back issues such as severe scoliosis, herniated discs, or shoulder problems such as tendinitis should also pay close attention to how they feel. Adding extra weight to your already compromised posture or muscular dysfunction could make it more vulnerable. A study with army cadets showed that ruck marching with load increases lower extremity peak impact forces and loading rate and decreases ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion strength, which are all related to bone stress injuries.
You should always start with light weights. A person weighing less than 150lbs, without experience in rucking, could start as low as 3-8 lbs and slowly work their way up as their fitness improves. In the first couple of weeks, the distance should be short, no more than a couple of miles. Always use a back bag that is well-fitted for your body size and type and has wide, cushioned shoulder straps. A waist belt is also a good idea for distributing weight evenly. You might also choose a weighted vest as some people find them more comfortable. Vests distribute the weight between your front and back, which may feel more comfortable at the beginning. However, some people find the weight at the front inhibits breathing and changes your posture to more forward-leaning, making it less practical. There are specific gear made for rucking, such as GORUCK, but you can always start with a sturdy backpack filled with a bag of sand. Using proper shoes with good traction and support can prevent foot injuries. Since rucking is a relatively intense workout for your muscular and cardiovascular systems, you should give yourself enough recovery between the workouts.
References and further reading:
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