GET STARTED RUCKING

Start with 1-2 rucks per week if you're new to working out, or 3-4 rucks per week if you already work out. Build your way up from there and give your body time to recover after rucking.

Go at your own pace, you can ruck however fast or slow you'd like. If you'd like to set benchmark goals and you're just getting started with rucking, aim for 17-20 minutes per mile.

The Army minimum standard is 15 minutes per mile, which is a great goal pace to meet (or exceed) over time as you progress in rucking.

Start with 10 - 25 pounds, depending on your current fitness activity level and bodyweight. When in doubt, aim for lighter weight and longer distance on your first few rucks. If you can't maintain good posture for the entire ruck, lower the weight and build up over time.

Work your way up in increments of 5 pounds each week, or as you see fit. Listen to your body, stretch, hydrate, and adjust as necessary.

A good rule of thumb is to not carry more than ⅓ of your bodyweight.

In 1950, Colonel S.L.A. Marshall published a book called The Soldier’s Load and the Mobility of a Nation, which is still widely regarded as the reference of choice on the matter. In this book, Marshall details at great length how and why soldiers are required to carry too much weight, which was as relevant then as it is to today’s combat loads in excess of 100 lbs.

Marshall contends that based on past studies on the loads carried by armies throughout history, the soldier should be limited to ⅓ of his bodyweight.

In our experience, we've found the ⅓ rule to be true, and a great goal to work up to over time, and not exceed. Remember, if you need a bigger challenge you can always increase speed and distance rucked, too.

If you do need to go above ⅓ of your bodyweight, such as for military training or backcountry hunting, make sure you’re ready for it and that you progress safely.

The military ruck march, otherwise known as a loaded march or forced foot march, is part of army training for different militaries all over the world. The ruck march is one course in a series of tests under U.S. Army regulations in order to earn the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB).

The EIB is a special skills badge awarded to recognize Infantrymen who have demonstrated a mastery of critical tasks, including the ruck march, physical fitness assessment, land navigation, weapons navigation, and other individual tasks. 

The ruck march requires the candidate to complete a 12-mile march within 3 hours while carrying a rifle and 35 lb minimum load that add up to the Army ruck weight standards, for a total of up to 70 lbs.

Absolutely, rucking builds muscle in your back (traps, lats), core / abs, legs (quads, hamstrings, calves), glutes, and stabilizer muscles groups.

When paired with a Ruck PT workout, rucking becomes the ultimate full body exercise.

Yes, rucking is one of the safest and most efficient ways to burn calories and lose weight.

Also known as Active Resistance Training (ART), which is part active cardio and part strength training, rucking will burn significantly more calories than walking. With the added benefits of permanent metabolic gains from stronger muscles at a fraction of the cost to your knees, and plenty of benefit to your heart. 

Check out the Rucking Calorie Calculator to get an estimate of calories burned while rucking.