• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
X
  • Start Here
    • Transform Your Body
    • Weightlift for weight loss
    • How to lose 20 pounds in 3 months
    • Clean Eating for Beginners
    • The Obesity Code summary
  • Workouts
    • Strength Training for Men Over 50
    • 5×5 Workout for Over 50
    • Calisthenics Workout Plan for Beginners
    • Bodybuilding over 50 workout routine + PDF
    • The Best at Home Dumbbell Workout
    • 3×5 workout program
  • Exercises
    • Deadlifts
      • Deadlift muscles worked
      • Benefits of deadlifts
    • Squats
      • Squat muscles worked
      • Benefits of squats
    • Bench Press
      • Bench Press Muscles & Benefits
    • Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
      • Pull Ups benefits, muscles worked
      • Neutral grip pull-ups muscles worked
    • Push-ups
      • Pushup muscles worked
      • Benefits of pushups
      • Exercises to Improve Pushups
  • Body Transformation
    • Getting Fit at 50 before and after photos
    • How deadlifts change your body
    • 12-week body transformation plan
    • Swimming body transformation
    • How Rucking Changes Your Body
  • Equipment
    • Weightlifting
      • Elbow Sleeves
      • Knee Sleeves
      • Gifts for Weightlifters
      • Bumper Plates
      • Dumbbells
      • Weight Benches
      • Cable Machines
      • Best shoes for squats & deadlifts
      • Deadlift bars
      • Best lifting straps
    • Calisthenics
      • Weighted Vests
      • Resistance Bands
      • Power Towers
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein Powders
      • Supplements for Men Over 50
      • Multivitamins for Men Over 50
      • Best Budget Probiotics
    • Cardio
      • Best Air Bikes
      • Rowing Machines Under 500
      • Walking Shoes for Men
      • Compact Treadmills
      • Treadmills for a Heavy Person
      • Recumbent Bikes
      • Budget Ellipticals

Hashi Mashi

Fitness Tips for Your Mind and Body

  • Start Here
    • Transform Your Body
    • Weightlift for weight loss
    • How to lose 20 pounds in 3 months
    • Clean Eating for Beginners
    • The Obesity Code summary
  • Workouts
    • Strength Training for Men Over 50
    • 5×5 Workout for Over 50
    • Calisthenics Workout Plan for Beginners
    • Bodybuilding over 50 workout routine + PDF
    • The Best at Home Dumbbell Workout
    • 3×5 workout program
  • Exercises
    • Deadlifts
      • Deadlift muscles worked
      • Benefits of deadlifts
    • Squats
      • Squat muscles worked
      • Benefits of squats
    • Bench Press
      • Bench Press Muscles & Benefits
    • Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
      • Pull Ups benefits, muscles worked
      • Neutral grip pull-ups muscles worked
    • Push-ups
      • Pushup muscles worked
      • Benefits of pushups
      • Exercises to Improve Pushups
  • Body Transformation
    • Getting Fit at 50 before and after photos
    • How deadlifts change your body
    • 12-week body transformation plan
    • Swimming body transformation
    • How Rucking Changes Your Body
  • Equipment
    • Weightlifting
      • Elbow Sleeves
      • Knee Sleeves
      • Gifts for Weightlifters
      • Bumper Plates
      • Dumbbells
      • Weight Benches
      • Cable Machines
      • Best shoes for squats & deadlifts
      • Deadlift bars
      • Best lifting straps
    • Calisthenics
      • Weighted Vests
      • Resistance Bands
      • Power Towers
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein Powders
      • Supplements for Men Over 50
      • Multivitamins for Men Over 50
      • Best Budget Probiotics
    • Cardio
      • Best Air Bikes
      • Rowing Machines Under 500
      • Walking Shoes for Men
      • Compact Treadmills
      • Treadmills for a Heavy Person
      • Recumbent Bikes
      • Budget Ellipticals
Home » How Many Calories Are Burned Rucking in a One-Hour Workout?

How Many Calories Are Burned Rucking in a One-Hour Workout?

Last updated April 15, 2025 by Rich "Hashi Mashi" NASM-CPT

112 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

How Many Calories Does Rucking Burn?

What’s rucking, you might ask.

The answer is that rucking is walking at a tempo of 3.5 to 4 miles per hour with a weighted backpack.

Because of this powerful combination of cardio and resistance training, rucking burns more calories than walking.

As a result, rucking can transform your body from fat to fit, fast.

You can try rucking for 30 minutes to an hour a day carrying a 20-pound ruck plate and see what happens.

This new fitness trend is called rucking because a weighted pack is called a ruck pack in the United States Armed Forces.

To calculate the number of rucking calories burned per hour, use the following three simple steps.

