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Rucking Gains
Are you tired of cardio that leaves you with low testosterone and a dadbod? Then start rucking! Rucking can be simple. Grab a backpack, throw some weight in it, and start walking. The benefits of rucking include fat burning, heart health, improved posture, strength building, less stress on the body than running, getting you out in nature, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Rucking is simple, but rucking for real gains requires sound form and a comprehensive program. This is where Rucking Gains comes in. We teach you the fundamentals of rucking, provide a program, and explain correct technique. And, if you're preparing for elite military selection, we got you covered. Let’s make some rucking gains!
- GenresFitness
73 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 5, 2021
182 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Josh Bryant
59 books21 followersAlong with ISSA certifications in fitness training, nutrition, and conditioning, Josh has been awarded the prestigious title of Master of Fitness Sciences (MFS). He was also recently named the ISSA Director of Applied Strength and Power Development. In addition to being certified by the NSCA as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and by NASM as a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), Josh completed his Master’s degree in Exercise Science, with an emphasis in Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention at California University of Pennsylvania. He is the co-author of the elitefts™ best-selling eBook, Metroflex Gym Powerbuilding Basics.
As an athlete, Josh won many national and world titles in both powerlifting and strongman. At 22 years of age, he was the youngest person in powerlifting history to bench press 600 pounds raw. He squatted 909 pounds in the USPF, officially bench-pressed 620 pounds raw, and officially deadlifted 810 pounds raw. In 2005, he won the Atlantis Strongest Man in America competition.
As an athlete, Josh won many national and world titles in both powerlifting and strongman. At 22 years of age, he was the youngest person in powerlifting history to bench press 600 pounds raw. He squatted 909 pounds in the USPF, officially bench-pressed 620 pounds raw, and officially deadlifted 810 pounds raw. In 2005, he won the Atlantis Strongest Man in America competition.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 12, 2023
Great alternative if you can not go to the gym because of knee dislocation injury and can not run. Don't need to be in the military force to do rucking. I eat cleaner and was able to quit alcohol and drugs to stay sober. Other benefits : you get your anger out while gaining strength and bone density, a full body workout at best.
March 5, 2021
I wish more "howto" books could be so no-nonsense, to the point, and utterly without BS. This was a fast, packed read, and I really appreciated that fact.
I personally had done rucking before picking this book up, carrying 30lbs in a rucksack over hills while on the phone. I learned a fair amount from this book in terms of walking cadence, how often rucking should be done, etc.
The book makes a strong case for rucking for all people, including those in the military, but also those that are aging. Rucking is a low-impact, strength-building exercise that has extremely high yield in terms of overall fitness and health.
They say it's "Cardio for Cardio Haters", and in fact a strong case can be made for rucking vs. jogging:
And:
And:
My one criticism: a good chunk at the end of the book was a general workout routine, including selected strength training, etc. While I appreciate the workout routine being broader than just rucking, I would have appreciated simply more depth in rucking. For example, if they had gone into more detail on "suppose your goal is go carry 100lbs for 10 miles, here's how you build up".
For example, here's what the military builds up to:
Or:
I personally had done rucking before picking this book up, carrying 30lbs in a rucksack over hills while on the phone. I learned a fair amount from this book in terms of walking cadence, how often rucking should be done, etc.
The book makes a strong case for rucking for all people, including those in the military, but also those that are aging. Rucking is a low-impact, strength-building exercise that has extremely high yield in terms of overall fitness and health.
They say it's "Cardio for Cardio Haters", and in fact a strong case can be made for rucking vs. jogging:
Build Strength/Muscle Jogging excessively rids your body of hard-earned muscle; rucking can build muscle, particularly in your shoulders, core, back, and the elusive, purple unicorn of muscular development, the traps. The traps respond very well to being stretched under load; think farmer’s walks. While your load when rucking won’t be as heavy as what you’d use when doing farmer’s walks, you will be working under a continuous load for 20 minutes or more. If you have never rucked, usually the first area to fatigue is the traps—imagine that, cardio that assists in building a no-nonsense physique.
And:
Final Thoughts Rucking allows you to combine aerobic training and strength training. As you regularly ruck, you will notice its impact on the rest of your health. Your posture improves, your stamina increases, your back pain disappears, and you look better naked!
And:
Traditional aerobic tasks have a large bias against heavier tactical athletes. Both body mass and body composition are important variables to examine for load carriage because high amounts of lean body mass and low percentages of body fat have been shown to improve load-carriage ability. While increases in lean mass increase load-carriage ability, increases in body fat impair it. Strength, muscle hypertrophy, optimal body composition, and a strong aerobic base will help the tactical athlete excel in load-carriage tasks. The limiting factors for performing well with load carriage are strength and power production capabilities; in other words, the marathon runner with a Peewee Herman–like physique is not built to thrive in load-carriage tasks. In reality, tactical athletes need muscle hypertrophy, not just to strike fear in the hearts of potential assailants, but also because strength, low body fat, and a strong aerobic base will help them perform well under load.
My one criticism: a good chunk at the end of the book was a general workout routine, including selected strength training, etc. While I appreciate the workout routine being broader than just rucking, I would have appreciated simply more depth in rucking. For example, if they had gone into more detail on "suppose your goal is go carry 100lbs for 10 miles, here's how you build up".
For example, here's what the military builds up to:
Armed Forces. For a candidate to gain the Expert Infantryman Badge (an elite qualification for infantry personnel), candidates must complete a ruck march of 12 miles in three hours or less while carrying a rifle and load. In totality, this can be up to 70 pounds!
