Ideal Rucking Pace

Workout

man hiking in the austrian alps
man hiking in the austrian alps
man hiking in the austrian alps

What is a Good Pace for Rucking?

Finding the optimal pace is essential for getting the most out of your ruck marches. The ideal tempo enables you to maintain a challenging but sustainable effort for the full duration of your walk. There are several key factors that influence your perfect rucking speed. The total weight of your ruck, including food, water, and gear, significantly impacts your pace. Heavier loads require moving at a slower speed to avoid overexertion. Lighter packs allow you to adopt a brisker pace but don't go too light. Using at least 15-20 pounds provides enough resistance for a solid workout. Terrain also affects your speed. Flat, even surfaces enable faster paces than a rough or hilly terrain. Longer ruck distances mean you need to conserve energy by moderating your speed. Your current fitness level determines what pace you can realistically sustain. While there's no single perfect rucking tempo for everyone, some general guidelines apply. Start slow if you're new to rucking and gradually increase your speed as your body adapts. Use the "talk test" to gauge a sustainable pace - if you can talk comfortably, your speed is probably about right. Listen to your body's cues and adjust your walking cadence accordingly. With practice and experimentation, you can dial in the optimal pace for your individual fitness level, ruck weight, planned distance, and terrain. Aim to challenge yourself while avoiding overexertion or injury. Consistency at the right tempo provides the ideal training stimulus over time.

Factors That Influence Your Rucking Pace

Several variables affect your optimal rucking tempo. The major factors include:

Ruck Weight

The total weight of your ruck, including food, water, and gear, significantly impacts your pace. Heavier loads require moving at a slower speed to avoid overexertion. Most experts recommend keeping your ruck under 20-30% of your body weight for recreational training. Lighter rucks allow you to walk at a brisker pace. But don't go too light. Using at least 15-20 pounds provides enough resistance for a good workout.

Terrain

Flat, even surfaces enable a faster rucking pace than rough or hilly terrain. Sand, mud, thick brush, and steep inclines force you to slow down. Plan your route accordingly if aiming for a particular speed. Opt for smooth dirt paths or roads without major elevation changes.

Distance

The longer your planned march, the more you need to conserve energy by moderating your speed. Attempting to rush a 15-20 mile ruck will lead to premature fatigue. For ruck marches under 5 miles, you can push the pace and move at a brisker clip without burning out too quickly.

Fitness Level

Your current fitness impacts the walking speed you're able to comfortably maintain. Individuals new to rucking need to start slow and work their way up to faster paces as their conditioning improves. Strong cardio endurance from running, swimming, or other activities enables keeping up a solid tempo for longer durations. But strength, especially in the core and legs, also contributes to rucking pace.

Weather

Extreme heat and humidity force you to slow down to avoid heat-related illnesses. Frigid cold also impedes movement and necessitates lowering your speed. Aim for moderate temperatures between 45-72°F when seeking to ruck at an optimal pace. Avoid direct sunlight if possible.

Time Constraints

If you need to cover a fixed distance within a certain timeframe, you may need to adopt a quicker pace and hustle. This is common in military selection courses. But for general fitness, it's best not to rush. Move at a comfortable, conversational speed that you can hold for miles without burning out.

Goal

Your aims for rucking determine an appropriate speed. Those focused on leg strength may want a slower pace with a heavier pack. If emphasizing cardio, then a lighter pack and brisk walking tempo are better. Decide on your priority before establishing a target rucking pace.

Finding the Right Rucking Pace

How do you determine the "just right" Goldilocks rucking pace for your needs? While there’s no single best speed for everyone, some general guidelines apply.

Start Slow

When first getting into rucking, err on the side of starting slow and gradually increasing your speed over time as your body adapts. Trying to rush right off the bat with a fast pace risks injury, excessive soreness, and potential burnout. Build up time on your feet with the weight on your back before pushing your pace. As your fitness improves, you’ll find you can handle moving faster.

Use the “Talk Test”

An easy way to gauge appropriate rucking tempo is the “talk test.” If you can carry on a conversation while walking, it indicates you're moving at a sustainable pace. If you can only utter a few words before needing to catch your breath, that signals you need to slow things down. If you can speak comfortably but not sing, you've found a solid moderate exertion level.

Monitor Heart Rate

Tracking your heart rate provides an objective measure of your effort level. For rucking, aim to stay between 60-80% of your maximum heart rate for moderate endurance training. This equates to roughly 90-150 bpm for most people. If your heart rate exceeds 80% max, slow down until it drops back into the target zone.

