Generally speaking, when you describe someone as having a weight on their shoulders, it’s not a good thing, but when you’re talking to Mike McManus that all changes.
The Ridgefield resident is the founder of the Forge Ahead Rucking Club. In case you’re wondering what the…eh…ruck that is, rucking is a form of exercise inspired by military training that involves walking or hiking while carrying weight — its name is inspired by the “rucksacks” carried by members of the military.
If you’re looking for motivation to give it a try know this: rucking will increase your heart rate and allow you to burn a comparable amount of calories to a sprinter.
“They’re going to get their heart rate up by sprinting. You’re going to get your heart rate up by carrying weight on your back,” says McManus. He adds rucking provides great training for the work he does as a member of the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department.
To share his love of rucking and promote better physical and mental health overall, McManus formed Forge Ahead. The club meets several times a month during the warmer months and about once a month throughout the winter. You can learn about the club’s upcoming rucking events at its website, forgeahead.info, or on Instagram or Facebook @Forgeaheadllc. New members and participants are always encouraged and while rucking may seem strange to those new to the sport, it is more accessible and sustainable than running.
Many club members bring backpacks and weights specifically designed for rucking. McManus has some rucks to give, he provides spare equipment for newbies to the sport. The company GORUCK is a leading provider of such gear. In addition, people are sometimes able to use weights and a backpack they already own, but not every backpack is suited to rucking. “I would recommend using one that has one of those laptop slots because you want something that is going to hold weight high and tight,” McManus says. Another low-cost option to get started is just carrying sandbags as you walk. McManus also
brings some of those to rucks hosted by Forge Ahead.
Newcomers to the activity often wonder how much weight to carry. The general recommendation to start with a weight roughly equal to about a sixth or 16 percent of your body weight, McManus says. “If you want to build over time, you should build up to about a third of your body weight.”
How fast should you walk? The goal is to get to Zone 2 cardio. “Generally, that’s about 60-70 percent of your maximum heart rate,” McManus says. For most of us, that means we’d be able to carry on a conversation with someone, but that person would still hear us taking regular deep breaths.
Moderation is a key to rucking and this part of what drew McManus to it initially. A lifelong fitness enthusiast and former Division I football player at Marist College, McManus used to run to relieve stress. To avoid injuries, he turned to rucking. He reminds himself and others that sometimes less weight and a shorter distance can be highly effective as well. “You don’t want to overdo it on any one workout,” McManus says. For McManus and many others, the benefits of rucking both physically and mentally are a weight worth shouldering.
