I had a lot time on my hands from August to December after I broke my ankle. When you take running out of your routine, suddenly it feels like hours were added to your day.
I filled some embarrassing amounts of time aimlessly watching TikTok and Instagram reels. I scrolled past rucking reels until I read The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter. The book explores the impact of modern comfort on our physical and mental well-being. The book questions the notion that a lifestyle centered around convenience and comfort is the best for human well-being. He uses personal experiences such as rucking to challenge the theory. It really hit home for me.
Suddenly I was seeing more rucking reels on all the platforms. I took it as a sign to obsessively read every article I could find on rucking.
Rucking basics
Rucking is rooted in military training. Simply put, it’s walking while carrying weight in a backpack. Ever hear of ruck march? Also you have probably have heard of the term “ruck sack,” which is durable backpack meant for carrying equipment. I think “backpack” and “ruck sack” are used interchangeably.
All you need to get started is a backpack. That’s the recommended advice across all platforms.
I found at least two companies that make rucking specific backpacks – GORUCK and Wild Gym – and specific weights for the backpack. They are ridiculously expensive especially if you are only rucking to complement your trail running. (Side note: Follow Wild Gym on TikTok for motivation and rucking tips.
I have a few old backpacks that aren’t very comfortable so I bought a Mardingtop tactical backpack in military green from Amazon. It’s cool and it serves only one purpose – to carry weight.
My rucksack is filled with sand
I tried using dumbbells and a weight plate in my backpack but they sunk to the bottom of the pack. The goal is to keep the weight distributed and high on your back. So I bought a 22-pound bag of sand from Canadian Tire. I put in an underused yoga block and old towel at the bottom of the pack before adding the sandbag.
This is a great set up because I have room to put more weight on top of the sand bag in the pack or in other compartments.
Distance, weight and frequency
I started slow because it’s the smart thing to do. The internet says you should start with 10% of your weight. I walked around the neighbourhood streets with the sand and another 3 pounds for a total of 25 pounds on my back. I rucked for two kilometres. I wasn’t sure how my body would respond. The whole point was to get used to walking with load (even if it felt incredibly light).
I didn’t receive any immediate feedback so I repeated for a few days and increased the distance. Again no immediate reaction. The weight did not feel heavy, and I only “felt” it when I encountered a slight incline.
Over the next few weeks, I added weight, increased distance and changed terrain. I couldn’t find the agreed upon number for top rucking weight. My best guess is between 25% and 35% of your body weight based on all the sources. Because I am at my winter weight (144 pounds), I should be rucking at most 50 pounds.
I feel comfortable rucking between 32 to 35 pounds right now. Once I rucked four kilometres with 40 pounds on my back and it felt heavy.
Will rucking make me a super hero ?
To borrow a phrase from my newspaper days – did I bury the lede? (In news talk this means delaying sharing the essential information)
Rucking’s benefits are many: builds strength and endurance, burns more calories and helps improve posture to name a few.
Above all I am rucking for the cross training benefits and to stay healthy and fit. The challenge is to fit rucking in with my training schedule. But I realized it doesn’t have to be complicated or long. A 10 or 15-minute ruck is better than no ruck.
Have you ever tried rucking? What’s your favourite cross-training activity? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.