*Note that this article is for informational purposes and not medical advice.

calories burned rucking Image Credit Defense.gov
602d Aviation Support Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade Soldiers, perform a five-mile ruck march. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Jared Kindlespire)

3 Simple Steps to Calculate Calories Burned Rucking

#1. MET – Metabolic Equivalent of a Task

The first step to calculating the calorie burn of any physical activity is to know the METs.

The Metabolic Equivalent of a Task (METs) will tell you how many calories you burn per hour of exercise per kilogram of body weight.

According to the Compendium of Physical Activities, the METs for backpacking on level terrain with a 21 to 42-pound load is 7.0.

It is 8.3 while walking up hills with the same weight.

The METs of Rucking on a flat surface with a 21- —to 42-lb weight are approximately 7.0.

Remember that baseline number.

(The METs will change based on how much weight you add to your ruck pack and the incline of hills you are climbing.)

1993 Compendium 2000 Compendium 2011 Compendium Walking
Codes METs Codes METs Codes METs Description
17010 7.0 17010 7.0 17010 7.0 backpacking (Taylor Code 050)

#2. Determine your Weight in Kilograms

The second step in calculating how many calories you burn rucking is to find your weight in kilograms.

All you need to do is divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.

If you weigh 195.7 pounds, the average weight of a man in the U.S.¹,  divide this number by 2.2, which leaves you with 88.95 kilograms.

Once you know your kilogram weight, you can move to the formula in the next step.

#3. Use the METs Formula to Measure Calories Burned Rucking

The METs formula is:

  • Rucking calories burned (or any other physical activity) = METs x weight in kg x time in hours.

If you do not work out for an hour, express this number as .5 for 30 minutes or .25 for a 15-minute workout.

A proper ruck march for fitness is 30 minutes to an hour.

Using our 180-pound (81.8 kg) individual example, we can plug our numbers into the formula.

  • Calories burned = METs of 7.0 for rucking x 88.95kg x time (1 hour or .5 for 30 minutes or .25 for 15 minutes)
  • 7.0 x 88.95 x 1 = 622.65 calories burned by rucking (assuming an hour-long ruck march).
  • If you did a ruck march carrying a 35-pound weight in 30 minutes, then your formula would be 7.0 x 88.95 x .5 = 311.325 calories burned rucking.

Compare this to the average calories burned walking at 3.5 mph for an hour, consuming approximately half the above numbers.

Rucking Fitness Benefits

You likely spend a significant portion of your day sitting, a big problem of modern life.

While you might feel relaxed, your body is losing muscle, impacting your heart health and fitness level.

But, with rucking, you can reverse the wasting away of your muscle mass, and who knows, maybe you will build the body of a navy seal, lean and ripped.

Ruck marching is a fundamental component of U.S. Special Forces Soldiers’ training to build a soldier’s strength and endurance.

It will work for you too!

Rucking health benefits for soldiers and civilians include:

  • A slow distance exercise that improves postural stability and balance – start walking with a loaded backpack
  • Increases bone density to help prevent osteoporosis
  • Strengthens joints, muscles, and ligaments
  • Builds up your cardiorespiratory endurance
  • Active resistance training to increase your strength with the rucksack on your back
  • Conditioning, strength training, and cardio benefits of rucking simultaneously
  • Rucking is a perfect application of the overload principle for weight loss and muscle gain in action
  • Running is tough on your knees and joints, whereas rucking is not.
  • The British Journal of Sports Medicine ² reports that long-distance runners have an injury rate of 20 to 70 percent.
  • The high rate of injuries when running is due to the shock absorbed by the knees, which is between seven and twelve times one’s body weight.
  • Art of Manliness³ reports that the caloric burn of rucking for an average person weighing 200 pounds is between 450 and 585 calories per hour. 

Rucking for Beginners

#1. Get the right footwear and gear for the best experience

#2. Start small with a 15 to 30-minute ruck and 10 to 20-pound ruck plates

#3. Build up gradually in time or load for the most effective application of the overload principle

#4. Begin with a ruck pace of 3.5mph, which is approximately a 17-minute mile

#5. Aim to achieve a ruck pace of 4 mph, which is a 15-minute mile

#6. This tempo of 3.5mph to 4mph is a brisk walk

#7. Unless you are training to be an Army Ranger, do not run when you ruck

#8. Maintain good posture while you ruck

Rucking Vs. Powerlifting for Fitness

You can burn over 600 calories with one hour of ruck marching.

And a 30-minute walk burns half that amount of calories.

Besides the calories burned rucking, remember the value of an active resistance exercise routine that is more accessible to many people than weightlifting.

For example, an hour-long deadlift workout also burns more than 500 calories.

Anyone who has done a full powerlifting workout knows how intense it is.

But squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pushups are full-body compound resistance training movements that require more technical skills, mobility, and strength than walking with a rucksack.

Therefore, rucking is safe and accessible for anyone looking to transform their body in six months or less. 

How Many Calories You Burn Rucking is Not Critical

However, do you need to track the calories burned by rucking for weight loss?

