Fitness

What is ‘rucking’? Low-impact exercise trend has a wild military link

Published

2 years ago

September 2, 2024

Press Room

What is ‘rucking’? Low-impact exercise trend has a wild military link

“Rucking” is on the rise.

It’s well established that Americans need to move more, and for many, walking is the most accessible form of exercise.

“Walking reduces the risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), and strengthens the heart,” according to Dalia McCoy, family medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. “Walking helps the heart be more efficient. As your fitness improves, your heart becomes more effective with each pump you perform for that type of exercise.”

Now, those wanting to amplify those positive effects are rocking the ruck.

In basic terms, “rucking” is walking with weight on one’s back.

Rucking elevates walking from simple cardio to compound resistance training through the addition of a weighted backpack — and die-hard devotees say that added weight can help you lose weight.

The low-impact exercise is rooted in military training where “ruck” refers to a rucksack and ruck marching, a core skill used by militaries worldwide.

according to former US Navy SEAL Stew Smith, a fitness instructor and special ops coach.

“The definition can be as simple as walking around with a backpack on a hike or as difficult as moving fast with all your military gear, loaded for bear, over rugged terrain, infiltrating to your objective,” according to former US Navy SEAL Stew Smith, a fitness instructor and special ops coach. “But the terms ruck, hump or forced march all really mean getting your gear from A to B in a backpack.”

Among the tests the US Army requires of recruits looking to earn an Expert Infantryman Badge is a 12-mile ruck, or foot march, which must be completed within three hours while carrying a staggering 35 pounds of gear.

Research has also shown that rucking can improve muscle strength, aerobic conditioning, and endurance.

Smith explained to CNN last year that people can burn 30% to 45% more calories via rucking than by completing the workout without the extra weight.

Per the CDC, adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week and at least two days of muscle-strengthening activity each week.

Rucking, which doubles as cardio and resistance training, helps folks meet both goals. Further, the added weight encourages proper posture and helps to build back strength, making it an excellent counterbalance to hours spent sitting at a desk.

In addition, rucking is an outdoor exercise, and working out in nature has been shown to lower stress, ease depression, improve memory, and help people suffering from ADHD. Working out in the sunlight also triggers the body’s vitamin D production, a nutrient crucial to bone health and mental well-being.

As we must crawl before we can walk, experts say you must have a strong walking or running practice before you can ruck.

“You should not be rucking if you have not started walking,” Smith explains. “First, walk every day for 30 minutes. After a month or so, add weight or distance/speed if walking is getting easier.”

He recommends beginners start with a weighted vest before progressing to a ruck.

Coach Kristina Williams, owner of Gym X, who has more than 10 years of certified experience in strength and conditioning, previously told The Post, “Weighted vests are an awesome addition to most workouts because the added upper body weight makes the core work harder with all exercises.”

When you’re ready to ruck, you can begin with objects you might already have on hand, such as a backpack weighted with books or magazines.

Experts recommend starting with 10 pounds for 15 to 20 minutes and increasing the weight and distance by 10% every three to four weeks, ensuring rest days between rucks.

However, experts maintain that packs designed specifically for rucking are the preferable, safer choice, as regular backpacks tend to sit low on the back, which can cause pain and issues in the long run (pun intended).

“Rucking provides a great external stimulus on your body that, if done correctly with proper weight, burns more calories than just walking, builds your core, and assists in having better posture,” certified personal trainer Christian Rivas told Health.com last year. “In a sense, your entire body is working hard to stabilize the load.”

Smith says that those who want to ruck should prepare themselves for a long road — both literal and metaphorical.

“A regular ruck workout can take hours or fill up an entire afternoon,” he said. “Be willing to invest that kind of time into your progressions each week, building up your level of rucking skill.”

Related Topics:Exercise fitness health lifestyle Military training weight loss

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Fitness

Benefits of Physical Activity

Published

11 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Immediate benefits

Some benefits of physical activity for brain health

Some brain benefits of physical activity happen immediately.

Manage your weight

Both eating patterns and physical activity routines play critical roles in weight management. You can gain weight when you consume more calories than the amount of calories you burn.

To maintain your weight

If you are not physically active, work your way up to 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity. This could be dancing or doing yard work. You could meet the goal of 150 minutes a week with 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week, 22 minutes daily, or what works for you.

People vary greatly in how much physical activity they need for weight management. You may need to be more active than others to reach or maintain a healthy weight.

