Rucking is having a moment right now, but it is nothing new, per se. Humans have been carrying loads for distance since the beginning of time. While rucking is not a replacement for your strength training, it has a multitude of benefits to your cardiovascular strength, blood sugar, bone health, and so much more. Key Takeaways If You Are Interested in Including Rucking in Your Fitness Plan, You Should: Start slow and build up your endurance over time while taking time for recovery Use rucking as a way to improve your cardiovascular and strength training Look into rucking group challenges if you are interested The Many Benefits of Rucking Ever since I discovered rucking, I have included it as part of my fitness routine. The unique benefits of rucking, particularly for women over 40, have had a huge supportive impact on my training regime. Rucking is an incredibly effective form of exercise that has a wide range of benefits that can impact not only your fitness capacity but also your social and competitive capacity as well. Carrying heavy things is a fundamental movement pattern that is especially important for women over 40. The benefits to your bones, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, stress, and more are some reasons why I love rucking. Answering All of Your Rucking Questions While rucking can be simply defined as carrying loads for a distance, there are a lot of questions that come up when starting any new fitness or movement practice. How much weight, what shoes you should wear, what equipment you need, what counts as rucking, and how to get started rucking are only a few of the questions I answer for you on today's podcast.  If you are curious about rucking, already have a walking practice, or just want to try something new, rucking may be the answer you have been looking for. What do you love about rucking? What are you the most curious about? Share your rucking thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Learn the simplest way to define rucking in one sentence (5:01) The difference between rucking and heavy carries during a workout (6:47) Why rucking is an effective form of exercise, especially for women (8:26) All the answers you need to get started with rucking (18:56) How much weight you should be rucking in each stage (25:12) Quotes “Once I started rucking myself, I could definitely see where this was a beneficial addition to my fitness routine, and I have been doing it ever since.” (4:34) “We need to keep our cardiovascular strong, but we also need to strength train. We need the unique benefits of both.” (13:19) “Proper recovery matters just like any other kind of training. Don't overdo it, pay attention to your body… don't ignore that shit.” (29:27) “If you are looking for rucking gear that is really going to go the distance, check out GO RUCK.” (33:54) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Use Promo Code FUELYOURSTRENGTH at Go Ruck Full Show Notes Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes! Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 389: The Benefits of Rucking for Women with Michael Easter