Guy was overweight. He got an empty backpack and would walk for his lunch hour. As he lost weight he added the same into his backpack. So if he lost 5kg of bodyweight he added 5kg to the backpack. When i met him and he told me his story he had 20kg in his backpack and he was walking briskly and strong.
I’m doing the same thing in reverse. I have loaded up the amount of weight I want to lose in my back pack. To realise how much excess I’m carrying around is very inspirational.
@@andycotterill9551I was up 60 pounds since getting out of the military. Took my kid bowling one day and realized I’m practically carrying five extra 12 pound bowling balls every go I’m down 25 pounds since then. Definitely can’t believe I let myself go like that
I started rucking a month ago at 70 years old and have been very pleased with the results. Using 40lbs for a couple of miles every other day mixed with stretching, balancing and 2 lb Indian club swinging.
40lbs… wow! Getting ready for a worlds backpacking trip or something 😂 What kind of balancing? I am curious as everything else seems to be a great idea
due to years of rucking incorrectly in the army, ive developed nerve pain in my legs from degradation in the discs in my lower back. have most of the weight on your shoulders. when you get tired, do not loosen the shoulder straps to shift the weight lower. this is especially important if you have a ruck with a frame and hip/lower back pad with waist strap.
This also works the other way around since during my time in the military i developed nerve damage in my shoulder due to having too much of the weight on my shoulders, for me it helped to put more of the weight on the hip belt. But i guess it really depends on the way your body is built and some people have weaknesses in different areas
@@BeastMcFeastI have backpacked for several years. Any injury is always due to poor posture and body type. For example, I have severe flat feet which means all the weight I carry impacts all my joints from ankles to knees to hips. This causes low back pain, overworked traps and shoulders, and labored breathing. My entire body feels it, unless I train at a slower pace with less weight on my back. Doing this for the military without consideration for body type and posture will affect solder’s health, fitness, and injury long term.
The weight is supposed to be carried mainly on your hips, that actually deloads the spine. If you've been doing it with the aim to keep the weight on your shoulders then it's very likely that's been making it even worse.
I've been doing this for about a year and it's a great uncomplicated way to get full body effects....I like to use bottles of water for the weight...cheap and available everywhere....also has the added bonus that if you get a bit too ambitious with the distance you can just empty as many bottles as you want to make the trip back a little less grueling but still complete the trip....kind of like doing drop sets in weight lifting
Carrying my one year old son in a carrier-seat rucksack for 5km every day helped me get in the best shape of my life a couple of decades ago. So yeah, I can confirm everything you said 👍
Wow, I never realized my school teachers giving me so many textbooks as a kid were actually trying to strengthen my joints and improve my endurance! Thanks Mrs Henderson!
I went on 250km of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela a few years ago and even though I ate all of the Spanish and Portuguese food I lost weight and got in great shape in a short amount of time. Highly recommend any hiking over several days. Doesn't even feel like a workout.
I have a unique Paramedic job which often entails walking around with a 15-20 kg backpack with medical equipment, I often take the stairs on purpose (Oh,and I am 61 yrs)
If you want a killer workout, intersperse your rucking route with calisthenics. Leave your ruck on or take it off and use the weight in other ways (overhead presses, bent rows). Three or four miles total, calisthenics every mile, two to three times per week.
It's honestly one of my favorite versions of cardio, I call it Zone 2.5 and it honestly has helped improve my low bar squat just like the Kang Squat and the front squat. Walking 7+ miles while fighting falling forward really helps you push into the bar
After 4 years of rucking with my back pack, "old trusty" finally gave up the ghost early this year, I switched to a weighted vest and belt combo to more evenly distribute the weight. It was almost like starting again with different muscles taking the weight. I'm looking forward to the strength adaptions this is likely to cause as much as enjoying the cardio.
Yeah it is a bit of a shock at first as the back pack will pull you upright and the vest will just try to pull you straight down. I notice it everytime on a mil exercises where you are using shrapnel vest and plates. Some ''new'' muscles are found everytime. Great for posture!
@@Seneca_creek I'm still adjusting to the vest. It was initially too much straight down on my shoulders (16kg) so I got a belt as well and that has helped with distribution. Also, I can split the setup if I want more challenging course with a lower weight i just wear the belt. Rucking with a pack for years has built my back (slowly, small adaptions, a little spot fat reduction) so I'm hoping for the same with chest. I was starting to get back niggles so I think I've made the right choice long term. BUT, don't skimp on cost! I made the mistake of buying a cheap sandbag set up and it fell apart.
