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Rucking (Read 1705 times)

    I was wondering if anyone has some advice on this topic. I'm in army rotc, and rucking is a big part of our pt. Especially when I'm on the ranger team. I've always been a very weak rucker, to the point of dropping back when we go on on a ruck run. (Rucking is when you have a 40-50 lb pack, and run/jog in combat boots, with a rifle and lbe (thing that holds canteens etc around your waist.)) I really need to get stronger in this area,but not sure what is the best method to do this. Should I just take a weekly jog with my ruck? How often would be too often to not incur injuries? Is regular running going to help this, I mean obviously it will, but I haven't seen much improvement in my rucking over the year. I've just started increasing my mileage to ~5 miles as my daily, and would like to keep that up. Will longer distances help? It's just that with all the equipment, my endurance is shot after a very short time! Thanks for any advice..
    protoplasm72


      I'd think you need to get to the weight room and build some muscle (both legs and upper body). 50lbs is probably to large a percent of the max weight you can carry. The closer you are to lifting your max the less efficient your muscles are. Just improving your running alone won't help much. Doing more runs with your pack is probably going to help but might build muscles unevenly and lead to more injuries over time. A good whole body lifting routine a few times a week is probably better in the long run.

      Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson

      TrailSurfer


      Husband and father of 4

        I am sure there are others here more qualified to answer than myself, but here are a few thoughts: 1. Talk to someone in your unit or even on your base that has a similar body type and height. Find out what works for them. 2. Depending on your PT schedule...balance out your training with resistance training (weights or otherwise), cardiovascular work (running or even cycling), and a recovery day (ideally the day before you're rucking). As Protoplasm72 pointed out strength seems to be an important variable in this equation. Don't over do it, but may I suggest an alternative resistance workout when a weight room isn't available: Put on all your gear and do a short curcuit workout. 12-20 reps. of each and do repeat sets as you get stronger not more reps. necessarily. squats, one-legged half squats, climbing bleachers or stairs and walk with your gear for 1-2 minutes between exercises. I'm sure there are more and better ideas out there. Good luck. I respect and appreciate your service to our country. I also appreciate your initiative and desire to improve yourself.
        Find the fun.
          Hey thanks guys! I just began a weight lifting routine, all with free weights because I really don't have access to a gym right now.I do things like squats, bench press, with a knee and hand on a chair I swing back the weights on each arm and pick it off the ground (sorry I have no idea what its called). I also do stuff with shoulders, squats, and other things I can't think of the names! I do usually 10 reps with 4 sets. Of course I started all this after out last ruck of the season lol! But when I go to camp this summer I have a 4 ml ruck run which I really want to do well on. So I should do these now with my gear on? Any other suggestions of things to do that would help me out with free weights? Thanks again!
            Nice gun picture!

            Vim


            Arrogant Bastard....Ale

              Hey thanks guys! I just began a weight lifting routine, all with free weights because I really don't have access to a gym right now.I do things like squats, bench press, with a knee and hand on a chair I swing back the weights on each arm and pick it off the ground (sorry I have no idea what its called). I also do stuff with shoulders, squats, and other things I can't think of the names! I do usually 10 reps with 4 sets. Of course I started all this after out last ruck of the season lol! But when I go to camp this summer I have a 4 ml ruck run which I really want to do well on. So I should do these now with my gear on? Any other suggestions of things to do that would help me out with free weights? Thanks again!
              Squats - great Bench - good Tricep dumbbell kickback (at least the way you described it)- a name for that other exercise not so good To all beginning lifters I recommend focusing only on four groups of muscles Chest - Bench, Incline, Decline both barbell and dumbell maybe some flys or pec dec Back - pull ups, cable rows, one arm bent over row (might be what you are doing, weight is going straight up though not towards the back of your body), lat pull downs Shoulders - Military press, behind neck press, lateral or front dumbell raises Legs - squats (front, back, hack, box..., will have the most gains for rucking), deadlifts, lunges (with your pack), some sort of hamstring exercise Try to hit all of these areas at least once, maybe twice a week. 4 sets should be fine, try to mix up your routines to get the most gains.
              JillyBeans


              Jiggle, jiggle, jiggle.

