Pack workouts

[RowTheBoat]

Question for you guys doing pack workouts, through MTNTough or whatever. Any tips for loading your pack to the desired weight and keeping the weight still and in the right spot? Are you using clothing or something as pack fill and then some heavy stuff? If I want a 40 pound pack for a workout I can throw in some weights, but that’s uncomfortable as hell. I can fill it with random stuff but that’s a pain in the butt for adjusting weight too. I’m thinking 5 pound bags of rice so I can adjust up and down, and with clothing to keep it from flopping around. Not trying to overthink it, but I’m doing the workout at the gym so I don’t have the ability to just throw random stuff in the pack to adjust weight, I need to have it figured out at home.

 

[Gravelyctry]

A friend of mine had a bag of cement mix that had hardened. I think that was 40 lbs.

I used a 40 pound bag of softener salt. I was able to strap it down and keep it secure without shifting. Cheap and easy, but I pretty much dedicated that pack for that use because I didn’t want to take the salt in and out of the bag in a regular basis.

Neil

 

[nrpate05]

I did the random dumbbell thing for awhile and it was awful and even with similar weight didn't feel at all how a hunting pack would feel. Now I usually build a base in the back with heavy sweatshirts or something like that and then wrap a dumbbell in some clothing so it sits higher up, which is key.

 

[Hem]

I strapped a 70lb section of railroad track on an external and did reps on the hill behind the house for a number of years. It wasn't very comfortable, and the frame finally broke but the exercise strengthened my body and mind .

 

[brymoore]

I strapped a 70lb section of railroad track on an external and did reps on the hill behind the house for a number of years. It wasn't very comfortable, and the frame finally broke but the exercise strengthened my body and mind .

Holy Smokes! 70 pound work outs are impressive. I guess I’m lazy. I put bags of rice in my pack or 25 pound dumbbells for weight. Packs usually in the 40-50 pound range. I hike a 2-3 miles with it outside.

 

[Hem]

Holy Smokes! 70 pound work outs are impressive. I guess I’m lazy. I put bags of rice in my pack or 25 pound dumbbells for weight. Packs usually in the 40-50 pound range. I hike a 2-3 miles with it outside.

Back when I was young and energetic.
Made due with what I had laying around.

 

[JVon13]

I bought some cheap dry bags on Amazon in 3 different sizes and then filled them with sand. I have 3-20lb, 3-10lb, and 3-5lb bags. They snap shut so don’t have to worry about leakage and find they’re easy to put in the bag part of my pack without having to use the load shelf (I have a stone glacier). I think for the dry bags and sand it was like $30. Haven’t had any issues with them and been using them for the last 4 years.

 

[The_Jim]

I just put some something light at the bottom of my pack. Stick the dumbbell in the center resting on that and wrap it with a coat or fabric to keep it from moving. Keeping the weight distributed higher in the pack is key.

On a side note, you don't need to beat yourself up with ridiculous pack weights and stupid hard workouts. There is a much more enjoyable way to get & stay in shape. Most of the benefits from rucking are just getting your body efficient with movement under load. If your weight is more than you can handle with good form you'll just develop bad movement patterns and get injured.