Rucking, otherwise known as “weighted walking”, is an exercise growing in popularity among the time poor. “Strapping on a rucksack turns your daily commute, dash across town or lunchtime stroll into an effective workout session,” explains Farren Morgan, a former Queens Guard, Kings Guard, paratrooper, personal trainer in the British army and the founder of and current coach at The Tactical Athlete. 

As well as eliminating the cost of a gym membership and expensive equipment bar a durable rucksack, it’s also helping you to hit your recommended target of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week. 

In fact, this type of weighted walking gives you more bang for your energy-expenditure buck. Scientists estimate that the added weight increases the amount of energy needed to move at the same pace you would minus the load. 

“Rucking allows soldiers to acclimatise their bodies to the rigours of combat operations, developing the strength, endurance, and mental resilience necessary to perform effectively and carry heavy loads in challenging environments,” Farren explained.

While recently #rucking has amassed over 19.3 million views on TikTok, it’s not a new phenomenon. Anthropological studies of our human ancestors suggest that loaded walking is a physical activity that modern humans evolved to excel at.

Tread lightly to avoid injury. “Familiarising yourself with the right equipment, terrain, nutrition and hydration is key,” Morgan advises. “Start with a manageable weight [see our guide below] and increase gradually as you acclimatise.”

Three ways to begin your rucking journey

“Good posture is key,” says Morgan. “Stand tall, keep your shoulders relaxed, and your core engaged, with a walking roll from heel to toe or light midsole strike for running.”

Syncing your arm swing to the opposite leg stride and breath can encourage both good gait rhythm and posture, he notes. “Add speed intervals, inclines, or longer strides if conversation is easy, pace feels maintainable, or your heart rate measures low on tech. However if you’re breathless, experiencing pain, or losing form, dial it back.”

Fitness trainer and powerlifter Sarah Willis (@mindovermusclept), competes in competitions every year, and stopped her tough workout to chat about fitness.

She explained that taking time out of your routine to prioritise your health can often seem like a difficult task to fulfil, but something that you’ll always benefit from, both physically and mentally.

She said: “A massive thing for me is female empowerment. I’ve never felt as empowered as I do walking into the gym, feeling strong, and knowing I can lift heavy.”

Gym bro Tabi Emosi was heading up to work after a tough workout, and stopped to chat about the impact exercise has on his life, and his friend’s lives.

He said: “Even my boy only started working out last year – but he got in shape, and now he notices little things… like people wanna speak to him more, it’s an ice-breaker for him, like ‘oh, bro you look good!’.

“Your self-esteem is better, too, and you carry that when you’re talking to people.”

Sarah motioned that she often gets “post-comp blues”, and explained: “You’ve worked six/seven months towards this day, and that’s it… then you’re like ‘what now?’, and it’s difficult to get back into routine after that… it’s strange, yeah.”

• April 18th is National Exercise Day and users of all fitness levels can reap the benefits of daily movement with FitXR’s diverse offering of VR fitness studios

LONDON & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This National Exercise Day, FitXR, ​​the leading virtual reality workout platform with the largest offering of fitness classes, is proud to spotlight its diverse range of studios and class lengths, demonstrating how inclusivity is at the heart of its mission to make fitness accessible to everyone, everywhere.

FitXR aims to inspire and motivate individuals to incorporate movement into their daily lives, whether it’s for five minutes or an hour. A third of the platform’s user base was inactive before joining FitXR, yet another third were already working out five times a week, highlighting the platform’s appeal across varying levels of activity. With an extensive offering of classes spanning seven distinct workout studios – Box, Dance, HIIT, Sculpt, Combat, Zumba, and Slam – FitXR has revolutionized the fitness landscape by providing users with unparalleled workout options tailored to their preferences and fitness levels.

“Our mission at FitXR has always been to democratize fitness and empower individuals to lead healthier lifestyles regardless of their circumstances,” said Sam Cole, CEO and co-founder of FitXR. “By offering a comprehensive range of classes spanning different genres and intensities, we’ve been able to engage a wide demographic of users and make fitness more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.”

FitXR’s newest studio, Slam, harnesses the power of mixed reality to provide the best of gaming and physical activity, reflecting FitXR’s broader mission to make movement a seamless part of people’s lives. Slam’s game-like structure has helped the platform reach new audiences and its intuitive use case enables even those who are new to XR meet their physical activity goals.

As the world continues to navigate the challenges of maintaining physical and mental well-being, FitXR remains dedicated to providing innovative fitness solutions that inspire and empower individuals to prioritize their health.

Join the movement towards a healthier future with FitXR and experience the transformative power of virtual reality fitness. To learn more about FitXR’s studio offerings, head to https://fitxr.com/. For press inquiries or any additional information, please contact fitxr@mightypr.com.

About FitXR

FitXR merges immersive VR with total body workouts designed by top fitness experts. Dedicated to making fitness more fun and accessible for everyone, FitXR offers classes within seven distinct workout studios – Box, Dance, HIIT, Sculpt, Zumba, Combat and Slam. FitXR provides a truly engaging, multiplayer experience along with constantly refreshed classes, environments and music. FitXR is available on Meta Quest 2, Quest 3 and Pico XR.

Contacts

Mighty PR for FitXR

fitxr@mightypr.com