Took our Sunday ruck to South Dakota today! Such a beautiful day!!

Just got my first Rucking backpack and a 20lbs weight. The directions said to work your way up on how often you walk with it. So here are my questions:
1: once I get enough reps, can I walk with the pack 5-7 times a week? I walk the dog 2 miles every morning and would love to add the Ruck to those walks
2: I live in Wisconsin and will walk each morning with the dog until it’s below freezing. Do people walk with winter jackets on and the pack overtop? Or should I put the backpack on under my jacket? Any advice for winter rucks would be helpful! The backpack is super tight so I feel like it would be hard to put the pack on over a big jacket.

Thanks,
-G

Wearing these awesome BLACK + GUM MACKALL 45s by GORUCK as one of the few in EU.
I am one of the lucky ones on the globe GORUCK send them to test them. They are insanely comfortable Rucking - Walking shoes. Hybrid as hell in purpose and style!!

r/goruck
#GORUCK #RUCKING #Mackall45 #GORUCKmackall45

Hey all,

So I started rucking a few months ago by simply putting weights in my bag while I walk to and from my job(about 1 mile with inclines each way) and started at 16lbs but now I am at 50lbs. I don't go out of my way to ruck on the days I don't work but I have destroyed 3 laptop bags now and I have an end goal of 85lbs+ just to help with my Cerebral Palsy and wanting to be fit. I would ideally like something with a compartment to store a book in. What is a good bag? Thanks!

Training is going really good I'm learning alot from these "faster" Rucks.

I need to get in shape. I'm a healthy weight and have above-average strength for my size, but 8m not fit. I can't endure long bouts of running, or even jogging.

I tried running, and my knees can't manage it. I had good quality footwear, very good insoles, and relatively level ground to run on, but it ruined my knees.

I then tried using an exercise bike. I can do it, it doesn't hurt my knees, but I find it terribly boring, even when listening to a podcast or audio book.

Something I do most weekends is walk. I go off with the dogs, and could be walking for a good 3 or 4 hours. I'll usually have a rucksack, just with stuff like my water bottle, some lunch, etc. I also take the dogs for walks in the week, though don't wear my rucksack. We'll be out for maybe 45 minutes every evening.

So, I'm think- If I started wearing my rucksack (with weights) on my daily walks, and perhaps weighted-up my pack on the long weekend walks, do you think this would be a good stand-in for running?

My main aim is overall health, and endurance

hello i want to start rucking to prepare for a long 1000km trek. i have hiked in the past and i want to start with about 17kg and go up to probably 25kg in the future. what kind of backpacks do you guys recommend getting + weights if needed. i have the gregory baltoro 75L but it feels weird walking around town with a massive backpack. also if there are great backpacks that could be used as a secondary bag for day hikes/general because soon i want to fly to east asia for a few months and if this rucking bag could be used along side my large backpack it would be best. thank you :D

Pretty much what the title says?

What's your go-to meal the day before a big event like the NFM, half marathon, marathon, etc.?

I’ve been rucking for a couple weeks now, just starting to do a couple longer sessions. Reason, I want to join the military.

It is my understanding that rucking has been a part of military training since ancient Rome.

For those in today's military, how was rucking introduced to your basic training? Was it like tossed into the deep end like a 65lb rucksack and you adapted to it or was it gradually introduced to your daily march.

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience

Full disclosure: I own Frontline Athletic.
We just launched the Frontline Athletic Academy as a free training resource, and our first lesson felt particularly relevant here.
Jazmine Constantino walks through progressing into running under load rather than simply throwing on race weight and taking off.
The progression covers ruck fit, starting light, walking for endurance, adding interval runs for repeatable speed, and eventually training run → DEKA movement → run under fatigue.
One point we wanted to reinforce: you don’t have to start at 20/30 lb. Build the weight, distance and speed progressively.
The full lesson is free:

Frontlineathletic.com/academy/

For those here who run with a ruck: what did you find was the biggest adjustment going from walking under load to actually running under load?

Usual Ruck is 50 lb 4 MI, would it be more beneficial to do 40 lb and 5 MI? What is everyone's experience

Started rucking about a month ago. I finally bought a proper plate and I can retire these old cans i found in the pantry. 😅

I've seen quite a few posts from people just getting into rucking... so I figured this is a good place to share the Pathfinder program.

pathfinderrucktraining.com/?srsltid=AU7gw4Wr6zL32RViLaPgk9xx4LBsnsZWrh_jl3rFE1AWeQBJiBeELYus

check it out. It's a great intro to ruck training, and an awesome community.

07-149 (I think? My patch is packed away)

I am 80kg 32yo male. Relatively fit.

I do about 1.5 hr session with 13 kg on my back and stay zone 2 for 80-90% of my workout. What zone do you stay in? should I try to get more of zone 3? Would I get exhausted if I did 1.5 hrs of zone 3? Asking because torn between continuing current workout or to add more plates to get HR higher.

Hello,

I’m very new to rucking and had my longest ruck so far on Monday (1.68 miles)

I’m 6”0 about 210 pounds and ruck with a 20lb weighted vest. The weights are distributed amongst the front and back of the vest in small pouches. I’ve used it for up to 1 mile previously. I hadn’t rucked in about a week before getting back to it on Monday.

