Training

Rucking: why walking with a loaded backpack is underrated

Walking with a weighted backpack turns an easy walk into real conditioning while staying gentle on the joints.

Rucking simply means walking with weight on your back, usually in a sturdy backpack. It comes from military training, where soldiers march long distances carrying gear, but it has become popular with ordinary people because it is easy to start and hard to overdo. The added load raises the energy cost of walking noticeably, so a 45-minute ruck can feel closer to a jog for the heart and lungs, without the impact of running.

Rucking also trains muscles that ordinary walking barely touches. The upper back and shoulders work to hold the pack in place, the trunk resists being pulled backward, and the legs push more force into each step, especially on hills and stairs. For people who lift weights, it is a useful form of low-intensity cardio that recovers quickly and fits easily into a day: commuting, walking the dog or hiking on the weekend.

Start light. A load of around 5 to 10 percent of body weight is plenty for the first few weeks, packed high and close to the back so it does not pull on the shoulders. Use comfortable shoes, keep your normal stride and increase either distance or weight, not both at once. People with existing back, hip or knee problems should build up more slowly. If your posture breaks down or you start shuffling, the load is too heavy for now.

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