<br><div><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__bv"/><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__bvd gnt_x__h"/><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - Take a hike! 3 apps to help you find the best hiking spot"><div class="gnt_em_vp_w" data-g-r="vp_tp" data-c-vt="exco" data-t-pl="teal-hero"><button class="gnt_em_vp_a gnt_em_vp__tp_a" data-g-r="vp_ap vp_tg" data-c-vpattrs="{"muted":true,"bContent":false,"an":"usatoday","pn":"USA TODAY","vidNum":0,"docking":true,"exid":"7a94a662-d8e9-49a7-aeba-e8a15c79f0f2","plcmt":"2","iu":"/7103/usatoday/preroll_video/","cut":1}" data-c-vpdata="{"adsEnabled":true,"awsPath":"tech/problemsolved","byline":"Problem Solved","canonicalURL":"","contentSourceCode":"USAT","credit":"Problem Solved","duration":80000,"headline":"Take a hike! 3 apps to help you find the best hiking spot","hlsURL":"https://hlsmedia.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/videos/zype/renditions/665f4ad2af70370001b701c2/480p_30fps,720p_30fps,1080p_30fps,master.m3u8?subtitles=73972274007","id":"73972274007","image":{"opto":true,"url":"/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/06/04/USAT/73972237007-20240508-prob-outdoors-apps-hiking-apps.png?crop=1918,1078,x0,y0"},"keywords":"Hiking,Technology,Mobile Apps,Video Syndication - USAT,Exclude Smart Fronts,Syndication - Vertical Video","mp4URL":"https://downloadmedia.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/videos/zype/renditions/665f4ad2af70370001b701c2/1080p_30fps.mp4","origin":"USA TODAY","pageURL":{"long":"https://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/problemsolved/2024/06/04/hiking-apps-like-all-trails-gaia-gps-help-you-find-the-best-spot/73972274007/"},"promoBrief":"These hiking apps can help you find and navigate trails around the country.","propertyName":"USATODAY","series":"","ssts":{"section":"tech","subsection":"problemsolved","topic":"","subtopic":""},"tags":[{"id":"bd3e79b3-f88f-4c88-a1ec-479617b48b0a","name":"Hiking"},{"id":"dce1851b-9ba8-4c0d-bcd9-2b5019b3459d","name":"Technology"},{"id":"4bf9c543-78e4-4234-a400-c3b02fdf9c0f","name":"Mobile Apps"},{"id":"6f55135f-3b5e-490d-8a52-a3b8e1f11ee7","name":"Video Syndication - USAT"},{"id":"6c663a2f-2376-42fb-a1ae-238bdc1dd45e","name":"Exclude Smart Fronts"},{"id":"e0175a3c-0c15-42c4-b26b-43a3fc96471f","name":"Syndication - Vertical Video"}],"title":"Hiking apps like All Trails, Gaia GPS help you find the best spot","url":"/videos/tech/problemsolved/2024/06/04/hiking-apps-like-all-trails-gaia-gps-help-you-find-the-best-spot/73972274007/"}" aria-label="Play video"><img alt="" class="gnt_em_vp_img" src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2025/01/21/USAT/77856525007-getty-images-2163163483-1.jpg?crop=1850,1041,x0,y405&width=660&height=371&format=pjpg&auto=webp" data-g-r="vp_po" fetchpriority="high" elementtiming="ar-lead-image" decoding="async"/><svg class="gnt_em_vp_svg"><use xlink:href="#gnt_svg_video_play"/></svg></button></div></aside><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">It's not unusual for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/reviewed/2022/01/07/fitness-equipment-14-great-fitness-accessories-buy-january/9104034002/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">fitness equipment</a>, trends, and workouts to mimic everyday movements or activities. The stair climber machine at many gyms, for instance, is not much different than the flight of stairs we take on our way into the office. The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/01/05/peloton-settlement-treadmill-child-death/10997903002/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">treadmill</a> provides the same opportunity that walking across the parking lot offers; and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2023/12/16/is-swimming-good-exercise/71835156007/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">swimming</a> or rowing a boat works many of the same muscles that weightlifters target with dumbbells and barbells. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Rucking falls into that a similar category of fitness because a version of it is something that many of us are doing every day - often without realizing. Examples include trekking across a college campus with a backpack full of textbooks; slinging a bag of groceries over a shoulder as we carry them from the store to our car; or strapping our baby or small child to our back before going for a family walk or hike.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Here's what rucking is, how it got started, and how you can safely participate in the practice. </p><a target="_blank" class="gnt_em gnt_em_gl gnt_em__el" href="http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/travel/experience/america/national-parks/2021/08/29/best-parks-state-local-yelp-park-reviews/8191849002/" data-t-l=":l|l|c|view gallery:inline promo" aria-label="View Gallery - These are the best parks in each state, according to actual visitors" data-g-r="nav_mo" data-g-tn="pgcss" data-g-mtn="pg8191849002" data-g-moh="hpgm" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expanded="false" onmousedown="event.stopPropagation()" onmouseup="event.stopPropagation()" data-c-id="8191849002"><img class="gnt_em_gl_i" data-g-r="lazy" data-gl-src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/08/20/USAT/9295af48-cac6-48b3-8fef-8f0d7918c92d-Cherokee_Park.JPG?crop=5239,2947,x0,y164&width=660&height=372&format=pjpg&auto=webp" data-gl-srcset="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/08/20/USAT/9295af48-cac6-48b3-8fef-8f0d7918c92d-Cherokee_Park.JPG?crop=5239,https://www.usatoday.com/2947,https://www.usatoday.com/x0,https://www.usatoday.com/y164&width=1320&height=744&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" decoding="async" alt="" width="660" height="372"/></a><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_h2">What is rucking? </h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Originating as a military training exercise that required soldiers to march long distances carrying rucksacks (heavy backpacks) over rugged terrain to help them build endurance and strength, rucking is not much different today.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong>Need a break?</strong> <a target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":body nav (cw)|e|auto spike click:6|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" href="https://puzzles.usatoday.com/">Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Named for the rucksacks that the soldiers wear, rucking is also sometimes called tabbing or yomping and consists of weighing down a backpack or strapping on a weight belt as one goes about a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/web-stories/top-national-parks-best-trails/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">hike</a>, walk, or run. In this way, "rucking...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/01/29/what-is-rucking/77794811007/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
