I’ve been hauling heavy packs through mountains for over a decade, but it wasn’t until I started rucking around my neighborhood that I realized just how effective weighted walking is for torching body fat. Rucking for weight loss isn’t some fitness industry gimmick — it’s a battle-tested training method that burns serious calories without destroying your joints. And the best part? You don’t need a gym membership, fancy equipment, or even much athletic ability to get started.
In this guide, I’ll break down exactly how rucking helps you lose weight, how many calories you’ll burn, and give you a complete 8-week program to go from couch to confident rucker. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker looking to shed some pounds or a complete beginner searching for a sustainable workout, this is your roadmap.
[IMAGE: Person rucking on a trail at sunrise wearing a loaded backpack with a suburban neighborhood visible in the background]What Is Rucking and Why It’s Trending
Rucking is simply walking with a weighted pack on your back. That’s it. No complicated movements, no coordination required, no learning curve worth mentioning. You load up a backpack, lace up your boots or shoes, and walk. The added weight forces your body to work significantly harder than regular walking, turning a casual stroll into a legitimate full-body workout.
The practice has deep roots in military training. Soldiers have been rucking — or “ruck marching” — for as long as armies have existed. Every branch of the U.S. military uses loaded marches as a core component of physical training, typically covering 12 miles with 35-50 pounds in under three hours. It builds functional strength, cardiovascular endurance, and mental toughness all at once.
In the civilian fitness world, rucking exploded in popularity largely thanks to GORUCK, a company founded by a former Green Beret that designs rucksacks and organizes endurance events. But the real growth has happened in the last two years. Rucking equipment sales saw a staggering 65% year-over-year growth between 2024 and 2025, driven by a growing community of people who discovered what military personnel have known for decades: carrying weight over distance gets you incredibly fit.
So why is rucking trending now? A few reasons stand out. People are burned out on high-intensity workouts and looking for something sustainable. Remote workers want a reason to get outside. And a generation raised on step counters realized that regular walking, while great, has a ceiling for fitness results. Rucking removes that ceiling without requiring you to start running — something many people either can’t do or simply don’t enjoy.
How Many Calories Does Rucking Burn?
Here’s where rucking really shines for weight loss. When you add weight to your body, every step requires more energy. Your legs work harder to propel you forward, your core engages to stabilize the load, and your cardiovascular system ramps up to deliver oxygen to all those working muscles. The result is a dramatic increase in calorie burn compared to unweighted walking — typically 2 to 3 times more calories at the same pace.
For a 150-pound person carrying a 30-pound pack at a moderate pace of 3.5 mph, you can expect to burn between 400 and 600 calories per hour. The exact number depends on terrain, pace, pack weight, and your individual metabolism, but that range holds true for most people under typical conditions. Compare that to the 180-250 calories you’d burn on a regular walk at the same speed, and the advantage becomes obvious.
Let’s put the rucking calories burned numbers in context with other popular activities:
| Activity | Calories/Hour (150lb Person) | Impact Level | Equipment Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking (3.5 mph) | 180–250 | Very Low | Shoes |
| Rucking (3.5 mph, 30lb pack) | 400–600 | Low | Backpack + weight |
| Running (6 mph) | 550–700 | High | Shoes |
| Cycling (moderate) | 400–500 | Low | Bicycle |
| Swimming (moderate) | 400–550 | Very Low | Pool access |
| Hiking (hilly terrain, no pack) | 350–500 | Low–Moderate | Shoes |
Notice that rucking delivers calorie burn comparable to running but at a fraction of the joint impact. Your knees, hips, and ankles aren’t absorbing the repeated shock of foot strikes at running speed. Instead, the load is distributed through your entire posterior chain — glutes, hamstrings, back, and shoulders — while you move at a comfortable walking pace. For anyone who’s heavier, has joint issues, or simply hates running, this is a game-changer.
There’s another often-overlooked benefit to rucking calories burned: the afterburn effect. Because rucking engages more total muscle mass than walking or even running, your body continues burning elevated calories for hours after you finish. This excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) means your morning ruck keeps paying dividends well into the afternoon.
