By Preston Shamblen
(ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, Founder of Rucking.Pro)
Rucking — walking with weight — is one of the most effective ways to train your entire body. But if you’ve ever checked your fitness tracker after a heavy ruck, you’ve probably seen a low number that doesn’t make sense. That’s because almost none of the popular apps or devices account for added weight.
So I built something that does.
📍 Try the Rucking Calorie Calculator
It’s free, simple, and way more honest than your Apple Watch.
What It Tracks
This tool gives you a calorie estimate based on:
- Your body weight
- The weight you’re carrying
- Your effort level (easy, moderate, or intense)
It’s not perfect — no calculator is — but it’s a huge step up from tools that pretend a 100 lb ruck is just a “walk.”
Why I Made It
I ruck every day with a weighted vest, sometimes stacking over 100 lbs between my vest and backpack. I’ve jogged that load for 14 minutes and burned over 350 calories — and my Apple Watch still thought I was walking my dog.
Rucking isn’t just walking. It’s work. It’s resistance training. And now, finally, there’s a calculator that reflects that effort.
People trying to lose weight need accurate calorie counts to make informed decisions about nutrition. If they think they only burned 150 calories when they actually burned 450, they’re more likely to get discouraged or underfuel. But when they see the real burn, they get motivated. They realize, “Wow, this actually works. I’m really burning 2-3x more than I thought.”
Try It Here
We’ll keep improving it over time. But this first version already blows mainstream apps out of the water as they don’t even have the option — and it’s free to use. No signup. No fluff. Just data you can actually use. Keep on rucking!
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