To lose weight and keep it off

You will need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your eating patterns and reduce the amount of calories you’re eating and drinking. Healthy eating combined with regular physical activity help you get to—and stay at—a healthy weight.

More information

Reduce your health risks

Cardiovascular disease

Heart disease and stroke are two leading causes of death in the United States. Getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity can put you at a lower risk for these diseases. You can reduce your risk even further with more physical activity. Regular physical activity can also lower blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels.

Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome

Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is some combination of too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, low high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, high triglycerides, or high blood sugar. With a regular schedule of moderate-intensity physical activity, people start to benefit from even less than 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity. Additional amounts of physical activity could lower risk even more.

Infectious diseases

Physical activity may help reduce the risk of serious outcomes from infectious diseases, including COVID-19, the flu, and pneumonia. For example:

People who do little or no physical activity are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 than those who are physically active. In a CDC review, physical activity was associated with a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, while inactivity increases that risk.
More active people may be less likely to die from flu or pneumonia. In one study, adults who met the aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity guidelines were about half as likely

Some cancers

Being physically active lowers your risk for developing several common cancers

Eight types of cancer

Being physically active lowers your risk for developing at least eight types of cancer.

Strengthen your bones and muscles

As you age, it’s important to protect your bones, joints, and muscles. This can help ensure you’re able to do daily activities and be physically active.

Lifting weights is an example of a muscle-strengthening activity. Muscle strengthening is important for older adults who experience reduced muscle mass and muscle strength with aging. Slowly increasing the amount of weight and number of repetitions as part of muscle-strengthening activities will give you even more benefits, no matter your age.

Two women walking up stairs and carrying hand weights — Muscle-strengthening activities can help you increase or maintain muscle mass and strength.

Perform daily activities and prevent falls

Everyday activities include climbing stairs, grocery shopping, or cleaning the house. Being unable to perform everyday activities is called functional limitation. Physically active middle-aged or older adults have a lower risk of functional limitations than people who are inactive.

For older adults, doing a variety of physical activities improves physical function and decreases the risk of falls or injury from a fall. Older adults need to include aerobic, muscle strengthening, and balance activities in their physical activity routines. This multicomponent physical activity can be done at home or in a community setting as part of a structured program.

Hip fracture is a serious health condition that can result from a fall. Breaking a hip can have life-changing negative effects, especially if you’re an older adult. Physically active people have a lower risk of hip fracture than inactive people.

Afraid of getting hurt?

The good news

Increase your chances of living longer

An estimated 110,000 deaths

Taking more steps a day also helps lower the risk of premature death from all causes. In one study

Older couple playing frisbee — Regular physical activity can help manage existing chronic conditions.

Manage chronic health conditions & disabilities

Regular physical activity can help people manage existing chronic conditions and disabilities. For example, regular physical activity can:

Also see:

How much physical activity do I need?

See physical activity recommendations for:

Fitness

‘Exercise has been my therapy since I was six’: Joe Wicks on how he became the nation’s PE teacher

Published

23 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

‘Exercise has been my therapy since I was six’: Joe Wicks on how he became the nation’s PE teacher

Health and fitness expert Joe Wicks has said it was growing up in a “challenging home” which first sparked his passion for exercise.

Best known as the “nation’s PE teacher” after hosting daily YouTube workouts during the pandemic, raising more than £1million for charity and earning an MBE, Wicks has been building an online fitness following since 2014 and now has more than 4.7 million followers on Instagram alone.

However, speaking to the Irish News, the Epsom-born fitness coach said physical activity has served as a form of therapy since he was six years old.

“As a young child I lived in quite a challenging home,” he said.

Euro NCAP awards new Dacia Duster and Suzuki Swift a 3 star safety rating, as recent results announced

“My parents both had mental health issues. My dad was a heroin addict and my mum suffered from anxiety, eating disorders and extreme OCD so I had these two very difficult people to live with.

“It was quite chaotic but I realised when I exercised, played sport, ran or did any kind of movement I could soothe and calm myself and take away some of that stress.

“And that’s really where my love for physical exercise and movement comes from. It’s been my therapy really since I was about six or seven years old.”

Joe Wicks was made an MBE in 2020 (Steve Parsons/PA)

In addition to his fitness programmes, Wicks has also authored numerous best-selling cookbooks, although he said his relationship with food was also affected by his upbringing.

“In terms of the food side of it, I was exposed to a very unhealthy diet. We were on benefits and any money that came through the house was really funding my dad’s addiction.