[IMAGE: Side-by-side comparison showing a person walking normally versus rucking with a weighted pack, with calorie counters overlaid]8-Week Beginner Rucking Program for Weight Loss
The biggest mistake beginners make is going too heavy, too far, too fast. Your body needs time to adapt to carrying external load — your feet, shoulders, hips, and core all need to build tolerance. This rucking workout plan starts conservatively and progresses steadily, giving you enough stimulus to lose weight while keeping injury risk low.
Before you start: Weigh yourself and calculate 10% of your body weight. That’s your starting ruck weight. If you weigh 180 pounds, start with 18 pounds. Round to the nearest convenient number — nobody’s going to notice the difference between 18 and 20 pounds.
| Week | Sessions/Week | Duration | Pack Weight | Pace | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 20 min | 10% body weight | Easy/comfortable | Flat terrain only. Focus on posture. |
| 2 | 3 | 30 min | 10% body weight | Easy/comfortable | Add one gentle hill if available. |
| 3 | 3–4 | 35 min | 12–15% body weight | Moderate | First weight increase. Shoulders adapting. |
| 4 | 3–4 | 40 min | 15% body weight | Moderate | Add varied terrain. One longer session (50 min). |
| 5 | 4 | 45 min | 15–20% body weight | Moderate–brisk | Push pace on flat days. Hills on easy days. |
| 6 | 4 | 50 min | 20% body weight | Moderate–brisk | One session on trail or rough terrain. |
| 7 | 4–5 | 55 min | 20–25% body weight | Brisk | Try one longer weekend ruck (75+ min, easy pace). |
| 8 | 4–5 | 60 min | 25–30% body weight | Brisk | Goal: 4-mile ruck under 60 minutes. |
Weekly structure tip: Space your rucking days with at least one rest day between sessions during weeks 1–4. As you adapt, you can ruck on consecutive days, but always take at least two full rest days per week. On rest days, light stretching or a casual unweighted walk is fine.
By the end of this rucking workout plan, you’ll be covering 4+ miles with meaningful weight at a brisk pace — a session that burns roughly 500–700 calories. Do that four times a week and you’re looking at an extra 2,000–2,800 calories burned weekly from rucking alone. Combined with reasonable nutrition, that’s enough to lose 1–2 pounds per week sustainably.
One critical note: don’t skip the early weeks even if they feel easy. Those first sessions are building the connective tissue strength in your feet, ankles, and shoulders that will keep you injury-free when the weight gets heavy. Trust the process.
[IMAGE: Weekly progression chart showing increasing pack weight and distance over 8 weeks with a simple line graph]Essential Rucking Gear for Beginners
You don’t need much to start rucking, and you certainly don’t need to spend a fortune. Here’s what actually matters, what’s nice to have, and what you can skip entirely.
The pack: Any sturdy backpack with padded shoulder straps and a hip belt will work to start. Your old hiking daypack sitting in the closet is fine. If you decide rucking is for you and want to upgrade, purpose-built rucksacks from GORUCK, 5.11 Tactical, or Mystery Ranch are built to handle heavy loads comfortably over long distances. Look for a pack with a rigid frame sheet that keeps the weight close to your back and prevents items from poking you.
The weight: Start with whatever you have. Bags of rice or sand wrapped in a towel, old textbooks, or water bottles all work. For a more permanent solution, ruck plates are flat, compact weights designed to sit flush against your back inside a pack. They’re more comfortable than dumbbells or loose items rattling around, and they keep the center of gravity close to your spine where it belongs.
Footwear: This depends on your terrain. For sidewalks and paved paths, a supportive pair of athletic shoes or trail runners is perfect. For dirt trails or mixed terrain, go with hiking shoes or lightweight boots that offer ankle support and good traction. Whatever you choose, make sure they’re broken in before you start loading weight — blisters under a heavy pack are miserable.
Nice to have:
- Moisture-wicking socks: Your feet will sweat more under load. Good socks prevent blisters and hot spots. Merino wool or synthetic blends work best.