@@Seneca_creek I have a weighted vest now. I much prefer it over my backpack. The backpack was killing my shoulders. The vest is much easier to use and more comfortable in my opinion.
Speaking anecdotally, nothing melts fat faster than weighted cardio-- be that walks, speed walks, or runs. It’s insane. Also, if you want to get faster at running, just do this. Again, insane results. Plus, you can always use a vest, too, for a really snug fit and the most even of weight distribution... and you'll look hardcore hahaha
I've been thinking about going on long walks with my backpack full of camping gear for the exercise. This video gave me the inspiration to go out and do it. I'll start tomorrow
I started rucking this year. I use a 20lbs sandbag, which is perfect for everyday walk. I tried with 30lbs but my knee began to hurt if I walked every day. It also helped me getting use to carry my 2y/o son on the trails!
Note for the middle aged or those approaching it, get trekking poles for downslopes to save your knees. Use them on upslopes to build upper body strength.
Also learn how to use one as a crutch to hobble on, in case you twist your ankle... The most common injury for a person moving quickly through the wood..
Hell yes. This one exercise was the key to my (more or less) recovery from POTS syndrome, as for a time, running was too high intensity for me. Thanks for covering this.
If you're carrying more than 10kg or for longer periods than one hour at a time, a hip belt is a must. Your hips can carry much more than your shoulders can, and it will be a lot less painful too (especially for beginners).
IV always enjoyed cross country running and decided to do the fan dance before my 60th birthday. Last month I achieved this and the build up was hill running in preparation for the mountain's to come. In my preparation I needed all the things that make up for ' rucking ' not realising that running would go straight onto the back burner ever since I completed the fan dance and haven't regretted the switch at all. Really good to see you cover the benefits of rucking.
I do this almost daily. Up the hill, pretty much first thing in morning, usually fasted. my v02 max improved by 6 points in 1 month. from 39 to 45 ml per kg of BW. My Legs didn't get much bigger but they feel much more dense and strong. Oh and obviously they have way more endurance. I'm fascinated by this way of training and yes it was hard at first but I got used to it pretty fast as you can see by my v02 max improvements. Yes I meassured it with an apple watch but I also feel more endurance so it probably is somewhat acurate. Rant done, now go for a ruck!
How is fasting helpful for you (since you mention it)? I did exercise a few times when fasting (not exactly planned to, but alas), but that usually just means I'm weaker, less motivated, easier tired and do noticeably less than if I actually ate breakfast a little bit earlier.
I have a 10kg weights vest that i wear on all my dog walks ( hikes ) and have being doing so for a while now. Feeling all the benefits Bioneer talks about here. It was tough in the beginning but now im a machine up those tough terrain hills. I shall start adding water in a ruck sack soon. Im also wearing vivobarefoot boots , you feel all the uneveness in the terrain and your calves really work. Highly recommend 👌
Hell yeah I'm going to start wearing my weight vest for dog walks. What a great idea to challenge my organism during those walks. Living in the city I won't be able to hike but the walks on the park are quite good enough. And there's some changes in inclination, so will be interesting :p
@@theadventuresofharryandwil2437 Exactly, it's something I do everyday for at least 30 continuous mins and find quite underwhelming as I usually have to go slowly for my dogs to have the time to enjoy their sniffing stuff and all hahah. Can't release them and go on my rythm, at least not always. So I might as well get some weight to work during that slow pace moments :D
@@theadventuresofharryandwil2437 Sometimes i walk backwards to make the walk a bit challenging, sometimes I run, but then my dogs go wild and sometimes get outta control :s
I did this last autumn to get ready for Scottish winter climbing. In the winter my rucksack weighs about 13kg, that's 20% of my bodyweight so a pretty serious amount. I found a local circuit of 6 miles with 2 steep ascents. I started with 5kg in my pack & every week added two more til I got to 13. I just used my climbing gear. I have an Aiguille Alpine rucksack made in UK & it fits so well the load feels about 2kg less than with most others I've tried.
a 20kg bag of decorative stone from B&Q comes in at under a tenner and it's a perfect size for a typical backpack/rucksack I use mine mainly for weighted pull-ups
@@mikesrandomchannel the stones will settle to the bottom tho' ...with mine i laid the bag down flat and wrapped two tight bands of gaffer/duct tape around, about 1/3 from each end, to stop them settling 👍👍
I've been following your channel for long and must say that your content is truly inspirational. I didn't even know this "excercise" is called Rucking. So great to see things defined AND the beautiful shots you've created. Please keep up the good work!
