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| Pic stolen from GoRuck.com |
"Carrying a heavy backpack"... is about the best description you'll ever need! That's really it - hiking around with weight - which turns a light cardio workout into something serious.
A stronger core! Stronger bones! Enjoying the outdoors!
Here's Dr. Peter Attia talking about it (jump to 12 minutes)
https://youtu.be/ORXHya4S_TA?t=708
Rucking appealed to me instantly for a few reasons...
- The races I'm planning involve carrying stuff while hiking. Adventure Races aren't just simple running, you have a pack with supplies on your back and you're in rough terrain that requires some degree of core strength... and the canoe race I'm doing will definitely include portaging.
- It's super easy to start (assuming you have weights and a sturdy backpack)
- I can turn a normal activity like walking my dog into a better workout by adding the weight!
Equipment
I wanted to make sure it was something I would stick with before over investing, so I started with a backpack I already owned, put some weight plates from barbells we have into it, made it comfortable, and went! It's good enough for now.
If I keep going with it, there is an opportunity to spend a lot of money on $200-300+ GoRuck branded rucksacks and weight plates - I'm a firm believer that the right tool for the activity helps you stick to it. But for now I'm good.
Speed
I read on the internet (the source of all things factual and not as factual) that the army standard is 15 minutes per mile. That works out to something like 9:20/km, so trying to keep it in that low 9's as a target. I don't think going a bunch faster is a very worthwhile goal, I already run and bike for cardio after all!
Weight
Dr. Attia says to work up to 1/3 your body weight, but I'm pretty big so that's a lot! Even at my ideal BMI that is 60lbs... I can't quite get my head around that.
I started at 25lbs, then 30lbs, and was able to go very long without trouble at that weight - so will progress to 35lbs next. I'm starting to doubt my little starter backpack can handle much more than that.
Distance/Time
I'm not to fussed about increasing this much beyond an hour - and I'll probably settle in closer to half an hour. I would rather get the weight increased than the time, seems like it would better align to my strength goals (I already have a ton of endurance).
Results...
I only just started, but I definitely feel the workout in my lower back and abs. Also gave a bit of soreness in the glutes. Hopefully it's doing all the good things load bearing exercise is supposed to do under the covers - bone density, increased resilience to injury, etc etc etc...
Will keep everyone posted!
