Rucking burns significantly more calories than regular walking—typically about 2 to 3 times more—making it a highly effective exercise for calorie burn, weight loss, and overall fitness. The exact difference in calories burned depends on factors like the weight of the backpack, terrain, pace, and individual body weight, but generally speaking, rucking with a weighted backpack increases energy expenditure because it engages additional muscle groups and elevates cardiovascular demand far beyond just walking.
Calories Burned: Rucking vs Walking Calculator
Calories Burned: Rucking vs Walking
- Walking on flat terrain typically burns about 200-300 calories per hour at a moderate pace. For example, a 150-pound person walking at 3 mph can burn around 115 calories per hour.
- Rucking with a weighted backpack (commonly 20% of body weight) on flat terrain doubles that calorie burn—approximately 400-500 calories per hour. On hilly terrain, this can rise to 500-700 calories per hour or more depending on incline and pace.
- The extra effort in rucking comes from carrying the weight, which requires the activation of not only leg muscles but also the core, back, shoulders, and stabilizer muscles. This full-body engagement increases heart rate and metabolic demand.
- Some accounts and calculators suggest a range of 2x to 3x more calories burned with rucking compared to walking, emphasizing that heavier loads and increased pace or incline amplify calorie expenditure further.
Why Does Rucking Burn More Calories?
- Full-Body Engagement: Rucking requires your legs, back, shoulders, and core to support and stabilize the additional weight.
- Increased Heart Rate: Carrying weight increases cardiovascular demand, similar in some ways to running.
- Muscle Strength Gains: Rucking builds strength, which contributes to increased basal metabolic rate (BMR) over time.
- Higher Perceived Effort: Even if the pace is similar to walking, the effort level in rucking is noticeably higher, which translates to more calories burned.
Additional Benefits of Rucking Over Walking
- Bone Density Improvement: Rucking’s weight-bearing activity helps build and maintain bone density, which is particularly beneficial for menopausal women.
- Improved Posture & Core Strength: Carrying a backpack encourages proper posture and strengthens the core and stabilizer muscles, reducing injury risk over time.
- Sustainable Cardio Training: Unlike running, rucking is lower impact but still improves cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
- Weight Loss & Fat Burning: Rucking’s calorie burn, combined with its place in “Zone 2” heart rate training (optimal fat burning zone), makes it an efficient tool for fat loss while preserving muscle mass.
Considerations and Variability
- Weight of the Pack: The heavier the load, the more calories burned, but there’s a trade-off with comfort and risk of injury.
- Terrain: Hills and uneven terrain significantly increase the calorie difference between rucking and walking.
- Pace: Faster pace with weight increases calorie expenditure.
- Duration: Longer duration means more calories burned, but longer flat routes might narrow the difference in calories versus walking without weight.
Putting It Into Perspective
| Activity | Typical Calories Burned Per Hour | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Walking (flat, no weight) | 200-300 | Moderate pace, ~3 mph |
| Rucking (flat, 20% body weight) | 400-500 | Double the calories burned walking |
| Rucking (hilly, 20% body weight) | 500-700 | Increased burn due to incline and effort |
Example: For a 170-pound person carrying a 20-pound pack, walking an hour on flat ground burns about 572 calories; walking the same distance uphill with the pack burned 761 calories.
Tips to Maximize Calories Burned While Rucking
- Use a backpack weighted to about 10-20% of your body weight.
- Incorporate hills or varied terrain.
- Maintain a brisk walking pace consistent enough to elevate heart rate.
- Increase rucking duration gradually.
Summary
Rucking is a superior calorie-burning activity compared to walking because it combines cardio and strength training by adding weight, which increases muscle engagement and cardiac output. While walking is excellent low-impact exercise, rucking enhances calorie burn by 2 to 3 times on average, making it a powerful tool for weight loss and fitness improvement. The benefits extend beyond calorie burn to include improved posture, core and muscular strength, and bone health.
If you want an effective, scalable, and relatively low-impact way to burn more calories and build functional strength, rucking is a top choice.