An objective analysis of the fundamentals of this discipline, its physiological adaptations, proven benefits, and the profiles it can bring the most value to.
Not all healthy exercise has to take place within four concrete walls or while staring at a gym screen. Hiking (or trekking) and its modern offshoot, rucking (walking with a weighted backpack), represent the most primal, sustainable, and mentally restorative way to look after your heart and your legs.
1. What is ‘Rucking’ and why is it trending?
Originating in military infantry training, rucking involves walking at a steady pace while carrying a technical backpack loaded with extra weight or an adjustable weighted vest on Amazon (between 10% and 15% of your body weight in plates, sandbags, or weights). Its benefits are extraordinary:
- Burns three times as many calories as regular walking: It raises calorie expenditure to levels similar to a light jog, without the repetitive impact of running on your knees.
- Strengthens shoulders, trapezius, and spinal erectors: Carrying the backpack upright forces an open posture and corrects a hunched back.
- Fully scalable: You can start with 5 kilos and increase the weight as your legs and back adapt.
2. Disconnecting in nature: Mental health
Walking along mountain trails, through forests, or on coastal paths activates the phenomenon known as the biophilia effect. Several studies have shown that spending 90 minutes walking in a natural environment reduces activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex (the brain region associated with ruminative thoughts and anxiety).
The Trebellos verdict
Walking in the mountains or rucking around your local area is the most underrated and rewarding exercise there is. It combines honest physical effort with fresh air and silence. If running injures you or the gym overwhelms you, strap a backpack on your back and head out to discover the world at your own pace.
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