i used to go on walks with my cat in a backpack carrier. cat was only like 10lbs but she would always be shifting around and it made it much more demanding for long walks.
Since each individual person is different what is heavy to you is heavy Whatever feels heavy for you, carry that, then once your body gets used to what felt heavy then up the weight and onwards and upwards. @@Appalachias_Son
Worked in construction all my life. It seems the bigger guys (without gym) are the ones carrying lumber and heavy materials equiptment. Try carrying a five gallon bucket of paint in each hand up hill 100 yards. had to do that for a summer and my shoulders looked like some ninja turtle mutation. Functional muscle is a win win.
I gained 20lbs one season fencing by working my ass off every day. Some days I could barely open my hands. Commercial security fence, so carrying 70-100lb steel for 100 meters onto the truck and off at site, so a good 20 reps at the least. Then there was the actual work, every day. Noone I worked with left that job skinny or lacking muscle lmao
I had to carry two buckets with soil and rocks for 200m, several times a day for some weeks. It didn't change much, I just got pain in my feet and some abs because the caloric usage skyrocketed, still not recommended.
Had a paintbucket in my hands a few weeks ago, those are superheavy. I bet you gained gripstrength in your forearms a lot, too. A few years ago before loosing a lot of things in life to depression, I was super strong and fit, but lean. I could work in construction or carry hobby equipment over kilometers. I even could spontaneously run a 18km obstacle course in November at 4 Celsius with diving/swimming, climbing, jumping, carrying things and stuff and succeed in the top 10%, without training running ever before. I just went to the gym and did some kind of max strength circle training + saying yes to every hard labor + sprinting to the bus/tram often bc ADHD is always late :D + extending the range of public transport with my little yellow skateboard :)
I walked 400 miles in 28 days from Oslo to Trondheim with 35 pounds on my back. When I picked up my backpack for the first time, I thought I could never do this. It felt so heavy. But after a while I began to enjoy the weight. I somehow felt more sturdy with the weight, more grounded. And taking the backpack off after 25 miles felt like heaven
Just discovered your videos and they're full of interesting nuggets. From what I've seen so far there's nothing about carrying any other way then forwards. Do you ever do any carrying backwards, side steps or pigeon steps etc? I know these would be more awkward and more care would be needed but like with both sled pulling and pushing they work different (and maybe neglected) muscles. Apologies if you've already covered this.
I hiked and camped one night solo on Mount. Rainier my backpack was 75 pounds I was 49 years old. Record snowfall that year, it definitely was a learning experience. Loved it.
The thing you said in the intro "it's very possible that rucking is the ultimate functional exercise" I have said this before in my mind and felt very validated just then. What on earth could be a more useful function of your physical body than to carry heavy weight over distance.
Walking long distances and carrying things are the most human things. The forage or hunt haul aint gonna walk its way to your home on its own. It practices literally what we evolved to do.
I carried a 50kg punch bag back 3 miles after buying it on Facebook. I was aching all over for days later. My shoulders, core, back and legs were wrecked but was worth it. I enjoyed the challenge. Great video dude.
@@adamant8501 Thanks man. I've just weighed it and it's 62kg. It's filled with just sand and it was wet when I collected it so would of weighed more. Don't know how I did it because I'm pathetically weak 😂
@@staytrue5307 i can pull trea from roots with my hands and legs, to do what you did, luke skywalker grit one must have, astounding amount of pure will power at its exuberence with each step. If it was survival, you wish that quality present.
I decided to get back into shape after suffering a huge loss, and a couple years of grieving. You've been a big inspiration to really commit to working out with sandbags and other non conventional strength training tools. I started 3 months ago, sandbag compound lifts + shouldering, calisthenics basics + weighted, diy rope Olympic rings, diy kettlebells (truck batteries), 5 gallon buckets filled with wet sand for farmers walks and sandbag carries (at the end of every workout) and finally walking with a weighted backpack averaging around 4 times per week, 3 lighter (40 lbs) and 1 heavy (75lbs). Today was a recovery day and decided to go to the beach fishing. No weighted backpack, Just a bucket and 1 rod and I walked down the beach around 2 miles. I spent around 4 hours catching nothing so decided to head back. As I'm walking back, I hit a really soft spot of the beach where I've seen many trucks get stuck. Without too much thinking I went into an all out sprint I'd say for a good half a mile. I truly felt like forest Gump discovering his legs for the first time. I'm almost 42 and haven't felt like that since I was a kid. I sheded skin and left it on the beach. I was a powerlifter years ago with good strength and explosiveness, but nothing like this. At the end of the day, it all ties in and the only natural thing will be to add sprint training to further enhance that ability. Wanted to share that, and I appreciate your content and what you're doing!
