5 Rucking Rules You Should Know Before Backpacking

Rucking is amazing for your cardiovascular and aerobic health. Some people find rucking more comfortable than running for the same calories burned. This is because rucking involves less friction, so your body doesn't heat up as much. However, rucking is harder to get right, so it stays under-recognized.

But we're here to help. With smart rules such as using balanced day bags, rucking can virtually be a walk in the park. Here are five rucking rules you should know about.

1- Always Warm Up Before Rucking

Warming up is important before any exercise. It gets your muscles ready, your juices flowing, and your heart rate increases gradually. Yet, many people skip warming up before rucking. If you're not used to it yet, try doing some stretching exercises and a bit of brisk walking before rucking. You'll be surprised by how it improves performance.

2- Do Sweat It

Rucking is supposed to be an effort-requiring exercise. If it's too easy, you're not doing it right. The benefits of cardio-aerobic exercise come from faster breathing and an increased heart rate. Make sure you walk fast enough with high enough weights.

3- Don't Take Breaks

The secret to rucking—or any aerobic exercise for that matter—is finding the sweet spot where you're working hard but not so hard that you must stop every few minutes. At the right pace and weight, your body produces energy at the highest rate it can without making too much lactic acid. If you need a break, slow down your pace but don't stop.

4- Don't Run. Increase Weights instead

The whole point of rucking is so you can burn calories without having to run and get your body temperature up. If you think you can run, increase your weight instead and brisk walk.

Person rucking in city streets

5- Mind Your Posture

Militaries popularized Rucking as a way to train soldiers to carry weights in the field. Military rucking starts with a vest with evenly distributed weight. However, when you use a backpack for rucking, it disturbs your body's center of balance and gives you an anterior pelvic tilt. You can avoid this by using balanced day packs with a front compartment to bring your body back to its natural posture.

Having won multiple awards for our science-backed products, Light Hiking Gear, is a leading designer of naturally balanced day packs in North America. Our Aarn bodypacks are designed to make even tough rucking feel like a mare walk in the park.

Want to go rucking the right way? Buy dynamic daypacks from our store now!

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