Rucking for Calorie Burn #11

Lindsay: [00:00:00] Hey, Ruckers! I'm your host, Lindsey, and welcome back to Just Ruck It, the podcast where we load up, hit the trails, and push ourselves further than we thought. Today, we're tackling a question I hear all the time. Does rucking really burn more calories than running? Short answer? Hell yeah! And I know firsthand, he used to run in high school, was on the cross country team, slugging through the miles.

And I hated it. I always finished dead last. Running never felt natural to me, but walking, that was my thing. So when I discovered rucking, it clicked immediately. The best part, I am burning more calories than I ever did running without feeling miserable doing it. And today's episode is going to break down why.[00:01:00] 

I know, some of you are out there thinking running is the king of the calorie burn. Spoiler alert, it's not. Class is back in session and here are the science y stuffs. Studies show that rucking burns two to three times more calories than walking and up to 50 percent more than running at a moderate pace, depending on how much weight you're carrying.

For example, a six mile ruck with a 45 pound pack, you're looking at burning over 1, 300 calories. A six mile run alone, maybe 900, if you're lucky. That means you're burning more while moving slower. Pretty wild, right?

And that is not some just made up fitness bro math. It's a study on the U. S. Army Cadets tested this head to head. They had cadets ruck six miles under load and then do the exact same course without the weight. [00:02:00] The results?

Heart rates during the loaded ruck on average were 181 beats per minute, compared to 169 unloaded. And their caloric burn shot up by 45%.

That is a massive difference. It means if you're looking to lose weight, improve endurance, and build strength, rucking is more efficient use of your time than just running alone. And I can tell you from experience, it's brutal in the best way. After a 10 mile ruck, I'm drenched, I'm starving, I'm chugging liters of water like I just crawled out of the desert.

But the same holy crap I work hard feeling that runners chase, you get that rucking without destroying your knees in the process. And for those of you that still think that running is king, let me tell you about a lady that I got in my neighborhood [00:03:00] who runs the same time I ruck. Every morning, she's out there. She's locked in. Laser focused. Looking straight ahead like she's running from a crime scene. She goes twice as far as I do in the same amount of time, but we both finish dripping in sweat.

The difference? I worked harder. With less impact and more strength benefits. So yeah, rucking wins the calorie burn showdown hands down. But why? What's happening to your body when running versus rucking? Well, first off, rucking isn't just a leg workout. If you've ever thrown on a pack and gone for a long haul, you know your back, shoulders, core, arms, everything starts feeling it.

Running? It's your quads, hamstrings, and calves doing the work. But when you ruck, everything gets involved. Your core tightens to keep up your balance. Your [00:04:00] back and shoulders under constant tension.

And even your arms are subtly engaged to stabilize your movement. It's like cardio and resistance training in one. And then there's the weight itself. As soon as you throw on a ruck, your body has to work harder for every single step. Your heart rate jumps. Your muscles fire up. And suddenly, what felt easy without weight, turns into serious effort. That's why a study on army cadets found that adding a 45 pound pack increased burn by 45 percent compared to moving without weight.

Think about that. Almost half again as many calories burned just by carrying a load. That's the kind of efficiency you want in a workout. But here's where it gets really interesting. Rucking changes the way you move. The [00:05:00] more tired you get, it's gonna start shortening your stride. Your balance is gonna shift.

Your body works overtime to keep you stable. It's constantly having to adjust, engaging smaller stabilizer muscles that don't do much when you're just walking or running. That constant micro adjustment burns even more energy without you even realizing it.

And the best part? Over time, rucking doesn't just burn more calories. It trains your body to be better at burning fat. Research on endurance athletes shows that training under load improves fat oxidation.

Meaning that your body starts tapping into fat stores more efficiently. So not only are you torching calories in the moment, but over time, you're literally rewiring your metabolism

to be more effective at fat burning. And at the end of the day, [00:06:00] rucking is the ultimate combination. More calories burned than running, full body engagement, long term metabolic benefits. And all of that without the joint pounding impact that makes running miserable for so many people.

Let's talk about how we got here. Because humans weren't built to run for miles. We're not gazelles. We are built to move under load. 

Think about it. For centuries, carrying weight wasn't just something people did. It was a necessity for survival. Soldiers have marched with packs since the days of roadman legions, often hollowing 60 percent of their body weight over brutal terrain.

