What % do you think obesity contributes to the health problems in our country? (ETA - and why is rucking the best answer? :) )

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B1GTide

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I've bilateral torn meniscuses at (almost) 50 - so running is a real chore, it literally hurts the entire time. Actually, rucking and walking does, too, but they're far more tolerable.

I've become a bit of a proselytizer regarding rucking - the number of people my age who continue to abuse their joints by running saddens me. Yeah, rucking takes longer, but the benefits are far greater - and I'll likely be rucking far longer than my running friends can still run...
Actually, if you run with proper form you will never injure your joints. That is easy when you are young. But as we age it becomes harder as we continue to run with more frequent soft tissue injuries and that creates imbalances. The imbalances are what create the joint damage.

I have never suffered a joint injury from running, and I run anywhere from 1k-2k miles per year (1515 in 2021). I have been running that kind of mileage for 30 years.

That said, our joints wear over time and even a man who loves running can see that I need to cut back and I am looking into rucking to pick up the slack (I hate biking, and it is not safe at all up here). My problem - I am not willing to drop nearly $1k on equipment. The ruck, weights, boots, etc. I have priced it out, and it is expensive when added to the ongoing cost of my running gear.
 
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Toddrn

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I've bilateral torn meniscuses at (almost) 50 - so running is a real chore, it literally hurts the entire time. Actually, rucking and walking does, too, but they're far more tolerable.

I've become a bit of a proselytizer regarding rucking - the number of people my age who continue to abuse their joints by running saddens me. Yeah, rucking takes longer, but the benefits are far greater - and I'll likely be rucking far longer than my running friends can still run...
How much weight are you carrying in your ruck?
 

crimsonaudio

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How much weight are you carrying in your ruck?
I have two rucks, one weighs 55#, the other 30#. The last couple of years I focused on distance so I generally rucked with the lighter ruck, this year I'm focusing more on balancing weight with that distance, so I'm going a few miles @55# then swapping rucks and going a few more @30#. Only doing about 6.25 miles / day this year.

That said, I generally recommend starting out at about 8-10% of your bodyweight and going from there. Your shoulders and back will be sore at first but over time, as your core strengthens, the weight becomes less of an issue.
 
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crimsonaudio

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Actually, if you run with proper form you will never injure your joints. That is easy when you are young. But as we age it becomes harder as we continue to run with more frequent soft tissue injuries and that creates imbalances. The imbalances are what create the joint damage.
Yes, neutral form is the goal, but not always possible. Wear and tear is a real issue as we age - I know tons of serious, long-time runners - I don't think a single one of them has run as long as you without injury.

Ultimately, running is 8x harder on the joints than rucking (according to US military studies) which is why the military relies on rucking as the fundamental exercise. Probably also doesn't hurt that rucking is more forgiving wrt form.

As for overall costs - the initial cost of the ruck and weights is probably about $300 (if you go with Goruck - there are less expensive options that might wear out more quickly, such as 5.11 gear), but beyond that, nothing is needed. I ruck in Brooks Adrenaline GTSs (though I do go through 4-5 pair per year based on my average milage) - no need for boots, etc.
 
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Bamabuzzard

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I have two rucks, one weighs 55#, the other 30#. The last couple of years I focused on distance so I generally rucked with the lighter ruck, this year I'm focusing more on balancing weight with that distance, so I'm going a few miles @55# then swapping rucks and going a few more @30#. Only doing about 6.25 miles / day this year.

That said, I generally recommend starting out at about 8-10% of your bodyweight and going from there. Your shoulders and back will be sore at first but over time, as your core strengthens, the weight becomes less of an issue.
This seems interesting and sounds like it could cut out a lot of the exercises I do for strength training. For someone just getting started, what distance do you recommend someone start, 1 mile, 2 miles etc.?
 
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B1GTide

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Yes, neutral form is the goal, but not always possible. Wear and tear is a real issue as we age - I know tons of serious, long-time runners - I don't think a single one of them has run as long as you without injury.

Ultimately, running is 8x harder on the joints than rucking (according to US military studies) which is why the military relies on rucking as the fundamental exercise. Probably also doesn't hurt that rucking is more forgiving wrt form.

As for overall costs - the initial cost of the ruck and weights is probably about $300 (if you go with Goruck - there are less expensive options that might wear out more quickly, such as 5.11 gear), but beyond that, nothing is needed. I ruck in Brooks Adrenaline GTSs (though I do go through 4-5 pair per year based on my average milage) - no need for boots, etc.
I will likely ask my wife for a ruck and 30# plate for my bday in March. I do a lot of trail runs, and I would not ruck on some of those trails w/o boots. But I'll wait to see if I like it before investing in boots.

In 2021 my average run distance was 6.3 miles. Dropping that down a bit this year, but doing more weight lifting. Adding rucking to even out my cardio may get me to my goal. I want to get back down to 175 lbs. Currently at 183, but losing that last 10 pounds is TOUGH.
 

crimsonaudio

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This seems interesting and sounds like it could cut out a lot of the exercises I do for strength training. For someone just getting started, what distance do you recommend someone start, 1 mile, 2 miles etc.?
I stopped lifting a few years ago - now it's all rucking and bodyweight calisthenics. Joints are happier and I'm still strong.

Distance is a lot like starting running - your feet and your shoulders are going to be the limiting factors. You'll discover lots of small stabilizing muscles you didn't know you had pretty quickly, hehe. I'd recommend starting with 10% of your bodyweight for two miles. Do that daily (or every other day) for a few weeks, even if it seems too easy / too light. I've seen a lot of people push too hard too quickly (not giving the stabilizing muscles in their feet time to strengthen) and end up with lots of soft-tissue issues with their feet.

