Origin of the Word "Ruck"

German roots:
The word "ruck" comes from the German word "Rücken", meaning "back".
Military slang:
In English-speaking armies, "ruck" became short for "rucksack", the military backpack.
- "Rucksack" itself entered English via German soldiers' gear in the late 19th to early 20th century.
- In German, "Sack" means "bag" — so "Rucksack" literally means "back bag."

In military culture, particularly in the U.S. Army and Marines, the action of carrying a loaded backpack over long distances was simply called "rucking."
It was not originally a civilian exercise — it was part of training and missions, often termed "ruck marches" or "forced marches," where soldiers carried heavy packs (often 30–100+ pounds) to build endurance, resilience, and readiness.
In this context, "to ruck" meant "to march while carrying a loaded pack."

Around the early 2010s, especially post-2010, "rucking" began gaining popularity outside the military thanks to several factors:
- GORUCK, a company founded by a former Green Beret (Jason McCarthy), popularized civilian rucking events and rucking fitness gear.
- GORUCK events often simulated military-style endurance challenges but were open to civilians, introducing "rucking" as a form of functional fitness.
Rucking began to be seen as:
- A lower-impact alternative to running
- A way to build strength, endurance, and bone density without the injuries associated with higher-impact sports.
- An accessible entry point to endurance training — you just needed a backpack and some weight.

Rucking is now practiced for health, fitness, mental toughness, and social connection.
Fitness communities, hiking groups, and even tactical training programs include rucking challenges.
Some rehabilitation and active aging programs even use light rucking to improve bone health and posture.