The many benefits of rucking | Peter Attia and Michael Easter

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Watch the full episode: • 225 ‒ The comfort cris...
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This clip is from 225 ‒ The comfort crisis, doing hard things, rucking, and more | Michael Easter, MA. Michael Easter is the author of the bestseller, The Comfort Crisis. He’s also a journalist, Professor of Journalism at UNLV, and a leading voice on how humans can integrate modern science and evolutionary wisdom for improved health, meaning, and performance in life and at work.
In this clip, they discuss:
- What is rucking?
- What is the human body built to be good at?
- Fitness benefits of rucking
- And more
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About:
The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.
Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan.
Learn more: peterattiamd.com
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[@WaterDove]

Boy did I read that wrong.

[@Ghound]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@sourabhtanwar6737]

😂😅

[@Ecclectic_citcelccE]

Ruh Roh!

[@profchaos9001]

😂😂😂😂😅😅😅😅

[@litosandiego9086]

it's an "R" 😉

[@ebl7252]

I started wearing a ruck when walking my dogs most days of the week. The benefits ive found is I feel much more stable on my feet. Also more balanced.

[@rgh622]

Yep, if the dogs are going for a walk the ruck sack is going for a walk!

[@SebastianLarsen]

Rucked 20% of my bodyweight most weekdays of May for 4-6 kms. Lost 2.5 kg.

[@Pipehawk_Patriot]

Any dietary changes or just rucking?

[@GruntProof]

Great to see the regular folks picking this up

[@FitLaura]

I was at the GORUCK Rucking event in Normandy/France last week, we were expecting you there! We have missed you Peter, too bad you couldn't be there at short notice. :(

[@pseudoty]

I did rucking for the first time last weekend and I slept like a baby that night.

[@atois408]

Very cool. Dude is spot on. I attended SFAS twice and they’d constantly tell us, “We don’t need gazelles, we need mountain goats.”

[@profchaos9001]

I go “rucking” about 3-4 times per week, and I do it on a very steep “mule track” (average 33% slope), i dont carry much weight because the steepness of the climb is enough to give me a good workout, same for coming back down. I remember when i started my knees were hurting like HELL when walking back down (and i was generally already in good shape because i always worked out) after just few weeks the knees must have adapted to the effort because i dont feel any pain or discomfort whatsoever anymore.

[@ebl7252]

I had the same experience. When I first started my knees would ache some at first but now that I am used to it I have found I feel much more stable.

[@j.d.leslie8458]

Fearfully and wonderfully made...

[@Angelthedog]

Just discovered your channel, Peter. Great stuff!

[@PEH-sv1rj]

I recently got into rucking at age 60 generally doing 5 miles with 25 lbs. Going to start taking it up a notch as it is a nice change of pace from more traditional work in the gym.

[@KOutOfMyYard]

I’m 220. 45 years old. Wear a weighted vest( actually 3). The weight is front and back. Vest total is 100lbs. 3 days a week for 60min. I bike hills the other days. It is the best. Winter time it is 5 days a week, 100lbs, no matter what the temperature, 0 to -20C. Just do something. Your older self will thank you.

[@Travlinmo]

Safe to assume you built up to this weight over some reasonable amount of time? Do you have more on the back than your chest?

[@KOutOfMyYard]

@@Travlinmoyes. I started with 20 lbs evenly on my vest which has wt front(chest) and back( Midback). Would walk hills and some flat for 60 minutes until it felt like it was not taxing anymore and would add 10 lbs and repeat until I hit 100lbs. I figure 100lbs is good enough

[@Travlinmo]

@@KOutOfMyYard Thank You. I walk 5 miles daily right now without rucking and am just considering adding it.

[@colinbeckworth19]

Love this video - I carry 22kg in a day pack on the short walk to my kids school twice a day - the big advantage is when I do a multi day backpacking trip every four months or so I have no issues carrying the weight.

[@JG_1998]

Tried rucking for the first time the other week after wanting to for years (was inspired by the delta force 40 mile ruck). 35 lbs, 2 miles in 28 minutes w/ incline was a better leg workout than anything else I’ve done. Hopefully I can do 20 miles eventually.

[@Mr-ye1vu]

What they don’t tell you is most soldiers backs are fucked when they leave service due to carrying weight.

[@trippyturtle777]

@@Mr-ye1vuthat’s after carrying 80lb+ every day for miles. Anything below 30% body weight is considered healthy.