“So there wasn’t lots of fruit, veg or homemade meals – it was things like crispy pancakes, potato waffles, chicken nuggets, frozen chicken pies, and lots of sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks.

“I had a very unhealthy diet and even now I sometimes struggle to eat junk food in moderation.”

A turning point came at the age of 13 when he was invited to visit St Mary’s University in Twickenham.

“It was an outreach between the school and the university.

“Lots of the children who went along were on the border of going down the wrong path or came from a difficult home life.

“I knew they were trying to inspire me and get me thinking more positively – that I could actually go to university one day.

“So I did a tour and spent a day there.

Read more: ‘It was an insane hormone disaster’: Newry fitness influencer on how health struggles inspired a thriving wellness platform

Joe Wicks hopes to grace the Pyramid Stage next year — Joe Wicks leading a workout. (Ben Birchall/PA)

“When I got home, I said to my mum that I was going to do a degree in sports science and become a PE teacher.

“And I did actually end up going to that university.”

Although Wicks always had ambitions of becoming a PE teacher, he said he never expected the scale his career would reach.

“I’ve had an amazing career, but it’s been very unintentional.

“I’m not someone who had a big plan or strategy – everything has happened quite organically.

“It’s always been a natural progression and I couldn’t have imagined it going the way it has.

“I’m very grateful for all of it and I don’t ever take it for granted.”

Wicks is holding two fitness sessions at Glastonbury this year — Wicks holding two fitness sessions at Glastonbury last year (Ben Birchall/PA)

One of his most recent and unexpected highlights has been training children’s TV character Daddy Pig ahead of this year’s London Marathon.

“The PR for Hasbro, who own Peppa Pig, reached out and I actually really love Peppa Pig – we’ve always watched it with the kids.

“They said, ‘we’ve got this campaign with Daddy Pig’s son George, who’s now moderately deaf, so Daddy Pig is running the marathon for his son and for the National Deaf Children’s Society’.

“So I said I’d do it but I really wanted to run on the day with him. So they got me a spot and I’m running with him.

“And it’s obviously Daddy Pig in full character and I’m there coaching and motivating him. It’s been really fun and the kids have obviously seen the videos and think it’s hilarious.”

Read more: Joe Wicks: ‘Don’t convince yourself you haven’t got time to cook and that you can’t, because you can’

Joe Wicks trains Daddy Pig for London marathon.

Wicks added that he is looking forward to bringing that same energy to Belfast where he will headline the inaugural Wellfest on September 12 and 13.

“There are talks, a nutrition and wellness area and discussions around mental health, as well as workouts from trainers across the board.

“It’s going to be really good fun.”

He will be joined by his wife, Rosie, for the session.

“Because I’ve done the workout so many times, they wanted something a little bit different.

“And it wasn’t like Rosie jumped at it – she’s quite shy. But I said it would be fun and we could make a weekend of it.

“We’re going to go on stage, do a 30-minute workout and it’s going to be great.

“It’s basically a high-energy session where we’ll be chatting and laughing and hopefully people will get involved and feel energised at the end.”

Joe and Rosie Wicks will host a workout session at this year's Wellfest in Belfast. — Joe and Rosie Wicks will host a workout session at this year’s Wellfest in Belfast.

It will be the first time the couple have worked out together on stage.

“I don’t know what to expect,” he laughed.

“We’ve never worked out on a stage together before. I’ve done my workouts and videos and the kids have joined in but they don’t really talk.

“So having Rosie there, mic’d up, we can have a bit of banter and I think it will be more engaging than just me on my own.

“I want it to feel relaxed. People aren’t there to be judged – they’re there to enjoy it. So I think it’s going to be good.”

He said a key part of Wellfest’s appeal is its accessibility, with an emphasis on inclusivity rather than elite fitness.

“The good thing about Wellfest is that you’ll have people of all ages and all different body types.

“You can have kids in the crowd and grandparents as well.

Read more: Joe Wicks to run London marathon alongside Daddy Pig for deaf charity

Fitness guru Joe Wicks — Picture: Aviva Health UK/PA (Aviva Health UK/PA)

“It’s essentially a PE with Joe-style workout with music and if you miss something or need to stop, that’s fine.

“You’re not there to compete, just to take part and enjoy it.”

First established in 2015 in Herbert Park in Dublin, the event is designed to appeal to all levels, particularly those at the beginning of their fitness journey.