- Hip belt: Transfers 30–40% of the load from your shoulders to your hips. Essential once you’re carrying 25+ pounds.
- Reflective vest or headlamp: If you ruck early morning or after dark, visibility gear is non-negotiable for safety.
- Hydration bladder: Hands-free water access makes longer rucks more comfortable than carrying a water bottle.
Skip for now: Weighted vests (different movement pattern), ankle weights (injury risk), trekking poles (you want your arms swinging naturally for core engagement and balance).
[IMAGE: Flat lay photo of rucking gear including a backpack, ruck plate, trail shoes, merino socks, and water bladder on a wooden surface]Common Rucking Mistakes That Slow Weight Loss
I’ve watched plenty of people pick up rucking, get excited, and then stall out — either from injury, frustration, or just not seeing results. Here are the mistakes I see most often and how to avoid them.
1. Going too heavy too soon. This is the number one mistake and it leads to shoulder pain, back strain, and foot injuries that sideline you for weeks. The 10% body weight starting point exists for a reason. Your muscles might feel fine with more weight on day one, but your tendons, ligaments, and joints haven’t adapted yet. Those tissues take longer to strengthen. Be patient. Progressive overload works — but only if you’re consistent, and you can’t be consistent if you’re injured.
2. Poor pack positioning. The weight should sit high on your back, between your shoulder blades, close to your spine. If it’s hanging low near your hips without a proper hip belt, or sagging away from your body, you’re creating leverage that strains your lower back. Tighten those straps. The pack should feel like part of you, not like it’s trying to pull you backward.
3. Neglecting nutrition. Rucking burns a lot of calories, but you can’t out-ruck a bad diet. Some people treat a 500-calorie ruck as permission to eat 800 calories of post-workout food. If weight loss is your goal, you still need to maintain a caloric deficit. Rucking makes that deficit easier to achieve, but it doesn’t make it automatic. Track your intake honestly for at least the first few weeks.
4. Same route, same pace, every time. Your body adapts. If you ruck the same flat 2-mile loop at the same speed three times a week, the calorie burn will decrease as you get fitter. Mix it up. Add hills. Increase pace on some days. Go longer on others. Add weight. Vary the stimulus and your body has to keep adapting — which means it keeps burning.
5. Skipping rest days. More is not always better. Rucking under load is strength training and cardio combined. Your muscles need recovery time to repair and grow stronger. Overtraining leads to chronic fatigue, elevated cortisol (which actually promotes fat storage), and eventual burnout. Three to five sessions per week with adequate rest is the sweet spot for weight loss.
6. Ignoring posture. Stand tall. Shoulders back and down, chest open, eyes forward. Many people hunch under the load, which compresses your spine and restricts breathing. Think about driving your hips forward rather than leaning forward from the waist. Good posture isn’t just about injury prevention — it also ensures you’re engaging your core and glutes properly, which maximizes the calorie-burning benefit of every step.
7. Not tracking progress. What gets measured gets managed. Log your ruck weight, distance, time, and how you felt after each session. When weight loss stalls (and it will at some point), your training log will tell you whether you need to increase intensity, add a session, or adjust nutrition. Without data, you’re just guessing.
[IMAGE: Split image showing incorrect rucking posture (hunched forward with low pack) versus correct posture (upright with high, tight pack)]Rucking Benefits Beyond Weight Loss
While shedding pounds might be what gets you out the door with a loaded pack, the broader rucking benefits are what keep people coming back month after month. Here’s what you’ll notice beyond the scale changes.
Improved posture and back strength. Carrying a load on your back forces your posterior chain — the muscles running from your calves up through your glutes, spinal erectors, and traps — to engage continuously. After a few weeks of consistent rucking, you’ll notice you stand taller and your back feels stronger throughout the day, even when you’re not carrying anything.
Mental health and stress relief. There’s something profoundly calming about walking with weight. It demands just enough physical attention that your mind can’t spiral into anxiety or rumination, but not so much that it feels punishing. Many ruckers describe it as a moving meditation. The combination of outdoor time, rhythmic movement, and moderate exertion is a potent antidote to the mental fog of desk-bound work.