The answer is you do not need to know rucking calories burned to achieve a dramatic body transformation.

That might sound like heresy in our calorie-counting culture, but it is true.

You do not need a calorie calculator to get fit.

Counting calories is indeed an excellent place to start when you are overweight or obese, especially when you think you do not eat that much. 

But the secret to body transformation is not just about calculating calories.

The key is consistency in your meals, quality of food, and resistance training, such as rucking, squats, deadlifts, or pushups. 

How American Soldiers Ruck March

Calories Burned Rucking – Wrapping Up

The Army ACFT deadlift standards for Combat Fitness are not the only military fitness trend that hits the civilian world.

Now, it is rucking, a fat-blasting cardio and strength training hybrid.

A simple rucking workout can burn over 600 calories in an hour. 

Use this knowledge of the calories burned rucking to motivate yourself to your rucking program week in and week out.

Consistency is how you will see results in building your overall strength and fitness.

Rucking Gear

The basic rucking gear you need is:

#1. Durable and Comfortable Hiking Shoes

Such as Merrell Men’s Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoes:

#2. Rucking Backpack

My pick is the 5.11 Tactical RUSH24 Military Backpack:

#3. Rucking Weights

Like Yes4All Cast Iron Ruck Weights:

#4. Hydration Bottle

You should be fully hydrated before, during, and after your ruck, so don’t forget to bring a 1-liter hydration bottle:

What’s Next

The next step on your fitness journey is to use this guide to lose 20 lbs in 3 months if you are overweight.

Then, discover one weight training exercise that can transform you from fat to fit faster than you think possible:

  • 37 Remarkable Benefits of Deadlifts to Unleash Your Fitness Fast

Related Posts:

  • 5 Sensational Ways How Rucking Changes Your Body
  • The 6 Best Backpacks for Rucking Today – Get Fit Fast!
  • Calories Burned Squats Calculator in 3 Easy Steps
  • How Many Calories Are Burned Lifting Weights
  • Calories Burned Deadlifting: A Simple Guide to Calculate

Footnotes:

¹ What is the Average Weight of a Man in the United States?

² Incidence and determinants of lower extremity running injuries in long-distance runners: a systematic review – British Journal of Sports Medicine – https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/41/8/469.full

³ The Art of Manliness

112 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Filed Under: Diet and Weight Loss, Exercises

About The Author

Rich Hashimashi AuthorRich "Hashi Mashi" is a NASM-CPT, CNC and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. At 55, he lost 75 pounds in 6 months, and discovered if you change your body, you can change your life. Ready to reignite your fitness? Start Your Body Transformation Journey Here.

Get Your FREE Body Transformation Guide

Primary Sidebar

Body Transformation Guides

  • Body Transformation: the Ultimate Guide
  • Strength Training for Men Over 50 + Workout
  • Minimalist Training Home Workout Guide
  • 8-Week Bodybuilding Over 50 Routine + PDF
  • 12-Week Body Transformation Workout Plan

Recent Posts

  • Best Shoes for Squats and Deadlifts: Top 10 for 2025
  • 10 Best Minimalist Training Shoes for Strength (2025)
  • Best Weighted Vests for Fitness Workouts in 2025
  • 5 Best Deadlift Shoes On The Market In 2025
  • 5 Best Deadlift Shin Guards on the Market in 2025

Footer

Change Your Body

Recent Posts

  • Best Shoes for Squats and Deadlifts: Top 10 for 2025
  • 10 Best Minimalist Training Shoes for Strength (2025)
  • Best Weighted Vests for Fitness Workouts in 2025
  • 5 Best Deadlift Shoes On The Market In 2025
  • 5 Best Deadlift Shin Guards on the Market in 2025
  • The 5 Best Budget Power Racks for Home Workouts
  • 5 Best Budget Recumbent Exercise Bikes for Home in 2025
  • 26 Best Gifts for Weightlifters in 2025
  • 8 Best Walking Shoes for Overweight Men in 2025
  • Why Use Deadlift Slippers + The 10 Best In 2025

Change Your Life

Change Your Life

  • Body Transformation
  • Clean Eating
  • Diet and Weight Loss
  • Equipment
  • Exercises
  • Motivation
  • NASM Certification
  • Pushups
  • Squats
  • Workouts

Follow Hashi Mashi

Pinterest   Facebook

The Fit Apprentice® is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Never Give Up

Remember when you were
in shape back in the day?

Do you think that transforming your
physique is a pipe dream?

You are in the right place if you want
to learn how to get fit, change your
body, and change your life.

But do not know where to start.

Here is how...
Start Here
  • About
  • Privacy policy
  • Affiliate link disclosure
  • Terms of use
  • Contact

Hashimashi.com's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.



Copyright © 2012–2025 The Fit Apprentice® Blog powered by hashimashi.com - Hosted on BigScoots
DMCA.com Protection Status