Weighted Pack Training

Training with a weighted pack, or rucking as it's called in military circles, is a great way to intensify your cardio workouts, as well as prepare your body for carrying heavy loads come hunting season. In addition to the hunting I do out west, the mountain hunting here in Georgia can at times call for quartering up an animal and hauling it out as opposed to dragging it a little ways to the truck.

 

After doing a little research I found a good way to add a realistic weight to your pack without investing much money. This whole project cost me just $10 and some change. 

The ruck "pill" basically consists of play sand inside a sandbag, and then wrapped in duct tape. For my purposes I skipped the sandbag and just used the bag the sand came in. I folded it over in half and started taping it into a "pill" shape. I used about a roll and 1/4 of duct tape to cover the entire thing well. 

All finished, my pill weighs about 35 pounds, and is just the right size to fit in my day pack. It may have been a good idea to start with a lighter weight, but it's too late now so I'll just go with it! I definitely recommend doing this project in a place where spilled sand won't matter or will be easy to clean up. You can experiment with different weights and sizes depending on your gear and fitness level.

Now all that's left to is hit some hiking trails or go about your regular workout routine.