The minute you get off a plane, train, bike, or car with your backpack, you have already started your pre-rucking fitness without even realizing it! You are walking with a weighted backpack (rucksack), a low-impact exercise based on military training workouts.

Rucking is walking with weight on your back and is not just for soldiers, athletes, or hunters. We all have carried a weighted backpack at some point in our lives when we go to work, school, or travel. Walking around with a weighted backpack—rucksack is a fantastic way to burn calories, build muscle, and gain endurance, and is much easier on your knees than running on a treadmill or jogging.

Rucking is an inexpensive workout and requires minimal gear. The goal of rucking is to move more, and the only way to do it is as simple as putting weight on your back and going out for a walk or hike.

So, get your backpack, and I suggest you start light. For example, 20 minutes is a good goal in terms of pacing yourself. Start with 1 to 2 rucks per week to get comfortable. If you’re brand new to rucking, I would suggest consulting with your physician or hiring a personal trainer to get started. Beginners will experience some muscle soreness.

Once you have adjusted to your own personal rucking routine, then the next step is to challenge yourself. Create your own rucking workouts. A rucking workout brings together the cardio benefits needed to help you lose weight from weighted walking with the muscle and endurance benefits of ruck physical training. If you really think about it, your backpack can be a complete gym on your back, a fun and creative fitness workout that provides results if you stay focused and dedicated.

I started rucking when I was in the United States Army, so I have extensive knowledge, training, and experience. I have maintained my strong core for the rest of my adult life, and I continue to be in good health.

Rucking is a physical and mental activity, but it can also become a social opportunity for you to connect with others in your local town or community. It’s like going to the gym, where you connect with other individuals who are all sharing the same goals to get fit.

So, ask yourself, is rucking for you? You can Google rucking, and you will discover that rucking is for everybody, regardless of whether you are a beginner or a military veteran. It is great for your mental health because it is an outside activity. It helps improve your cardio and endurance and builds muscle. It strengthens your back and improves posture. You burn more calories by rucking than walking. It also allows you to control the weight in your backpack: no matter where you are rucking or with whom, you can easily adjust the weight to keep up or step up your game.

Keep in mind that carrying weight on your back is now a basic function of a modern lifestyle; we are always carrying a backpack with books to school/university, carry-on bags when we travel by plane, train, or go on a hike.

Rucking is very simple, practical, inexpensive, and a functional workout (exercise you can do anywhere). It’s good for your muscles, heart, and lungs. Your legs, back, and core will get stronger. Your posture will also improve as you get leaner. Remember, rucking is simply just walking with weight on your back.

I found myself rucking up Vesuvius in Naples, through the cobblestone and dirt streets of Pompeii, and out and about through the ancient ruins of Rome. I now prepare to step up my game with heavier weight. Though I may have my military training to fall back on, I continue to train at least three times a week in heavy lifting. I ruck to the gym (walking distance from my house in Cori, Italy), where my personal trainer, Italian champion bodybuilder Francesco Frasca, supervises my training.