“Wellfest is an experience – you’re going there to learn something new and you’ll come away feeling energised and positive,” Wicks added.

“It might be a talk on nutrition, stress or mental health or a workout where you realise you can do something you didn’t think you could.

“It’s about taking part, enjoying it and then maybe continuing some of those habits at home.”

Tickets for WellFest NI, which will take place at Belfast’s Ormeau Park on September 12-13, are on sale now via WellFestNI.com.

Fitness

How Sheridan Smith is transforming her body composition – the 6-move workout she does weekly

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

How Sheridan Smith is transforming her body composition – the 6-move workout she does weekly

Sheridan Smith does not mess about when it comes to overhauling her body for acting roles. Back in 2019, she revealed she had lost two stone while performing in West End production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and now, the 44-year-old is training for her part in ITV mystery thriller, Two Birds.

To help her achieve her goals, she recruited personal trainer and founder of 1^st Class Bootcamp Tom Brown earlier this year. ‘The focus is on building her a strong, fit, healthy body that can perform under pressure,’ Tom tells Women’s Health UK. ‘It’s about improving strength, body composition (so, helping her burn fat and build muscle) and overall wellbeing – physically and mentally, rather than chasing extremes.’

Instagram

The pair strength train together four-five times a week, and there’s one key element to Sheridan’s programme: progressive overload. ‘Sheridan had trained before,’ Tom tells us. ‘But this approach to strength training is far more structured as we practice a clear, repeatable system which involves increasing the intensity week on week (a.k.a. progressive overload), usually by upping the weight she lifts in each exercise.

‘We also implement one strict rest day a week, as recovery is where your muscles have the time to grow back stronger and adapt, meaning she can lift heavier next time. It’s about doing the right exercises well – and doing them repeatedly. There are no quick fixes.’

While Sheridan’s programme involves a mix of strength training, cardio and mobility, strength is the priority. ‘This is how Sheridan can build muscle as the stress that weight training places on your muscles forces them to adapt and grow back stronger,’ Tom explains.

Below, Tom shares the exact 45-minute lower-body strength workout Sheridan does every Monday.

A quick caveat: transforming your body composition isn’t driven by exercise or nutrition alone. To build muscle and burn fat, Tom says Sheridan also follows a high-protein diet, drinks 2-3L water daily, prioritises sleep and recovery, and limits toxins through alcohol, sugar and highly processed food.

Sheridan Smith’s 45-minute lower-body workout

Warm-up and activation (8–10 minutes)

This is designed to activate the glutes and posterior chain (the muscles on the back of your body) before adding weight.

Do: 2-3 rounds with minimal rest between exercises and rounds

Glute bridges: 15 x reps
Single-leg glute bridges: 10 reps x each side
Dorsal raises: 12–15 x reps
Clamshells: 12–15 reps x each side

Main strength workout (40 minutes)

Barbell back squat: take 3 seconds to lower, pause for 1 second, then extend to stand in 1 second. Do: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps, resting for 90 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: dumbbell front-rack squats
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat. Do: 3 sets of 12-14 reps per leg, resting for 75-90 seconds between sets
Dumbbell straight-leg deadlifts. Do: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps per leg, resting for 90 seconds between sets
Hamstring curl machine. Do: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, resting for 45-75 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: Stability ball hamstring curl/dumbbell glute bridge
Seated leg curl (single leg). Do: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, resting for 60 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: Dumbbell glute bridge (heels close to glutes)
Dumbbell weighted step-ups. Do: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps, resting for 60-90 seconds between sets. Home workout tip: Use a sturdy chair or stairs if no access to a bench

Cool down:

Forward fold into half lift: 4-5 breaths
Low lunge hip flexor stretch: 30 secs x each side
Transition to hamstring stretch: 30 secs x each side
Downward dog: 4-5 breaths, gently pedalling the heels
Pigeon pose: 30-45 secs x each side

Instagram

Sheridan Smith’s weekly workout routine

Monday: 45-60 mins strength training (lower-body focus)
Tuesday: 30-45 mins low-impact cardio + core work + mobility
Wednesday: 45-60 mins strength training (upper-body push/pull focus)
Thursday: Active recovery (walking, mobility, light movement)
Friday: 45-60 mins full-body strength + conditioning
Saturday: Outdoor movement (long walk, hike or steady cardio)
Sunday: Full rest and recovery

As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.

After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!

Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.

She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.