[@Pipehawk_Patriot]

​@@trippyturtle777 I'm going to second this.

[@neilcollins5930]

I do most of my cardio on an erg I integrated rucking in my 60’s . In the UK part of the selection for the SAS is a 15 mile event across the Brecon Beacons called the ‘Fan Dance’ it’s absolutely brutal . I have now done 7 of these , best time just under 5 hours . The Bergen weight is with 25lbs + food and 4 litres of water .

[@movemorenowjames]

Pretty impressive.. just it done it once - without the pack! (But love rucking - great tool)

[@neilcollins5930]

@@movemorenowjames that’s called clean fatigue , I think in some ways it’s harder as it puts a burden on you to push harder . 👍

[@movemorenowjames]

@@neilcollins5930 “clean fatigue” nice 👌

[@movemorenowjames]

Huge fan of rucking, Dr Attia and Michael Easter … I incorporate rucking, ultra running and lots of callisthenics and weight training. Love the mix

[@fredlazr]

Rucking is amazing. Lets Go!

[@Combat556]

I ruck on my mountain bike. Love the downhill trails.

[@cyberfactotum]

i do what i guess is a sort of rucking. a couple times a week i wear an empty backpack and walk about 3 miles to a trader joe’s. then i shop for only what i can fit in the backpack and walk back home. usually the weight is between 20-25 pounds. this both limits the food i consume and gives me great exercise. i lost 25 lbs in a few months

[@user-ei2nv6rk3d]

3 time and 8 times number hold true in barefoot versus "traditional" heal strike shoes? I would assume lighter loads in the knees when barefoot + forefoot strike no?

[@matthewprather7386]

Knee wear - to what extent is it modulated by inflammatory metabolic factors? I suspect it’s significant, and if so it suggests Peter could probably continue to run somewhat regularly.

[@DonBrowningRacing]

In the US Navy we used our big strong selves! ‘59-‘63.

[@katnez]

Thank you for your service❤🇺🇸

[@superpasi7315]

Next time the many benefits of edging please 🙏

[@user-kc6pw7jd9l]

I wonder who he could have on as a guest to discuss that?

[@user-fo2cc7xx4y]

Dr Berg is an expert at this

[@wheelofcheese100]

@@user-fo2cc7xx4ywhat 😂😂😂

[@wheelofcheese100]

@@user-kc6pw7jd9l😂

[@cmcil]

so weird... i just rucked this morning and was thinking of looking up what you had to say about it. you just released this video

[@joehudson6763]

So did I…

[@alansnyder8448]

I'm considering starting this. I'm a 57-year-old past cross-country runner, but can not jog 10 miles on pavement anymore due to my knees. I'm hoping rucking would allow me to reach my old load without pounding the knees.

[@danielsingh9415]

Possibly. Start low & slow & gradually increase over time. But I would look into Chase Mountain's mountain-proof knees, program & start his training program, he's got tons of videos online too

[@sweetsweet3753]

You missed a bit : in Rugby Union the benefit of rucking is you can use your sprigged boots to get a player off the ball if they are on the ground lying on it... so the benefit of rucking is "you can mess the opposition player up big time" so tehnically i been rucking since i was about 5 years old.. just started rucking (walking) : do about 18kgs on a 7km golf course (cart path) at night.. too early to tell the benefits yet...

[@sanjaysable2006]

Hi. Can I add a farmer's walk to my daily rucking? I'm 56 and ruck 6-7 km with 10 kg weight in my rucksack🙏😊.

[@IvdAEROvm]

What procentage of my body weight should i start rucking at?

[@lat1502]

I remember years and years ago where there was a short time where runners were putting weights on their ankles when they were running. It was determined later on, knowing that the weights slowed down the running times of the runners, that if you ran (I’m using simple numbers to make a point) 4 miles in an hour wearing weights and the same person ran 5 miles in an hour without wearing weights, it was pretty much the same amount of exercise. Rucking seems to be the new fad now. I’m not saying it as a fact, I’m asking. Using the same analogy as running, if you ruck for 4 miles in an hour and you don’t ruck, but walk 5 miles in an hour, I’m wondering if you’re basically getting the same amount of exercise.

