Official GORUCK club
Est. 2020
Do The Work.
An official GORUCK ruck club. Weight on your back, miles under your feet, and nobody left behind.
Rucks, sandbags and club patches 
Mt. Tammany, Delaware Water Gap 
The Giant Stairs, Palisades
What is rucking
It really is this simple
Rucking is walking with weight on your back. That is the whole sport.
- 1
Get a ruck
Any sturdy backpack will do to start. A purpose-built ruck carries the weight high and tight against your back, which is more comfortable once you are hooked.
Where to get a ruck ↓ - 2
Add weight
Start lighter than you think. A ruck plate, a dumbbell wrapped in a towel, a few books. You can always add more next week.
- 3
Walk
Out the front door, around the block, down the boardwalk. Walk with purpose and stand tall. That's it. You are rucking.
The rucks we do
Four kinds of ruck
Every ruck we post is one of these four, so you know what you are signing up for before you show up. New here? Start with a Group Ruck.
- 1
Group Ruck
No one left behind. A fun ruck for all.
Distances vary and we move as a group, at a brisk casual pace: the target is under 20 minutes a mile. Team weight and a little PT may show up from time to time, so everyone gets to enjoy some good livin'.
Carry whatever weight you want, or none. If you need additional good livin', just add weight.
- 2
Training Ruck
Fixed distance. Your goals set the pace and the weight.
These are how we train for Team Challenge Rucks and Events. Not everyone has the same goals, so this is not a group ruck. We start together and hang at the finish together. In between, do what you need to do.
Pace, weight and good livin' suggestions are always available.
- 3
Team Challenge Ruck
Team based, and a challenge for everyone.
Distance and time vary. There are weight requirements, coupons, and good livin' for all. If you are preparing for a GORUCK event or a Hurricane Heat, or just enjoy some good old-fashioned shared suffering, these are for you. We start together, stay together, and finish as a team.
Before you come: train with the required weight, and hold under 18 minutes a mile for at least 3 miles. Not there yet? See 1 and 2.
- 4
Event
This is what we train for.
Competitive and endurance events of every kind: GORUCK Challenges and Star Courses, Spartan races, Hurricane Heats and more. Wherever you are in your training, set a goal, find an event, sign up, train, and go get it.
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”
Step up
Lead a ruck or an event
The club only goes where someone is willing to lead. If you know a good route, want a ruck closer to your town, or would help run an event, we want to hear from you. You pick the place and time. We help you post it and get people there.
We are especially looking for people along the shore south of Point Pleasant, and anywhere in New Jersey we do not reach yet.
Events
Events we show up for
Beyond our own rucks, these are the events the club turns out for. Dates and sign-ups are posted in the Facebook group and on Sandlot.
Around Veterans Day each year
CHAD 1000X
1,000 box step-ups with a weighted ruck, done as a team, with a partner or on your own. The workout honors Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, who died by suicide in 2018, and raises awareness and money for veteran suicide prevention. We step up for it every year.
chad1000x.com
Every year in Freehold
Marine Corps Run for Freedom 5K
A 5K you can run, walk or ruck, hosted by the Corporal Reynolds Detachment of the Marine Corps League. Proceeds support the Marine Corps League, the Marine Raider Foundation and Semper Fi & America's Fund, and help local veterans here in New Jersey. We ruck it.
mcrff.org
If you or a veteran you know is struggling, the Veterans Crisis Line is there day and night: dial 988, then press 1.
Where we ruck
Boardwalk, trail and city
Most of our rucks and events are in the Freehold area and along the Jersey Shore, from Sandy Hook on down. Weekends sometimes go further. These are some of the places the club has rucked.
Belmar Boardwalk
Flat shore miles, about a 5K.
Michael Tighe Park, Freehold
Our regular 3-mile weeknight loop.
Mt. Tammany, Delaware Water Gap
Red trail up, Blue trail down. 3.5 miles.
The Giant Stairs, Palisades
4 miles of uphill, downhill and giant rocks.
Sea Girt Lighthouse to Manasquan
Rucks loaded with food for the Free Little Pantry.
The perimeter of Manhattan
30 miles, 8 hours.
Gear
Get your gear
- GORUCK
Rucks, ruck plates and training gear, straight from GORUCK. This link is for gear; the 30% member code below is for GORUCK events.