Lindsay: Hunters? Gatherers? They weren't just sprinting after their food like some track athlete. They were having to walk, stalk, and carry what they needed for survival. Once they got their hunt, they had to pack that right back out. Explorers, traders, and early [00:07:00] settlers? All of them were loaded down with gear, covering vast distances on foot.

But running? As a sport? That's a modern invention. Marathons and road races might be impressive feats of endurance, but they're not how humans evolved to move. Rucking, on the other hand, is literally baked into our biology. We are designed to carry, to move efficiently underweight, to get stronger by making movement harder.

Not just faster. And if you don't believe me, look at the military training. Every single elite force on the planet trains with weight on their back. Why? Because it works. Research on soldiers show that rucking builds endurance, preserves muscle, and even increases resilience in ways that running alone never could.

In extreme conditions, high altitudes, rough terrain, [00:08:00] scorching heat, rucking conditions the body to handle the stress. Both physical and mental. For me? It all clicked after a hike that humbled the hell out of me. Mount Joe and the Adirondacks. That tiny little mountain. Nothing crazy. When I went in thinking, I got this.

Spoiler alert, I didn't. Halfway up, I was dying. I was sweating. I was breathing heavy. I had to give up my day pack because it felt like it was pulling me backwards. And it wasn't even that heavy. Just some snacks and water. But I couldn't handle it. That was my wake up call. If I wanted to be strong enough for real adventure, I needed to train like it.

And that meant rucking. Not just going for a hike, but actually training under load. Now, I ruck three times a week with long hauls a couple times a month and I'm the [00:09:00] strongest I've ever been. 

So you're sold on rocking, you know, it burns more calories, build strength, and it's just, well, more bad ass than running. But if you really want to crank up that calorie burn and make every step count, here's how to do it right. First off. Add more weight. Simple, right? The heavier you ruck, the harder your body has to work. But don't be that person who slaps on 50 pounds for the first time and then wrecks their back. Start light. This is endurance. Remember, you're gonna do 10, 20 pounds and gradually work your way up to 30, 40, 50 pounds. The hat's, when things get serious.

Next up, add hills. They're your bestie. Flat ground's fine, but elevation is where the magic happens. It's a game changer for calorie burn. Because your muscles have to fire harder to push that weight up an incline. If [00:10:00] you don't have any hills nearby, stadium stairs, parking garages, treadmills at an incline, they're all gonna do the trick. 

And then, there's pacing. I'm not saying turn your ruck into a sprint. But even a slight increase in speed spikes your heart rate without the impact of running. Power walk it. They call it a ruck shuffle. Find that sweet spot where you're moving with intent, but not grasping for air. One of my favorite ways to push the calorie burn?

Lindsay: Intervals. Rucking doesn't have to be a steady state. Alternate between a fast paced ruck, and then slow recovery walks. Maybe throw in some ruck squats, lunges, step ups, push ups, if you really want to dial up that intensity. And, for all the runners out there who think rucking is just glorified walking, I see you.

That lady in my neighborhood who runs the same time I ruck. She's locked in, she's [00:11:00] focused, she's miserable looking. We have probably about the same calorie burn despite me moving significantly slower. Now factor in the muscle engagement. My core, my back, my shoulders, my legs are all working under load. Meaning I'm building strength.

While burning calories. Meanwhile, she's just hitting her legs and lungs. Over time, my metabolism adapts to burn more fat efficiently, while building resilience. So yeah, she might be covering more ground, but I'm getting more out of every step. Alright, ruckers, now you know. Rucking burns more calories than running.

It builds more muscle. It sets you up for real world strength. So if you're still out there pounding the pavement, maybe it's time to load up and level up. If today's episode got you thinking about throwing some weight on your back and hitting the trail, I want to hear about it. Share your rucking progress, your toughest hikes, the moment you realize rucking is [00:12:00] way more badass than running.

Tag me on social media. And hey, if this episode has fired you up, do me a favor, drop a 5 star review so other people can find Just Ruck It, and start leveling up their training. Remember, life is rucking wonderful. Train heavy, hike easy, and get after your next adventure.   

I wish I could take a swig of this. If I could get it open. Oh, I can. Hold on. Maple syrup.

Maple syrup is my, uh, whistle wetter.