Introduction
One of the first questions people ask when they discover Load Striding is:
“How much weight should I carry?”
It’s a smart question. Carrying weight turns walking into one of the most effective exercises for strength, bone density, balance, and brain health. But too much weight too soon can hurt your posture, strain your joints, or make you quit before you’ve really started.
At RuckWise, we’ve built a simple system for choosing the right load—especially for adults over 50 who want to build lifelong strength.
Why Load Matters
Walking itself is healthy, but it doesn’t challenge your muscles and bones enough to build lasting strength. Adding weight changes everything:
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Bones → Stress stimulates bone density, protecting against osteoporosis.
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Muscles → Added resistance strengthens legs, core, back, arms (with trekking poles).
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Heart → Load increases cardiovascular challenge, lowering blood pressure.
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Balance → Your body learns to stabilize under weight, reducing fall risk.
But like any resistance training, the magic is in progression—starting light, then building gradually.
Why We Use Reused Plastic Bottles
Traditional rucking uses steel plates or sandbags. At RuckWise, we recommend reused plastic bottles filled with water:
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Adjustable → Pour some out if it’s too heavy. Add more as you get stronger.
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Affordable → No need to buy expensive plates.
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Green → Gives new life to bottles that might otherwise be discarded.
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Safe → If you drop one, no harm done.
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Measurable → With 1L bottles (1L of water = 1kg), you know exactly how much you’re carrying—no scale needed. Just add or remove bottles.
👉 It’s the simplest, smartest way to load safely—especially when starting out.
The Golden Rule: 5–10% of Body Weight to Start
For beginners, especially adults over 50, we recommend starting with 5–10% of your bodyweight.
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If you weigh 70 kg (154 lbs) → begin with 3.5–7 kg of water.
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If you weigh 85 kg (187 lbs) → begin with 4.5–8.5 kg.
This is light enough to keep your posture upright and your stride natural, but heavy enough to stimulate strength and bone-building.
💡 Tip: Spread bottles evenly in your pack so the weight sits high and close to your spine.
How to Progress Safely
Think of Load Striding like strength training. You don’t start with the heaviest weight in the gym—you progress gradually.
1. Start with time, not load
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Focus on walking 15–20 minutes with good form.
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Once you can handle 30–45 minutes comfortably, then consider adding weight.
2. Add in small increments
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Increase by 1L bottle at a time (~1 kg).
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Avoid big jumps that change posture and strain joints.
3. Listen to your body
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Mild fatigue = normal.
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Sharp pain = stop and reassess.
4. Balance with trekking poles
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Poles let you handle more weight safely by distributing effort across arms and shoulders.
Advanced Loads: How Far Can You Go?
Once you’ve been Load Striding consistently for a few months, you may want to increase the challenge.
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Comfortable range for adults 50+: 10–15% of bodyweight.
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Medium range for better results (with experience): 16–20% of bodyweight.
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High range for optimal results (with experience): 21–25% of bodyweight.
⚠️ We do not recommend exceeding 25% bodyweight. Beyond this point, the risks to posture and joints outweigh the benefits.
Remember: the goal is not to carry the heaviest load—it’s to carry a smart load that builds long-term strength.
Why Trekking Poles Change the Game
With traditional rucking, the load is all on your back and legs. With Load Striding, trekking poles turn it into a full-body exercise.
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You engage arms, shoulders, and upper back.
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You stabilize posture, even as load increases.
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You protect knees and hips by spreading the work.
That means you can often handle a little more weight safely with poles than without—because your body is sharing the effort.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Starting too heavy → Leads to poor posture, sore joints, or injury.
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Leaning forward → Often happens when the load sits too low. Keep it high.
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Ignoring balance → Trekking poles dramatically reduce fall risk—use them.
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Skipping warm-up → A few minutes of shoulder rolls and leg swings go a long way.
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Chasing numbers → This isn’t the military. You’re not competing—you’re building strength for life.
A Simple Beginner Example
Meet Claire, age 62:
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Bodyweight: 68 kg
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Starting load: 5 kg (five 1L bottles)
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Routine: 3 to 4 walks per week, 20 minutes each
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After 2 weeks: increased to 30 minutes, 6 kg
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After 4 weeks: increased to 7 kg, added trekking poles
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After 8 weeks: increased to 40 minutes, 9 kg
Claire didn’t need fancy equipment or extreme training—just consistency, smart loading, and gradual progress.
The Safety Checklist for Choosing Weight
✅ Start with 5–10% of bodyweight
✅ Use 1L bottles for easy measuring
✅ Place bottles high and close in your rucksack
✅ Build time before weight
✅ Add load in 1L increments
✅ Always stride with trekking poles for balance
Why a Guide Helps
This post gives you the principles. But if you’d like detailed charts, illustrated posture tips, and a 4-month progression plan—
👉 [Download the Free Starter Guide] and start Load Striding with confidence.
Conclusion
How much weight should you carry? Enough to challenge yourself—but not so much that it breaks your stride.
For most adults over 50, that means starting with 5–10% of bodyweight, then increasing gradually with 1L bottles of water. With experience, you can carry up to 25% of bodyweight safely—especially when using trekking poles.
Load Striding isn’t about toughness. It’s about smart, sustainable strength.
👉 Take your first step today: [Download the Free Starter Guide].