It has repeatedly been said that rucking is the best cardio exercise for men who hate cardio exercises. Although the workout can quickly improve your cardio, it offers a wealth of other benefits. It is a good choice to add to your workout routine because it can boost your cardio, build your character, and help develop your muscles.
Plus, you’re going to get the opportunity to go outside and enjoy your favorite nature trail. You’ll love immersing yourself in Mother Nature while lugging around a heavy rucksack like a real man. What are the primary benefits of rucking?
Understanding Rucking
Rucking is a unique practice that was inspired by the military. Soldiers have to carry their equipment on their backs. Their backpacks are very heavy so they’re going to get tough quickly. If they’re not fit, they’ll be fit by the time they get out of boot camp. Rucking involves carrying a heavy rucksack over long distances.
Today, people in the military may carry 100 pounds or more on their backs. While you don’t want to start with 100 pounds, you might reach that fitness level with practice. Regardless, rucking will improve your cardio and build your muscles. It offers unique benefits that aren’t available with jogging or running.
Primary Benefits Of Rucking
Now that you’ve learned more about rucking, you probably already have an idea of how it is going to improve your physique. Carrying a heavy bag will build your muscles. Plus, you’re traveling over long distances so your cardio will improve. More about the benefits of rucking will be provided below.
Protecting Your Heart
Heart attacks and heart disease are incredibly common. While they can be caused by other issues, many people experience problems because they live a sedentary lifestyle. They don’t get enough exercise and sit around too much. Everyone needs more exercise. Rucking is a good choice because it is a low-impact exercise that will strengthen your heart.
By building your cardio, you’ll also protect your heart. Exercises, such as rucking, can help reduce the risk of heart attacks and other problems.
Burning Calories Effectively
Obesity has become one of the biggest health problems of this century. Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough exercise and they eat too much. This combination is going to lead to obesity, diabetes, and more health problems. Individuals should exercise more often to ensure that they do not become obese.
Rucking is a good choice because it is fun and the participant will get to explore the outdoor world. It is also effective for burning calories, although slightly less effective than running. Still, it is somewhat better than running in terms of protecting the body. Rucking has less impact on the joints making this activity safer and more sustainable.
You may already enjoy walking at your local park. Rucking requires you to add a heavy rucksack to the exercise. Doing so will help you burn more calories while enjoying your casual stroll.
Less Harmful To The Body
Running can be fun because you’ll travel over a long distance quickly. You’ll get to see more of your local nature trail. The only issue is that running can seriously harm the body. Repeated running is going to take a toll on your joints and bones. Your feet will slam against the ground with tremendous force as you try to run your fastest mile yet.
Over time, this will lead to joint issues and knee pain. Running on a treadmill with cushioning can offset the risks, but rucking tends to be a better option. Rucking doesn’t involve running since you’ll be walking at a brisk pace. Nevertheless, you can still get a comprehensive workout while burning a lot of calories.
You’re going to be carrying a heavy rucksack so you’ll build the muscles in your upper body. You’ll also travel over a long distance. As a result, you’ll improve your cardio and protect your health.
Targeting Several Muscle Groups
People lift weights because they want to get bigger and stronger. However, many people hate lifting weights in the gym because it is boring. If you’re looking for something more exciting, you should embrace rucking. The activity will require you to travel three or four miles while carrying a loaded rucksack. Rucking can build many muscle groups.
You’ll work on your quads and hamstrings. Plus, the muscles in your upper body will be sculpted. You can even target your core muscles when rucking.
Enhancing Your Posture
People with poor posture will eventually encounter numerous health issues. Rucking can help rectify this problem by improving your posture. When you wear a heavy rucksack, your shoulders and back will be pushed backward. Therefore, your body will be in perfect alignment when you’re rucking. As you ruck for several months, maintaining the proper alignment will become commonplace.
Improving Muscle Power
Amateur and professional athletes invest a lot of resources into improving their muscle power, which is where rucking comes into play. A broad range of exercises will build muscle power but many fail at this in comparison to rucking. This new exercise, adapted from military exercises, has proven to be helpful for athletes and other individuals building muscle strength.
Rucking can be done while walking and hiking. To start the process, participants need a weighted rucksack. The rucksack should not weigh more than 10 percent of the individual’s body weight. For example, someone weighing 130 pounds should have a 13-pound rucksack. Do not fret, the rucksack weight can be altered accordingly. However, it should not be heavier than 10 percent of body weight.
Mood Stabilizer
People with a history of minor depression can benefit from rucking. Spending time outdoors is enough to improve mood. Combined with rucking, the mental health benefits are two-fold.
Rucking increases the brain chemicals or neurotransmitters responsible for mood stabilization. The production of serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) as well as noradrenaline (NE) increases, resulting in an overall better mentality.
A regular workout of rucking is a natural mood stabilizer. There is no safer way to combat seasonal or incident depression.