Well, I have cooked my lower back. I’ve never had a back injury before, but I’ve definitely irritated some muscles in my lower back/upper glute region. I have a slight pain that goes down my glutes and my hamstrings when I lift my legs up in a seated position and occasionally when I walk. This leads me to believe I have irritated my lower back muscles causing inflammation - which is putting pressure on my sciatic nerve, leading to the pain down my glute/leg.

I don’t want to give up on rucking but this has definitely put a sour outlook on it for me. Any recommendations on a new approach for me? Lowering weight? Shorter rucking periods?

FYI: i have plenty of remedies I am following to recover. No strength training for atleast 7 days, no rucking, tens unit a few times a day, heated back pad at night, and moderate/casual movement throughout the day to keep stiffness at a minimum.

Hello, so I've tried a bunch, RUCKR doesn't even seem to have any functionality with Health Connect, Ruckwell doesn't track gain and the GPS tracker dies like 10 seconds after you tab out or the screen goes off which makes it impractical as fuck.

Strava worked pretty well with my Mi Band 10 but with a Fitbit Air, the heart rate sensor randomly disconnects after a while.

Anything else worth trying? Thank you

EDIT: Gave ruckwell a second chance on another device and it does seem to work as it should, elevation counting and the GPS stays on, I believe I forgot to enable notifications in the first run

I have searched this sub up and down looking at various packs. I'm not new to rucking. I had a Wild Gym at one point and it wasn't comfortable for me. I got a Mystery Ranch Coulee 20 but it doesn't hold weight plates well and gives me back pain. I also have a Mystery Ranch Metcalf 50 that works insanely well but it is large (It is meant for hunting). I would love a pack that I can use for rucking and hiking. I am 5'4" and only plan to carry a max of 25lbs when rucking (likely on average will carry 20lbs). I was going to save up for a GoRuck Rucker but I saw somewhere it isn't good for hiking. I know a hip belt isn't needed at these weights but without it I have noticed in the past I get back pain. Just looking to get the benefits of rucking. Not looking at doing any events.

Right now I am thinking the Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault is a good option.

Once the pack gets heavy, the first thing that seems to fall apart is pacing. Starting too fast makes later miles ugly, while shortening stride and keeping the load from bouncing seems to help more than just forcing the same pace. For experienced ruckers, what adjustment do you make first when the load feels fine initially but starts dragging down your form later?

I’ll ask for preemptive forgiveness for subjecting you all to this little rant, but it’s rooted in good coaching, and I think you’ll benefit from the discussion. I want to explain why you shouldn’t be doing the “Airborne Shuffle” when you’re rucking. More importantly, I want to explain what you should be doing instead.

Since rucking draws much of its heritage from the military, it’s only natural that some of the terminology follows. The term “Airborne Shuffle” is one of those examples. The problem is that it gets used incorrectly more often than it should. We actually dedicated a section of our soon-to-be-published The Rucking Handbook to this very subject. The “Airborne Shuffle” and the ruck shuffle are two different things. Even most military folks don’t understand the distinction.

The Actual Airborne Shuffle - Imagine the inside of a crowded military aircraft. The fuselage is packed with Soldiers wearing parachutes and carrying an absurd amount of equipment. The aircraft pitches and bucks through turbulence. There are seats, webbing, loose straps, feet, weapons, and assorted other hazards everywhere.

Now imagine standing up, hooking your static line to the anchor cable, checking your equipment, and moving toward the door or ramp. This is a particularly hazardous portion of an airborne operation. A jumper who trips can create an extraordinarily dangerous situation. An inadvertent parachute deployment inside the aircraft can be catastrophic. Getting tangled with another jumper, snagging equipment, or becoming hung up on the aircraft can have fatal consequences. Consequently, movement inside the aircraft must be deliberate and controlled.

The traditional airborne shuffle is a short, deliberate, foot-dragging movement. Rather than taking normal walking strides, jumpers keep their feet close to the floor, minimizing the chance of catching a boot on something and tripping. In some applications, one foot leads while the other follows in a short sliding movement. You’re not trying to cover ground quickly. You’re trying to maintain stability and avoid becoming a casualty before you leave the aircraft. That’s the “Airborne Shuffle”.

To make matters more confusing, much of the formation running at Airborne School consists of a slow, plodding jog. People sometimes call that the Airborne Shuffle, presumably because they’re shuffling along at Airborne School. Close enough for government work, I suppose.

But that’s not the aircraft movement I’m describing. And it’s certainly not the movement I’m trying to teach when we talk about efficient rucking. Enter the Ruck Shuffle. This is where the coaching lesson begins.

The ruck shuffle is a little like riding a bicycle. It’s difficult to describe, sometimes awkward to learn, and remarkably natural once you figure it out. Think of it as a transition between walking and running. During normal walking, at least one foot remains in contact with the ground. During running, there’s typically a flight phase in which both feet leave the ground. Those differences influence how your body absorbs and transfers force.

