I was taking a shower this morning and casually soaping up my lower legs when, all of a sudden, I run across this hardish surface running along the whole leg!
What?
Could it be?
This quickly?
Are you kidding me?
Have my legs literally transformed into defined and muscly little things?
Indeed, they have.
Also, my ankle is definitely smaller and my feet look bonier and sturdier.
This was NOT the case just less than two months ago!
I can also see very defined upper thigh leg muscles!
I started this back in November 2024 with 10 lb plates in my rucksack, increased to 13 lbs 3 weeks ago, and went up to 16 lbs yesterday!
I felt the 16 lbs on both of my legs, the feet, hips, and chest. In the last 5 min of my 5 km I could barely walk!! But it felt so good afterwards.
One day at a time. One small step at a time has transformed me.
Big things are not accomplished by some glorified step over just one or a few nights.
One tiny step taken with utmost presence and quality RIGHT NOW is what is going to create that goal coming to reality.
And, this is crucial, not just for accomplishing a goal but for EVER growing improvement in that goal because you made it effective and sustainable.
First thing to making this whole process really work and last for a long time easily is to get the right equipment and I’ve tried and tested the following amazingness and the tools below will make your fitness mold to your life like a perfect lock and key fit:
It is truly like this: you create your future in the NOW realm one moment at a time.
When I began this journey back in November, I was in a very bad state and had just quit a toxic job. My body was full of circulating cortisol, tired, and I felt completely out of it to be honest.
I can say that rucking, together with completely and utterly listening to my body, helped me come alive again one step at a time.
I started with just plain walking 2.5 km, then 3 km, then 5 km per day (in a toxic job situation I was doing exercising of substance really) and then slowly inserted the 10 lb rucksack during my 3 km walks 3X per week until I reached 5 km 5X per week with the rucksack.
Rucking will help you get good at listening to you body.
While it is an amazing workout, you have to get good at knowing when to slow down, when to have a rest day, when to continue with the same weight, and when to increase the weight to the next level.
And I’m going to have to say this again: this amazing all in one low-impact, cardio, strength training exercise that is SO simple, and SO freaking effective, has been MAGIC in my life.
If you have struggled in engaging consistently with exercise at any point in your life, have struggled with not seeing changes in your body after months of exercising, or you just currently don’t have the capacity in your life for many ‘exercise’ moving pieces, you must try rucking.
Rucking will:
Build beautiful strength and muscle throughout your body.
Burn extra stubborn fat during and all day after you are done with the exercise.
Give you mental resiliency
Strengthen your bones
Save you time and money too because - if you don’t like the gym - you don’t have to go to the gym with this AND WILL STILL get a beautiful physique anyways.
Hope you got excited about Part 1 of this series in which I discussed my recently found obsession rucking and how it is changing my life.
My goal is to share a really nice and delicious little protocol with you soon so you can give this a try in the smoothest way possible.
I won’t be able to create a personalized dynamic protocol like I do with my health coaching clients, since I won’t know the specifics of your life/body/mind, but the protocol will be delicious enough for you to get started with safety and ease and to continue building upon it as you get fitter.
But I will also give you some guidance on how to listen to your body and how to know what that body signal means.
Three non-negotiable rucking tools to get you started
As you remember from PART 1 of this series, rucking is just walking with a weighted backpack.
And it has a TREMENDOUS amazing effect on your body.
Before I share a really nice little protocol for you to begin (In PART 3), I want to emphasize the importance of starting with the right equipment.
The very first small step to making this exercise truly sustainable is to make sure that you are all set with the best and most comfortable equipment.
Having the most suitable equipment is going to allow you to continue to carry on with this exercise week after week (and not get injured and stop) and continue to get fit until you reach your goals and, of course, beyond to peak performance.
Here is what you must have to start a real good rucking routine:
A sturdy good quality rucking backpack (NOT weighted vest) with proper weight plates inside.
When you ruck, you are putting on extra weight on your entire human structure.
This weight has to be well placed to create the right center of gravity on your body.
The center of gravity is the point in an object, in this case in our human body, where its total weight appears to be concentrated. In other words, this is the balance point of the object, where the distribution of weight is equal in all directions.
Envision this so you understand how the location of your center of gravity has a huge effect on what it activates in the body:
If you are not carrying anything, the center of gravity is located just below the navel and shifts slightly as the body moves.
This lightly engages the core muscles to maintain balance, the lower body muscles (glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves) to propel the body forwards, and the upper body muscles to provide stability and arm swing.
Walking without load is still beneficial in many ways, but does lack additional resistance for strength gains.
If you are carrying more weight on your body in the form of say, 10 lbs of extra fat, the center of gravity remains close to its original position as above but may shift slightly depending on fat distribution.