“… trust me… I am not cutout for the military…” my guy, I’m sure military boot camp would be like elementary-school recess for you. You’d have a smile on your face the whole time while finding ways to make your drills even more challenging haha
Thanks Bro 💯 this changed my perspective: I previously wouldn’t take big backpacks for food/drinks on hikes, but now I can call it training & have the benefit of enjoying food & drinks at the end of the hike haha thanks again
Nordic walking is a great variant of rucking that gets the upper body working hard as well, develops contralateral movement patterns, and has solid research to show significant increased calorie burn compared to hard walking. Freet are a uk company that also does really good barefoot shoes and walking boots. I use them and their shoes and boots are excellent
I have to carry a laptop and heavy notebook to work and back at least 3 days a week, so it's nice to know I'm already doing this, upgraded my rucksack too.
Guys. Let me be very clear. As someone with a massive amount of experience tabbing. Chin off the minimalist footwear if you get serious about rucking. You are not doing a long drag across the Peaks, Lakes, Loch or Brecon in minimalist footwear. Get yourself good, high liability footwear. You can get them cheap from your local army surplus store. If you are sticking to tamer distances, trails and weights then your minimalist footwear will work very well.
FINALLY -- I've been wanting to ask Bio for a video on rucking and I'm so glad he did it!!! I've been in the Army for 4 years. Still learning many things, and wanting to get better at rucking as I feel I've neglected it too much lately. Recently got to doing 12 miles each week (all in one day) with 35-40 lbs. Will soon be upping that weight to maybe 60 lbs, over time.
I've experimented with rucking. I found that using water bottles works best for me because you can empty them, if the load becomes too much, or you get injured. Plus, you can drink water. Sandbags also work okay for the same reasons (except the drinking it part), but sometimes you have to buy sand, if it isn't available otherwise. Water is cheap or free.
I was in the Army for 13 years. I've been out for a year now. I always loved this. We called it TABING. Anyway, I would never put weights in a pack. I always just pack some kit, like a sleeping bag l, tarp and some cordage. Just in case. Then it's a few snacks and plenty of water at the top. Maybe an extra layer depending on the weather. This way the stuff you're carrying is at least useful, this is especially important if you're going off on a longer jaunt. This is one of the things I was always very good at while serving, I was crap at running but put 45kg+ on my back and I went all day, through some pretty gnarly terrain.
Did it for a year, great for cardio/fat loss but unfortunately messed up my back (herniated disc). Be vary of your posture since it can exacerbate the imbalances and promote wear and tear injuries in spine.
This is crazy. I last heard about rucking a few years ago and it came to my mind today when I was considering my current training schedule. What are the chances that after years of having forgotten about this you upload a video on the day I remember it, crazy. On a more related note this sort of simple fitness has always interested me. As easy as putting on some weight and walking for a distance. Combine it with the wear of natural/barefoot shoes and you’ve got a great exercise option
I started rucking his week with a light load, I will add more weight slowly, baby steps. I love it, this is perfect for me when I walk on my treadmill.
I’m not old but certainly not young… this (content) but moreover message is excellent “ youth is waisted on the young!” Listen up young! you have never had so much information and tools go be more!
Back in my college days, I would walk around with a backpack full of books all the time. I felt super light climbing stairs when without the pack. It was an amazing feeling.
I remember when barefoot shoes were still seen as gimmicky and the one shoe everyone used to make fun of were the 5 toed ones. those shoes look really nice
You can also do indoor rucking if you don't want to/can't go outside for whatever reason. 30 minutes in front of the TV or whatever. A couple of bottles filled with water will do just fine for starters 🙂
Honestly? I credit Valve's Steam Deck for making me an outdoor person and massively improving my physical and mental health. I love gaming, and now I can play Batman Arkham Knight outdoors and carry my Steam Deck in my backpack along with a battery pack, headphones and even a controller and keyboard/mouse. I do walks daily to find the perfect spot to game so therefore I've been a Rucker for a year now.
I used your code and bought a pair of the Motus. They are AMAZING! I had been wearing a pair of Primus Lite previously. I liked those a lot. The Motus are absolutely next level. The improvement in proprioception, traction and strength for all standing exercises is quite noticeable. I highly recommend them.
