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From the rise of the “hot girl walk” to walking pads in home office setups, the humble stroll is more popular than ever — and rightfully so. Adding more steps to your daily routine can come with a whole slew of benefits, like improvements in mental clarity, stress relief, heart health, mobility, and so much more.
But what if you were to add a little extra challenge to the mix? Say, carrying a backpack full of weights? Well, then you’d be rucking — a fitness methodology that’s also been gaining some extra hype lately (just scan the hundreds of thousands of videos tagged with “rucking” on social media as proof). Intrigued? Let’s dive into the potential benefits and tips for trying this type of workout.
Experts Featured in This Article:
Nichele Cihlar, is the strength coach and director of training at GORUCK.
Meredith Daane, is an ergonomics expert and certified athletic trainer.
What Is Rucking, Exactly?
Very simply, rucking is the act of walking or hiking with weight. In fact, you probably ruck much more frequently than you realize. “Unloading groceries from the car, walking through the airport with luggage, or carrying your kids—it all counts as rucking!” says Nichele Cihlar, strength coach and director of training at GORUCK.
That said, rucking has its official roots in military training — in fact, the word “ruck” comes from “rucksack” (aka backpack). Starting as early as the 20th century, soldiers would carry weighted rucksacks during training, in order to build up adequate strength and endurance to carry their gear and supplies long distances — a technique which is still used to this day.
While it began as a very pragmatic technique, rucking has now made its way into mainstream fitness for a number of reasons.
What Are the Benefits of Rucking?
“Rucking has terrific benefits for everyone. No matter your age, gender, or fitness level, you can see improvement in musculature, bone density, posture, and cardiovascular health,” says Cihlar. That’s because walking around with a weighted vest or backpack combines low-to-moderate-intensity cardio along with a challenge to your muscles. As a result, it may:
- Help strengthen your hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads, shoulders, and upper traps.
- Activate the stability muscles in your ankles and core, while trying to balance the weight. In fact, one study published in the journal Ergonomics showed rucking led to improvements in lower body strength among ROTC cadets.
- Prepare your body for everyday movement (think: carrying groceries, picking up your kids, etc.), since it falls in the category of functional fitness. It can also support mobility and reduce risk of injury from exercise or daily activities.
- Benefit your mental health. “We’ve seen the rise of run clubs worldwide, and with rucking becoming a more popular training method, there has been an uptick in people getting together to ruck around,” Cihlar says. Not to mention, unless you’re rucking on a treadmill, this activity tends to get you outdoors — which studies suggest can have a positive effect on your mental well-being.
That said, “it does add compression to the spine which may not be suitable for everyone. If you have foot issues too such as plantar fascia or neck, back, or shoulder issues, you will want to resolve any conflicts before starting,” says Meredith Daane, ergonomics expert and certified athletic trainer. “As long as you do not have any underlying medical conditions, try it!”
What Kind of Equipment Do You Need to Ruck?
One of the great things about rucking is it’s pretty accessible. All you need to get started is a bag, a weight, and a route.
“However, not all rucksacks and equipment are created equal. When you are carrying weight that can affect your posture, it’s important to use equipment that keeps the weight high and tight to your back,” says Cihlar. “Carrying lower weight in an old backpack might suffice for the time being, but once you begin to increase the weight to challenge yourself, you need the proper gear to stay safe and protect your body from injury.”
As for the weights themselves, there are different kinds you can try: namely, a weighted plate or sandbags, or even try a weighted vest for a different type of challenge.
And, of course, as with any sport, it’s important to wear supportive footwear. That means a shoe that’s suited for your foot type, terrain, and conditions of your rucking excursion (think: stability footwear for flat feet, a hiking or trail shoe for rigid roads, or a waterproof sneaker for wet paths).
“I also recommend carrying some body glide/petroleum jelly for areas where the pack may rub and cause hot spots from the friction,” says Daane.
Various packs and footwear would suffice, but if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop, it’s worth noting GORUCK does make high-quality gear, apparel, and footwear designed specifically for rucking.
Getting Started: How to Ruck
If you’re not quite ready to invest in top-notch rucking gear, that’s totally fine. In fact, you can simply stuff a backpack with magazines, throw on a pair of supportive sneakers, and head outdoors for a solid rucking sesh.
- Start gradually, with distance and weight: “I would suggest being able to walk for 30 minutes without being short of breath before starting to walk with weight,” says Daane. And when you first start rucking, go for 10 percent of your body weight, beginning with a short distance hike (even just around your neighborhood) to slowly build up endurance.
- Make sure the pack is fitted well: You want a backpack that fits securely to your body, with a strap that goes around the chest to avoid any posture issues, per Daane.
- Engage in best posture practices: For rucking, that means you should pull your shoulders back and keep both straps on to minimize discomfort in the lower back.
- Make sure the weight is evenly distributed: “Try to keep the weight close to your shoulders and not the lower back. Tighten the straps and try adding towels or a ball to the bottom of your pack to raise the weight up near your shoulders,” Daane says.
“As you grow comfortable with the weight, try challenging yourself by adding more resistance, rucking a route with more elevation, or increasing your distance,” suggests Cihlar.
Since rucking offers cardio and resistance training benefits, it can easily integrate into any weekly exercise routine.
Just remember: “The best fitness regimen is the one you can maintain,” says Cihlar. So if rucking provides the type of challenge you enjoy, by all means, give it a go.
Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at Mindbodygreen and the fitness and wellness editor at Women’s Health. Kristine’s work has also appeared in PS, Travel + Leisure, Men’s Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.