Aug 10, 2022
The Benefits of Rucking

rucking

There is plenty of reason that rucking is the primary tool for training and testing in elite military units around the globe. Beyond building a durable body and mind, rucking brings health benefits by getting you outside into the sunlight and fresh air and so much more.

An article from ABrotherAbroad.com shared 15 benefits of rucking and how to incorporate it into your daily workout regimen.

Below is an excerpt from that article from ABrotherAbroad.com.

Works both cardio and strength at the same time

Cardiovascular exercise is all about getting your heart rate up.  That’s it. You don’t have to run. You don’t have to row. You don’t have to do that Crossfit or HIIT workout. You just need to get your heart rate up.

The extra resistance (the rucking weights in your bag), forces your legs, back, core, and shoulders to work the entire time you ruck, which gets your heart rate up high enough to get a good cardio workout, without destroying your knees the way running will.

This weight also creates a solid strength workout, loading your structure, and building strength and durability not only in your legs, but in the muscles that keep your spine erect, your abs, your upper and lower back, and your shoulders as well.

Rucking is an insurance policy for back health, posture, and hip health – assuring mobility in old age & injury-proofing for the now

In old age, most mobility issues and the loss of ability for people to walk on their own come primarily from loss of muscle and stability in the areas of the body that we need to walk – in the hips & pelvis, and in the spinal erectors.

By rucking, with an amount of weight suitable for your body and ability, you’re actively building and maintaining strength in the “endurance muscles” (slow twitch muscle fibers) of the areas of your body that will keep you mobile in old age – your hips, back and core.

Whether you’re rucking for mobility in old age, or injury-proofing yourself now, rucking is an insurance policy for your body.

» ALSO SEE: Crossfit Exercises to Help the Tactical Operator

Rucking pairs well with minimalist and bodyweight workouts that can be done

The side benefit of walking with a backpack full of weight is that you can always take off the weights and throw them around for an upper body workout, or do weighted calisthenics along the way. Add in a suspension trainer, like these DIY gymnastics rings, and you can get a combo ruck and lower body workout anywhere anytime.

Some great exercises to include are:

  • Pushups (weighted or unweighted)
  • Burpees (without the jump)
  • Overhead presses (with the backpack)
  • Backpack swings – kettlebell swings with the backpack
  • Backpack rows – grab the pack by a strap, and perform a row motion

To do this, pick a time or distance interval (e.g., every mile, every 15 minutes) and a few exercises, and do 25 of each at each interval.

To read the full story from ABrotherAbroad.com, click here.