Ngl, did 6 years in the military and no one ever treated it like an exercise, it was always just something you trained for. Within this context I wish I had thought about this when I was in and it would have saved a lot of pain and probably had helped me on my fitness goals
I made weights for my pack by taking used 2.5 gallon water containers that you can get at grocery stores...the cube shaped ones with the spout on the side. I cut one end open and fill it with a mix of pea-gravel and rubber mulch (keeps it quiet and lessens the weight to about 20 lbs.), then reseal it all with duct tape. I also glue in the spout, trim it, and cover it with duct tape to protect my pack. My pack can fit 2 of them. You should be able to fit 25 lbs. of gravel in each one if you lessen the rubber mulch. Be careful not to over-stride in your gait...it will give you ankle and knee issues. I wear barefoot shoes like Bioneer, but from Xero Shoes.
Been using a weighted vest (20 lbs) and climbing 123 flights a day, 5 days a week. Been doing this specifically for the past few months. Will let you know how that translates to my hikes when it warms up
I use a weight vest for the same reason. I keep it in the freezer so it keeps me cool while I walk, I have started walking up hill backwards as it really burns the legs, the steeper the better, but make sure the terrain is clear. I used to find walking was too easy and I had to walk too far, now I listen to audiobooks when I walk so I get through plenty of books, I never listen to music.
I have been looking into rucking recently for all the mentioned health benefits. It seems like it ticks all the boxes of low intensity cardio but with the scalability elements of resistance training. For target weights I've heard that you should work up to rucking 20% of your bodyweight, but much like running not no increase Distance or Weight more than 10% at a time. Additionally if you need weights just use bricks: they are 5 lbs on average (~2kg) and can be fully wrapped in any thick tape (duct) to keep them from beating up your bag.
A trick I learned for rucking if you're going for time is to run a streetlight, fast-walk a streetlight, repeat. I'm an absolutely terrible long-distance runner, but there's always room for a 5 second burst of running. With that trick, I was easily able to do 12 mile rucks with a 45 pound ruck right under 2 hours, even though a 12 mile run with no weights would have been difficult for me to do in that time. It's a weird mental trick.
Me amd my friend did 2x marathons and camp out for charity, and the build up for it was a brilliant experience!! I've done a lot of rucking in the past due to more interesting times, but I'd forgotten how hard it can be if you are unfirmilar with it or not used to it. It had been around 15 years since I last did rucking, so the build was hard this time round. Be warned, it can show up old injuries you may have collected amd also age comes to play too!! Start light, walk and dont be a hero!! It's absolutely worth the effort you can put in and I'm glad I've started doing it again!! Awesome video as always, amd loving seeing how this channel has grown!! Well done!!
Just now i had time to watch your recent videos. Glad i did it now, wanted to order some Vivobarefoot and you sir had the right code for me! Thank you, i really appreciate your whole content.
63 yr old, getting too many niggling injuries from running, and going crazy when not able to run. Took up Rucking 6 months ago after watching Tom Haviland videos. I try to go every other day with a 10kg variable weight jacket, and run once a week. body shape has changed, lost the belly fat and butt cheeks.
Came out of US Army Basic Training in September of this year and I remember the rucks we did. There were: 5-Mile 7.5-Mile 10-Mile 12-Mile I ENJOYED THEM and STILL do them. Hardest one was during an event called Battle March Shoot where you ruck 3-miles wearing full kit. It was hot that day. 😢
Got outta my Basic in 2020, I swore I fell asleep during the 12 mile. Never thought I could do one of those again. But last couple months I've been doing 9-12 mile rucks once each week. It's an excellent skill, use it or you lose it!
Finally a promo code I might actually make use of! Been wearing vivobarefoot shoes (among other brands of barefoot shoes) for over 9 years now. I could never ever go back to the feet destroying bullshit of conventional shoes.
