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How much weight should I start with?

Rucking starting weight explained simply: begin with 5-10% of your body weight and build up slowly.

The short rule: start with 5-10% of your body weight. The better rule: start light enough that you will definitely do it again this week.

Where the number comes from

5-10% is a practical rule of thumb from beginner literature, not a scientifically established limit. It is chosen because it is easy to remember and because for most people it is low enough not to cause problems.

Research in this area typically works with substantially heavier loads. A 2022 review recommends generally not exceeding 40% of body weight for healthy adults, and under 10% for children, whose spines are still developing. So there is a wide margin between the beginner rule and what a body can tolerate - which is the entire point of a beginner rule.

For someone weighing 75 kilos, 5-10% is about four to eight kilos. That is less than most people expect, and it is meant to be.

Choose the low end if

You have not walked longer distances for a while.

You have sore knees, back or feet, or had them recently.

The route has hills, especially if you have to walk down them.

You are unsure. Doubt is itself an argument for less weight - a walk that was too easy costs you nothing, a walk that was too heavy costs you the week.

When to add more

When the walks feel controlled while you are doing them, and the next day does not feel like a bad decision. Not when the calendar says a week has passed.

Add one thing at a time. The order that works for most people is: time first, then terrain, then weight. Increase several at once and, if something hurts, you will not know what caused it.

A sensible step is half a kilo to a kilo at a time. It feels absurdly small. That is also why it works.

Signs you went up too fast

Soreness lasting more than two to three days, or worse on day three than on day two.

Pain in a joint rather than in the muscles. Joint pain is local and often sharp; muscle soreness is diffuse and symmetrical.

You start skipping walks because you do not feel like it. That is often the first signal, long before anything hurts.

  • 5-10% body weight
  • Low end if unsure
  • Time before terrain before weight
  • Add half a kilo at a time

Sources

Last checked: 31 July 2026.