Functional strength that translates to real life. Unlike gym exercises that isolate individual muscles, rucking trains your body as an integrated system. You’ll notice the difference when carrying groceries, hauling luggage through an airport, playing with your kids, or — of course — hitting the trail for a proper backpacking trip. Rucking builds the kind of durable, practical strength that makes everyday life easier.
Cardiovascular fitness without the pounding. Rucking elevates your heart rate into the zone that builds aerobic capacity — typically 60–75% of your max heart rate — without the repetitive impact of running. This makes it sustainable long-term, especially for heavier individuals or anyone with knee, hip, or ankle concerns. You’re building a stronger heart and lungs at a pace your joints can sustain for years.
Community and accountability. The rucking community has grown rapidly, with local ruck clubs forming in cities across the country. Group rucks add a social element that most solo gym workouts lack, and the accountability of showing up for others keeps you consistent. Consistency is the single most important factor in any weight loss program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight should I start rucking with?
Start with 10% of your body weight. For a 180-pound person, that’s roughly 18–20 pounds. This might feel light at first, and that’s exactly the point. Your muscles adapt faster than your connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, and the small stabilizer muscles in your feet and ankles). Starting light lets everything catch up together. After 2–3 weeks of comfortable rucking at 10%, increase to 15%, then gradually work toward 20–30% over the following weeks. There’s no rush. You’ll be rucking for months and years — the first few weeks are about building a foundation, not setting records.
Is rucking better than running for weight loss?
It depends on what “better” means to you. Running at a moderate pace burns slightly more calories per hour than rucking (550–700 vs. 400–600 for a 150-pound person), but rucking has significantly lower injury rates, is easier on your joints, and is more accessible to beginners and heavier individuals. The best exercise for weight loss is the one you’ll actually do consistently. If running feels punishing and you dread every session, you won’t stick with it long enough to see results. Most people find rucking more enjoyable and sustainable, which means better long-term adherence — and adherence is what drives real weight loss. Many people also combine both: rucking 3–4 days a week with one or two runs mixed in.
Can I ruck every day?
You can, but you probably shouldn’t — at least not with heavy weight. Daily rucking with light loads (under 15% body weight) at an easy pace is generally fine for most people once they’ve built a base of fitness over 4–6 weeks. But heavy rucking (20%+ body weight) places significant stress on your musculoskeletal system and requires recovery time. For weight loss purposes, 4–5 sessions per week with 2–3 rest days produces better results than daily grinding that leads to overtraining, elevated cortisol, and eventual burnout or injury. Listen to your body. Persistent soreness in your feet, knees, or lower back is a signal to dial it back.
What’s better for rucking: a regular backpack or a dedicated rucksack?
A regular backpack is perfectly fine for getting started, especially if it has padded shoulder straps and sits close to your back. Most people already own something that works. However, as you progress to heavier weights (25+ pounds), a purpose-built rucksack makes a real difference in comfort and load distribution. Dedicated rucksacks from brands like GORUCK, Mystery Ranch, or 5.11 Tactical feature reinforced stitching, padded hip belts that transfer load to your pelvis, internal frame sheets for stability, and compartments designed to hold ruck plates securely. If you’re committed to rucking long-term, upgrading your pack is the single best gear investment you can make.
How long before I see weight loss results from rucking?
Most people notice measurable changes within 3–4 weeks of consistent rucking combined with reasonable nutrition. In the first week or two, you’ll feel different — more energy, better sleep, improved mood — before the scale moves significantly. By week 4, assuming you’re rucking 3–4 times per week and maintaining a modest caloric deficit, expect to have lost 4–8 pounds. The rate varies based on your starting weight, nutrition, ruck intensity, and other factors. Take measurements and progress photos in addition to weighing yourself, because rucking builds muscle (especially in your legs, back, and core) while burning fat. The scale might understate your progress if you’re simultaneously gaining lean mass. Trust the process, stay consistent, and the results will follow.
[IMAGE: Before and after transformation photo placeholder showing a person’s rucking journey over 8 weeks with fitness metrics overlay]
Featured Image Source: Pexels
