Now, for experienced fitness enthusiasts, this shouldn’t really be a surprise, as rucking workout is one of the true greats, a tried and tested military-style fitness training routine that has since found a home in the more mainstream training culture.
You might be asking yourself right now – why is this so?! Well, rucking is generally seen as a cost effective and somewhat simplistic workout for anyone looking to build their physical and mental strength, stamina, and endurance. As a matter of fact, rucking is widely accepted as an effective weighted walking workout for anyone seeking low-impact conditioning and fat loss gains.
With rucking workout you don’t need any complex program, costly gym membership, and/or fancy gym equipment. All you need are two things, the first is a desire to go on a long walk, and the second is to go on that long walk with a weighted backpack.
It is this combination of simplicity and cost effectiveness that has drawn many tactical operators, athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness influencers to rucking workout.
The Beginner Rucking Guide
To understand what rucking is, you need to imagine you are going on a hike with a sturdy backpack and instead of stuffing your backpack with the usual accessories for an outdoor hike, you instead fill your rucksack full with weights. You then put on the rucksack, go outside and walk for a certain period of time or predetermined distance.
Rucking is that simple! Well, at least in the preparation. Many people get a quick dose of reality early on in their walk, as to how tough rucking workout actually is.
With rucking you are almost always guaranteed to experience a number of physical reactions and challenges including an increased heart rate, more calorie burn, enhanced endurance levels, and a greater demand on both your muscles and your body’s need to maintain proper posture throughout the walk.
Rucking is one workout that almost anyone can partake in. It is accessible to any fitness level and age which makes it a real go-to routine for cardio conditioning and endurance building in particular.
Why has Rucking Reemerged as a Workout Trend?
Some people say it was inevitable that the rucking workout would trend after awhile, that this is how it is with many fitness trends. While there’s an element of truth to this assertion, as fitness trends seem to follow a cyclical pattern at times.
However, there seems to be more tangible reasons why rucking would be in a higher demand by a cross-section of fitness enthusiasts from novice to advanced levels of expertise.
Rucking can serve as an alternative to your HIIT sessions thereby preventing burnout. Rucking also offer a viable alternative workout for anyone dealing with the complexities and consistency of training as well as joint pain concerns.
It’s no wonder why rucking workout is now greatly promoted in social media circles by hybrid, and tactical athletes in addition to endurance communities, and fitness influencers focuses on cardio conditioning.
What are the Fitness Benefits of Rucking Workout?
Rucking offers a number of fitness benefits, but there are five (5) main benefits that are worth mentioning here.
#1. Rucking for Fat Loss Gains
This is perhaps and arguably the most notable benefit of rucking. This outdoor walking workout will cause you to burn much more energy than a regular walking exercise.
With the weights added to your rucksack, your body will need to work extra hard in order to maintain proper posture during your walk, as the added weights will challenge the stability of your movement.
As your body works hard to balance the weights and maintain stability, you will consistently burn more calories and overtime you will lose body fat.
#2. Rucking for Strength Gains
While you are more likely to engage in different isolation exercises when you hit your local gym, you will train your entire body system when you engage in rucking. As you walk long distances with weights you will train your upper back, traps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, grip, and core,
#3. Rucking offers a Lower Impact Cardio Conditioning compared to Running
There are a number of people that want to engage in cardiovascular conditioning training, but experience a myriad of issues like recovery fatigue, joint discomfort, and pain.
However, with rucking you have an alternative low-impact training method that consistently challenges your cardiovascular health. If you are a newbie and on the heavy side, then rucking offers you a perfect beginners endurance workout regimen.
#4. Rucking Boosts Mental Toughness
Rucking is one workout that really tests your mental strength and resilience. Whenever you go on long distance weighted walks, you are compelled to maintain a certain level of discipline as you persevere in discomfort, but remain steadfast in your commitment to accomplish the walk.
This requires a great degree of mental toughness that an also serve you well in your everyday life. In addition to promoting mental resilience, rucking is said to be therapeutic as it is stress-relieving as well as meditative.
#5. Recovery from Rucking is Easy-ish!
Compared to high intensity workouts, it is easier and faster to recover from a rucking workout session. Rucking can therefore be combined with strength training for an even greater level of effectiveness. As a matter of fact, athletes are known to rely on rucking for their active recovery cardio conditioning routine.
How to Begin a Weighted Walking Workout
If you are ready to start a rucki g workout, don’t fall for the common mistake of overloading your rucksack with way too much dead weights. The best approach to beginning rucking is to start with moderate weights placed in a sturdy, tough backpack.
You can begin with between 10 to 20 pounds of weight and then walk for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Make sure you maintain a proper posture throughout your walk and wear a pair of reliable, supportive shoes. Your primary focus as a newbie into the world of rucking should be consistency and not intensity, the latter can come later once your body gets used to the routine. Note that you do not need to subject your body to a round of gruelling training as a newbie before the positive effects of rucking takes hold on your body and mind.
The Most Common Mistakes People Make when Rucking
As already mentioned, one of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to rucking is going heavy way too soon into their weighted walking workout.
It is important to note that heavy weights in your rucksack does not necessarily translate to better gains. The dangers of going heavy too soon include long-term injuries to your joints as well as damaged posture.
Speaking of posture, this is one thing that can easily be ruined by rucking if you allow it. When trying this military-style fitness training, you should not lean forward too much. You should try to maintain a proper posture which entails keeping your core engaged, chest tall, and shoulders neutral during your rucking workout.
Maintaining a good posture is nit just for aesthetics, but it is actually needed if you want to have an efficient and safe rucking session.
Is Rucking Right for Me?
Whether you are a newbie lifter, hiker, looking to use rucking for fat loss or an advanced tactical athlete, rucking is just a perfect sustainable cardio conditioning workout option that offers great results if done consistently and in the right way.
Compared to running, rucking offers a much lower joint impact cardio conditioning with an easier recovery and greater muscular stamina expectation. What’s more, rucking in comparison to running is a more sustainable workout in the long-run.
However, it is not unusual to find wthletes combining both running and rucking for a more balanced progressively attuned conditioning.
Final Thoughts
If nothing else, the rucking workout absolutely proves that effective training does not have to be complex in nature with expensive gym equipment and workout accessories.
Rucking is a sustainable workout that will help to build up your endurance levels, muscle strength, and mental toughness while also burning calories along the way.