In recent years, rucking has become a common workout among people of all ages and skill levels. This exercise can indeed be good for many people, but there are some exceptions. Whether this exercise is right for you will depend on several factors, including your health, your age, and your strength. Nevertheless, even limited rucking can provide the user with numerous health benefits.
In most cases, rucking is good for the participant. By taking the right precautions, you can protect yourself and improve your health by rucking.
Improves Blood Circulation
Poor blood circulation is a condition that mostly impacts the lower extremity, especially the feet. It can also impact the fingers, hands, and lower arms. The common signs of poor blood circulation are pale (blue) skin color, numbness, edema, and a prickly sensation in affected areas.
Rucking gets the heart pumping faster, resulting in improved blood circulation throughout the body. It can also help improve blood flow to the brain which has been shown to enhance mood, combat memory loss and dementia, and reduce the risk of a stroke.
Recommended For Renal Patients
People with a history of renal (kidney) disease can benefit greatly from rucking. The neurologist may recommend taking it slow at first by rucking short distances and keeping the weight of the rucksack to a minimum. Renal patients should never start rucking without their neurologists’ medical opinion.
Rucking can combat muscle weakening and improve eGFR in renal patients. With this said, this form of exercise may not be suitable for all kidney patients.
Is Rucking Bad For You?
Rucking may not be suitable for all participants, especially those with health issues. If someone is unable to carry heavy items due to health complications, they probably shouldn’t try this activity. For instance, someone might be dealing with shoulder injuries. These people may experience repercussions when rucking.
Carrying the weight on their shoulders could lead to more injuries or worsening injuries. Rucking is not bad for most people. On the other hand, overdoing it can be bad. It is generally best to only ruck two or three times a week to avoid problems. Experienced participants can likely enjoy rucking four or five times a week, but they still need time to recover.
Not Suitable For Everyone
Rucking is no different than other forms of exercise in that it is not suitable for everyone. It is in everyone’s best interest to seek the advice of a medical professional in advance. Diving headfirst into rucking has health risks. It also puts the individual at risk of injury.
A head-to-toe physical exam and blood workup may be needed for some individuals. People with heart conditions, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), valve disease, unstable angina, and arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythms) may need to undergo an EKG and stress test. In any case, it is best to be safe than sorry later on down the road.
New back surgery patients and people with degenerative disc disease should avoid rucking. The added weight of the rucksack could apply too much pressure to the intervertebral discs. Ignoring your surgeon’s recommendations could result in injury to the spinal nerves, ligaments, and facet joints.
Who Is Rucking Good For?
Many people are eager to exercise, lose weight, and get into shape. However, not everyone should begin rucking because the activity isn’t suitable for everyone. Instead, it is vital to determine whether this exercise is right for you and your fitness level. Some people are not able to walk for miles and miles. They should try improving their cardio through brisk walking exercises before tackling rucking.
Rucking is suitable for a wide array of people, including teens, adults, and seniors. The distance and weight can be adjusted to match the participant’s needs. It is a good choice for athletes since it can boost their cardio and strength. It is also a good exercise choice for individuals wanting to lose weight.
Although running can burn more calories, it is a high-impact exercise so it is going to cause more damage to the knees and joints. Rucking is safer and won’t destroy the joints as running will.
Safety Tips When Rucking
If someone wants to begin rucking, they should first find out how to do so safely. Any physical exercise can be dangerous if it is done incorrectly. To minimize the risks, it is pertinent to learn the proper posture and technique. Rucking is simple with a minimal learning curve. Before taking part in rucking, it is best to get the right boots. Shoes may also be okay, depending on the type of terrain you’re going to encounter.
The footwear should be breathable with enough cushion to protect your feet. It is also wise to wear steel-toed boots just in case you drop the rucksack on your toes. Your nails should be cut and your feet should be kept dry. Since you’re going to be sweating and you might get caught out in the rain, be sure to wear waterproof boots.
Start With Beginner’s Exercises
Usually, the participant should carry 20 or 30% of their body weight. However, it is never a good idea for beginners to start with the maximum amount. Instead, they should familiarize their bodies with rucking to minimize the risk of injury. Once you’ve determined how much weight you’d be expected to carry, decrease the weight significantly.
If you’re supposed to carry 50 pounds, you can start with 20 or 25 pounds. Once you’ve become comfortable carrying this amount of weight, you can increase it slowly.
Prepare With Other Exercises
You’ll also want to start with other exercises to prepare for rucking. Certain exercises can help strengthen your body so you can carry the rucksack easier. For instance, you should take advantage of squats, lunges, deadlifts, and leg curls. You can also use a leg press machine to make your legs stronger.
Regardless, you need to make sure that your body is ready for this rigorous activity. If you haven’t exercised in many years, you’re going to need to prepare extensively. Make sure that you can support the weight of the rucksack for many miles before hitting the trail.