Today, we’re catching up with Adam McDonald, the founder of RukSak, to talk about his incredible health journey and how rucking played a pivotal role in transforming his life.
Adam discovered rucking by chance when he needed to improve his health after years of intense entrepreneurial grind left him feeling like the “world’s unhealthiest human.” Starting with just walking, he soon found it wasn’t enough and stumbled upon rucking – walking with a weighted backpack – which turned out to be a game-changer.
In our interview, Adam shares how rucking helped him lose weight, reverse serious health issues like fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes, and even improve his sleep and eating habits. He also talks about the therapeutic benefits of rucking, how it helped him cope with stress and maintain a better mental state.
Adam, your health journey is so inspiring! What first got you into rucking, and how did it end up changing your life?
I found rucking accidentally and out of necessity to try and improve my health.
I needed to change my lifestyle after a decade of trying to be the world’s best entrepreneur, leading me to become the world’s unhealthiest human.
At the time, all I could manage to do physically was walk, so, I started walking. After a few months I became “walkfit” which was great, but a massive time-such as I found I’d have to walk for hours to feel like I had properly exercised.
One day I purchased a weight vest to use to try and reduce my walk time, it worked but it also made walking really uncomfortable and unenjoyable.
So, I googled “how can you walk comfortably while carrying weight” and this is where I discovered ‘rucking’ and found myself falling down a very deep rabbit hole!
I couldn’t believe all the benefits rucking offered and I had never heard of it before.
I purchased a GoRuck rucksack from the U.S (which cost me a bomb!) and started using it daily, lost a tonne of weight and reversed my fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
Dealing with health issues and a cancer diagnosis must have been tough. How did rucking help you overcome these challenges and improve your overall well-being?
Just the act of exercise after not moving for so long was going to get me results but rucking made the movement a bit more meaningful.
When I run (versus just walking) I average double the average heart rate and 4 times the calorie burn, while I am still just walking, so it’s really effective in that regard.
Plus, I love getting outside, listening to a podcast and shutting off for a while. I have a very active mind, so I find my daily rucks act as almost a kind of therapy.
Carrying weight made me sleep much better and inspired me to eat a little better too. Rucking after eating unhealthily was no fun for my digestion, so before rucking I would make sure I ate a light, healthy meal.
Rucking sounds so simple and effective! What tips would you give to someone just starting out and wanting to make rucking a part of their daily routine?
Pound for pound, I think rucking is the most effective form of exercise there is, this was why I was so surprised I had never heard of it.
The key for any form of exercise to be successful and implemented into a daily routine is to not make it a chore.
As a starting point, I always suggest people look at their schedule and find where they can add some weight to the steps they’re already doing … Commuting, walking kids to school, walking the dog, shopping, mowing the lawn etc.
To progress I suggest adding 1000-2000 steps after each meal, which has awesome positive effects on blood sugar and sleep too. Then it’s constant progression, like getting involved with their local Parkrun or meeting friends for a longer trek on the weekend and adding more weight in their pack when they feel it starts getting easier.
You designed RukSak because you couldn’t find the perfect rucking gear. Can you share more about what makes RukSak special and how it stands out from other options?
Ordering my GoRuck packs from the U.S cost me over $1000 with the weight plates, so we needed an Aussie brand that was more affordable, was my first thought.
Then, when I started using the rucksacks, every time I wanted to change the weight I was carrying, the plate system made the weight increase too large, as a jump from carrying 5kg to 10kg isn’t very user friendly.
I then thought back to my weight vest from Rebel, and how it used a system of ingots that were just 1kg… a way better idea! That’s when I started working on a design, and now we have the only rucksack (and vest) designed for the everyday punter, designed by an everyday punter and not a super intimidating Crossfit Games athlete or Marine.
Balancing work, family, and health can be tricky. How do you fit rucking into your busy day, and do you have any advice for others trying to do the same?
As I mentioned, I really just aim to make the movement I am doing already more meaningful … Some fun facts are that it takes me 6500 steps to mow my lawn, my dog walks are an average of 2800 steps and it’s really easy to take a phone or zoom meeting while walking. Now, I do these things carrying around 10% of my body weight!
Your goal with RukSak is to promote purposeful movement and overall wellness. What exciting plans do you have for RukSak’s future, and how do you see the rucking community growing in Australia and beyond?
I promised that I wouldn’t let the lessons from my journey to the wrong side of health be a waste, so everything I do entrepreneurially now has to revolve around better health.
The plan, firstly, is to educate everyone on what rucking is.
To do this, I’ll be travelling around Australia this spring and summer with a trailer full of RUKSAKS and RUKVEST’s so as many people as possible can give rucking a go.
We are currently in talks with Parkrun about creating a Parkruck category. The perfect bridge between Parkwalk and Parkrun, which is super exciting.
We are also working with AusActive to try and get as many health professionals and allied health practitioners utilising rucking as a way to help their clients.
