A Ruck in the Woods
Next Event:
Saturday, 11/22 @ 7am
William Hastie Natural Area
Margaret Road Parking Lot: 1302 Margaret Rd, Knoxville, TN 37920
with Rob Anderson and Marisol (our Labrador Retriever)
Cost: Free!
What is rucking?
Rucking is simply taking a walk with added weight, with a backpack or vest, typically 15-30 pounds.
Why ruck?
By adding extra weight to your body while walking you can bring your heart rate up into the optimal zone for your base cardiac training, while also strengthening your legs, hips and core. Research physiologists tell us that in order to maintain optimal cardiac health, we should shoot for 2-3 hours of ‘Zone 2’ cardio exercise every week.
What is Zone 2 Cardio?
Zone 2 Cardio is ‘steady state exercise’, like cycling, jogging, elliptical, swimming etc, such that our heart rate stays in the very top of Zone 2, just before entering Zone 3. This cardiac state correlates to when the cells in our muscle tissue switch from burning lactate (at lower energy demands) to burning glucose (for higher energy demands). Zone 2 Cardio is referred to as your ‘fat max’, because this is the most efficient zone for burning fat, but it also happens to be the best intensity level to most efficiently train for a healthy heart and cardiac system.
Rucking brings us into Zone 2 with the added benefits of soaking up fresh air, sunshine and all that nature has to offer.
Rob first encountered rucking while looking for a fun and efficient way to walk his puppy, Marisol, hit his cardio fitness goals and get some fresh air all before starting a day of hard work as a full time Personal Trainer and dad to his two free range daughters, Aila Rose and Maeve Grace.
