This Ordinary Sandbag Can Extraordinarily Make You Insanely Strong, And Why Sandbag Training Makes Sense

If you haven't trained with a sandbag before, then you're in for a big surprise. Unlike with traditional weight lifting, sandbags offer additional benefits and new challenges to those who are looking to spice up their training. The unpredictability of the sandbag makes it an invaluable training device. It is especially good in building functional strength and conditioning.

Sandbag training will engage your stabilizer muscles over and over again. When you lift the bag, the sand within your bag will sway back and forth, as you struggle to carry, lift, drag, or throw it. It will force your stabilizer muscles to work overtime as you struggle to maintain balance.

Stabilizer muscles act to keep you steady so that your primary muscles can do their job. They help coordinate your mobility and restrict the movement of your joints involved in the exercise so that the joints don't get injured. They help keep the bones and joints secure, while the prime movers extend and flex. The stronger the stabilizer muscles are, the easier for the primary muscles to perform their function.

But don't get me wrong. Although the sandbag is a valuable tool to build insanely brute strength and conditioning, it's not a panacea or replacement to all training devices, but it's a worthwhile, inexpensive addition to a complete training program.

With, Or Without Handles, That Is The Question

Personally, I like my sandbag without handles. It brutally toughens my hands and greatly improve my grip strength when you grab the excess fabric of the bag. Yes, it's tough. But that's how I like the way I train.

Some people like to train with handles on their sandbags. Adding handles allows you to do more because you can hold the bag easier and you'll no longer have to stress your grip. It allows you to rotate, twist, and swing the bag around.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you like your sandbag with or without handles. What matters most is how you train with the sandbag and how you use it. 

The 4 Big, Powerful Movements

Basically, there's a lot of variety that you can do with a sandbag. For starters though, you may want to focus on the 4 basic movements, i.e., lift (eg. deadlift), carry (eg. bear hugs), press (eg. military press), and squats (eg. front squats). Focusing on the four big lifts will provide you most of your needs.

Here's a sample workout that you can do using the four basic movement: 

1. Sandbag Clean and Press: 3 sets x 10 reps
2. Sandbag Front Squats: 3 sets x 12 reps
3. Push-ups: 3 sets x 15 reps
4. Sandbag Deadlifts: 3 sets x 10 reps
5. Bear Hug Carry: 3 sets x 50m
6. Sandbag Biceps Curl: 3 sets x 8 reps

Not A Replacement, An Addition

As I've said earlier, sandbags are a valuable addition to your current workout program. It can fill-in the gaps that are lacking from a traditional weightlifting program. It can provide variety to your workout routine and expand your training repertoire to include functional movements. Besides, constructing a sandbag is cheap and easy; you don't need to break your bank to create one. A tough duffel bag and some pea gravel is all that you need. Train hard and train smart. Let's go get that bag!