I hope time will make your suffering a little easier. It will always be there. But, I hope in time you can find some joy in things, even if it's just a small amount. Good luck.
With what you said at the end, I can relate with the honest joy of using the body. Not everything is about a paycheck. Some of us simply love working out, and it’s a bonus to have your gym in nature.
This old time farmer strength methodology is awesome. Utterly natural and robust but very effective in the long term. This type of training is instinctual, you are preparing for the zombie apocalypse. When the time comes you’ll be ready to kick ass. I can see you crushing the infected with them logs lol. Keep up the good work bro.
I totally get what you mean about that 2 mile threshold. I accidentally discovered that with running when I was in the army. The first mile was ALWAYS the worst. If I could get past that, I could just coast from then on. 2 miles, 5 miles, 7 miles, didn't matter. Once I got past the initial mile I felt like I could go all day. It's an amazing feeling, shame it's so brutal to get there, lol.
This is very true. I have no car but thankfully my grocery story is literally 15 min away walking. I would bring back my groceries in my bags. My body overall is in top shape. Strength gains through the roof
my army NCO's are BRUTAL, gave us a minimum weight limit of 60 lbs haha for a 15 mile ruck, not including the weight of our rifles, helmets and plates in our vests.
Just carried some bags of soil around for backyard gardening. Nothing crazy. I love the shoulder carry. Feels great for the core, and something about carries in general feels really natural. Like the way things should be. Another great video Cody!
Hey thank you! It's always great when you can put that strength to use too! These days the dog food is shoulder carried and the groceries are one giant zercher for me 😁
A large dog on each side, 15kg in the backpack and a 5 mile treck. My go to training for the last few years. Strength, power, endurance and cardio training all in one go. And the guys get their daily exercise too. All done in a little more than an hour. Win, win, win situation
Why would I pay hundreds and even thousands for a gym membership when the world is literally a free gym. Not that there's not benefits to both, but saying one is better than the other is completely objective and an opinion. People take things too seriously. Great video! Definitely got some inspiration.
Cardio+weights was my go to. I was wearing a 25lb backpack with me everywhere and cycling longer distances when it would take to long for me to walk. Doing core workouts and dips got me nearly shredded. It was a great time
For people who say “Get a job lifting heavy things” I’ve worked construction/roofing for a couple years and it’s tough work. It was honestly too laboring for me even when I’d try my hardest so it’s not a definite answer. Could VERY well work for someone else, but it wasn’t working for me unfortunately.
this is something I have realised that sets you on a different path from those just doing isolated movements at gyms. Being able to do full body engagement stuff is such a primal thing and is key to living in my opinion. I love doing the Kettlebell workouts for all that full body engagement.
I feel this deeply, especially when holding beams in place for minutes at a time or using a sawzall to cut things above my head for hours. My shoulders are nice and healthy. Muscle endurance is the best thing on earth.
I'm a saxophonist, tenor. Carrying it feels like what you describe. I feel my abs working when carrying it on one hand, like a suitcase carry. Great vid!
When I broke my finger, all I could really do was zercher carries and squats. Did them every day I could, as heavy as I could go. When I healed up and got back into BJJ, my stamina and strength were unreal.
For the "get a job" part my best friends happens to carry canoes into trucks as his summer job and he love it exactly for the reasons you describe, the hard work making him fit without needing to go to the gym or take any of his free time to work out and instead being paid for his gains
Been Bearhugging like crazy since watching your vids! Walking with a pile (220lbs) of plates compressed against my chest/stomach with some squats thrown in is a whole new level of taxing! Just started incorporating a 135lb sandbag-over-shoulder carry too. Great stuff!
