guardian7
Level 6 Valued Member
Main Question: What is the difference in rucking between long rucks in the country with high quality framed gear and short < 1 hour “loaded walks” in urban settings with a basic unframed pack?
I read these two great articles and searched “rucking” on this forum and read the topics.
For others without military experience and new to rucking, I recommend these sources: Rucking: What It Is and How to Do It | StrongFirst Al Ciampa
and Mike Prevost Mike Prevost: Ruck Training Programs - PART 1 - On Target Publications
Founder of GoRuck packs interview: The Benefits of Rucking — Jason Fitzgerald Interview | Art of Manliness
Here are the issues that came up:
1. What load for rucks under an hour?
The recommended load to start seems to be 15 to 25 pounds or ten percent of bodyweight. Everyone says it feels heavier than it sounds when starting out. What distance is that recommended for? People on this forum mention a number of miles or KM and often assume going for a long hike. What if you are walking on a straight path in an urban setting (well paved paths) for less than an hour but 4-5 times a week.
2. What materials to pack the bag?
Al Ciampa says that it doesn’t matter what the load is so much as long as it doesn’t shift. But do you really want weight plates, dumbells, or kettlebells near your spine if you slip or twist your ankle in a backpack without a frame?
In other groups, people recommend sand, cement, and believe it or not cat litter as heavy but materials that mold to your body and shape of your pack. Rice? which is in convenient 5kg bags that I could ducktape up and put side by side longways.
3. How could it be programmed by applying SF principles?
Mike Prevost in his well-researched article recommends heavy interval rucks as well as lighter long distance rucks (this is mainly for military ruck preparedness but the principle seems solid just as you might do light, high rep endurance snatches as well as heavy snatches using anti-glycolytic protocols). His article says that once a week for long rucks is enough. For me, I could do a 90 min to two hour ruck once a week, but maybe heavier shorter rucks for two other days a week would be good at less than an hour. For example, ruck a bit. Then do a set of pullups, ruck some more do my snatches etc. I can go in a circle around some bridges and across a stream, which is pleasant but would keep me near the exercise equipment in the park.
In short, it seems that there is room for thinking about it more as a long continuum from the double bodyweight 30 second farmer’s walk Dan John recommends working up to, to light pack, long march LSD.
4. If you are not carrying camping equipment and are taking 20KG or less, why not just buy a weight vest? Anyone know the pros and cons of rucksack vs weight vest?
I have read in multiple sources of the benefits to posture for packs, which is a secondary goal for me. I have never tried a weighted vest. What else?
Equipment
I went to an army surplus place and look at the stuff, but it was more of a collector’s place and was more than I was willing to pay and too big. I got myself a nice knock-off at another place. No frame but well made and small and not too “green” for an urban setting. There is lots of advice on ALICE packs and all kinds of detail in the forum from military people, but I am not ready for that yet.
Background to my questions:
I was finishing a PTTP barbell program when the virus hit and I had to stop. I was tired and then I suddenly got overworked when university teaching went online and I had an ongoing project at the same time. To do something when I was stressed and tired and home a lot, I started walking almost everyday and it felt physically and mentally great. I believe in this idea of an LSD aerobic base as being important now. There are other reasons like lymphatic health and just moving for joint health. We are meant to move. I am lucky to live near a river where there is a nice path and bike lane and outdoor fitness equipment. I want to keep it now that I am on summer vacation, but I want to start rucking to progress it a bit and I feel healthy and am not overworked, but I don’t want to spend more time.
Following Al Ciampa’s recommendation for GPP in minimal footwear, I am just wearing good Teva sandals with strap support for foot health. I don’t want anything more. I am recovering from plantar fasciitis, which limits me from very long walks a bit and I don’t want to longer than 90 min as I would get more benefit from more KB work and am an older dad with a young child.
Other current activities: I am also learning to snatch and doing pullups about three times a week, spending time in passive bar hanging while on my walks, and a daily deadbugs core program from Aleks Salkin. I carry my KB to the river to work out and do the pullups, which is about 1 km round trip walking. I just want to be outdoors as well.