Listen to Your Body

Learn to interpret the physical cues your body provides. If you feel like you're working too hard or struggling to maintain your pace, back off the speed. Discomfort is expected, but sharp pain indicates injury risk. Soreness lasting for days after is a sign you overdid it. Stay in tune with your body's feedback and adjust your walking cadence accordingly.

Consider Pace Variability

Varying your speed during a ruck march provides both physical and mental benefits. Physically, fluctuating between quicker and slower intervals engages your muscles in different ways. Mentally, it breaks up monotony. Try starting at a moderate pace, speeding up for 5-10 minutes, then slowing down for a stretch before repeating.

Use Technology

Devices like running watches and smartphone apps provide data to help gauge your rucking pace. Measure your speed over different terrains and with various weight loads. Take notes to determine the optimal paces for you. Technology can also track distance, route, heart rate, and calories burned.

Train With Others

Rucking with a group exposes you to different paces. Observe how you feel at speeds faster or slower than your normal tempo. Staying together motivates everyone to adopt a shared pace. But don't hesitate to break off if the group speed is too much for you.

Develop a Rucking Pace Strategy

The ideal pace depends on your specific ruck march distance, weight, route, and goals. Create a pacing strategy that reflects the unique conditions of each ruck. You may need to adjust your plan in mid-march based on how you feel. Execute practice marches to determine appropriate paces for short and long distances, heavy and light loads, and easy or technical terrain.

Rucking Pace Recommendations

While your optimal rucking pace is individualized, here are some general pace guidelines based on common training scenarios:

Recreational Rucking

For recreational rucking with a moderate weight (20-30% body weight) over varied terrain:

  • 1-3 miles: 15-20 minute per mile pace

  • 4-8 miles: 16-22 minutes per mile

  • 8-12 miles: 18-26 minutes per mile

Move at a brisk but comfortable pace that gets your heart pumping but allows you to talk. Slow on hills and rough ground.

Selection Training

For ruck marching in military selection courses like Army Ranger School with loads up to 45-50 pounds:

  • 3-5 miles: 13-16 minutes per mile

  • 5-12 miles: 15-18 minutes per mile

  • 12-20 miles: 16-20 minutes per mile

Expect to move at a challenging pace over tough terrain. Uphill speeds may dip to 20+ minutes per mile.

Heavy Load Rucking

For weighted marches with 50+ pound loads to build strength:

  • 1-3 miles: 18-22 minutes per mile

  • 3-5 miles: 20-26 minutes per mile

  • 5-8 miles: 22-28 minutes per mile

Move at a steady hiking pace to safely manage the heavy weight without injury risk.

Rucking for Cardio

For aerobic conditioning rucks with lighter weights (10-20 pounds):

  • 1-3 miles: 12-16 minutes per mile

  • 3-6 miles: 14-18 minutes per mile

  • 6-10 miles: 16-20 minutes per mile

Sustain a brisk walking pace that keeps your heart rate in the target endurance training zone.

Tips for Finding Your Optimal Rucking Pace

Determining your perfect pace takes experimentation and attentiveness. Keep these tips in mind:

  • Gradually build up your pace over several rucks as your fitness improves. Avoid large pace jumps.

  • Time yourself over measured courses of different lengths to calculate your per-mile speed.

  • Adjust your pace downward if you feel muscle strain, are gasping for air, or have very sore legs the next day.

  • Ruck with others periodically to experience different paces firsthand. But don't hesitate to break away from the group if their speed is too fast or slow for you.

  • Use a heart rate monitor and stay within 60-80% of your max heart rate for an endurance training effect.

  • Practice maintaining a pace over various terrains from smooth roads to rugged hills. Your speed may vary significantly.

  • In training, focus on pace sustainability for the full duration rather than speed over short segments. Avoid sprinting unless deliberately training speed.

  • Listen to your body's feedback and adjust your walking cadence up or down accordingly to stay in a challenging but comfortable exertion zone.

  • Stay hydrated and fueled properly before and during ruck marches to help achieve your pace goals.

The Takeaway

Selecting the right rucking pace allows you to maximize benefits from time on your feet while minimizing injury risk. Let your goals, total pack weight, planned distance, terrain, and current fitness level guide your speed. Move at a challenging but sustainable tempo that keeps your heart rate elevated while enabling you to talk. Listen to your body’s cues and adjust your pace accordingly to dial in your optimal rucking speed. Consistency over time at the right pace provides the training stimulus to continue progressing.