Love found object rucking. I’ve done this in the woods. Something special about being alone in the woods carrying a boulder up a hill when no one is watching. 💪🏽💪🏽🦍
I've never heard of Rucking but live next to a limestone quarry. I've always thought about taking a stone from the bottom to the top of the hills. Thanks for the motivation, I'll be doing this tonight.
I discovered the beauty of this work out last year carrying logs like that in the bush in New Zealand. I found you can carry unbeleivebly heavy loads more than you can pick up normally by balancing the force of the centre of mass of the log down directly through your body so it is not only your muscles supporting the weight but your whole skeleton with bones and ligaments all taking their share of the load which also strengthens these aswell. Once you have it in this position and you start walking you start working out so many muscles you dont normally work out within your core trunk as these pull and balance any shifts in weight . you are also getting a good cardiovascular workout and also exercising your mental willpower through endurance. just be careful when crossing any water courses or going down hill where it is slippery and have a preplanned immediate action drill of what you are going to do if you loose balance so you can throw the log off in a safe direction and not have it land on top of you when u slip over and come to a rest on the ground.
Your videos are absolutely incredible. They've opened my eyes to a completely different way of training. I worked for several years in groundworking (laying driveways and patios), and my boss would say you could take any groundworker in the country, and put him in any boxing gym, and he'd be the toughest guy in there. Your videos really reinforced to me that the best type of strength training is to mimic activities in the real world. Thank you for sharing your training regimes.
Went out to try this earlier. Only had a 45 pound bag a mulch on hand. Thought it was gonna be too light... With only a two mile distance, my arms and back certainly are feeling it. Thank you for sharing this neat and fun idea!
Brother, you are a pleasure to listen to. Thank you. I'll comment about construction blocks. I have a stack of them from Lowes. They're 8x8x16 and each one weights 38 pounds. I do a workout three days a week where I move my stack from the back yard to the front yard . . . then back. My goal is to move them as fast as possible, so it's a game where I go for time. Sometimes I carry one . . . sometimes one in each hand, sometimes two or three on top of each other. Whatever I feel like. Anything goes. (It's a fartlek of moving blocks. 😁) The point is to move them, stack them, then move them back again. I also incorporate KB swings, push-ups, squats, etc. just to make it challenging. I have 32 blocks. As of today, they're priced at $2.47 each but anyone who wants to try this doesn't need 32. You can get 4-5 and play the same game. Stack them and see how many times you can move the stack. Final point . . . I don't count. I work. I don't measure myself by how many blocks I've moved but by how many remain and how big the stack is. Eliminating counting makes it like meditation. Sorry if I'm not being clear. You just have to try it to understand. Thank you again for a terrific channel!
Thanks for the inspiration! Gonna do this tomorrow, really looking forward to it! I'm lucky enough to live 500 meters from a forest, and there are big stones everywhere because it's Sweden. It's cool how this footage is from the other side of the planet, but the forest looks almost the same as here. Pine, birch, and fir trees everywhere :)
I had a weighted vest, belt, pants and ankle weights. I never put them all on and I'm still sad about not becoming the Juggernaut. But eventually I'll rebuild that set and make the attempt again. Just have fun out there. Good luck and get some
On days I can't make it to the gym, I go to my local park with a 60kg backpack on to do pull ups and dips. Then I go home, hug my 70kg heavy bag as low as possible and squat it with my weighted back pack on for 3 sets of 10. Pull-ups with that kind of weight translate really well to grappling sports because your grip gets stronger than most people in your weight class.
Solid video man, this type of raw training really does appeal to alot of us. Your videos inspired me to get hold of a sandbad myself and once I did I gave the floor-to-shoulder movement a go aswell as the squats and carries .. damn man.. you make it look easy ! Keep up the strong work bro 💪
I had a job once where we had to carry 600 to 800 foldable metal seats 2 times a day before and after an event, we often competed with one another who carried the most at once, my record was 10 at a time, 5 under each arm. This was the most demanding part at this job but also my favourite part. Thanks for the video, you reminded me how I enjoyed weighted walking with my heavybag in the morning.
I do whitewater kayaking and it's fairly common to carry your boat for up to a mile or two. It's pure suffering but I've grown to enjoy it over the years. Sissyphus mode.
