Rucking? Uh, no thank you.

I was talking with a friend the other day regarding a different blog post when he mentioned that he has taken up rucking. I won’t knock this newest fitness craze as it appears to have a lot of benefits.

Benefits

Allen gets out almost daily for hikes of approximately five miles, increasing the weight in his pack as tolerated. The advantage of rucking is that the demand on your body can be controlled by distance and weight. Allen gets the benefit of enjoying time with his older son as they ruck together once or twice a week.

Military Rucking

Rucking is familiar to members of the military, conditioned to haul heavy equipment over rough terrain in the course of their duties. As a veteran, Allen recalls those days of training and application in Viet Nam. He doesn’t seem to have borne negative memories from that part of his military life.

Parental Rucking

Every parent has rucked, carrying children on backs or hips. The weight demand increases as the child grows until, thankfully, the child can ambulate on his own at which time parents progress from rucking to running.

No, thank you

I love walking and hiking. Unfortunately, my joints are protesting so I avoid inclines and have slowed my pace. I figure that as long as I carry an extra 60 pounds in body fat, I don’t need a backpack filled with weight. I am my own natural ruck pack. So, no thank you.