How to Do a Ruck March for Fitness: A Field Guide
A ruck march is walking a set distance with a loaded pack at a steady pace. It is how soldiers move and how the Army tests them, and it is one of the best endurance workouts you can do with a backpack. The Army's benchmark is 12 miles with 35 pounds in under 3 hours. Here is what that standard means, the right pace and load, how to pack, how to keep your feet intact, and a beginner plan.
What is a ruck march?
The Army calls it a foot march, and its doctrine, ATP 3-21.18 Foot Marches (updated July 2025), covers everything from pace to packing to foot care. For fitness, the idea is the same: carry weight on your back, walk with purpose, and build the endurance to keep going when it gets uncomfortable.
Military ruck march standards
None of the Army's fitness tests, the AFT or the new Combat Field Test, include a ruck. The standard shows up in badges and schools instead, and it is remarkably consistent:
| Course | Distance | Load | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) | 12 miles | 35 lb dry | 3 hours |
| Expert Soldier Badge (ESB) | 12 miles | 35 lb dry | 3 hours |
| Sapper School (to graduate) | 12 miles | 35 lb | 3 hours |
| Air Assault School (to graduate) | 12 miles | 35 lb plus gear | 3 hours |
That works out to a 15 minute mile, or 4 miles per hour, for 12 straight miles. Badge loads are dry weight, so water does not count toward the 35 pounds. Selection courses go further: the 75th Ranger Regiment's RASP uses a 12-mile foot march with 35 pounds, a weapon and a helmet in under 3 hours, and sets a goal of 2:31:33. Our ruck pace calculator turns any distance and goal time into a pace and splits.
Pace: how fast should you ruck?
Army doctrine plans a foot march at about 4.8 kilometers per hour, roughly 3 miles per hour, and about 4 kilometers per hour, roughly 2.5 miles per hour, overall once rest halts are included. Units typically halt for 15 minutes after the first 45 minutes, then for 10 minutes every 50 minutes. Badge standards are faster than that planning pace, which is why candidates train a fast walk and a ruck shuffle.
How much weight to carry
Army doctrine says a soldier's fighting load should ideally be about 30 percent of body weight, and approach march loads should not exceed 100 pounds. Those are soldier loads, not starting points. Doctrine is clear that when training, loads should start light and distances short. For fitness, start around 10 percent of your bodyweight, or 20 pounds or less, and build from there.
How to pack and wear your ruck
- Heavy items high and close. Doctrine says packing heavier items higher in the pack and closer to the body lowers the energy cost of carrying it. Do not drop a plate in the bottom: fill the bottom with lighter bulk, like a sleeping bag, and put the weight above it.
- Use the hip belt, but do not expect miracles. A hip belt eases the pressure on your shoulders, but Army doctrine notes your shoulders still carry most of the load.
- Lean a little, not a lot. Some forward lean of your trunk is normal under load. Excessive lean strains your lower back, so keep your chest up.
Hybrid Weight Vest MK2
Keeps the load high and tight to your body, the way Army doctrine recommends packing a ruck. The 75th Ranger Regiment's prep guide says a weight vest works for loaded walking when you have no ruck.
Shop now →Feet first: blisters and injuries
Army doctrine says foot blisters and abrasions are the most common load-related injury, and that acrylic socks reduce the number and size of blisters. Break in your boots or shoes before long marches, keep your feet dry, and deal with hot spots at the first halt, not the last. Heavy loads do carry real risk: in one Army study, 24 percent of soldiers were injured on a single 20-kilometer march carrying about 100 pounds (Knapik and colleagues, 1992).
What rucking does for your fitness
Rucking is mainly an endurance workout. It builds the muscular endurance of your legs, hips and trunk, and it burns real calories: Army doctrine estimates a 180-pound soldier carrying 35 pounds at a 15 minute mile burns about 2,040 calories over 12 miles, roughly 680 an hour. It is not a replacement for strength training. A 2012 systematic review found load-carriage performance improves most when progressive loaded marches are combined with aerobic and resistance training (Knapik and colleagues, 2012). Pair your rucks with lifting and running.
A beginner ruck march plan
One ruck a week, alongside two or three days of running and strength work. Never raise weight and distance in the same week.
| Weeks | Distance | Load | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | 2 to 3 miles | About 10 percent of bodyweight | Learn pack fit and foot care |
| 3 to 4 | 3 to 4 miles | Same load | Add distance, not weight |
| 5 to 6 | 4 to 5 miles | Add 5 to 10 lb | Add weight, hold distance |
| 7 to 8 | 5 to 6 miles | Same load | Work toward a 15 minute mile |
Ready for a real target? Our free 12-mile ruck program builds you to the 3-hour standard, and our military ruck march training guide and RASP ruck progression go deeper. Deciding between a ruck and a vest? Read rucking vest vs rucksack.
Sources: ATP 3-21.18, Foot Marches (July 2025); 75th Ranger Regiment, RASP Preparation Guide (December 2025); Knapik and colleagues, 1992; Knapik and colleagues, 2012; Expert Infantryman Badge and Expert Soldier Badge standards from their Army pamphlet and regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a ruck march?
A ruck march, or foot march, is walking a set distance with a loaded backpack, called a rucksack, at a steady pace. The Army uses it to move soldiers and to test them, and it is a strong endurance workout for anyone.
How heavy is an Army ruck march?
For the Army's expert badges, the standard is 12 miles with 35 pounds of dry weight in the rucksack in 3 hours or less, before water. In the field, Army doctrine says a fighting load should ideally be about 30 percent of a soldier's body weight.
How fast is a 12-mile ruck in 3 hours?
A 15 minute mile, or 4 miles per hour, held for all 12 miles. That is faster than the Army's planning march rate of about 3 miles per hour, which is why many candidates shuffle part of the way.
What is a good ruck march pace?
Army doctrine plans foot marches at about 3 miles per hour, or about 2.5 miles per hour overall once halts are included. For badge standards you need 15 minute miles. For fitness, start at a brisk walk you can hold with good posture.
How often should I ruck?
For most people, once a week is plenty. The 75th Ranger Regiment's prep guide advises loaded walking no more than once a week, at 25 to 35 pounds for 4 to 6 miles, alongside running and strength work.
Is 20 pounds enough for rucking?
Yes, to start. Army doctrine says loads should begin light and distances short. Build up slowly, and do not raise weight and distance in the same week.
