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Forget the bodybuilding gym and try sandbag training for massive gains in muscle strength and stability

Every day, more and more people are turning away from the boring weights and traditional machines at the gym and turning to the most primitive methods of training for massive strength gains. This can include sandbag training, flipping tires, carrying and lifting heavy objects, and pulling ropes. In my opinion, the most versatile training tool is the sandbag.

Combat athletes, sports teams, fire departments, the military, and Cross Fitters and Seal Fitters are quickly realizing the benefits of sandbag training. With sandbag training, lifting is never truly “linear.” For example, on a clean and press, lifting a barbell is easier with the weight balanced and centered. This is not so with a constantly changing punching bag. It requires the load to be really muscular, activating the large muscles as well as the small stabilizer muscles. The sand is also spread over a larger surface. To illustrate this point, the next time you visit a hardware store, grab a 50-pound bag of sand and lift it over your head. It feels almost twice as strong as a 50 pound loaded barbell.

The versatility of the sandbag is also what makes it a great training tool. They take up virtually no space and can be stored in the corner of a room or in the trunk of your car. No more missed workouts on the go, or when you’re pressed for time. A 15-minute circuit will absolutely blast your muscles unlike weight training at the gym. One of my favorite circuits with a sandbag looks like this:

-5 minute jump rope warm-up

5 rounds

– 10 SAND BAG BURPEE PRESSES (Drop down with sand bag in hands, do a push up, clean and press the sand bag)

-10 ON EACH SIDE WITH SHOULDERS (hold sandbag on each side of head, lift and lower to other shoulder)

-10 SANDBAG SQUATS (hold sandbag behind head on shoulders, squat down as low as you can and come back up – be sure to maintain good form)

-10 PICK UP SANDBAGS (Put the sandbag vertically in front of you, bend over and pick up the sandbag, lift it up to your shoulder and put it back down. Do it again on the other side.

-Sandbag Ruck (2-5 minutes, take your sandbag, put it on your shoulder and walk or jog with it. Trust me, it’s a lot harder than it looks!)

With sandbag training, a lot can be accomplished with almost no equipment and in a very short time. A virtually indestructible 1000 denier sanity sandbag will provide you with many years of excellent training and faithful service. Feel free to email me for a free sandbag exercise pdf file at: [email protected]

Happy training!

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