Rucking Trend: Add Weight to Walks for Fitness Gains
Rucking, a fitness trend involving walking with a weighted backpack, is gaining popularity. Experts explain its benefits for strength, cardio, and mental health.
A growing fitness movement known as 'rucking' is transforming simple walks into comprehensive workouts by incorporating weighted backpacks. This low-impact exercise, inspired by military endurance training, is being embraced for its multifaceted health advantages, ranging from improved cardiovascular function to enhanced muscle strength and better posture.
"Rucking is simply just walking with weight on your body... weight on your back, technically," explained Nichele Cihlar, director of training at GORUCK, a company specializing in rucking gear. The accessibility of rucking is a major draw; individuals can often start with everyday items like a backpack filled with books or a water bottle. However, using a purpose-built rucksack is recommended for better weight distribution and safety, according to experts.
Mathew Welch, an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, elaborated on the exercise's origins. "It’s a low-impact exercise that is pretty much based on military training -- think about how the military trains a lot for endurance, they do a fair amount of running, but they also have to carry a lot of heavy equipment, so that’s kind of how rucking started," Welch said.
Boosting Physical and Mental Well-being
The primary appeal of rucking lies in its ability to amplify the benefits of regular walking. By adding resistance, it shifts the activity from purely cardio to a hybrid cardio and strength-training session. "Physically, walking is awesome, but sometimes we want to amplify that, and the easy way to do that is adding weight," Cihlar stated. This added resistance is crucial for maintaining and improving bone density and muscle mass, particularly as individuals age and naturally experience muscle deterioration starting in their 30s. Research indicates that many people fall short of the recommended 20 minutes of strength training twice a week, making rucking a practical solution to meet these fitness goals.
Beyond strength, rucking significantly benefits cardiovascular health. Welch noted that it enhances "cardiac output, it’s going to help with the efficiency of your heart pumping the blood out." This leads to improved blood pressure and heart rate, contributing to overall heart health. Furthermore, the added weight naturally encourages better posture and strengthens the back, which can help counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
The mental health benefits of rucking are also substantial. Performing exercises outdoors has been consistently linked to reduced stress levels and improved mood. According to Mental Health America, exposure to sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, essential for bone health and known to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. "You’re going to always say you never come back from a ruck in a bad mood. It gives you time to clear your head," Cihlar shared, highlighting the exercise's ability to promote mental clarity and well-being.
Starting with rucking is straightforward and adaptable. Cihlar advises beginners to "start low because you can always grow from there." For those new to exercise, a starting weight of 5 to 10 pounds in a backpack is recommended, along with an initial distance of one mile. As fitness improves, individuals can gradually increase the weight and distance. More experienced exercisers might start with weights around 20 to 30 pounds. Welch suggests that even advanced participants begin with a mile, potentially increasing it to a mile and a half or more if the challenge feels insufficient. Incorporating hilly terrain can provide an additional layer of difficulty for those seeking a greater workout.
Ultimately, a personalized fitness plan can be designed around rucking, catering to individual goals and current strength levels. Whether one chooses to start with lighter weights and shorter distances or tackles inclines with heavier loads, the key is to listen to one's body and respect personal limits. This approach ensures that rucking can be a sustainable and effective addition to any exercise routine.