Rucking, Yomping, Tabbing, running with additional weight, walking with additional weight...whatever you want to call it, this style of training has long been at the centre of our outdoor functional fitness events!

From a cornerstone of the VO2 Max workout at Superhuman Games each year, to our X Race events and most recently, in our Epic 10k Trail & Ruck Series...we love rucking and here are 5 reasons it should be part of your exercise routine too!

IT'S A NEW CHALLENGE

If you've been running a lot, integrating rucking into your training can be a great new form of exercise to get stuck into. Some people like it as an alternative to running, however, we don't necessarily think you need to do one or the other.

Put simply, if you're a bit bored of entering your standard 10k trail running event, why not sign up to the same distance but with the addition of a weighted backpack? Rucking is a different beast and a great way to mix up your training in a fun and novel way.

Find out more about our 10k trail & ruck series here!

WHERE STRENGTH MEETS ENDURANCE

Rucking in many ways is one of the original forms of functional fitness. Put simply, it trains your body's ability to move with additional weight, in other words, where cardio and strength training meet, a term also known as 'active resistance training'.

If this all sounds a bit too technical for you...all you need to know is that by loading your walking or running with the addition of weight, your building strength through your body in a unique and arguably more functional way compared to other forms of strength training. At the same time, because your moving with weight, whether that be running or walking, you're also getting in your cardio!

So for those of us that don't have heaps of time to train, rucking can be a very time-efficient form of exercise that ticks various boxes.

THE WAY YOU RUCK IS UP TO YOU

Your rucking workout can be progressed, modified and scaled in many different ways - ruck further, add more weight, reduce some weight, run with the weight...the list goes on! Some people exclusively walk with their rucks, some people like to build up to running with it, it's your choice!

The fact that you can tailor your rucking workouts to your fitness levels, as well as to what you prefer from an enjoyment standpoint, is what makes it so great. It can be the focus of your training or a great supplement to other forms of training - you decide!

To help you get started, our friends at YOMP, have put together a free rucking for beginner's guide. You can check it out here.

IT'S FUN, SOCIABLE & LOOKS BADASS

Organise a social ruck with friends, explore the great outdoors with your ruck, take your traditional 5k run up a notch by slowly introducing additional weight...However you choose to introduce rucking into your exercise routine, be sure to have fun with it and chances are you're going to look pretty badass doing it. If that's not reason enough to do it then I don't know what is!

All you need is a backpack and some weights to get started.

ENTER A RUCKING EVENT

And last but certainly not least...if you live for competition or need to set yourself the goal of training for a race to motivate you, we have plenty of awesome events centered around rucking fitness that you can enter!

For example, if you'd like to test your rucking skills alongside your wider functional fitness skills, then our Superhuman Games event is perfect for you. Alternatively, perhaps you want to put your fitness to the test in a long-distance ruck, then our Epic 10k Series is a great choice.

Either way, if you've read to the end of this blog then we've got an event for you in 2025!