Don't rush it - it's 'constant resistance training' and cardio 'for people who hate running' - but it will take a little getting used to.
 

crimsonaudio

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I will likely ask my wife for a ruck and 30# plate for my bday in March. I do a lot of trail runs, and I would not ruck on some of those trails w/o boots. But I'll wait to see if I like it before investing in boots.
I generally tell folks that rucking is 'urban hiking' - I stay on paved surfaces because a slip / fall with a 30# plate on your back can quickly lead to injury. And your balance is bit jacked - you're stable while upright, but your mind doesn't know how to react when you trip, for example, as it's not accounting for the extra weight while determining your reaction

In 2021 my average run distance was 6.3 miles. Dropping that down a bit this year, but doing more weight lifting. Adding rucking to even out my cardio may get me to my goal. I want to get back down to 175 lbs. Currently at 183, but losing that last 10 pounds is TOUGH.
Yeah, rucking will help get you there.

Of course the painful truth is that last 10# is more about what you take in than what you burn... :)
 
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Toddrn

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The other night i asked my wife if she would like to ruck and she said "IS THAT ALL YOU THINK ABOUT?!"

So I went and put the backpack away...

:oops: 🤷‍♂️
Maybe her hearing is going. Marriage will do that. I always tell folks that is why I lost my hearing. My wife talks in one ear, it goes out the other and damages both ears at the same time. ;)
 

B1GTide

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I generally tell folks that rucking is 'urban hiking' - I stay on paved surfaces because a slip / fall with a 30# plate on your back can quickly lead to injury. And your balance is bit jacked - you're stable while upright, but your mind doesn't know how to react when you trip, for example, as it's not accounting for the extra weight while determining your reaction


Yeah, rucking will help get you there.

Of course the painful truth is that last 10# is more about what you take in than what you burn... :)
Brad - I put together a homemade ruck with 30lbs of weight in it and put in 5 miles today. It was a lot more work than I expected, but I handled it fairly well. My question - what do you record these activities as in Garmin Connect? Hiking is as close as they come. Trying to calculate my calorie burn for the sync with MyFitnessPal
 

crimsonaudio

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Brad - I put together a homemade ruck with 30lbs of weight in it and put in 5 miles today. It was a lot more work than I expected, but I handled it fairly well. My question - what do you record these activities as in Garmin Connect? Hiking is as close as they come. Trying to calculate my calorie burn for the sync with MyFitnessPal
Awesome, glad to hear it! I find it cathartic, honestly.

I track it as a 'run' for two reasons: 1) the caloric burn estimates are low (generally conservative) and 2) it's synced to Strava, and Strava yields a lot more data for the 'big three' (running, swimming, and cycling).

A quick and dirty method of figuring out rough caloric burn can be found here: Goruck Rucking Calorie Calculator

And if you really want to get nerdy about kcals burned (I did this when I was losing weight), you can use this equation:
Calories Burned = BMR * METs / 24 * hour(s) exercising

Rucking METs are typically 8-10, with 8 being average at about a 15 minute pace.
 
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B1GTide

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Awesome, glad to hear it! I find it cathartic, honestly.

I track it as a 'run' for two reasons: 1) the caloric burn estimates are reasonably close and 2) it's synced to Strava, and Strava yields a lot more data for the 'big three' (running, swimming, and cycling).

A quick and dirty method of figuring out rough caloric burn can be found here: Goruck Rucking Calorie Calculator

And if you really want to get nerdy about kcals burned (I did this when I was losing weight), you can use this equation:
Calories Burned = BMR * METs / 24 * hour(s) exercising

Rucking METs are typically 8-10, with 8 being average at about a 15 minute pace.
Thank you. That is very helpful.

I enjoyed the ruck, but my shoulders are going to need to get used to the work. My neck muscles were pretty tight at the end from compensating.
 
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crimsonaudio

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Addendum: here is my caloric burn from this AM's workout:
Strava calculated based on Garmin data: 760 kcals burned
Goruck rucking calculator: 1,151 kcals burned
Long-form calculator from above: 1,062 kclas burned
 
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Bamabuzzard

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My son has a baseball bag he doesn't use anymore. It is not a cheap bag and is very high quality made. It is simply a very well made back pack. I've "rucked" for a week and half with 20 lbs (as recommended by everything I've read). I absolutely love it. I haven't done a "long" ruck because I'm still getting used to it and allowing my body to adjust.

Currently, I do 45 minutes to 1-hour "rucks" in our neighborhood three to four times a week and take three days off. I'm building up to doing three 45 min to 1 hr rucks during the week and one long ruck on the weekend. But I'm not ready right now. I'll keep y'all updated.
 

92tide

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I generally tell folks that rucking is 'urban hiking' - I stay on paved surfaces because a slip / fall with a 30# plate on your back can quickly lead to injury. And your balance is bit jacked - you're stable while upright, but your mind doesn't know how to react when you trip, for example, as it's not accounting for the extra weight while determining your reaction


Yeah, rucking will help get you there.

Of course the painful truth is that last 10# is more about what you take in than what you burn... :)
sorry if you've already posted it, but what is your footwear choice?
 

crimsonaudio

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sorry if you've already posted it, but what is your footwear choice?
You're a runner so you know this, but for everyone else I'll point out that footwear is intensely personal as everyone is physiologically different and therefore has different gaits, foot-strikes, etc.

I slightly supinate when I walk and run so I've really fallen in love with the Brooks Adrenaline GTS series shoes. The GuideRails really help neutralize my foot strike which means I don't have foot issues, even when I rack up huge amounts of miles. I found them back in 2019 and have used them exclusively ever since (just retired my 11th pair).
 
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