Should you add ‘rucking’ to your spring fitness regime?
When it comes to health and wellbeing benefits, it’s hard to beat a humble walk. But if you did want to take things up a notch, put rucking on your radar.
It basically means walking with additional weight loaded on, to make things tougher. You could load up a rucksack or carrier with specially designed ‘ruck plates’, or opt for a weighted vest.
So, what do you need to know?
Where does rucking come from?
It’s not new, and has long been part of military training. “We used to refer to this in the Royal Marines as ‘yomping’,” says Tommy Kelly, former Royal Marine commando and co-founder of outdoor and mountain clothing brand, Jottnar.
“It was a means of carrying heavy kit, sometimes up to 120lbs, over large distances and through arduous terrain. It was painful – my shoulders, knees and back still hurt when I think of it!”
What kit do you need?
You don’t have to buy a dedicated rucking bag or carrier and plates to try it. However, an ill-fitting rucksack could result in injury.
“Fit is important. An ill-fitting rucksack, especially one with a heavy weight, will place undue strain on the back and neck,” says Tommy.
“If possible, try out various options in a shop, judging for fit and comfort. Most rucksacks will have been tested by online reviewers as well as customers.”
He suggests looking for something with “a firm internal frame, well-padded shoulder and waist straps”, plus “an integral chest strap is useful as a means of spreading the weight”.
What are the fitness benefits?
“You can be outside enjoying nature, while completing a higher intensity walk and improving your aerobic capacity,” says Olivia Tyler, national fitness assurance lead at Nuffield Health – which has just launched its #MyDaily Movement campaign, sharing a wealth of content and expert advice on new ways to get active on its website.
Olivia says it can help improve balance too – and, of course, it’s a strength workout. “Rucking helps encourage better posture, as you need to engage your core and back muscles,” she adds.
Tommy also stresses cardiovascular benefits: “The heart and lungs are required to work far harder than normal unburdened walking. Do this regularly and aerobic fitness will markedly improve.”
Any tips for newbies?
“Begin with a light load and shorter distances, and take it steady to begin with,” says Tommy. “As strength and fitness improve, weight, distance and speed can all be incrementally increased.”
And remember this is a workout, so it’s a good idea to warm up,” suggests Tommy.
Olivia adds: “Make sure you are walking the distances without issue before starting to add weights into your route. Once you are happy walking without the weights, add in weights gradually to avoid any back injuries. Caution is needed, as injuries can occur when the wrong backpacks are worn, too much weight is loaded onto the shoulders.”
“I wouldn’t recommend weighted vest training to anyone who is new to exercise, or getting back to exercise after some time off, “says Olivia. “It’s important to have a reasonably strong core and glutes, in order to support the additional weight without risking injury.
“I would not recommend weighted vests to anyone who has certain back and neck problems like disc degeneration. If you are unsure, it’s always best to reach out to your GP or an exercise professional like a PT.”