I knew there was something to it... i always go out heavy loaded... day to day, camping, hiking... and i always envy those with light pack but feel great with my load at the same time... specially at the end.
For those who can’t get out of their neighborhoods, I suggest going online and buying sandbags used for working out. They can be loaded with anywhere from 50-250lb (more if you buy heavier duty ones). I use them once or twice a week when I can’t get to the gym, load it with some weight, and go on a walk/jog/run depending on what time I’ve got.
I do this for work. And iv thought of it and oddly added it to my training. Now your video pops up, im adding a reminder to do it more! Had a month out in the bush and i felt so great, seen myself in a mirror once home i was shocked. Now im pushing to keep and increase. Thank you kia ora
Got recommended this while eating dinner after a 4 hours walk in the mountains. Thanks! Now I got a new hobby. Just have to figure out where to put all the stones to create the most confusion amongst other walkers
Rucking is awesome. I rack or farmer carry my kettlebells around the park a few times a week and it’s been outrageously beneficial for my training and overall stamina and strength
Advice for people. You can bike to a location with a somewhat scenic route and then carry your bike. Either shoulder under top bar of the frame and just alternate, also adding frontal carry. You can also get a belt or something to wrap around and carry the bike on your back so you cover all bases.
I have always liked carrying stuff, so i started renting myself out to a moving company. Getting payed to empty out a 4th floor appartement with no elevator as the second move of the day suits me just fine. And saves money on gym subscription:)
i am not a strong person, and i do this with much lighter objects, i feel that it forces you to be aware of all your muscles and helps build your balance. It feels more medatative to me and forces me to be slower and enjoy a short hike more.
that "You hit that 2 mile mark and it's like suddenly every part of your body synchronizes into one solid well-oiled machine." I remember that distinctly happening to me while mountain biking once. I had never felt anything like it before, then after a little while my calves cramped up intensely and I ended up having to stop for around 10 minutes or so. After that I could barely cruise. What a brutal but fun experience that was.
Ive built a zen rock garden a top the highest plateau on an island 🪨 Gathering, paddleing and carrying the rocks to the location from all over the lake. Hard labour clears the mind & heals the soul. 💎💙
Looks like you are doing the Rocky IV training regime. You need to add in the human snow sleigh, throwing boulders, sawing through giant logs, and running up snowy Siberian hills in the middle of winter.
Hahah thank you! I recommend anything from the brand Mytholon or Burgenshneider. Medieval collectibles is a good company to go through they have a warehouse in the US www.medievalcollectibles.com/product/ketill-canvas-pants/
First time coming across you. I’m subscribing just bc of the insane amount you interacted with the comments section. Can tell you’re really trying(and succeeding) to dish out quality information to help others
I do this for gathering firewood. It’s slower than hauling by cart, but it’s a good workout when I have the time. A towel over the shoulder makes for less bruising and a more comfortable carry.
Huh. Been apparently doing this for my grocery runs. Gas is so expensive and stores close enough, if it isn't frozen and I have time, I just walk the like .75 miles to the store, grab it, and walk the .75 miles home.
i carry heavy logs too. it strengthens your back and improves your posture. i want to build some rustical furniture for my garden, or perhaps a little hut. and don´t even mention the sawing without a chainsaw! you will break a sweat like a river in few minutes.
"Heavy carries change you" I have felt this. When I did heavy carries every week, I felt solid, I did this barefoot, my feet and ankles got so much stronger, core got thicker, the whole yoke grew.
I spent the last two Fall/Autumn seasons carrying up 2 metre logs over my shoulder, up a steep 200' slope to my landing for firewood prep. It's tough, but this season I'm using machines more!
I worked in construction in Australia for a year, i carried heavy shit all day like concrete bags and heavy tools. I also ate a ton of food and took creatin daylie+protein. i gained 20kg in 3-4 months, ripped. I also rode my bicycle to work everyday and every street in sydney is some sort of hill or mountain. 20kg in 3-4 months .... with sixpack, and before that i was really skinny and could never put on weight. went from 64 to 84 kg, couldn't believe my eyes when i stepped on the scale, every day a few hundred grams . I also believe the extreme sunlight exposure daylie had a huge impact. I posted photos on facebook and my friends from home couldnt believe either how i changed in such a short time. But not gonna lie you have to eat A TON of food to get those results, i was lucky because the family i stayed with there cooked every day and fed me like a pig 😂 tons of red meat mainly, and 1 liter of milk with my supplements. tons of bread, nuts, dried fruits. so if you are skinny you can get there in under half a year if you really want to.
