RASCAL
Ruck and Sandbag Calisthenics
Ready for a new challenge or just want to take a step out of conventional cross-training?
Take your gym skills and fitness away from the elegance of barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells and add a little grit with ruck and sandbag high-intensity workouts!
MovementLink’s RASCAL program is designed with all the methods and principles used to program workout cycles for the MovementLink Gyms, but adapted to take you out of the formal setting of a gym and into the world!
Equipment Needed:
Sandbag
Ruck
Jump Rope (Optional)
See the bottom of the page for equipment brand and size recommendations.
Stay Tuned! The Online RASCAL workout program coming soon!
Fill out the form to get notified of when the online program becomes available.
Live in Austin, TX?
Join the Mud RASCAL Events at Zilker Park!
Currently we hosting RASCAL workouts at the Monkey Tree by Barton Springs. You can find more details on the MovementLink Event Page. Contact me below if you are interested in joining us!
No equipment required, but a ruck (backpack with weight) is suggested!
Equipment Recommendations
RASCAL Online Program Equipment
Sandbag
Ruck
Jump Rope
Pull-up Bar
Dip Bar Optional
To follow the RASCAL online program, you need one sandbag, one ruck, one jump rope and access to a pull-up bar. If there is also a dip bar, then great, but that one is not required, we’ll provide options if you don’t have access to a dip bar. Door-mount pull-up bars will also work fine, but we want you getting out into the world and enjoying the outdoors, so hopefully there is a local, public pull-up bar workout area you have access to.
Ruck Recommendations
Suggested Ruck Plate Weights Based on Fitness Level:
150lb Bodyweight and above / Less than 150lbs
Elite:
Heavy = 65/45
Medium = 45/30
Light = 30/20
Advanced:
Heavy = 45/30
Medium = 30/20
Light = 20/15
Intermediate:
Heavy = 30/20
Medium = 20/15
Light = 15/10
Although MovementLink workouts will use heavy, medium, and light weights, we will always provide modifications if you only have a medium weight.
Ruck, i.e. a tough backpack that you add weight to that can handle anything. I am affiliated with GoRuck because they make extremely high quality backpack and their Rucks and Sandbags have a lifetime guarantee. There are a only a few things that will void your warrantee, but they are things like dragging it on concrete. There are cheaper ruck options out there, but not better deals. If you mess this bag up, they will fix it or replace. it.
GoRuck has a lot of Ruck options from travel bags, to only working out, and a mix of being able to use them for both, so there are many Rucks that would be great for RASCAL workouts, but the Rucker is what I’d recommend:
GoRuck Rucker
Endlessly modifiable, feels great to wear, has a patented ruck plate carrier to put the weight high up and secure in the bag, so it doesn’t bounce around. It just feels good to wear.
Ruck Plates or Filler Bags
Along with your Ruck, you’ll also need the weight to add to it. Personally, although filler bags could double as options for your sandbag, you would be able to use both at the same time. The Rucker is designed with an extremely strong velcro pouch to fit the GoRuck Ruck Plates. The pouch secures the weight very well, so it’s not banging around in your bag.
In case you didn’t see the recommended weights for RASCAL workouts, they are at the beginning of this section.
Sandbag Recommendations
Suggested Weights for RASCAL workouts: Male/Female
Elite (120lb*/ 80lb)
Advanced (80lb/60lb)
Intermediate (60lb/40lb)
Note: MovementLink prescribes 110lbs for the elite because we think the 120lb GORUCK Sandbags feel and work the best with 110lbs of sand in them.
The cool thing about the GoRuck Sandbags is they, like the GORUCK Rucks, come with a lifetime warrantee. Also, because sandbags come with filler bags, they are adjustable so you can: 1) increase weight as you get fitter, 2) purchase extra filler bags to have more weight options, or 3) travel with empty filler bags and fill them at your destination with sand that is around.
After trying out both sand and pea gravel there are some pros and cons. Sand feels great, but if you get them wet like I do sometimes, they take a while to dry out. I’ve also heard that sand creates more dust coming from the bag than pea gravel, but have not yet experienced that. Here’s what I recommend:
If you are unsure, then size up the sandbag you buy and use lighter filler to fill out the bigger back with less weight. This will give you something you can use right away and still have room for growth. For example if you are going to start with a 40lb or less sandbag, I recommend purchasing the 60lb sandbag and filling it with a mixture of sand and red rubber mulch. The red rubber mulch is lighter and takes up space, so you can fill the volume of the bag, but create a lighter weight. At Home Depot bags of sand and a bag of red rubber mulch are both about $5, so it is very inexpensive to upgrade your weight.
Additionally, GORUCK sells extra filler bags, so you have the potential to use the 60lb sandbag shell and have multiple different weight filler bags that you can easily exchange out into the shell.
Jump Rope Recommendations
A cheap, but high quality metal handle and wire rope is perfect for high-intensity workouts. They don’t take up much room in your Ruck and add an awesome dimension to workouts.