[@ryan_454]

Rucking gonna be the new thing all the influencers are pushing on IG

[@cowboykitten3298]

Dr. Attia, please tell me where you got that shirt. If you can't, then please give me a clue at least. Secondly, I love this topic and I'm a regular consumer of your videos - finding them exceedingly helpful. Thirdly , thank you for reminding me about this rucking practice and I'm going to start doing it again now at my age of 58. This is something I used to do in my twenties and thirties for fun. I had no idea it had a name...

[@darkclownKellen]

I get most of my button ups at the thrift store

[@AuntieFa]

It's a blue lenin shirt.

[@MbisonBalrog]

During school days I had ruck it going to and from my house to school then carrying books to class.

[@harryv6752]

I started rucking about 3 months ago, starting with 15lbs in my hiking backpack and going anywhere from 3 to 7 miles over rough and hilly terrain. I'm utterly grateful there's a park literally 3 miles from me with some great hiking trails. Now, I'm up to 45-50lbs. Wears me out. But, dang, it feels great.

[@markmetternich7629]

Equally distributed Rucking heals my lower back. Backpacking hurts it.

[@jeffs2629]

Most SOF prep courses counsel against too much rucking, especially at a fast pace as wear and tear is exponentially higher. Thoughts?

[@JessieWiggls]

Shhh he’s getting royalty’s from the GoRuck corporation. You know the overpriced kid backpacks with US flags all over it…. Which were not made in the USA.

[@darkclownKellen]

Have any studies been done on dogs that ruck? I've started getting my brother into hiking/rucking. His dog is half German shepherd, half husky. Hes thinking of getting her a harness with pack for backpack camping trips, shell be able to carry her own supplies

[@rgh622]

I know dogs and other animals pack all the time. I would ensure his specific dog can do it safely as some German shepherds have hip dysplasia issues.

[@darkclownKellen]

Thank you

[@heistube9556]

With the weights you mentioned carrying (30% of body weight) are you saying the same weight for males and females? I suspect this could be too much / cause injury for women. My sons (very lean and light in their teens to early twenties) can easily carry far more than me without any training and yet they are of similar weight (50kg). I would find it very hard to hike with 17kg on my back, I have the endurance (I'm a long distance runner), but not the strength. My friend's daughter (young and fit) is a paramedic in a combat unit and she has been having medical difficulties in her pelvis and lower back due to the heavy weights she has to carry over long periods, and I've heard of other young women in the military with similar issues.

[@joebrown3569]

Very important discussion to be had. Needs more exposure. Sprinting and rucking (not necessarily together) will do wonders for most people.

[@jordanxfile]

👏👏👏

[@shawnfaust2165]

What is a good target weight, perhaps as a percentage of bodyweight? Peter mentions 30%. Is that a high end target to work up to?

[@nathanclaspell6003]

Yes. Carrying thirty percent of your body weight would be a great goal to work towards.

[@xsilentg]

🌻

[@allenreynolds4945]

Is there any research on how this might affect spine and back health? Has someone recovering from injuries, and finally on the other side of pain, I’m wondering if this is something that should be potentially gradually adopted or avoided altogether

[@shawnfaust2165]

My opinion only....definitely something to start low and increase weight and/or distance and/or slope over time. The goruck company seems to build these pretty well to distribute the load to minimize as much as possible any impact to spine. But, I think the point about 3x load on the body does indicate there is always wear and tear.

[@matthewprather7386]

Embrace it instead of avoiding it. I do think starting light and increasing weight as you adapt to it probably is a good plan for everyone.

[@allenreynolds4945]

@@shawnfaust2165 seems like a smart approach, would be curious if there is any data on it.

[@nathanclaspell6003]

A good backpack should distribute most of the weight onto your hips. That's optimal. Rucking will help to build the muscles that support your spine. It really is a full body exercise.

[@Jimbo-fv4ek]

If I were you, I'd start building your body up with calesthenics, light weight lifting and some begginer level plyometrics training as well as doing some kind of ab work 5 days a week to increase the overall muscular endurance and static strength of your core. You also need to get your base aerobic capacity up to an acceptable level; preferrably something to where you can hold a convo with someone while riding an exercise bike or an eliptical at about 30 to 40% of a machines resistance or walking at a brisk pace up and down hills for about 30 minutes. Once you've built up a base level of strength and endurance again then I would start adding in rucking with a lower weight and lower distance and then slowly build up in weight and distance and overall speed as you adapt to it.