Jobs aren’t reliable for the stimulus you want, that argument is dumb as fuck. Like my job is physical as hell as you know bro… but then other days it isn’t because I’m just driving a digger or whatever. And often physical labour is more like “wearing you down” than building you up haha. And of course doing stuff on your own time, in an environment you choose with your own intentions in mind is worlds different than doing what is simply required by the company.
I'm building a fence for my yard which consists of carrying lumber 100+ feet downhill, digging, hammering, burying, and walking back uphill, on loop. I'm absolutely more toned now after like two months than I was after two years of using an exercise machine.
Im a massive fan of rucking,plus the added health benefits of being outside! I love your style of training! Gonna implement a lighter sandbag,for a longer time instead of a weight vest!! Can already tell its gonna be brutal!! Thanks again for the insparation and as always quality content!!
Previous to the arrival of Europeans, Mapuche people (an indigenous nation from the south of Chile and Argentina) used to chose their "Toqui"("lider" I suppose) by trying who could bear a big trunk on his shoulders for the longest time. I'd should confirm it but I remember reading that in some cases these dudes carried the trunk for days with no rest.
people thought I was nuts because I do a 40 lb vest and like to hike long distances ontop of weight training... it's epic for everything This is for core and endurance. Don't expect it to like... give you gigantic arms, but your stabilization muscles, core, back... all get worked like hell with this
For the last year I have built friction/slip clutches for work. They are compact, heavy. You have to carry them to a run in machine and test for torque. It absolutely improved my grip strength, core strength. They average between 15-50 lbs.. and I'll build 60-80 a day. I like the hard work and how "vascular" my arms are getting. Its made a great change in my physique. I like the idea of picking up a cool looking stone and carrying it on a trail...Finding it a new home. I definitely want to try this. Subscribed
When I worked in gas and electric construction for 20 years and 24 years loading trucks by hand , that was enough farmers walking to last a lifetime. Walking with 6” electrical conduit, large gas pipe , generators, large steel gas fittings, bags or concrete, road patch etc etc . Warehouse work was box’s , carpet rolls , pads and anything a large retail stores carry . Got some new knees out of it 😂🤔
Well done! I agree wholeheartedly. I worked as a mover for a decade. Made good money. I've always hiked, camped, canoed, etc. even when working manually. Have always preferred being outside in nature with my own thoughts. Tempers your tendons, ligaments, and grit amazingly.
My Father tell me they used to lift bamboo wood in their shoulder with my grandfather back when he was my age. They lift bamboo going down a hill they do taht for a living and they made a bamboo chair or bamboo table we call it "Sala Set" they do that every day!
When I started rock climbing at my local gym I quickly learned it was never a focus on certain muscles. Everything hurt at first but then everything got stronger. Huge reason i fell in love with it. also to add there was some old bodybuilder who insisted on a singular rep till failure as the most effective muscle mass yadda yadda. so note that
Did a lot of rucking in the Marine Corps with unhealthy amounts of weight. Still, rucking is one of the few things I miss from those days; it is awesome, and the sense of accomplishment after being done is incredible
Try carrying a 25kg plate overhead, replicate it carrying a stone or log. Be careful of course, but holding it up overhead, feeling your whole core and upperbody switch on trying to keep it balanced, the stress on your grip to stop it falling on your head...it's amazing! subbed and liked, love this type of content. Thanks for the effort!
I enjoy carries in the gym . So many variations depending on the object (weight plate, kettlebell, dumbells , sandbag etc ) and differences if the weight(s) are held at arm's length or clutched to your chest or overhead ...
I haven't carried logs or sandbags just yet. But, hiking with a backpack full of gear on a camping trip I've done before. Then doing kettlebell farmers walk as apart of my routine has helped me a lot with general core strength and building strength in my traps and back. Rucking or heavy carries is a great way to develop strength.
