Rucking is an effective exercise for building cardio, developing muscles, and losing weight. It also provides mental benefits by boosting the participant’s mood. While you could lift weights in the gym, it is more exciting to get outside and enjoy yourself amongst Mother Nature. Rucking is great for people who enjoy being outside in the open.
Can this unique exercise routine help you build muscle? Which muscle groups does rucking work?
Which Muscles Worked?
There are various ways to build muscle, but it is hard to beat rucking. The exercise can develop and strengthen the muscles in your legs, shoulders, back, and core. The practice builds muscles in the following categories.
Leg Muscles
You may be interested in building your leg muscles. By doing so, you’ll be able to lift more with your legs and run faster. One way to build leg and thigh muscles is by rucking more often. The exercise often requires the participant to travel many miles. During the journey, they’ll pack roughly 30% of their body weight. Suffice to say, their leg muscles are going to get an excellent workout. Once you’ve made it a mile or two, you’ll feel your leg muscles burning.
Core Muscles
You can also use rucking to build your core muscles. To achieve this goal, you’ll need to make sure that you’re carrying enough weight. Then, the core muscles will have to be used to keep the weight stabilized. They’ll also help protect your back from injury. To keep you upright and stable, your core muscles will begin working overtime.
Ultimately, this is why you can strengthen your core muscles through rucking. Just make sure that you don’t add too much weight because that could lead to injuries.
Back And Shoulders
Rucking can also help build your back and shoulder muscles. When you’re wearing a heavy rucksack, the weight must be distributed on your back and shoulders. As you travel the trail, your back and shoulder muscles will be forced to engage to support the weight. As this happens, your muscles are going to develop and strengthen.
Make sure that you protect your back when rucking. It is best to maintain proper posture and avoid leaning forward.
No Guarantees
Although you can build muscles through rucking, you have to understand that there are no guarantees. In other words, you can’t be certain about what type of results you’ll get. If you’re eating right and rucking regularly, you will most likely gain muscle. However, it depends on a variety of circumstances, including your diet. When you’re new to rucking, you will gain muscle much sooner.
If you’ve been running and lifting weights for the last few years, your results may be minimal. Still, rucking is a fun exercise that will allow you to work out while seeing the best of Mother Nature. Therefore, it is a better option for many people. If you want to exercise and get outside, this will be a great choice for you.
Can You Get Jacked With Rucking?
You may believe that you’re going to get jacked with rucking. Truthfully, you may or may not achieve this goal. It depends on what you consider as being jacked. If you want bulging muscles everywhere, you’ll likely have to combine rucking with other workouts. For instance, you’ll need to visit the gym to do bench presses and leg presses.
You might not get jacked with rucking, but you can still improve your physique. You’ll be able to burn calories and lose weight. You’ll also build leg muscles, shoulder muscles, and core muscles. If you’re dedicated to rucking, it can make you look much better after a few months.
Using Rucking For Muscle Development
Rucking is effective at building muscle. It can also provide the user with an abundance of other benefits. You can reap the following benefits from rucking regularly.
Improves Movement – Rucking requires the participant to move over a long distance while carrying a heavy backpack. They’ll have to find out how to maneuver and use their bodies to support the weight. Over time, they will learn how to be more efficient in terms of functional movement. They will also be able to run faster because their legs are fitter.
Improving Cardio – Another good thing about rucking is the fact that it can help boost cardio health. During the workout, your body is going to need energy and oxygen. You’ll exhaust yourself and continue moving forward. Repeating this exercise two or three times a week will greatly boost your cardio. You’ll find it much easier to run, box, swim, and complete other tasks that depend on cardio. Rucking can also protect you from obesity, diabetes, and heart attacks.
Improving Overall Health – Finally, rucking is great for improving your overall health. If you don’t get enough exercise, you’re likely going to get obese. You might even develop diabetes, heart disease, and other issues. Rucking can offset these risks by helping you lose weight and improve your circulation. Another thing to note is that rucking is great for the participant’s mental health. When you go outside and ruck, you’ll forget about your problems because it is such a good release. Rucking can lower the risk of dementia, obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Be Careful
Despite providing so many benefits, rucking comes with numerous risks as well. Thankfully, you can take steps to minimize these risks so you don’t get injured along the way. For instance, you need to make sure that you’re wearing the right clothing and footwear. Steel-toed boots are helpful in case you drop the weight on your feet. You’ll also want to be aware of your surroundings. Don’t push yourself too hard or you might not make it back.
Summary
You can use rucking exercises to boost your health and build muscles. It is a good choice for people who love being outside. Although it can’t burn as many calories are running, it will help strengthen more muscle groups. People of all ages can go rucking to get outside, clear their minds, and build muscles.