[@MbisonBalrog]

But I’m terrible running long distances continuously. I can do sprints/dashes though

[@joshuamarie77]

"The answer is: no, you're hosed." 🤣

[@lafcadiothelion]

What the ruck

[@katnez]

My knees & back won’t hurt after?

[@nancymello5246]

I know...I wonder about injury to the spine.

[@jondoc7525]

I got a 70lb weight vest 40 20, rucking is awesome . Just go out it justakes you tougher . Ps don’t workout the next day besides your arms

[@StephanieSmith-yv7db]

So… backpacking?

[@willyjaybobindy3402]

Next experiment: rucking while doing a farmers carry with a kettle bell.

[@LeoShoSilva]

I do that when shopping for food

[@tf-ok]

Almost ran straight to my wife with the video

[@davecollins73]

Just run some fucking hills!

[@northernpike13]

Don't forget to bring lots of rucksnacks.

[@przyczajkaibum]

Watched it and 10 minutes later bought me some plates to start rucking.

[@charliecroker2541]

Rucksack, rucking

[@MbisonBalrog]

Leopards can carry. Horses can travel very long distances too.

[@anthonysei]

No load in biking. Hahaha. You obviously haven't tried going to the bike park on a downhill mountain bike spending a day on the jumpline. To be fair I rock as often as possible and occasionally I run but it tends to leave me with little aches and pains that I don't get from rocking or biking.

[@letsbuildsomethingNOW]

Marine “hump” not ruck. It sounds way more fun than it is.

[@ceezer373]

I run with my ruck, so I guess I'm getting the worst of it...

[@alexstoermer]

This claim of humans walking down wild animals… a hunter can’t keep up with a black bear that’s simply walking… nor a brown bear… nor an elk… this hunter should know this? Disagree? Time to head into the back country and try it, or ask any Alaskan or Canadian hunting guide… humans don’t have a chance at beating these animals in a linear distance traveled contest, “short” or “long” time frame.

[@smithusa321]

I don’t know about bears or animals like that in cooler climates… but it seems to make sense that in very hot climates when we can sweat, but the animal cannot and has no method of cooling off when we continue to force it to move, persistence hunting makes sense

[@albert-gf6qf]

Big cats(mountain lions) and other large north american animals can travel hundreds of miles a day. Always a good joke when the powers that be relocate a big cat by a few hundred miles. The mountain lion will be right back where it stated the next day if it wants to be.

[@nathanclaspell6003]

The method of hunting that they describe would have occurred through grasslands and desert conditions. The land would have been mostly flat and traversed by humans with the athletic ability comparable to pro level athletes today.

[@alexstoermer]

@@albert-gf6qf Exactly the point, yup.

[@alexstoermer]

@@nathanclaspell6003 It’s still laughable. Wolves in North America can run down ungulates, perhaps wild dogs can do it in Africa. A human can attempt to repeatedly sneak up on an animal and take it by surprise, but that is not what was claimed. What was claimed was that humans could, like canines, run down large game animals and tire them out by outdistancing them over time. This is classic anthropology types making crap up and then trying to find facts to support a story they contrived in their heads. It’s total nonsense, and only indicates whomever is coming up with this theory does not spend time in the wilderness attempting to pursue animals. I don’t know this other gentleman, but Mr. Attia should know better.

[@stevencole7331]

I ran into a older woman doing this form of exercise when I was mountain biking . This is the high desert with technical climbs that can get steep and loose . She was hiking . Not running . Now I believe pedaling up with my mountain bike in this difficult terrain is actually the most pure firm of exercise . Its not just a cycling cardio event and just working the legs . This type of technical mountain bike climbing is a full body and cardio workout in one activity . It's interesting the flat pedalers who go for speed on cycling rides who are in good cardio health struggle with this as they lack the upper body strength to accomplish these technical climbs . I will also hit my vo2 max in short order depending how steep and loose a trail is .

[@WollyFatboy]

This isn't rucking.

[@matthewprather7386]

What you’re doing is missing the skeletal loading that happens with rucking.. Unless you actually get off the bike and carry it.. 🙂

[@user-ei2nv6rk3d]

@@matthewprather7386 hardtail would load more than full suspension haha

[@stevencole7331]

@@matthewprather7386 My terrain is so difficult at times i do have to hike a bike .

