By LAURA LEONARD
Doctor of Chiropractic
Los Alamos
For those of you who have been through basic military training, rucking is all too familiar and might bring back memories of terrible blisters.
For us civilians, rucking is defined simply as walking with a weighted backpack. Seems like a weird way to exercise right? What if I told you that rucking might be the easiest and fastest way to build strength and improve cardiovascular fitness for really busy people.
No more are the fancy gym memberships that you never have time to use. The icing on top, exceptional mental and social benefits. The best thing about rucking is that you can integrate it into your regular routine. Wear the pack while walking the dog, taking the kids to the park and during your daily walk with a friend or your spouse.
According to the Go Ruck company website, compared to walking, rucking gives you more of everything fitness wise. The added weight of the backpack intensifies the effort required to walk, resulting in a higher average heart rate, more calories burned and increased strength over time.
The beautiful thing about rucking; it engages the muscles of the legs, core, back and shoulders far more than walking alone. As you take each step, your postural muscles contract in order to keep you balanced. In addition to this, your upper back muscles contract while the chest is stretched out counteracting the sitting posture you have been in all day.
The biggest myth about rucking is that it is bad for your low back. Bad posture, too much sitting and weak core muscles are bad for your low back. When you are carrying a rucksack correctly; your core is engaged and your upper back is activated, placing far less stress on your spinal discs than you would expect. Sitting also increases disc pressure by 20-40 percent more than standing, this number is even higher when we slouch (Li & Kwong, et al., 2022). A well-fitting backpack with evenly distributed weight and neutral posture is key here. Once I began rucking, I quickly realized I needed to make a few tweaks. This is why it’s crucial to start out short and light.
After my first ruck, I invested in flat weight plates about the size of a laptop to solve the weighting issue. I also made sure to choose a pack that fit snugly, had good padding and included a waist strap. In addition, I have learned to be mindful about not leaning forward and keeping my eyes ahead.
The good news is, walking with added weight can burn up to three times more calories than walking alone. This is close to what we burn while jogging. The benefit of rucking over jogging is that the impact on your knees and other joints is far less.
Rucking at a moderate pace (3.5-4 miles/hour) is as convenient as running but results in less injuries and is easier to do with others. Depending on fitness level, age and size, the weight you carry may be different for everybody, which equalizes the playing field. This means less worrying about keeping the pace up. Best of all, rucking gets you outdoors which we all need more of (goruck.com).
In military training a rucking session might be 4 plus hours in length with a rucksack weighing 80-100lbs. This type of overtraining tends to cause high rates of overuse injuries (Poel, 2016).
Recreational rucking does not have the same goals as military training. If you are interested in exploring this fitness method further, I have summarized the following tips to get started, which I borrowed from goruck.com. Of course, consider your health history and consult with a healthcare provider regarding the appropriateness of any new fitness program for you.
Remember, if your muscles are moderately sore from a workout that’s ok. Feeling like you are injured is another story.
Steps to Start Rucking Safely:
1. Choose the Right Backpack: You will want a sturdy backpack with padded straps and a padded hip belt that closely fits your torso for even weight distribution. The backpack should be large enough to carry the necessary weight and still fit your torso.
2. Select Your Weight: Beginners might start with a weight of 10-20 pounds, gradually increasing as they become more accustomed to the activity. You can use weight plates, sandbags, water bottles or other heavy objects to load your backpack. A general rule of thumb is to make sure the weight is evenly distributed in the pack and not all in the bottom. Finally, I believe we should carry no more than 1/5 of our body weight for fitness rucking. The Go Ruck guideline is no more than 1/3.
3. Proper Technique: Maintain an upright neutral spine posture and engage your core muscles. Take shorter strides than you would during casual walking, as this will help maintain balance and reduce strain on your lower back. Neutral spine posture is chin slightly tucked back, eyes ahead, pelvis slightly tucked under so the core is engaged.
4. Gradual Progression: Just like any fitness activity, it’s important to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your rucking sessions. This approach helps prevent injuries and allows your body to adapt. The general rule of thumb is to start with a mile two times per week increasing the number of days first and then distance. Aim for 15 to 18-minute miles, if you are much slower than that, you may need to reduce weight. Also consider the type of terrain you will be using. Sidewalks are much less demanding than technical trail and uphill routes will be much more challenging.
5. Footwear and Equipment: Invest in a pair of comfortable, supportive shoes that provide adequate cushioning and grip for walking on various surfaces. Once your weight goes above 20lbs you may consider investing in a rucksack and weight plates specifically designed for fitness rucking. Depending on the type of terrain you are covering and how much you are carrying, you may want hiking boots for added ankle and foot support.
References:
Go Ruck, 2023, www.goruck.com.
Li, J. Q., Kwong, W. H., Chan, Y. L., & Kawabata, M. (2022). Comparison of In Vivo Intradiscal Pressure between Sitting and Standing in Human Lumbar Spine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Life (Basel, Switzerland), 12(3), 457. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12030457
Poel, Daniel N. (2016). The Effects of Military Style Ruck Marching on Lower Extremity Loading. Theses and Dissertations. 1526. https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/1526
Dr. Leonard’s practice focuses on posture and performance using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments & exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, self-care & body awareness to manage themselves in between visits. LA Chiropractic Center is at 557 Oppenheimer Dr. Suite 100.