Is ‘rucking’, walking with a backpack, much better than regular walking?｜Dong-A Ilbo

Rucking, a method of walking that combines aerobic exercise with strength training, continues to grow. To put it simply, it’s an exercise where you walk while carrying a weighted backpack or wearing a weighted vest.

Rucking originated from the special ‘backpack’ used by the army to carry equipment when moving long distances. Studies have shown that walking with a heavy backpack increases resistance and uses more of your core, shoulder and leg muscles.

Rucking has four main health benefits: First, it increases calorie burning. Adding weight to your walking increases the intensity of your exercise, which helps you burn more calories than regular walking. “Depending on the weight you use and the speed at which you walk, jogging can burn up to three times more calories than regular walking,” says TJ Mentus, personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews , a health YouTube channel.

Second, more muscle strength. Unlike regular walking, rucking activates more muscle groups due to the extra weight, often including the heart and lower body muscles. “Rucking is primarily an aerobic exercise, but it’s also a resistance exercise because you’re moving more weight than your own body weight. “This is good for increasing lower body muscles and strength,” explains Mentus.

Third, improves cardiovascular health. Walking helps with cardiovascular health by strengthening the heart muscles and improving blood circulation. Rucking increases these benefits even further because it increases the intensity of your walking and incorporates strength training.

Fourth, strengthen bones. Studies have shown that weight-bearing exercises like squats can increase stress on bones, making them stronger and increasing bone density. By supporting the weight of the bag you will strengthen your back muscles and improve your posture.

Rucking can be particularly effective for postmenopausal women, who have low bone density and are at high risk of osteoporosis.

“Interest in rucking is growing among older women because it offers many health benefits,” Nichele Cihlar, director of education at GORUCK, a rucking expert, told Newsweek.

“Resistance exercise, such as weight training, builds muscle strength and strengthens bones,” she said. “This helps reduce the risk of fracture, which increases with age,” he said.

“The extra weight of the bag places a mechanical load on the bones, stimulating bone-forming cells and promoting bone growth,” personal trainer Kate Ligler told Newsweek.

There is no need to purchase separate equipment for rucking. You can use any backpack you have around. If you have a weight vest, you can use it What is the appropriate walking pace and distance?

“If you’re new to rucking, it’s better to start every other day or every three days rather than every day to give your body time to recover. This is because if you do it continuously, it can cause discomfort or pain,” Dr. Joseph Ihm, a rehabilitation and sports medicine specialist at the University of Washington School of Medicine (UW Medicine), told the health information media Very good

Dr. Lee Heum advised that it is best to start with a weight of about 10% of body weight, or 4.5 kg, and walk a little faster than 6 km per hour.

It is forbidden to be greedy for weight from the beginning.

Experts explained that walking a little puts more stress on your body than you think, so gradually increasing the weight over several weeks or months can help you build core muscles. which helps support your backpack and prevent back pain.

The biggest advantage of rucking is that it’s easy to get to because it’s just adding a backpack to walking. You can do it outside or inside on a treadmill. In addition, it costs almost no money. You can also expect improvements in mental health by being outdoors and surrounded by nature.