Gear links are affiliate links. If you buy through one the club’s founder may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Member perks
It pays to ruck with us
30% off GORUCK events
As an official GORUCK club, our members get 30% off eligible GORUCK events. The code changes every month, so we do not post it. Ask and we will email it to you.
Good on events listed at goruck.com. It does not work on Sandlot or cadre-led Fistbumps.
One free event, every month
Each month one member wins a free entry to an eligible GORUCK event. You do not buy a ticket. You earn your chances by showing up.
- Every club ruck you attend that month is one entry.
- Bring someone to their first ruck and get a bonus entry.
- Lead a ruck and get a bonus entry.
We draw the winner at the first ruck of the following month and post it in the Facebook group.
Patches
Wear the club
New Jersey Ruck Club patches are in. Grab one at any of our rucks for $5, or we will mail it to you for $2 more.
Have one mailed
Tell us where to send it. We reply with a Venmo request and mail it once it is paid.
Questions
Before your first ruck
Do I need a special backpack?
No. Any sturdy backpack gets you through your first few rucks.
If you stick with it, a ruck built for the job is worth having. It holds the weight high and close to your back so it does not bounce or drag on your shoulders.
How much weight should I start with?
Less than you think. GORUCK suggests 10 to 20 pounds for beginners, adding 5 pounds at a time once that feels easy.
At our Group Rucks you carry whatever you want, including nothing at all. Come once with a light pack and see how it feels.
How fast do I have to be?
Group Rucks aim for under 20 minutes a mile, which is a brisk walk. We move as a group and nobody gets left behind.
Training Rucks are at your own pace. Team Challenge Rucks ask for under 18 minutes a mile with the required weight, so build up to those.
How often should I ruck?
Once or twice a week is plenty when you are new. If you already train regularly, three or four is reasonable. Leave a day in between while your feet and shoulders get used to it.
Can you carry too much?
Yes. Most rucking injuries come from too much weight or too many miles too soon. GORUCK's ceiling is a third of your body weight, and most of us never need to be anywhere near it.
Add distance or add weight, never both in the same week.
Is it hard on your knees and back?
Each step of a walk puts far less force through your legs than a running stride, which is why many people who cannot run comfortably can ruck. A pack does add load, so it is lower impact than running, not zero impact.
Start light, wear the pack high and snug, and stand tall. If you have an existing injury or condition, check with your doctor first.
Will it help me lose weight?
A ruck makes a walk harder, roughly a third to a half more work with 30 to 40 pounds on your back. It still burns less per minute than running.
What moves the scale is doing it week after week, and what you eat. Rucking helps mostly because people actually keep doing it.
Does rucking build muscle?
It builds the endurance to carry weight for a long time: legs, hips, back and shoulders all work. It is not a replacement for lifting. That is why some of our rucks mix in PT.
What should I wear and bring?
Broken-in shoes or boots, socks that do not rub, and water. After dark, wear something reflective or carry a light. Dress for the weather, because we ruck in most of it.
What are coupons and good livin'?
Club language, borrowed from GORUCK. A coupon is something heavy and awkward that the team carries together, like a sandbag. Good livin' is what we call the hard part, with a straight face.
Where does rucking come from?
The military. A ruck is a rucksack, and a ruck march is how soldiers have trained to carry their gear on foot for a very long time. We do the friendlier version.
How do I get the GORUCK event discount?
Request it on this page and we will email you this month's code for 30% off eligible GORUCK events. The code changes monthly, which is why we do not post it.
It works on events listed at goruck.com. It does not work on Sandlot or cadre-led Fistbumps.
Where do I find the schedule?
Every ruck is posted in our Facebook group and on Sandlot. Each one is labeled with its type, so you know what you are signing up for.
From the blog
Read up
Why we would rather ruck than run
Running is great exercise. Here is an honest look at what the numbers say, and why a lot of us reach for the ruck instead.
The benefits of rucking, and what we will not promise
Rucking gets oversold online. Here is what the evidence actually supports, what is still a maybe, and why we think it is worth doing anyway.
Finding your people
The weight is the excuse. The reason most of us keep showing up is who is walking next to us.
A ruck workout, and how to train for an event
How to start, how to build without getting hurt, and what a GORUCK Challenge or a Spartan race will actually ask of you.
Join us
Show up. We’ll do the rest.
Every ruck is posted in our Facebook group and on Sandlot. Join, pick a Group Ruck, and bring a backpack with something heavy in it. Or nothing heavy in it. Just come.