Ruck Strong – What the Word ‘Strength’ Really Means #25

What does it really mean to be strong? We all think we know — lifting, pushing, enduring. But the roots of the word tell a deeper story: one of tension, strain, and holding firm under pressure.

In this episode, I dig into the etymology of strong and strength, tracing the word from Old English strang to the Proto-Indo-European string-, meaning “tight, drawn together.” We explore how strength has always been about more than muscle — it’s about mental grit, emotional steadiness, and moral resilience.

I also share insights from Michael Joseph Gross’s book Stronger: The Untold Story of Muscle and Strength — including why ancient physicians distrusted muscle, how modern science reframes it as a partner to the soul, and the inspiring story of 90-year-olds regaining strength through training. Finally, I connect this history to my own journey of rucking, and how carrying weight on the trail has shifted my mindset from I can’t to let’s try.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to ruck strong — this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The surprising linguistic roots of “strong” and “strength.”
• How strength expanded from physical power to include mental, emotional, and moral resilience.
• Why history once split “brains vs. brawn” — and how rucking bridges the gap.
• Michael Joseph Gross’s insights from Stronger on tension, training, and freedom.
• My own story of finding freedom through rucking as I approach 50.

Citations & Sources

• Gross, Michael Joseph. Stronger: The Untold Story of Muscle in Our Lives. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025.
• Etymology references: Old English strang, Proto-Germanic strangaz, Proto-Indo-European root strenk- / string- (Etymonline, Oxford English Dictionary).
• Galen’s writings on muscle and the soul (historical summaries, secondary sources).
• Dr. Maria Fiatarone Singh’s studies on resistance training in nonagenarians (cited in Gross, Stronger).

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