With this in mind, the weight SEALs carry in their packs during standard missions typically ranges between 20 and 40 pounds, which means there really isn’t that much of a point in trying to exceed what the top American fighting forces are preparing to carry into combat. While US Navy SEALs may be forced to carry up to 60 pounds during their missions, the SEAL motto of “light is right” applies specifically to the efficiency enjoyed by those who carry as little gear as they need during their missions. Since rucking has its roots in special forces training, it is important to keep in mind what special forces operatives have to say about the amount of weight they carry around on missions. You haven’t worked your way up to the weight. So, for what it’s worth, the starting point for backpack weight within the rucking community is affirmed by multiple third-party sources. Moreover, several hospital systems that offered an opinion on the subject of a safe amount of weight to put in backpacks have suggested never lugging around more than 10 percent of your body weight in a backpack. Just for purposes of comparison, day campers who take to hiking trails are advised to never carry backpacks that exceed 10 percent of their body weight, while overnight campers are told never to carry more than 20 percent of their body weight in their packs. While people transitioning to rucking from other sports might consider themselves to be accomplished athletes who are instantly ready for more weight, it is still best to start the rucking process with the advised level of weight simply for the sake of establishing familiarity with having weight in a backpack before progressing the workout to more challenging levels.
You haven’t started with 10 percent of your body weight.Īs a general principle, ruckers are commonly advised to begin their rucking activities with no more than 10 percent of their body weight added to their backpacks, with an absolute maximum of 20 pounds added to their backpacks no matter how much the person weighs. With physical safety and overall training proficiency in mind, here are five ways for you to know if there is too much weight in your rucking backpack. While challenging yourself is an important component of rucking, challenging the vertebrae of your spine to maintain their original shape is strongly discouraged. When it comes to rucking, one of the quickest, easiest and potentially dangerous ways to make workouts more challenging is to increase the weight in your backpack to levels that will literally leave you staggering. Of course, the instant something becomes a formal sport, diehard, overachieving athletes immediately begin looking for ways to stretch the boundaries of their training to gain an advantage over their competitors… or to impress their friends. In addition to being a fun workout style and training method, rucking is also a sport that can be challenging for people of all ages and physical fitness levels. 5 ways to know if there is too much weight in your rucking backpack