Rucking: how to start walking with weight, and what the science supports

Rucking is brisk walking with a weighted backpack. The name comes from “rucksack”, and the kit list is short: a sturdy pack, some weight and comfortable shoes. In return you turn an ordinary walk into real training without ever breaking into a run.

The short version

• Carrying a load makes walking much harder: the Compendium rates backpacking at 7.0 METs and loaded hill walking at 7.5 METs, compared with 4.8 METs for brisk walking.
• The energy you burn rises with your body weight, the load, your speed, the gradient and the terrain.
• The popular “start with 10% of your body weight” rule has no research behind it. Starting light and building slowly is still the sensible approach.

How many calories does rucking burn?

The 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities rates loaded walking like this:

Activity	METs
Brisk walking (3.5–3.9 mph, 5.6–6.3 km/h)	4.8
Backpacking	7.0
Loaded hill walking	7.5

One MET is roughly one kilocalorie per kilogram of body weight per hour. By that estimate, an hour of backpacking comes to about 490 kcal for a 70 kg (154 lb) person, versus about 340 kcal for an hour of brisk walking. These are ballpark figures; the real number depends on how much you carry, how fast you go and where you walk.

The standard way to estimate the energy cost of walking with a load is the Pandolf equation, in use since 1977. It combines body weight, load, speed, gradient and terrain. The takeaway is simple: a heavier pack, a faster pace and a steeper hill each add effort on their own, so don’t increase them all on the same day.

How much weight should you start with?

The advice you’ll see everywhere is “start with 10% of your body weight”. It’s all over blogs, but we couldn’t find research that supports it. So instead of a percentage, here’s what we suggest:

1. Start light. Pick a load that feels comfortable and leaves no pain in your back or shoulders at the end of the walk.
2. Change one thing at a time. Add weight one week, time or distance the next, never both at once.
3. Carry it high and close. The weight shouldn’t bounce around inside the pack; keep it snug against your back, around shoulder-blade height.
4. Start on flat ground. Hills and rough terrain raise the effort quickly; save them for later.
5. Take pain seriously. Lingering pain in your back, knees or feet means it’s time to lighten the load.

Rucking in the heat

Carrying weight means your body produces more heat. The American College of Sports Medicine’s 2023 guidance measures heat stress with WBGT (wet-bulb globe temperature), which accounts for humidity, sun and wind as well as air temperature. Even for the hottest climate regions, it recommends cancelling activity when WBGT is above 32.3 °C (90 °F). In summer, go early or late, carry less and bring water.

If you use an Apple Watch

Apple Watch estimates cardio fitness (VO2 max) from outdoor walks, runs and hikes on gradients under 5%. Apple notes that the estimate can come out low when you’re carrying a backpack, so a dip in VO2 max after a few rucks doesn’t necessarily mean your fitness has dropped.

Who should check with a doctor first

If you have back, hip or knee problems, heart or blood vessel disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, or you have been inactive for a long time, talk to your doctor before you start carrying weight. Stop and drop the pack if you get chest pain, severe breathlessness or dizziness.

Rucking in Durma

Rucking is its own walk type in Durma. Enter the weight you’re carrying when you start; time, distance, pace and cadence are tracked like any walk, and the load is saved with the walk so you can see how your weight and distance progress over the weeks.