It will cause increased strain in the lower back and core muscles, put greater demands on leg muscles to support additional weight and will burn a bit more calories.
Body fat is not strategically placed for muscle engagement but will burn more calories.
If you are carrying more weight as from a 10 lb weighted vest, the center of gravity shifts slightly upward and backward.
This will increase the activation of core muscles (abdominals, lower back, obliques), will cause greater engagement of postural muscles (upper back shoulder stabilizers, neck), enhance lower body activation (glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves), help to improve bone density.
I actually have a 10 lb weighted vest that I used early last year and the year before for a bit, but it made my body feel lopsided and I had a couple of small pulled muscle spots on my hip and leg area that were very annoying, took time to heal, and interfered with my flow.
Could have been from the type/brand of vest I wore, not sure. But, in my experience, was not that effective and definitely not as sustainable as the rucking backpack.
If you are carrying a rucking backpack with a 10 lb plate, center of gravity shifts upward and backward MORE SIGNIFICANTLY than with the weighted vest because the weight is concentrated on the back.
There will be a substantial increase in core muscle engagement to counteract the backward pull.
Significant activation of upper back and shoulder muscles.
Much enhanced lower body muscle work, specially during uphills and downhills.
I can feel this soooo much on my legs and my belly!! I feel the muscles tightening up!
As you can see, where the center of gravity is placed on the body is very important because it is THE THING that is going to determine where the good stress is applied throughout your body and to what extent it is applied so it can give you the cardiovascular and strength benefits.
The use of a rucking backpack is the most effective load carry because it creates a more challenging balance scenario: it mimics real-world carrying situations, engages a wide range of muscles in a way more substantial way, improves balance, it is way more effective for core, and amazing for posture correction.
If you are healthy (can check with your doctor first if in doubt) you can start with a 10 lb backpack and then very slowly increase from there according to your body’s rhythm and rate of recovery and fitness improvement.
The rucking backpack that I have and LOVE is the GoRuck brand - so sturdy and balanced - it is perfection. I have no affiliation so far with them, maybe in the future:
Get the rucking backpack at Go Ruck: CLICK HERE
Canadians get ruck plates (the weight) at Northern Fitness: CLICK HERE
Truly amazing supportive shoes
Because you will be carrying extra weight, you need to make sure that your feet are well cared for and have enough buffer to sustain the extra weight (and, as you get fit, support you in increasing the rucking weight) without getting sore or injured.
It is normal for feet to get a bit sore in the beginning but it quickly goes away as you get fitter - that is, if you wear proper shoes.
Now, I am not an expert in shoes, but I can tell you about the shoes I have been using for rucking and that saved my feet last year.
I injured my heel last year during a Peloton ride (it was my fault, I was not wearing the proper shoe, yes.)
The KURU shoes not only healed my heel while I was still exercising but after my feet were back to normal, significantly sped up recovery from any exercise specially now, rucking.
I have the QUANTUM 2 shoes and they are heavenly in EVERY way. Kuru shoes in general have a generously wide toe box and an amazing sole technology that dynamically flexes with each step to hug and protect your heels - it is curved and cups the heel protecting the heel pad and of course subsequent spinal anything!
I am not affiliated with them - I do have a referral link that gives you $15 off and gives me some Kuru points: https://prz.io/A1Y63rnIE
I am sure that KURUs are not the only option out there for good rucking shoes, but I swear by them.
I will NOT wear any other exercise shoe. This is the one and only. I know that wearing these shoes are behind the SUSTAINABILITY of my rucking routine and the suppleness of my spine and body as I exercise it to create more fitness.
A nice outdoor path of 1-3 km to start that has some flat, some downhill, and some gentle uphills.
If you are already a hiker and/or walker of all kinds of amazing nature paths, please pick a short path of 2-3 km to start with your ruck.
If you are sedentary right now, on the other hand, make sure you pick an even shorter distance, maybe of 1-2 km to start.
The idea is to slowly create a rock solid foundation for fitness, and this means going SLOWLY BUT SURELY. There is no rush.
Rucking will put a lot of good stress in your body, then your body needs to adapt to that stress (improve internal body parts, joints, muscle rebuilding), then you can increase the distance and/or increase the weight.
As you will see in Part 3 of this mini series, a good rucking protocol has a rhythm:
ADD STRESS
Recover while body adapts
ADD SAME STRESS
Recover some more while body adapts some more
INCREASE progressive overload: increase stress by increasing weight or distance.
What do you think of rucking? I am very curious to learn about your experience or desire to give this a try!
Do you know anyone who would benefit from this post? I would so appreciate if you could share it with them so they know it is is here and to help build my substack community!
See you soon for Part 3!