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What Is Rucking? A Quick How-To + Other Ways To Elevate Your Walk

Author:

Hannah Frye

October 27, 2023

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

By Hannah Frye

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.

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Image by lechatnoir / iStock

October 27, 2023

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Zone 2 cardio training is a lovely middle ground for those who want to boost their heart rate without overdoing it. But on a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, Will Ahmed, the founder and CEO of WHOOP, shares one unique training method you may not have tried yet: rucking. Below, the 101 on this zone 2 exercise.

What is rucking?

Rucking entails walking, or speed walking rather, with a weighted vest on your body to elevate the load you’re used to moving with every day.

Ahmed says this form of zone 2 cardio has gained popularity recently—TikTok agrees, with plenty of users sharing their how-to's and positive results. Some even declare that “hot girls ruck," a nod to the viral “hot girl walk” trend.

The goal with zone 2 cardio is to have your heart rate reach 60 to 70% HR max—so rucking shouldn’t leave you bent over with a racing heartbeat. It’s meant to be an elevated version of light exercise, not full-throttle cardio like running or HIIT.

How to ruck

The process here is quite simple:

Grab a backpack: Some backpacks are made specifically for rucking, but you don’t necessarily need one to get started. Any backpack with good support will do.
Add your weight: Grab any weight you have that will fit in the backpack and wrap it in some sort of cushioning material (a towel, blanket, etc.) so it doesn’t hit your back when walking. For those who want the weight without a backpack, consider using a weighted vest—our favorite options here. You don’t want to feel too strained by the weight, so start with something on the lighter end (say 10 or 15 pounds). You can always go up from there.
Start walking: You guessed it, now you walk—how far is up to you, but start slow and work your way up if you’re new to rucking. You may not be able to walk quite as far as you would without the weighted pack, so aim for a slightly lower distance than you’re used to.

Other ways to elevate your walk

Rucking isn’t the only way to supercharge your daily stroll. Below, a few more options:

Hold dumbbells
Power walk
Alternate between walking and jogging
Try walking backward (when safe)

Remember that no matter how you do it, walking is A+ for longevity 1. While these additions may help elevate your heart rate and switch up your routine, a casual walk is still worth your while.

The takeaway

Rucking, or walking with a weighted vest or backpack, is one way to drop into zone 2 cardio and slightly pick up your heart rate. If this process isn’t for you, don't fret; there are plenty of other ways to enhance your daily walk should you feel inspired. Want to learn more? Check out Ahmed’s episode below, where he chats about heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate, and more telling health metrics.