Ohhh, I asked about this on one of your recent videos, awesome to see your take on it So I understand your take here, I just wish you had covered a few more in depth points like how you would go about integrating it as part of a functional training program
I’ve been travelling a bit lately so I don’t have a lot of time, or opportunity, to hit the gym. In the mornings I will go for a run and then, during the day, I’ll just load a few bottles of water into a backpack and use it more for incidental training rather than part of a fitness routine. I do, however, have a 20kg weight vest that I sometimes use for a circuit routine where I’ll rotate between 5-10 minute rounds on the treadmill at a moderate pace with varying degrees of incline with some basic body weight exercises in between; squats, dips, pull ups. With that sort of weight, forty minutes feels like a really decent workout. Your traps and shoulders are fried from holding up the weight and everywhere else, and I mean everywhere else, feels kinda thicker, more dense, for hours afterwards. I’ve been trying to do one of those every week in between my regular strength and cardio routines.
To change things up a bit I will carry a weight in my arms, close to my body, something akin to carrying a small child or a bag of groceries. I will move the weight in a circle spending a minute holding it on my left side, middle, right side and over head. Will also carry the weight hanging like a bag. Do this while carrying weight on my back. It is useful to be able to carry weight in different ways.
Nice! Doing it daily first thing in the morning! Sunlight exposure - check, a workout - check. Using a weight chest and an additional 10 kg kettlebell in my hand for a 5km walk :)
Sold my electric car, got a gashungry beast and a buscard. Now I walk absolutely everywhere, and usually with a load. Got a bigboy bag for propper training.
At 66 years old and 165lbs I have started doing this, working to just over the 10% bodyweight rule whilst also using Nordic poles. Walking the dogs this gives me the best outdoor exercise combination without straining joints/muscles and with the added benefit of a rucksack to sit on whilst eating sandwiches….
Great vid! Another important thing is you want to try and use a ruck with a solid, preferably exterior frame. Something like the Alice or 64 pattern "jump ruck" frame. It really helps with the weight distribution and makes for a much more enjoyable rucking experience.
I ruck every morning. 30lbs on my back and I start in my building at ground floor and climb to the roof top at level 46. Then climb back down. It’s excellent exercise
As someone who walks quite a lot (especialy round town if I don't wanna stress my car with short distance driving) and ALWAYS has to much heavy junk in his backback I am still amazed that this is considered a workout nowadays... For me, it always just was walking....
Personally i would recomend just taking a small pack and carrying 3 to 6kg for several months and just go for long hikes , inc up and down hills . Carry the basics , first aid , waterproofs , maybe a cook stove , water to drink and add weight , if knackered one can just pour the weight away . Just 5kg can give a really good workout with messing your hips or back uo . Its a fantastic natural exercisr for mind and body , but still gotta be careful not to injure or aggravate old injuries. Even a long walk with a light pack with just water and sandwhiches is great workout , gets the ligaments and heart exercised
I started backpacking in the early 1970's, which of course is "rucking" but for the purpose of carrying all your gear for camping out at the end of the day. I find it amusing that it's now a conditioning exercise on its own, even though the military all over the world have used it as such for decades. In 2019 I resumed karate training at the age of 64. My new head instructor asked "when was the last time you had a hard workout?" My wife and I had recently gone on a backpacking trip, so I answered "I climbed 2,000 feet up a mountain with a 40 pound backpack." "When was that?" "Last month." Yeah, the karate classes were no problem when it came to the conditioning aspect.
I got up to 3 or more rucks a week last year with 24 kgs. Didn't have the best pack, though. Also had a heavy bag back and forth to college 2 or three times a day. Plus hikes. It really is a great exercise!
I'm using Rucking (Combined with kettlebells and some simple Calesthenics) to recindition myself for an upcoming Batman cosplay I am working on. I fell off the horse during the back end of 2023 due to overwhelming stress throughout the year, but I'm starting it up again by rucking to and from work (1.6 miles each way). Once I can get my time under 30 minutes (My best weekly average was 28 minutes 32 seconds when I was at my best), I will be upping the weight again.
Couple this with barefoot/minimal footware that allows flexing and bending of the foot, toes, etc., you'll, both, have stronger feet, legs, and, thus, body, but, also, you'll stop heel striking, and cease the destruction of your knees. Also, sternum (chest) straps are awesome. You can buy add-on sternum straps online, etc. See you on the trails (and also not-trails).
I've been rucking unknowingly in high school, I was too lazy to organize my text books and notebooks each night so I ended up carrying all of my stuff with me at all times. I was known for my above average strength, now I know why...
For those who arent advanced in this, dont increase weight by more than than 10% per week 👍. Never just pack weight unless near supplies. Always pack for real situations, more gear is better than no gear. Snack every hour to keep a high tempo. Smaller steps up hill. 👍
