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Other/Mixed Rucking, stiffness and immobility

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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I'd like to respectfully both agree and disagree with @offwidth and @pet'. When hitting some rough terrain I use good boots (which are now 12 years old,but working very well), but when training on the hardball I like me some Merrell Barefoots, you don't need too much support on the flat.
What I found to be the best cue was "lean forward at the ankles".
"Deskbound" by Kelley Starrett offers some more advanced hip mobilisations such as the couch stretch. As weĺl as offering tips on keeping a good gait and sitting well to avoid hip flexors tightening up. It's worked well for my but YMMV.
 
DavThew said:
I'd like to respectfully both agree and disagree with @offwidth and @pet'. When hitting some rough terrain I use good boots (which are now 12 years old,but working very well), but when training on the hardball I like me some Merrell Barefoots, you don't need too much support on the flat.
What I found to be the best cue was "lean forward at the ankles".
"Deskbound" by Kelley Starrett offers some more advanced hip mobilisations such as the couch stretch. As weĺl as offering tips on keeping a good gait and sitting well to avoid hip flexors tightening up. It's worked well for my but YMMV.
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No worries... When I do ruck for training (which is only several times a year) it is almost invariably 'off road'
 
Reading the symptoms and how they all seem to occur when load is removed I am inclined to say you are feeling the effects of aging.

I'd try different shoes and even vary the composition of your load and how it is adjusted. When I used to job with a 40lb load I found water to work very well, poured into an old truck innertube.

I've done and still do a fair amount of backpacking and unless the terrain is very rocky I've found no advantage to stiff hiking boots. My current are a pair of workboots, but have been known to hike in sandals and sneakers.

If the terrain is rocky, the heavier boots mostly protect the ankles from impact and scuff rather than provide support.
 
North Coast Miller said:
Reading the symptoms and how they all seem to occur when load is removed I am inclined to say you are feeling the effects of aging.

I'd try different shoes and even vary the composition of your load and how it is adjusted. When I used to job with a 40lb load I found water to work very well, poured into an old truck innertube.

I've done and still do a fair amount of backpacking and unless the terrain is very rocky I've found no advantage to stiff hiking boots. My current are a pair of workboots, but have been known to hike in sandals and sneakers.

If the terrain is rocky, the heavier boots mostly protect the ankles from impact and scuff rather than provide support.
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Doh! Age, eh? Not the answer I was hoping for, but you might be right. Thanks for the feedback and the suggestions.
 
GreyFox said:
For what it's worth, I love rucking these short distances with this frequency. It is an efficient use of my time, dramatically improved my heart rate (I worked down to a resting HR of 56 from the upper 60s with nothing but this approach to rucking), goes a long way toward keeping me lean and is, quite frankly, the best sleeping pill I've ever known.
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You will reap many of the same benefits, with less wear and tear on your body, if you walk without a load. The load not only adds weight, it restricts movement and alters posture.

-S-
 
I occasionally will find my hips tighten up if I increase my load too much. My sweet spot for posture is around 10-15kg, but my sweet spot for hitting my optimal HR is around 25kg. Unfortunalty if I want to get my HR up enough I need to do an excessive amount of foam rolling/stretching later that day. I guess I'll take the better posture and up my HR with KB swings.
 
GreyFox said:
I've done a pretty fair amount of rucking over the last few years. Loads between 20 and 45 lbs at a bodyweight between 170-185, typically for shorter distances (Less than 4 miles) but often daily. Occasionally, I cut back to a few times a week.

I've noticed I accumulate a LOT of tension in my hips and legs, becoming comparatively stiff and immobile. Occasionally, I'm visited by pain along the outside of my thigh, knee and calf when not rucking.

There is also some discomfort in the lower back when not rucking, but perhaps that is to be expected when one carries weight on one's back much of the time.

I've tired trigger point self release, foam rolling and the like with limited success.

Any tips on managing and perhaps resolving these issues?
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I ruck too, and heavy as well but limit it to two days per week. Sunday is heavy day with 50 lbs and two hours. Wednesday is lighter ( 45 lbs) and only one hour.
I do kbs and barbell work on the three other days and accumulate 8-10000 steps unweighted during most days.
I would never ruck every day.

Also I do a LOT of foam rolling and stretching ( especially hams and quads ) to unload the stiffness
 
Hello,

Rucking everyday is impossible (IMO), unless you have a physical job (farmer, bricklayer...).

You can consider rucking two ways:
=> "long" distances (or time) + light / medium weight
=> "short" distances (or time) + heavy weight

Then, it is all about the ability to frequently do it and to recover from it.

Doing it on a daily basis (or almost daily) in addition to your routine and in addition to your rythm of life can fatigue you quickly.

The frame designed by @Rif sounds well balanced to me.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hmmm.... sounds like after my "deload", I also need to seriously consider dropping my ruck frequency. That's kind of bummer, but it is what it is.

Thank you all for the feedback and the helpful links.
 
GreyFox said:
I've noticed I accumulate a LOT of tension in my hips and legs, becoming comparatively stiff and immobile. Occasionally, I'm visited by pain along the outside of my thigh, knee and calf when not rucking.
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It sounds like you might have or are starting to get IT band syndrome. I had this problem my first year in the Army. Shortening my stride helped - shorter, quicker steps.

GreyFox said:
When I ruck, I wear Adidas Sambas, a fairly minimalist soccer shoe. Perhaps they are not appropriate footwear?
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I love my Sambas, and I think they're great if you're going from mid-foot to the balls of your feet a lot - sprinting, pivoting, running around an indoor soccer field. Not sure that they're great for going heel to toe while rucking. You could try another shoe and see if that helps.

GreyFox said:
I basically wear a loaded pack while walking my dogs.
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Are your dogs leashed? Could that be throwing your gait off?

I spent several years in the light infantry, and I believe that you can ruck fairly frequently at the loads and distances you're doing. However, we only did 1 one-hour ruck per week while in garrison, with a 12 miler once a month. You could just be suffering from repetitive stress / overuse. Throwing in some easy runs might help. Zonk PT never hurts, either ;)
 
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