I Got to 7% Bodyfat in 6 Weeks by Walking (Rucking) - Here’s My Full Protocol w/ Chris Hinshaw

Summary

Thomas DeLauer discusses preparing for a 26.2-mile ruck march while carrying a 30-pound pack, with coach Chris Hinshaw. Hinshaw’s main message is to build training around the individual and the event—not simply add more distance—and to make the process sustainable and confidence-building.

Training and rucking strategies

• Personalize the plan: Consider the event, available training time, fitness level, injury history, and personal responsibilities. The goal was to finish feeling good, not to train with excessive long marches that disrupted family life.
• Don’t assume you need to match the event distance in training: Hinshaw argued that very long practice sessions may be unnecessary. Instead, build the ability to handle the event through consistent, varied training.
• Progress gradually while varying sessions: The program increased overall training volume but alternated longer, easier work with shorter, faster sessions. Splitting a long workout into morning and evening sessions was another way to build cumulative work without one exhausting march.
• Train across different conditions: Vary pack weight, pace, and distance. Training with loads both lighter and heavier than the event pack can help prepare for changes such as carrying extra water or slowing down with fatigue.
• Include some faster, unweighted work: Running intervals were used to develop different movement patterns, muscle recruitment, and energy systems—not just endurance under a pack.
• Choose an appropriate challenge: The plan offered workout options for different fitness levels. Hinshaw encouraged athletes to select sessions that fit their current ability while still providing a meaningful challenge.
• Prioritize consistency and enjoyment: Training should feel engaging enough that a person wants to continue. A plan that is only repetitive mileage can be hard to stick with.

Mindset, recovery, and self-care

• Protect recovery and life balance: The plan aimed to avoid unnecessarily lengthy sessions and account for family and other commitments. Rest was treated as part of the process rather than a failure to train.
• Practice manageable discomfort: Hinshaw described using some fasted sessions to help an athlete become familiar with hunger and low-energy sensations, with the aim of reducing panic if they arise during an event. This was presented as an individualized coaching strategy, not a universal recommendation; strenuous training while fasting may not be suitable for everyone.
• Prepare for uncertainty: Training can build confidence by exposing athletes to challenging situations and helping them practice responding rather than giving up when something goes wrong.
• Look for early signs of confidence: Hinshaw uses athletes’ reactions during difficult workouts to gauge when they begin to believe they can complete the task. He sees that growing confidence as a valuable outcome of training.
• Review results after the program: Hinshaw described assessing training performance to identify strengths and weaknesses and guide future work.

Nutrition mentioned

DeLauer said he used whey protein and essential amino acids during longer marches. He attributed the use of essential amino acids to a possible role in preserving muscle during loaded exercise; this was discussed in the context of his own training and a sponsored promotion.

Presenters and sources

• Presenters: Thomas DeLauer and Chris Hinshaw
• Sources and organizations mentioned: GoRuck; Bowmar Nutrition; Chris Hinshaw’s Aerobic Capacity website and social accounts. Dean, a former SAS soldier, was mentioned as an example in a discussion of adapting to uncertainty.