Or:
French Legion. For legionnaires to complete their annual fitness test training, they must complete a five-mile ruck loaded with rifle, helmet, and a 26-pound pack in under 40 minutes and a 16-mile night march in three hours with a 40-pound load.
January 26, 2021
Quick read. I figured that I would roll my eyes a lot from the outset - I mean, how complicated could something like rucking be? - but there really isn't a lot to disagree with. Good advice, particularly when they said to use what you have, not spend a lot and the best shoes are the shoes you like.
A few useful templates in the back - not necessary to follow for rucking but you are able to see what progression would look like. Lifting templates from back of books are good.
This book does what it intended to do and didn't try and stretch things out to be longer than it should be.
September 23, 2021
Short and Powerful
Like rucking, which can seem simple yet is so powerful, so is this guide. If you are new to rucking, you need to checkout this guide. The author does a great job of giving you an end to end plan, including tips on technique, mental preparedness and gear selection. Beyond that it is a fun motivating read. Regardless of your fitness level, if you can walk you can ruck...so stop making excuses, read this book and start rucking.
Like rucking, which can seem simple yet is so powerful, so is this guide. If you are new to rucking, you need to checkout this guide. The author does a great job of giving you an end to end plan, including tips on technique, mental preparedness and gear selection. Beyond that it is a fun motivating read. Regardless of your fitness level, if you can walk you can ruck...so stop making excuses, read this book and start rucking.
July 10, 2023
I've been walking as part of my fitness plan for years. I wanted to add some intensity without running. I don't like running. I happened across Rucking Gains. This is a quick read with practical workout schedules to increase your body's ability to carry extra weight over a distance. I like the idea that these concepts can help increase aerobic ability without the catabolic effects of long aerobic workouts.
May 2, 2021
The whole enchilada
This short, funny, and accessible book lays out the whole program. Start wth shoes and a pack- supplement with strength training if you want. Just fill in your specific info into the blanks and watch your fitness grow.
This short, funny, and accessible book lays out the whole program. Start wth shoes and a pack- supplement with strength training if you want. Just fill in your specific info into the blanks and watch your fitness grow.
January 10, 2021
Rather basic--I was expecting a bit more. Not a necessary purchase if you're interested in rucking, but it does have some helpful rucking schedules/plans.
February 11, 2021
Short, actionable
This book was short, easy to read, and very actionable. I especially liked the easy flexibility in how to do the workouts.
This book was short, easy to read, and very actionable. I especially liked the easy flexibility in how to do the workouts.
March 21, 2021
Another great book
This book is perfect! I now have a great rucking program to integrate into my routine!
The plan is simple and has a wealth of information!
This book is perfect! I now have a great rucking program to integrate into my routine!
The plan is simple and has a wealth of information!
April 24, 2021
In my opinion rucking falls under essential human movement for the able bodied.
The authors lay out a program that will provide enough stimulus for progress without beating the trainee down.
The authors lay out a program that will provide enough stimulus for progress without beating the trainee down.
July 6, 2021
Great knowledge/insight
This is a great book to get you started in rucking. It gives detailed breakdown of programming for rucking as well as the history of rucking in the forces
This is a great book to get you started in rucking. It gives detailed breakdown of programming for rucking as well as the history of rucking in the forces
January 8, 2022
Great read and info
Very well written book, clear and concise!
Rucking is now part of my weekly routine thanks to Adam and Josh
Very well written book, clear and concise!
Rucking is now part of my weekly routine thanks to Adam and Josh
February 5, 2022
Quick and too the point. Has a good progression plan based on weight added to ruck and time.
Has some interesting history on rucking as well
Has some interesting history on rucking as well
February 13, 2022
Solid
Good read .informative and
straight to point. Will be able to incorporate into a solid fitness
program to see maximum
gain and benefits.
Good read .informative and
straight to point. Will be able to incorporate into a solid fitness
program to see maximum
gain and benefits.
August 1, 2022
Clear concise simple
Love the templates and ideas for exercise program and set up.
Rucking cab be a great addition to a fitness program and it gets you outside
Love the templates and ideas for exercise program and set up.
Rucking cab be a great addition to a fitness program and it gets you outside
January 9, 2023
I guess I'm just not enough into pictures of military guys carrying guns and "stares that could cut glass" to appreciate this book.
June 6, 2021
I am always looking for the more efficient training methods that provide a 2 for 1 benefit or conditions the whole body in a short amount of time. Which lifts recruit the greastest number and larger muscle groups? Are there real active recovery routines that maintain higher mileage goals or fitness levels at higher capacities? Well hello, rucking! This is a short concise treatise on rucking that provides a history, set of guidlines, and methodology to this acient fitness process used by elite soldiers from the dawn of conflict.
November 20, 2021
Got this free on Kindle Unlimited. The author doesn't labour the point, rucking is a useful method of carrying your stuff with you when walking around and can be a useful modality of Cardio.
Admittedly I've used heavier packs than he recommends in the past (multiple days of food, water and equipment add up) but for building a base the advice seems sound. I'm going to look at doing more at the 15 minute mile pace he recommends aiming for but probably won't follow the progressions recommended.
Admittedly I've used heavier packs than he recommends in the past (multiple days of food, water and equipment add up) but for building a base the advice seems sound. I'm going to look at doing more at the 15 minute mile pace he recommends aiming for but probably won't follow the progressions recommended.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews