EDGE
EXTREME FITNESS
TRENDING NOW
Goruck has had 3,179 events; 791
were in 2015. To date, 105,000
people have entered a Goruck event.
Get Soldier Strong
Hiking with a heavy
backpack, or “ rucking,”
is a fitness trend that
actually works.
BY MARK BARROSO
IF YOU’RE IN THE ARMY, you
54
MUSCLE & FITNESS
OUT ALL DAY The Heavy, shown here, is
Goruck’s most extreme event: 40-plus miles
outdoors without sleeping.
DO IT YOURSELF: MAKE A RUCKSACK
Directions courtesy of Jason McCarthy, founder of Goruck.
What you need: Backpack, weight, and water.
PACK IT
Place four
bricks wrapped
in duct tape,
sandbags, or
any other heavy
object in a
backpack. Start
with about a
20-pound load.
FEBRUARY 2016
SECURE IT
Make sure
the weight is
stable and close
to your back. If
you must, fill the
pack up with light
items so the
weight doesn’t
constantly shift.
HYDRATE
ON THE GO
Use a hydration
bladder that has a
tube so you can
drink water on the
move efficiently.
Keep it in the bag
or attach the tube
to a backpack.
OR GO
PRO
If you’d rather
purchase a new
rucksack,
McCarthy
suggests
the Rucker,
available at
goruck.com.
need to be able to complete a 12-mile
heavy-ruck march in less than three
hours and 30 minutes. Special Forces
members wear 45-pound rucksacks
during all training and may ruck
thousands of miles while in the
qualification course. As it seems to
happen with every aspect of military
fitness, weighted backpack walks, or
rucking, has exploded in popularity.
Founded in 2008 by former Army
Special Forces Communications
Sergeant Jason McCarthy, Goruck
hosts outdoor challenges during which
an officer leads participants through a
military-inspired event. Goruck also
designs, manufactures, and sells
heavy-duty rucksacks.
“Rucking is active resistance training,
so you get strength gains from the
weight on your back and cardio
benefits from walking,” says McCarthy.
Goruck offers three levels: Light (four
to five hours), Tough (10 to 12 hours),
and Heavy (24-plus hours).
Challenges include more than
walking. There are strength exercises
such as pushups, squats, presses,
and partner carries. Some participants
are given roles like team leader or
navigator, which require quick thinking.
“We want people to become more
physically and socially active, and we
think teaching people things is more
valuable than telling people what you
can’t do,” says McCarthy. “People miss
playing sports and the camaraderie of
being part of a team.”
Rucking provides a substantial
fitness benefit. Follow these steps to
make your own pack, then put it on
and get rucking.