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SANDBAG TRAINING
Sandbag workouts are as old as the sand. Some of these exercises are new to sandbag training, and some are as old as the sand. In your sandbag workouts remember to mix it up! Some of the below exercises are illustrated. All photos and drawings on this page and this website are our property and protected under copyright law. Please feel free to link to this page or share on social media. You can find sandbags for your training on this page. Ours are made of stronger ballistic nylon and feature a better design with built-in handles which allow a better grip and feel of the shifting sand. See above photo.
Be sure to read our original functional fitness strategy below the sandbag exercises and workouts
SANDBAG TRAINING EXERCISES
Here is a video of some of the exercises you can do with our workout sandbags. Also, below is a description of them with drawings of our favorites.
SMALL SANDBAG EXERCISES
X-LIFT
Using a small to medium sandbag, grab the ends on the floor beside one foot and lift it across your body and raise it above the opposite shoulder and extend it as far as your arms will stretch. Return and repeat. Can be done a few at a time on either side, or alternating. A great sandbag training exercise.
TURKISH GET-UP
Put a small sandbag on one shoulder while standing.Then kneel down, and lay down with the sandbag still on the shoulder. Use one hand to hold the sandbag on the shoulder, and the other to help you get down and up. Do a few times one side then the other side. Repeat. One of my favorite sandbag training exercises.
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SUPER SITUP
Using an AbMat or pillow under the lumbar region of your back, on a pad, hold a small sandbag on your chest and do situps.
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CYCLONE
Holding a small sandbag at your feet, pull it up and over your head and around the back of your neck, and down the other side to your feet. Repeat going the other way.
SWINGS
With your feet wide apart, squatted down, grab a small sandbag on the floor between your feet directly beneath you. Grab it by the sides instead of the ends. Swing it outward with your arms fully extended while squatting up. Continue the swing until it is directly overhead and you are standing straight up. Then return to starting position and repeat. Is often done with a kettlebell, but a great sandbag exercise.
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CEILING BAG TOSS
SHOULDER SQUAT
with sandbag on one shoulder, do a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Repeat. Change shoulders and repeat. Another great sandbag exercise..
STANDING CHEST PRESS
SHOULDERING
BIG O
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SHOULDER WALK
MEDIUM SANDBAG EXERCISES
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OVERHEAD SQUAT
ROTATION
ZERCHER SQUAT
SHOULDERED WALKING LUNGE
SNATCH
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THRUSTER
CARRY OVER
With a medium sandbag on the floor beside you, squat down, deadlift the bag to waist-high level, and lift it over to the other side, setting it down on the floor. Then take it back to the other side.
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SMACKDOWN
Grab a small or medium sandbag by the sides beside you and lift it up and over your head, and smack it down (but not too hard) on the other side. Repeat, going the other way.
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ONE-LEGGED GOOD MORNING
Holding either a small or medium (good luck) sandbag under your chin with your arms cradling under it, lean forward on one leg, and swing the other behind you. Do some one leg, then the other.
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LARGE SANDBAG EXERCISES
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EXTRA LARGE SANDBAG EXERCISES
DEADLIFT
Using a large sandbag, lift it off the floor by bending your legs, and stop when it is hanging with your arms extended, facing down. Return it to the floor and repeat. Keep your back straight.
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TWISTING DEADLIFT
Pick up a large sandbag by bending your knees and take it from one side of your feet and put it down on the other side of your feet. Repeat from one side to the other.
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Small sandbag=40#, medium sandbag=80#, large sandbag=120# extra large= 160#
Here’s to your sandbag training success!
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Pictured to left are our 1000D Workout Sandbags. They come in all colors. They are used by many well-known clients. You can see them here.
Sandbag Workouts
Here below are some of my favorite workouts using the above sandbag exercises.
1 10 X 10 Pick 10 sandbag exercises with training sandbags, and do each one ten times with the largest sandbag you can complete all 10 reps with, and go thru the ten exercises for time. This can yield many variations by using different exercises.
3 LADDER Pick one exercise, and the heaviest training sandbag you can use for it, and see how many times you can lift it, starting with one rep, resting a minute, then 2 reps, and so on on up to 5, 7, or 10. Good exercises for ladder workouts are deadlifts, thrusters, clean & jerk, snatch, weighted pullups (hold small sandbag between knees)……..
Below is a listing of some sample sandbag workouts.
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___ rounds in 20 minutes: ( all w/ 40# weighted vest ) 2 pullups / 4 dips / 6 giant stepovers / 8 knees to elbows.
