For many people, the thought of exercising can be very off-putting. Some people just want to sit around and watch television. They don’t find it exciting to visit a gym to run on a treadmill or lift weights. Since visiting a gym can be boring, it is wise to find more exciting ways to get fit. In particular, rucking, which is one of the most exciting exercises because you’ll get to go outside and explore new areas around your town.
You can hike your local nature trail or ruck around your city while chatting with locals. A beginner’s guide to rucking can be found below.
Why Everyone Should Go Rucking
Rucking is easily one of the best exercises for people who enjoy being outdoors. Since you’re going to be walking around your city or hiking a nearby trail, you will see new things and encounter interesting people.
Simple With Few Requirements
First, you’ll find that rucking is a simple practice with few requirements. Even if you haven’t exercised in years, you can begin rucking tomorrow. You might already have everything you need. To go rucking, you only need a rucksack or backpack and weights. You could use your schoolbooks, water bottles, or other items to add weight to the bag.
Exploring Mother Nature
Many types of exercise require the participant to be inside their local gym. Unfortunately, this is downright boring since you’re going to see the same things and the same people every day. Rucking breaks this tradition by getting the participant outside. As mentioned above, you can ruck anywhere. You can visit a local city park, state park, or city center. You just need plenty of room to hike.
Socializing
Rucking doesn’t have to be a solo journey. You may want to hang out with friends, but you don’t want to miss out on rucking for the day. With rucking, you can solve two problems simultaneously. Fill another rucksack so your friend can go with you. When you ruck with several friends, you’ll get to know these people better than ever before.
Resistance Training
This exercise is very effective for improving the user’s endurance because it offers active resistance training. When you’re hiking with 30 pounds on your back, you’re going to improve your cardio, build muscle, and become stronger. You’ll receive a wealth of health benefits while having a good time exploring your local nature trail.
Burning Calories
Rucking is good exercise for people who want to burn calories. In some cases, it can help burn just as many calories as walking, although mostly, it will burn more calories than walking because you’re carrying a heavy rucksack on your back. Just remember that the calories burned per hour will depend on several factors, including the terrain, your weight, and the weight of your backpack. If your goal is to burn as many calories as possible, carry more weight and walk faster.
Forcing Good Posture
Having good posture can make a big difference since it’ll protect your back and improve your appearance. However, it is hard to break bad habits. Getting involved in the rucking trend is an excellent way to address this problem. When you carry a heavy rucksack on your back, you’ll be forced to maintain good posture. Your shoulders will be pushed back by the weight. Over time, this will become second nature.
Great For Mental Health
Your mental health is equally important as your physical health. When possible, you should participate in activities that address both. Rucking can do just that. Exercising is always a good way to clear your mind and stop focusing on your concerns. Rucking is even better because you’ll get outside and explore Mother Nature. Once you’ve finished rucking for the day, you’ll have a clear head.
How To Start Rucking
Have you decided that you want to go rucking? Thankfully, it isn’t difficult to get started. You just need to learn the basics and go from there. Follow the steps below to get started.
Obtain A Rucksack
Before you can do anything, you’ll need to obtain a good backpack or rucksack. You can use any type of rucksack, but it is pertinent to choose one that fits you well. Also, make sure that it is durable so it can support the weight. If possible, try to choose a rucksack that features a waist strap. Using the strap will help ensure that the weight is evenly distributed.
Getting Enough Weight
Usually, it is recommended that your rucksack weigh 30% of your body weight. However, it is up to you to decide what works best. If you’re new to rucking, you can start with lower weights. Twenty pounds is a good starting point, but you can even start with 10 pounds. While you can purchase special weights designed specifically for rucking, there are cheaper options. For instance, you can use dumbbells, books, and other items to make the rucksack heavy.
When loading the items, be sure to put the heaviest items at the top and as close to your back as possible.
Get Moving
Once you’ve completed the steps above, it is time to get moving. Rucking can be done anywhere as long as you have enough room to move. You can even ruck around your yard until you’re satisfied with the distance you’ve traveled. However, it is more exciting to ruck at your local trail. When you first get started, you may have difficulty maintaining the standard of 15 minutes for each mile.
Focus on at least 20 minutes per mile until you get better. Rucking once or twice a week will be a good start. After your first few rucks, you are likely going to experience muscle aches. The good news is that this means you’re building muscle.
Overall
People of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy rucking because the activity takes them outside. Just make sure that you’re rucking safely to avoid injuring yourself. Start slow and progress carefully as you become more accustomed to the rigorous exercise. Before you know it, you’ll be able to surpass the standard 15-minutes mile threshold easily.