[@benniecheatham3925]

Sorry, rucking is not the main fitness practice in the US military. Rucking is primarily used when a soldier goes to the field. It is how he or she carries supplies . It just so happens that there is a huge fitness benefit, but the main fitness practice is running. Running is part of a soldiers physical fitness testing.

[@ericstephenson145]

Join a light infantry/airborne/ranger unit and you will ruck 😂

[@benniecheatham3925]

@ericstephenson145 @ericstephenson145 Absolutely! Actual Ranger qualified personnel serving in Ranger units like The 75th Ranger Regiment is less than 1% of the total Army. Rangers still have to conduct the Army PFT, and the 2 mile run is a component of that test. Airborne!?

[@sgtyut6305]

He said light infantry, airborne, or ranger. Any form of infantry or special operations unit will ruck a lot. That's what we do - move from one objective to another with lots of weight. You will conduct field ops and ruck from range to range for one to two weeks, every day. Battalion and company level rucks up and down massive hills. Even fire and maneuver exercises are essentially rucking at a faster pace. It is THE activity that people have the most difficulty with. A 160 pound, 300 PFT stud could very well fall out of a long ruck. His body isn't meant for that weight.

[@AuntieFa]

Man I can just never look at you the same way again after that Instagram post with Kevin Spacey. Trashed reputation In one post.

[@DavidBrown-ts2us]

It's called tabbing

[@ezra420420]

we’re the only mammal that can carry🦘

[@matthewprather7386]

“Eccentric” has too c’s and they both make a sound.. The first c makes a hard sound and the second makes a soft sound. It’s like eksentrik. Not ee-sentric. Peter probably mispronounces it just to get people like me to comment.. 😂

[@mikemix77]

Yeah in the infantry I never heard anyone call it “rucking”, it was referred to as a ruck march. It’s crazy how all these civilians want to be soldiers when they’re in their 40s and 50s but it was the most unpopular thing imaginable in the 90s.

[@sonofCW]

You're all wrong. Rucking is the recovery of a rugby ball once a player has gone to ground. Probably better for fitness too 😉

[@jasonwelsh417]

We are the only animals that are good at carrying? Have you ever heard of ants?

[@johndoe-sh6bi]

That’s technically an insect. He is obviously talking about large mammals.

[@TommyTheBat]

Donkeys ​@@johndoe-sh6bi

[@katnez]

8x you body weight? I had to of not paid attention somehow. Then I heard 3x so I’d have to have 300lbs on my back. Oh heyll no😮??? I think I need to rewind. I do hills no weight. That’s hard enough

[@RGWdubb]

8 x your body weight with running. Much less with rucking… I ruck with 45lbs on my back for 45 minutes to an hour. Was weighing 260lbs. I’m now 235lbs

[@katnez]

Thank you. Wow congrats

[@user-ei2nv6rk3d]

@@katnez they were referring to the shock loads on our knees, not amount of weight to carry if that is the conusion.

[@nathanclaspell6003]

​@katnez start with ten pounds in a backpack and shoot for a 15 minute mile. Just walk around your neighborhood. You really don't have to seek out hiking trails or hills to get the health benefits from rucking.

[@TimothyBowers-wl9lj]

Rucking is carrying weight in a backpack

[@Mr-ye1vu]

Is this video a joke!! Rucking 😂😂😂😂 What shite are they going to sell us next.

[@NoPrivateProperty]

swap the R for an F and I'm down

[@KevinBalch-dt8ot]

Try it on yourself first.

[@marymorningstar8766]

We’re not an animal we are different

[@Kyle111]

How so?

[@sugarshane619]

No. We're an animal. We suck at other things other animals are good at.

[@dominicvargas297]

Dude you wanna injure yourself ? Go Rucking lol

[@LukeMosse]

This seems like a total fad. If you want to be strong, do weight training, if you want to be fit, do an endurance sport. If you want to be neither, and tired, do rucking.

[@jeffs2629]

SOF prep studies show the right combo is lifting, running and some rucking. Just rucking does not provide the same benefit as rucking and lifting.

[@TheReubah]

ummm horses, camels and the like are far better carriers than humans. Not to mention all the animals that carry there young on there back.

[@Bravefit]

The were talking about primates.

[@TruthOnly24]

In India the poor people carry a lot of heavy things for money, and I always felt sorry for them. I guess I should have been sorry for myself for paying them and not carrying my old luggage.

[@salcastaneda443]

all credit to @goruck