06-21-20 10:43 AM - Post#899405    

My wife and I welcomed our second a little less than a week ago. Given the COVID-19 restrictions, we had already been going on a ton of walks with my two year old and I've been tossing on a weighted pack on these a few times a week.

Based on my experience with my first, both time and energy will be at a premium over the next several weeks. My thought was, rather than doing anything super complicated or trying to plan too much, to just keep mixing in some rucking a few days a week while I'm already on a walk with my kids (along with a DMPM every now and then depending on time and energy available. Physical activity has always been important for my mental health, and I know I'm a more effective husband/father when I'm taking care of myself. Plus, it won't take any time away from my kids.

I know a lot of you have been there before with kids. Does anyone see any flaws with this plan?

06-21-20 10:47 AM - Post#899406    

Buy a baby carrier wrap or backpack. Your child is the weight. Also, congratulations!

Check out my critical-thinking blog at sharpenyouraxe.substack.com

06-21-20 10:53 AM - Post#899407    

Thanks! That was actually kind of my thought. Between wipes, diapers, bottles, snacks for my eldest, etc, I’ll already have a decent amount of weight on my back anyway. Plus I’ll get some fresh air and sunshine and get to spend some quality time with them.

06-21-20 01:43 PM - Post#899413    

Start them young.

06-21-20 01:49 PM - Post#899414    

Thumbs up from me.

Daniel John Just handing down what I was handed down... Make a Difference. Live. Love. Laugh. Balance work, rest, play and pray (enjoy beauty and solitude) Sleep soundly. Drink Water. Eat veggies and protein. Walk. Wear your seat belt. Don’t smoke. Floss your teeth. Put weights overhead. Pick weights off the floor. Carry weights. Reread great books. Say thank you

06-21-20 04:02 PM - Post#899417    

I started taking my son walks in a baby pack when I went scouting for deer etc. We'd come home with scratches etc but he loved every minute of it. He jumped his first rabbit crawling around in the woods when he was about 9 months old.

06-21-20 05:53 PM - Post#899419    

Absolutely nothing wrong with this - we had our last in the bitter, beyond the wall like winter (for Britain at least) of 2017/18 (the Beast from the East). We were out in the snow with a few week old strapped to the front of us.

To paraphrase Martin Berkhan - best sense test of anything is to check it makes sense from an evolutionary perspective... What did we do during the last ice age...

06-21-20 06:52 PM - Post#899421    

My earliest memories are of the aspen trees around Colorado trout streams I saw while my dad fished with me in a backpack.

06-22-20 10:48 AM - Post#899429    

I have a set of 3 year old twins and another set of 4 month old twins. Get your training in however you can. Something is better than nothing. Rucking is great and with a heavy vest, you may be surprised at the unexpected upper body hypertrophy.


The thing that really has helped us though, is my wife and I allow each other to have 90 minutes-2 hours of time every day to do anything we want. It keeps us sane, semi-refreshed, and allows us to get some training in. Lifting a barbell or pushing a prowler can really destroy built up stress. Good luck!

Re: ucking with a newborn - bad idea?
06-22-20 12:48 PM - Post#899443    

I had several backpack-style baby carriers and all 3 of my kids spent a lot of time in them. When we only had one child I could get home from work throw the baby in the backpack and go out for a walk. That gave mom a break. I got to spend time with the baby and exercise and she loved it. It was also great for family outings instead of a stroller. It made us more mobile and the little one had a better view.

I will say that I think they are more appropriate for babies who can sit and hold their head up, I guess about 5 or 6 months old. I don't know if you want to throw a newborn in the backpack-style carrier unless there is some way to support their head.

06-22-20 02:17 PM - Post#899447    

Put the baby in a backpack and ruck with them every day until they're 21. You'll be a beast!

06-22-20 04:14 PM - Post#899455    

Just don't take them skiing in a backpack, or walking in cold weather, with legs sticking out.

Wife and I tried for half an hour with our one year old on what felt like a nice sunny day for skiing, on a nursery slope (he's 23 now, and for the record he was having loads of fun). Lift guard rushed up and explained that even in a baby-grower, their legs and feet can get frostbite fast if the sun goes in and the wind comes out when you are up the mountain. Apparently they had to amputate babies' legs in Chamonix hospital a few times.

06-27-20 10:24 AM - Post#899680    

I did a lot of baby wearing when my son was little.

Back carry is better than front, for your hip flexor health.

When he was 5, I did a lot of walk with him sitting on my shoulders. Good training

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