Rucking has emerged as one of the most effective and sustainable forms of exercise for those looking to lose weight. Combining the benefits of walking with the added resistance of carrying weight, rucking burns calories, builds muscle, and improves cardiovascular health—all while being low-impact and accessible to most people. This article will explain why rucking is such an effective tool for weight loss and how to optimize your routine to achieve the best results.
Why Rucking Is Effective for Weight Loss
Rucking’s combination of cardiovascular and resistance training makes it a highly effective exercise for weight loss. Here’s why:
Burns More Calories Than Walking
Rucking burns more calories than walking because of the added weight. The extra resistance forces your muscles to work harder, increasing your energy expenditure. Depending on the weight you’re carrying and the intensity of your ruck, you can burn up to 50% more calories than you would by walking without a load.
- Example: A person weighing 180 pounds might burn around 100 calories per mile while walking. By adding a 20-30 pound rucksack, that number can increase to 150 calories or more per mile.
Builds Muscle While Burning Fat
Rucking engages large muscle groups such as the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core, helping you build muscle as you burn fat. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest. This makes rucking a dual-purpose workout: you’re building strength while increasing your calorie burn.
- Muscle Preservation: One of the challenges of traditional cardio exercises is the risk of muscle loss when you’re trying to lose fat. Rucking, with its resistance component, helps preserve and build muscle mass while you’re in a calorie deficit, ensuring that most of the weight you lose is fat, not muscle.
Low-Impact, Sustainable Cardio
One of the biggest challenges in weight loss is finding a form of exercise that is sustainable and doesn’t lead to burnout or injury. Rucking is low-impact, which means it’s gentler on your joints than running or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This makes it easier to maintain over the long term, increasing your chances of staying consistent and achieving your weight loss goals.
Full-Body Engagement
Rucking is a full-body workout, meaning it engages muscles in the legs, core, back, and even the shoulders. The more muscles you engage during exercise, the more energy your body uses, leading to a higher calorie burn. Additionally, the engagement of stabilizer muscles helps improve balance and posture, making it a functional workout as well.
Optimizing Your Rucking Routine for Weight Loss
While rucking is naturally effective for weight loss, there are several ways to optimize your routine to maximize fat burn and results.
Start with a Manageable Weight
The weight in your rucksack will determine the intensity of your workout. If you’re new to rucking, start with a light weight—around 10 to 20 pounds. This allows your body to adapt to carrying extra weight without overloading your muscles and joints. As you become more comfortable with rucking, gradually increase the weight by 5 to 10 pounds at a time.
- Progressive Overload: Just like in strength training, progressively increasing the weight you carry ensures that your muscles continue to be challenged, which can help boost fat loss.
Increase Your Distance Gradually
While starting with shorter distances is important, increasing your distance over time will help you burn more calories and build endurance. Start with a manageable distance, such as 1 to 2 miles, and gradually increase by a half-mile to a mile each week.
- Goal Setting: Setting distance goals—such as rucking 5 miles by the end of your first month—can help keep you motivated and track your progress.
Focus on Maintaining a Steady Pace
Rucking is not about speed; it’s about endurance. The key is to maintain a steady, moderate pace that keeps your heart rate elevated without overexerting yourself. Walking at a pace of 3 to 4 miles per hour is typically recommended for rucking, but you can adjust this depending on your fitness level.
- Heart Rate Zones: To optimize fat burning, aim to keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone, which is typically 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. You can use a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker to help stay within this range.
Incorporate Hills and Inclines
Rucking on hills or inclines increases the intensity of your workout, helping you burn more calories in less time. Walking uphill forces your glutes, hamstrings, and calves to work harder, providing an extra challenge for your muscles.
- Tip: If you live in a flat area, try using a treadmill with an incline setting to simulate hills and boost calorie burn.
Track Your Calories Burned
Tracking the calories you burn during rucking can help you stay on track with your weight loss goals. Many fitness apps and trackers allow you to input your weight, distance, and the weight of your rucksack to get an accurate estimate of your calorie expenditure.
- Tracking Progress: Seeing your progress in terms of calories burned and distance rucked can help keep you motivated and provide valuable feedback on your routine.
Combining Rucking with Proper Nutrition
While rucking can help you burn calories, weight loss ultimately comes down to creating a calorie deficit—burning more calories than you consume. Here’s how to combine rucking with proper nutrition for optimal results:
Focus on a Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet rich in whole foods is essential for supporting your rucking workouts and fueling weight loss. Focus on nutrient-dense foods like lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
- Protein: Prioritize protein to help preserve muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. Aim for 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, depending on your activity level.
- Hydration: Rucking is a demanding physical activity, so staying hydrated is crucial. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your ruck to maintain performance and aid in recovery.
Adjust Your Caloric Intake
If weight loss is your goal, you’ll need to adjust your caloric intake to ensure you’re in a deficit. The number of calories you need will depend on your activity level, weight, and goals, but a safe and sustainable deficit is typically 500-1,000 calories below your maintenance level.
- Avoid Extreme Deficits: Be cautious not to cut your calories too drastically, as this can lead to muscle loss and negatively affect your energy levels during rucking.
The Importance of Consistency
Consistency is key when it comes to weight loss. Rucking is an effective form of exercise, but results will only come with regular practice. Aim to ruck 2-3 times per week when starting, and gradually increase the frequency as your endurance improves. By incorporating rucking into your weekly routine, along with a healthy diet, you’ll be on your way to sustainable weight loss.
Conclusion
Rucking is a highly effective and sustainable way to lose weight, combining the benefits of walking with the added challenge of carrying weight. Its ability to burn calories, build muscle, and preserve joint health makes it an ideal option for those seeking a long-term weight loss strategy. By starting with manageable weight, increasing your distance and intensity over time, and pairing rucking with a balanced diet, you can optimize your routine for maximum fat loss and achieve lasting results.