I read these two great articles and searched “rucking” on this forum and read the topics.
For others without military experience and new to rucking, I recommend these sources: Rucking: What It Is and How to Do It | StrongFirst Al Ciampa
and Mike Prevost Mike Prevost: Ruck Training Programs - PART 1 - On Target Publications
Founder of GoRuck packs interview: The Benefits of Rucking — Jason Fitzgerald Interview | Art of Manliness
Here are the issues that came up:
1. What load for rucks under an hour?
The recommended load to start seems to be 15 to 25 pounds or ten percent of bodyweight. Everyone says it feels heavier than it sounds when starting out. What distance is that recommended for? People on this forum mention a number of miles or KM and often assume going for a long hike. What if you are walking on a straight path in an urban setting (well paved paths) for less than an hour but 4-5 times a week.
2. What materials to pack the bag?
Al Ciampa says that it doesn’t matter what the load is so much as long as it doesn’t shift. But do you really want weight plates, dumbells, or kettlebells near your spine if you slip or twist your ankle in a backpack without a frame?
In other groups, people recommend sand, cement, and believe it or not cat litter as heavy but materials that mold to your body and shape of your pack. Rice? which is in convenient 5kg bags that I could ducktape up and put side by side longways.
3. How could it be programmed by applying SF principles?
Mike Prevost in his well-researched article recommends heavy interval rucks as well as lighter long distance rucks (this is mainly for military ruck preparedness but the principle seems solid just as you might do light, high rep endurance snatches as well as heavy snatches using anti-glycolytic protocols). His article says that once a week for long rucks is enough. For me, I could do a 90 min to two hour ruck once a week, but maybe heavier shorter rucks for two other days a week would be good at less than an hour. For example, ruck a bit. Then do a set of pullups, ruck some more do my snatches etc. I can go in a circle around some bridges and across a stream, which is pleasant but would keep me near the exercise equipment in the park.
In short, it seems that there is room for thinking about it more as a long continuum from the double bodyweight 30 second farmer’s walk Dan John recommends working up to, to light pack, long march LSD.
4. If you are not carrying camping equipment and are taking 20KG or less, why not just buy a weight vest? Anyone know the pros and cons of rucksack vs weight vest?
I have read in multiple sources of the benefits to posture for packs, which is a secondary goal for me. I have never tried a weighted vest. What else?
Equipment
I went to an army surplus place and look at the stuff, but it was more of a collector’s place and was more than I was willing to pay and too big. I got myself a nice knock-off at another place. No frame but well made and small and not too “green” for an urban setting. There is lots of advice on ALICE packs and all kinds of detail in the forum from military people, but I am not ready for that yet.
Background to my questions:
I was finishing a PTTP barbell program when the virus hit and I had to stop. I was tired and then I suddenly got overworked when university teaching went online and I had an ongoing project at the same time. To do something when I was stressed and tired and home a lot, I started walking almost everyday and it felt physically and mentally great. I believe in this idea of an LSD aerobic base as being important now. There are other reasons like lymphatic health and just moving for joint health. We are meant to move. I am lucky to live near a river where there is a nice path and bike lane and outdoor fitness equipment. I want to keep it now that I am on summer vacation, but I want to start rucking to progress it a bit and I feel healthy and am not overworked, but I don’t want to spend more time.
Following Al Ciampa’s recommendation for GPP in minimal footwear, I am just wearing good Teva sandals with strap support for foot health. I don’t want anything more. I am recovering from plantar fasciitis, which limits me from very long walks a bit and I don’t want to longer than 90 min as I would get more benefit from more KB work and am an older dad with a young child.
Other current activities: I am also learning to snatch and doing pullups about three times a week, spending time in passive bar hanging while on my walks, and a daily deadbugs core program from Aleks Salkin. I carry my KB to the river to work out and do the pullups, which is about 1 km round trip walking. I just want to be outdoors as well.
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