How Rucking Affects the Mind, Loaded Marches and Their Affect on Cognitive Performance
- Alastair Hunt
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
A team of researchers pooled data from 18 studies to investigate what happens to cognitive performance during and after military-style foot marches, the long, loaded walks that are a routine part of military training and increasingly popular in civilian fitness circles like rucking.
This systematic review and meta-analysis compared cognitive test results before and after foot marches lasting at least 10 minutes.
As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to studies at bottom of page.
What They Found
The results were mixed depending on which cognitive skill was tested. Visual processing and auditory processing both declined significantly after a foot march, with the auditory effect being particularly large.
Interestingly, memory and executive function (planning, decision making, problem solving) showed no significant change on average, though the researchers noted this likely reflects how differently the studies were designed and who they tested, rather than proof those functions are truly unaffected.
What This Means for Us
This is a useful complement to the physical fatigue picture. It's not just your legs and core that tire out on a long ruck, your sensory processing does too.
A decline in auditory and visual performance means you may be slower to notice or correctly interpret what's around you (a shout from a hiking partner, a trail marker, changing terrain underfoot) as fatigue accumulates.
For recreational ruckers and event participants, this has practical safety implications, particularly toward the back half of longer marches or on technical terrain. If your senses are processing information a bit slower after hours under load, that's exactly when you want to be most deliberate about pacing, hydration, and staying alert to your surroundings, not less.
The fact that memory and executive function didn't show clear declines is somewhat reassuring, though the researchers are careful to say this doesn't mean those functions are untouched, just that the evidence is noisier. It is not a green light to assume your decision making stays sharp regardless of fatigue.
Are you enjoying this article? If you are training for the PARAS'10, a Norwegian Foot March, or just to get fast and fit, our self-paced online course"Built to Ruck The Science and Practice of Rucking" covers everything the research tells us about load carriage training, pacing, progression, heat management, hydration, fueling and more. It is built for ruckers at every level of experience, and draws directly on the peer-reviewed military and sports science research.
Final Thoughts
The researchers' practical recommendations echo good general rucking practice:
Keep intensity moderate rather than going all out
Don't overload your pack beyond what you can manage well
Dial in your equipment fit so discomfort isn't adding to fatigue
Build in rest breaks where possible
These aren't just comfort measures, they appear to genuinely help preserve cognitive sharpness during and after the effort.
As with the physical performance findings, the underlying studies carried meaningful risk of bias, so treat these as a solid signal rather than a settled fact. Still, it's a good reminder that rucking well is as much about managing your mind's fatigue as your body's.
Wherever you are: train safe and enjoy the process!
Alastair
Studies & Resources
Sax van der Weyden M, Shaul Y, Merrigan JJ, Helton WS, Barringer N, Newman K, Martin J. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Impact of Military Foot Marches on Performance-Part 1: Physical Performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2026 May 1;40(5):e534-e553. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000005437. PMID: 42017984.
Other
Armstrong NC, Smith SJR, Risius D, Doyle D, Wardle SL, Greeves JP, House JR, Tipton M, Lomax M. Cognitive performance of military men and women during prolonged load carriage. BMJ Mil Health. 2023 Feb;169(1):37-45. doi: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2021-002000. Epub 2022 Apr 7. PMID: 35393357; PMCID: PMC9887367.
Martin K, Périard J, Rattray B, Pyne DB. Physiological Factors Which Influence Cognitive Performance in Military Personnel. Hum Factors. 2020 Feb;62(1):93-123. doi: 10.1177/0018720819841757. Epub 2019 Apr 22. PMID: 31009241.
Eddy MD, Hasselquist L, Giles G, Hayes JF, Howe J, Rourke J, Coyne M, O'Donovan M, Batty J, Brunyé TT, Mahoney CR. The Effects of Load Carriage and Physical Fatigue on Cognitive Performance. PLoS One. 2015 Jul 8;10(7):e0130817. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130817. PMID: 26154515; PMCID: PMC4496096.
Comments