                Okay, the word rucking just CRACKS me up! All I picture is Scooby-Doo saying, "Rome ron, Raggy. Rive ree a rucking rooby-rack?" Hah, hah! Sorry, skeetermc, I know this isn't the answer you were looking for. "Rust rouldn't relp rit!"
                "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
                Scout7


                  As someone who has done it, the best way to get better at it is to do it. The more you do it, the better. Start with a lower weight in the pack, and work on adding weight over time. Standard should be 12 miles in 3 hours or less with a 40 lb ruck, rifle, boots, and full LBE. That's 15 minute miles. My suggestion: Find a couple other guys/girls that are struggling (or are sick fools like me) and organize a ruck march once or twice a week. Friday mornings used to be our standard day. Ruck marches are much more enjoyable when you can share in the misery.
                    As someone who has done it, the best way to get better at it is to do it. The more you do it, the better. Start with a lower weight in the pack, and work on adding weight over time. Standard should be 12 miles in 3 hours or less with a 40 lb ruck, rifle, boots, and full LBE. That's 15 minute miles. My suggestion: Find a couple other guys/girls that are struggling (or are sick fools like me) and organize a ruck march once or twice a week. Friday mornings used to be our standard day. Ruck marches are much more enjoyable when you can share in the misery.
                    +1 from an 11 year army (canadian) guy
                      Scout, I figured that was the best thing to do, just wanted to make sure. We used to have weekly marches with some of the guys at my old school, but for some crazy reason no one wants to do it at my new one Smile But I can definitely just do it myself now that I'm home from school. Thanks for the advice.
                      Scout7


                        Not a problem at all. Biggest key: boots and socks. I have seen people march the bottom of their feet right off. Wear good, broken-in boots. Issue socks work fine, don't wear cotton athletic socks (I've seen it done). Camelback comes in REAL handy when doing these sorts of things. MUCH easier than canteens. When loading your ruck, put all the heavier stuff in the radio pouch. That puts it up high and close to your back, and makes it easier to carry. USE THE WAIST BELT! It's there for a reason. It will definitely help.
                        JakeKnight


                          Great advice in this thread, especially from Scout, especially this part:
                          As someone who has done it, the best way to get better at it is to do it. The more you do it, the better.
                          If any workout needs training specificity, its humping a pack. (Yes, Jilly, in the Marines we called it humping - not rucking - which is probably even funnier. As in "hey, we have to go hump for 12 miles." Which sounds a lot more fun than it is.) All the weights and calisthenics and even running will help to some extent - especially running hard hills. But I saw people who were strong, and some who were even strong runners, who still had trouble humping the hills of Camp Pendleton or northern Scotland. Scout's right - if you're not one of the lucky ones who can just do it (probably because of an innate masochistic love of self-inflicted pain) ... then the only way to get better, is just to practice. A lot. Once a week sounds good, since it can tear the body up a bit. Maybe half or two-thirds the distance of your longest scheduled nature hike. I knew lots of smarter than me folks did just what Scouts says - go out once in a while and do it on their own. Some people got really smart and combined it with more pleasurable things - like they'd actually go camping, but make a good pack march part of the trip there and back. Or go fishing. Or bring beer in the packs ... that way you have fun, and the pack gets lighter. Oh - and if you get good at it, there's a marathon waiting for you: http://www.bataanmarch.com/

                          E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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                          Scout7


                            Scout's right - if you're not one of the lucky ones who can just do it (probably because of an innate masochistic love of self-inflicted pain)
                            Yeah, that was me. Although, we got good at it because we just went out and did it.
                            Oh - and if you get good at it, there's a marathon waiting for you: http://www.bataanmarch.com/
                            I still wanna do this, and I still wanna do it with full pack. Because I'm an idiot. A sick, twisted idiot. Oh, and I always called it humping, too. Partly because that was what it was, and partly because it made me giggle on the inside. At least at first. After the first 10k, no one giggles much. If you wanna be a REAL masochist, the Germans do a full 30K. You get 5 hours. I managed it in about 4.25 hrs. In my defense, I wasn't trained up for the distance, and I was a smoker at the time. I did it for the promised beer at the end. About which I was completely lied to. There was no beer. Stupid German army....
                            JakeKnight


                              I still wanna do this, and I still wanna do it with full pack. Because I'm an idiot. A sick, twisted idiot.
                              Yup. It's on my must-do list. And definitely with a pack. And combat boots. No sissy Asics for this one. It looks freaking miserable awesome.

                              E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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                              Scout7


                                Yup. It's on my must-do list. And definitely with a pack. And combat boots. No sissy Asics for this one. It looks freaking miserable awesome.
                                Stop it, I'm getting aroused....
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