One not uncommon scenario when trying to lose fat, however, is that you lose muscle mass, too. Yes, rucking is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories and lose weight. For this reason, we recommend giving your body time to recover after rucking. However, just like a strength workout, rucking places a high demand on your muscles. Can you ruck every day? Sometimes Easter does. Start with one to two rucks a week, and work up to three to four times a week as desired. However, rucking is also one of the simplest ways to burn a ton of calories and check off anyone’s cardio and strength needs in one efficient workout.

It’s particularly good for preparing active military or first responders to carry a significant amount of weight on the job. Rucking is a low-impact cardiovascular activity that builds your aerobic capacity, strength, and bone density all in one go. You’ve got questions about rucking, we’ve got answers. Rucking allows you to get whatever you want out of your workout while keeping pace with the pack. “If you’re running with a group of people, you need everyone to be at the same fitness level to get a good workout, but with rucking you can have one person with a heavier pack, another with a lighter pack, or someone without one at all,” Easter says. It’s socialīecause each person can scale the weight to their fitness level, rucking is great for groups. Easter’s done it on a cardio climber in the gym, and on a treadmill to reduce his risk of injury while quickly building his base for an extreme hunting trip in Alaska. That said, it doesn’t have to be outdoors. Studies have linked spending time outdoors with less stress and better cognitive function ( 4, 5). “Rucking is time to unplug, clear your head, and sort through your thoughts,” says Easter. If going to the gym feels like a drag, try rucking. Let’s face it, most of us work inside all day. It wins in the added resistance department, too. It’s slightly higher impact than walking, but lower impact than running. However, “rucking seems to be particularly good for building bone density,” says Easter. Any weight-bearing activity-like walking, running, or strength training-can help. 30 percent of all hip fractures occur in men, and mortality from any fracture is significantly higher in men than women ( 3). While osteoporosis-a condition that causes bones to become weak and frail-is typically associated with women, men’s bone density is just as important. Going faster with more weight will burn more calories. It definitely depends on the weight you’re carrying and how fast you’re moving, though. Throw a weighted backpack on and that same walk rakes in 325 calories. It torches caloriesįor the average guy, a 30-minute walk burns around 125 calories, according to The Compendium of Physical Activities ( 2). In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, healthy men saw significant improvements in VO2 max after following a 10-week rucking program ( 1). The extra effort dials up your VO2 max-widely known as the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness. Rucking takes an approachable exercise like walking and allows you to increase the strain on your heart incrementally, says Easter.

It also builds your aerobic capacity and core strength while reducing your risk of injuries. Since rucking strengthens your hips, calves, and shins unilaterally (or one side at a time), it’s the perfect low-impact cross-training workout for runners or cyclists. This, in turn, improves your functional fitness, or your ability to complete daily activities with ease. Loading your back with a heavy pack transforms an ordinary walk into a strength exercise-working everything from your shoulders to your feet as an integrated system. “Carrying weight across distance is something we totally missed the boat on in the fitness world, and rucking is the most accessible way to do that,” says Easter. It’ll make you look like an absolute machine and operate like one, too. It’s basically the ultimate metabolic workout, helping you shed fat and build muscle at the same time. “Rucking is strength and cardio in one,” says Easter. Most people’s fitness routines do really well at hitting one or the other, but they rarely succeed at both. It might help you live longerĪccording to leading longevity experts, both cardio and strength are essential for living a longer, healthier life. Rucking is associated with tons of unexpected (but very welcome) benefits.

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