Courtesy of Casey Strunk
Rucking is a natural fit for the ambitious multitasker, since it helps improve cardiovascular health, improves strength and stability, and burns fat all at once.
“For me, rucking was really about optimization,” Strunk said.
The networking appeal of rucking
Exercising at work isn’t only a convenient way to multitask on a busy schedule. It’s also strategic.
“When you have those endorphins kicking, how can it go wrong when you’re doing that type of exercise together?” Heisman said.
It can be humbling; getting in and out of the rucksack can feel like being a beetle stuck on its back, according to Heisman, and you risk looking out of breath if you go hard.
But rucking is fundamentally a scaleable exercise, making it relatively accessible. It can be adjusted for varying fitness levels by changing factors like the weight of the ruck, movement speed, and terrain.
Since everyone’s equipment is a backpack, it’s not about keeping up appearances; no one can compare weights the way you might visually do on a barbell.
“The beauty of the ruck is that there’s no egregious feeling of ‘You’re doing less than me or I’m doing more than you.’ It is so much more about ‘We’re doing this together'” Heisman said.
Heisman, a fan of ruck meetings for years said he puts a lot of thought into each meeting, often starting his guests out with lighter weight, offering them an option to add on the way back, and even planning the route so it ends on a hill. The overall effect is a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie that’s hard to replicate in an office.
For Strunk, the meditative monotony of rucking is what makes it so productive for a meeting. He and his associates have time to communicate and contemplate.
“I sure wouldn’t want to be in an F45 or Orange Theory group with other people where we were trying to communicate and network. But from a barrier-to-entry perspective, most people can walk for 60 minutes,” said Strunk.
Strunk’s group rucks end with the accoutrements of a good social, but he packs coffee with protein bars, shakes, and bananas to enjoy in a scenic park instead of pastries or donuts in a conference room.
Still, a bit of a challenge is part of what sets the ruck meeting apart. Getting your heart rate up prompts you to save your breath, cutting through the fluff: there’s no such thing as a ruck meeting that could have been an email.
“I think it lends itself for people to contribute in more meaningful ways when they have something to say rather than talking to talk,” Strunk said.