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5 rounds for time: 5 clean & jerks ( xl sandbag, 120# ) / 10 pullups
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3 rounds for time: run up and down hill 3x / 10 pushups w/ small sandbag
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___ rounds in 20 minutes: 5 pullups / 10 pushups / 15 squats / 20 situps
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5 rounds for time: 5 front step climbs (w/ medium sandbag ) / 1 rope climb / 8 situps (w/ s sanbag)
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____ rounds in 15 minutes: ( all w/ 40# weighted vest) : 2 pullups / 4 walking lunges / 6 dips
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7 rounds for time: 8 trips down & up 5-step front porch / 1 rope climb
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3 rounds, for time: run down & up hilly driveway 3x / 10 smackdowns w/ medium sandbag
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3 rounds for time: (all w/ small sandbag) shoulder carry walk hilly driveway / 10 pushups / 10 waist rolls
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___ rounds in 20 minutes: 10x each: burpees / pullups (also do with 40# weightvest, 5x each)
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Whether you do sandbag training or not, get moving!
Functional Fitness strategy
The goal of any fitness plan is health. Regular exercise and recovery and proper nutrition are as important now as ever. For our purposes, we define fitness as the ability to perform acts of strength, power, speed, endurance, and coordination. Exercise should be fun, and resemble play and sports. The human body is the ultimate exercise machine, and needs little external devices to exercise. Exercise movements, not specific muscles in isolation. Doing so not only builds muscle and endurance, but it also builds ability. This is done by exercising muscles, joints, and nerves together.
Exercise in a random, never routine, fashion every other day. There is no such thing as the perfect workout! Nor is there any such thing as the one perfect exercise! Rather, it is the constantly varying performance of different exercises done in different combinations, amounts, strengths, and durations that is the magic to fitness success! The body and its neuromuscular system responds best when it is “surprised” by constantly changing workouts.
Work out for up to half an hour every other day. Never do the same workout 2 times in a row. However, repeat workouts every month or two to compare your performance. Workouts should be short and intense. Sometimes they should blur the line between “cardio” and “strength” workouts. If you are in your 20′s, you can work out for 3 days on and 1 day off. In your late 30′s you might want to work out 2 days on and 1 day off. If doing this schedule, alternate between “light” and “heavy” workouts. But if you are younger than 20 or older than your late 30′s, every other day is right to provide the proper amount of recovery.
Sandbag training is only part of our strategy. We use sandbags for training, but also do bodyweight, running, and other forms of exercise.
Recent evidence indicates that it is counterproductive to always exercise at a medium level of difficulty or duration. Either go hard or light. Recovery is as important as exercise, if not more important. That is when your muscles grow and adapt to the stress put upon them. I suggest that on recovery (off) days you walk. Actually, I suggest you walk yourself and/or your dog every day.
Never try to “jump-start” your fitness level with an extreme out-of-the-blue workout. Don’t overdo it so much you can’t do the next workout. But remember this: something is better than nothing! Think of your workouts as links in a chain, not the whole chain.
Once or twice a year, take a vacation for a week or two and hike, swim, surf, ski, climb mountains, play ball, play and relax. Don’t work out. This will allow you to resume your workout schedule with better focus.
The nerves, muscles, bones, and joints of the human body are meant to work together. Therefore, do exercises that work multiple muscle groups and joints together. Again, the muscles of the human body work together as a team. So exercise them as a team!
This is not a 90 day/12 week/ crash course. This is a plan to stay fit and healthy for the rest of your life. You don’t climb a mountain in one step. And, you do not get and stay fit in one workout.
What to eat? In two words, often and plenty. Never go into meals starving. Eat healthy snacks between breakfast and lunch and mid-afternoon. I suggest a breakfast of oatmeal with nuts and cottage cheese on workout days, and eggs about twice a week.
Before workouts, i suggest a small amount of skim milk with some whey protein. After workout I suggest about 8 ounces of skim milk with a tablespoon of molasses stirred into it. This gives the 3:1 ratio of carbs:protein needed for muscle recovery. You can also have a couple of 60% cacao chocolate chips after workout. Or, you can just drink 8 ounces of 1%^ fat chocolate milk.
A good midafternoon snack is natural crunchy peanut butter on bread with raisins and nuts. If you drink, do so less. Try to limit yourself to one or two beers or red wine on Friday and Saturday night. You will be amazed at how much better you enjoy less of it!
Stay away from fried foods, sugar, trans fats, white bread/rice/potatos/pasta. Instead eat whole grain breads and pasta, sweet and red potatos, olive oil, fat free cottage cheese, lowfat ricotta cheese, and fruit for dessert. Once a week, such as Sunday, you can cheat with a pizza and/or ice cream.
We are hostages of our heredity. Do not expect exercise to change you into a muscular monster. Exercise to keep yourself fit to perform. Don’t take dangerous steroids. Don’t use so-called “energy drinks”. Drink lots of water. Do not drink soda pop. Go easy on alcohol. Focus on performance, not mirror muscles. Be healthy for a lifetime!
DGKFIT LLC and its owners and contractors take no responsibility for any illness or injury occuring after the use of their products. The exercise advice given in this website is not meant to be a substitute for the medical advice of a doctor. Before starting and during any exercise program, get the advice of a medical professional. The purchase and use of our products constitutes a release of DGKFIT LLC and its owners from any liability arising after the use of their products. Be careful. Use at your own risk.
