If you already prioritize walking but keep wondering how you can get a little MORE out of those miles without adding another workout to your day, I have something for you: rucking.
I started rucking about three years ago because I wanted a way to increase the resistance and cardiovascular demand of my walks without turning them into runs—and rucking checked a lot of boxes for me.
If you’ve seen people walking around wearing weighted vests and wondered what in the world they’re doing, you’re in the right place. Let’s talk about what rucking is, the benefits of it, what the research says, and how you can start without overcomplicating it.
What Is Rucking?
At its simplest, rucking is walking while carrying additional weight. Traditional rucking comes from military training and typically involves carrying weight in a backpack or “ruck,” but you’ll also see people using weighted vests for recreational rucking.
And yes, it really can be that simple. You take a movement your body already knows how to do—walk—and add some resistance.
I personally wear a 16-pound SpyRuck from GoRuck and I love the way it fits snugly and comfortably against my body. After rucking consistently for about three years, I wear mine on walks almost every day or at least four days per week.
That does NOT mean you need to throw on 16 pounds tomorrow and head out the door. Just like you wouldn't walk into the gym on day one and grab the heaviest dumbbells you can find. Adding extra resistance to your walks is something you can build up to gradually.
The Benefits of Rucking: Why Add Weight to Your Walk?
Here's what initially sold me on rucking: I didn't have to create another habit.
Walking was already something I prioritized. Rather than finding another hour in my day or forcing myself to become a runner to challenge my cardiovascular endurance (when I genuinely don't enjoy running) I found a way to increase the challenge of a movement I was already doing consistently.
And there is research providing scientific evidence to back up the effectiveness of adding this into your routine.
1. Rucking Increases the Demand of Your Walk
Put on a weighted vest and walk your normal route, and you'll probably notice pretty quickly that your body has to work harder.
Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that walking with a weighted vest can increase the metabolic cost and relative exercise intensity of walking. In other words, adding weight can increase the amount of energy (calories) your body has to use to perform the same basic movement.
More recent research examining the benefits of rucking has similarly found that carrying additional load can increase metabolic rate and cardiovascular demand.
That's one of my favorite parts about rucking. The walk hasn't changed—but what I'm asking of my body has.
2. Your Heart Has to Work a Little Harder
One of the main reasons I started rucking was because I wanted to get my heart rate up without having to run.
Adding extra resistance to walking can increase oxygen consumption, energy expenditure, heart rate, and relative exercise intensity compared with walking without the additional weight under certain conditions.
That doesn't mean every weighted walk automatically becomes an intense cardiovascular workout. Your pace, terrain, fitness level, and the amount of weight you're carrying all matter.
But if your usual walk has started feeling pretty comfortable, adding a small amount of resistance can be one way to progressively challenge yourself without necessarily having to move faster.
3. You're Adding Resistance to a Functional Movement
Think about everyday life for a second. You carry groceries. You pick up kids. You haul bags through an airport. You move things around your house.
We aren't moving through life completely unloaded.
When you ruck, your legs and core have to manage more resistance with every step.
Personally, I notice the additional challenge through my core and lower body, especially when I'm walking hills. I love knowing I'm adding resistance to one of the most functional movements I can do.
4. It's Lower Impact Than Turning Your Walk Into a Run
This was a BIG one for me.
Rucking gave me another option, aside from running, to challenge my cardiovascular endurance—and honestly, one that I enjoy a whole lot more.
Adding weight to a walk naturally makes your body work harder, but that doesn’t mean more weight is always better. Research shows that heavier loads can also increase the forces placed on the body while walking.
That’s why I’m a big believer in starting light and building over time. Rucking gives you a simple way to increase the intensity of a walk, but the load still needs to make sense for your body, fitness level, and experience.
5. It's Incredibly Easy to Fit Into Real Life
This might be the most underrated benefit of rucking.
You don't need an elaborate workout, a gym membership, or another giant block on your calendar. If you're already heading out for a walk, you're simply adding an appropriate amount of resistance.
That's why I've been able to stay so consistent with it for three years. I don't think, Ugh, I need to fit my rucking workout in today. I put on my vest and go for the walk I was already planning to take.
Sometimes the best habits aren't the most impressive ones. They're the ones that fit into your life well enough that you can keep doing them.
Does Rucking Replace Strength Training?
No—and I don't use it that way.
I look at rucking as something that complements my strength training, not something that replaces picking up weights and intentionally training my muscles.
Traditional resistance training gives you the ability to progressively load specific movement patterns and muscle groups in ways that walking with a vest can't replicate. If you want to dig deeper into why resistance training matters, LJW's The Importance of Full Body Workouts for Women is a great next read.
For me, the combination makes sense: strength train intentionally, walk regularly, and sometimes add resistance to those walks. I'm not trying to turn every form of movement into the hardest workout possible. I'm looking for ways to build a strong, capable body for the long haul.
How to Start Rucking Without Overcomplicating It
You do not need to start where someone else is today.
Remember, I’ve been rucking for three years. My 16-pound vest and 4+ days a week didn’t happen overnight—it’s something I’ve slowly built up to and my body has adapted to over time.
Start where you are, build gradually, and give your body time to adjust. There’s no prize for doing too much too soon.
Start Lighter Than You Think
Start with a light, comfortable load and a shorter version of your normal walk. Pay attention to your posture and how your back, hips, knees, ankles, and feet feel during the walk and afterward.
Once that feels comfortable, progress gradually. You can increase weight, time, distance, pace, or terrain, but you don't need to increase all five at once.
More is not always better. Your goal is to create enough challenge that your body has something to adapt to without adding so much that your movement quality falls apart.
Make Sure Your Weight Is Secure
Whether you're using a rucksack or weighted vest, you don't want the weight bouncing and shifting around with every step.
I personally prefer a weighted vest because I like having the load distributed close to my body. Whatever you use, comfort and fit matter—especially as your walks get longer.
And don't forget the basics: supportive shoes, tall posture, a comfortable walking stride, hydration, and paying attention to how your body responds.
Your First Ruck: Try This
If this entire article has you thinking, Okay, I'm intrigued—what do I actually DO? here's your next step:
Take one of your normal walks this week and add a small amount of weight.
Keep your first outing shorter than your usual walk and choose a relatively flat route. Maintain a pace where you feel challenged but still in control, and notice how your body responds during the walk and over the following day.
If it feels good, repeat it before adding more. You don't earn bonus points for making your first ruck miserable.
Consistency gives you plenty of opportunities to progress.
You Don't Always Need More Time—Sometimes You Need to Use It Differently
That's ultimately why rucking has stuck with me for the past three years.
I didn't need to become a runner. I didn't need another hour-long workout. And I didn't need to completely overhaul something that was already working.
I took a movement I already prioritized and asked a little more of my body while doing it.
And honestly, that’s a mindset I want you to carry far beyond rucking.
Before deciding you need another piece of equipment, a brand-new routine, or another hour in your day, take a look at what you’re already doing consistently and ask yourself: How can I build from here?
Maybe for you, that simply looks like adding a little weight to the walks you’re already taking.
Start light. Give your body time to adapt. Keep showing up. Build as you go.
You don’t have to overhaul everything to make progress. Sometimes you just have to take what you’re already doing and ask a little more of yourself along the way.
