We dive deep into one of the most important questions in ruck training: how much weight should you carry?
You’ll hear:
Why men and women tend to make different mistakes when choosing pack weight
What military research says about safe load carriage and injury risk
How thru-hikers are redefining what “smart weight” looks like on the trail
Personal lessons from Lindsay’s evolution—from a 10 lb beginner to 40 lb competitor
Practical tips and a weekly challenge to help you ruck smarter, not harder
💪 Your Weekly Challenge:
Step-by-step instructions to weigh yourself, assess your pack, and adjust intentionally for your goals. Bonus points if you share your loadout with the community!
📚 Sources & References:
Easter, M. (2022). Two Percent with Michael Easter: How much weight should you ruck with? Substack Article
Knapik, J. et al. (1990). Physiological, biomechanical and medical aspects of load carriage. Military Medicine, 155(3), 117–122.
Orr, R. et al. (2011). Load carriage and its force impact. Journal of Military and Veterans’ Health, 19(3), 25–30.
Hamonko, M. et al. (2011). Injuries Related to Hiking With a Pack During National Outdoor Leadership School Courses: A Risk Factor Analysis. Wilderness Environ Med, 22(1), 2–6. doi:10.1016/j.wem.2010.09.010
📩 Stay Connected:
Subscribe to Just Ruck It on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you ruck and roll
Follow Lindsay on Instagram: @JustRuckingIt
Share your ruck weight and tag your post with #JustRuckItChallenge
Life is Rucking Wonderful!
Share this post