Go ruck

I listened to Tim Ferriss’s latest podcast with Dr. Peter Attia, who has a new book out at the end of the month. Dr. Attia specializes in longevity, and the two discussed ways to remain active, improve V02 max (as an indicator of cardiovascular health), and maintain muscle strength and stability. One of the activities they discussed is called rucking. I didn’t even know this was a thing.

Rucking is walking or hiking with a backpack that holds additional weight. The obvious benefits are more calorie burning, improved posture, and full body weight training. Apparently, this is a popular training tactic in the US military. I was intrigued by the idea and told my buddy Steve, who visited Arizona in February. He said not only has he heard of rucking, but he and his wife have done it. He also mentioned that his wife bought a rucking backpack that was too big for her, so he’ll send it to me. Funny how the universe works.

So I’ve already bought some weight to add to the pack, starting with 10 lbs. I also purchased some rucking boots designed for the purpose. I need to get some rucking in before the oven turns on in the desert.

Just call me Hootie*.

*This refers to Darius Rucker, the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, who apparently despises when people call him Hootie.