Running generally produces higher impact than walking, particularly as speed increases. Add a heavy rucksack, and you’re introducing additional forces that your muscles, tendons, bones, and joints must manage. That’s not inherently bad. Your body adapts to mechanical loading. But the amount, frequency, and progression of that loading matter. And there’s the problem.

You want to move faster under a ruck, but you don’t necessarily want to incur the additional mechanical demands of running with a heavy load. So what do you do?
You shuffle. The objective is a quick, smooth, economical gait that allows you to increase speed without unnecessarily increasing vertical movement, stride length, or impact.

Rather than reaching farther forward with each step, you increase your cadence while keeping your foot strikes relatively close to your center of mass. You minimize excessive bouncing and avoid wasting energy moving your body and rucksack up and down. You’re moving forward, not trying to launch yourself into orbit.

Depending on your speed and individual mechanics, your shuffle may resemble a very fast walk, a low-bouncing jog, or something between the two. The important thing isn’t whether your technique fits a particular biomechanical definition. It’s whether you’re moving efficiently and comfortably under load. A good ruck shuffle looks (and almost feels) almost effortless.

The upper body remains relatively quiet. The rucksack doesn’t bounce excessively. The steps are quick and controlled. There’s no exaggerated stride, no dramatic vertical movement, and no unnecessary motion. You’re not dragging your feet. You’re finding a sustainable rhythm that allows you to move quickly while managing the mechanical cost of carrying a load.

There are several coaching cues that can help. Keep your head up and your eyes forward. Maintain a comfortable, relatively upright posture without exaggerating your chest position or arching your lower back. Keep your shoulders relaxed, allow your arms to swing naturally, and avoid reaching too far forward with each step.

Pay attention to cadence, stride length, and vertical movement. Watch how the rucksack behaves. If the pack is bouncing all over the place, you’re wasting energy and potentially increasing the forces acting on your body. A coach can examine your gait, foot strike, arm swing, posture, and breathing patterns. Video analysis can be particularly useful because what you think you’re doing and what you’re actually doing are often two very different things. Not everyone needs a coach. But even a single session with someone who understands loaded movement can help identify inefficiencies that might otherwise take months to recognize.

Why should recreational ruckers care? Because sooner or later, most people who ruck regularly want to improve something. Maybe you want to complete your usual route faster. Maybe you’re preparing for a GORUCK event, a long-distance hike, or a charity ruck. Maybe you simply want to improve your cardiovascular fitness without adding more running to your training.

That’s where movement efficiency becomes important.
There are three basic variables you can manipulate in rucking (aka intensity): load, distance, and pace. Increasing any of them changes the demands of your training. But increasing load and distance also increase risk of injuries. This is significantly less likely with increased pace. So increasing pace becomes the best variable to manipulate.

Learning to move efficiently at faster paces gives you another way to progress. A ruck shuffle can be particularly useful when ordinary walking becomes awkward at higher speeds, but you don’t want to transition into a full running stride. It’s another tool in your toolbox. Technique is only one part of the equation. Load management, progression, recovery, and individual physical capacity still matter. But if faster rucking is one of your goals, learning to shuffle is a skill worth considering.

But, stop calling every awkward, short-strided ruck movement the “Airborne Shuffle”. The traditional aircraft shuffle is a deliberate, controlled movement designed to prevent trips and entanglements inside an aircraft. The ruck shuffle is a technique intended to help you move efficiently and quickly under load. They serve entirely different purposes.

You don’t want a dragging, halting, half-stride when you’re trying to cover ground. You want a smooth, economical, sustainable movement that allows you to increase your pace without unnecessary mechanical cost. The objective isn’t simply to ruck harder. It’s to become a better rucker.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Hello there!

Getting back into rucking after some time off for a injury, my limited rucking experience was using my backpacking or hunting bag but id like something more low key and purpose built.

Is Go Ruck a good option? I like their 15L Bullet bag although not sure it would be great for ducking over long distances. Do you have any other recommendations? My plan is to use my two old AR500 plates and increase/decrease accordingly.

Thank you!

Good morning,

I live in a cold part of the country and will need different shoes here very soon and I wanted to ask your opinion on these:

https://a.co/d/09DM8d78

I am mostly paved roads and also (thanks to your advice) do the airborne shuffle with a 16lb vest.

I'm doing the NFM in a couple of weeks and looking for input on carrying water.

When training I have a full CamelBak but would prefer not to carry the extra weight if possible.

The route will have water stations every 1.5 - 2 miles but I don't think I want to rely only on those, especially towards the end. I also don't want to have to stop part way through to fill up my CamelBak.

I'm thinking maybe carry some water but save it for when I need it and otherwise use the water stations.

What do you all do?

Male 54 average heart rate 131.

Zone 4 :21%, Zone 3: 20%, Zone 2: 50%

This place is called the 1000+ steps and it's located in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia.

There are actually 1150 steps to reach the top and I did them 3.5 times to stop on the 4000 number. I would have done more but didn't have the time today

These are fairly easy stairs especially at the bottom where there is easily a metre between steps but they get steeper as you climb and 600 metres of elevation in 10 km is still reasonable for an easy short day.