Rucking

This article is another in a long set on how to train for GORUCK events. Rucking is more often than not the one thing not practiced enough (or at all) when challenge time comes around. Whether it be because the person training does not know the importance of practicing rucking or simply because they don’t think they have the time, rucking is generally the most undertrained skill.

Why is Rucking Important?

Rucking is so important because it is what you do while completing the entire challenge. It doesn’t matter if you are lifting logs, carrying people, or just traveling from one location to another you are consistently rucking. The fact of the matter is that most people just are not used to lugging around 40 to 50 pounds for extended periods of time. Sure you may carry a backpack to work or around campus but that’s generally less weight and you can always set it down when it’s too heavy. Easily one of the toughest physical aspects of the GORUCK Challenge is supporting this weight on your shoulders for the entire duration of the event. Yes you read that correct… for the entire ten to fifteen hours and fifteen to twenty plus miles of the event. One of the main rules you will learn on the offset is that your ruck never touches the ground. From start to finish it will be in the air either in your arms or on your shoulders. It’s on your back when your doing bear crawls and on your chest when your doing crap walks. Never will the ruck touch the ground.

Another (not often mentioned) benefit to rucking is that it shows you if your ruck is tough enough. When you start a challenge you want to know that your ruck can withstand the rigors that you will be throwing at it. Trust me… you do not want to be the person who has their ruck spill its contents everywhere because the bottom ripped out or a strap busted. The penalty for this unacceptable event is somewhere between fifteen and infinity minutes of pain. There’s a rumor that a class is still out there somewhere paying for this punishment. I’ve never seen this taken lightly and the Cadre often associate this act with people not having respect for themselves, their gear, their teammates, or the Challenge. Let me say this again… you do not want to be the person picking their shit up off the ground.