Rucking, the practice of walking with a weighted backpack, has been gaining popularity as an effective exercise and physical challenge. But beyond just improving your fitness, rucking is a great example of heavy work—a sensory-motor strategy that can help calm the nervous system and support self-regulation.
Heavy work refers to activities that provide deep pressure and resistance to the body, which helps ground and stabilize the nervous system. This kind of input promotes a sense of balance by either alerting or calming, supporting focus, and well-being. Heavy work activities aren’t limited to rucking. Other simple tasks like wall pushups, carrying groceries, or even rearranging furniture can offer similar benefits. These activities give your muscles resistance to work against, which helps you self-regulate in a way that feels natural and grounded. This can be especially helpful when you’re feeling anxious, overstimulated, sluggish, or in need of focus.
At the core of our Your Best Self Online Course is the concept of sensory-motor self-regulation. We teach practical strategies like heavy work to help you manage daily stress and self-regulate, whether you’re at home or work. Incorporating activities like rucking or wall pushups into your routine can provide the sensory input your body needs to stay calm, focused, and in control.
Whether you’re looking to improve your fitness or your mental clarity, heavy work is a powerful tool to support your self-regulation and overall well-being. And check out Your Best Self Online Course for more self-regulation strategies!