Sandbag Training

[Q.]

I posted the same basic question over on Tyler's website but I thought I'd throw it out here as well... anybody do any sandbag training???

[nanook]

Yes.

[Chris Correia]

To continue Q's question (or fulfill the intent of his quesion, I hope):

Exactly what do you do and how do you find it beneficial?

[Irishdazza]

http://www.warriorforce.com/articles.html

Some good stuff on there...

[Q.]

Thanks, Chris... I was looking for a little more info than "yes" but he did answer the question asked!

Irishdazza, that looks like a very interesting website and I just signed up for yet another newsletter! I quickly came upon an article about building work capacity which is something I've been very interested in lately. Now I need to go back and read the info on the sandbag training! The pdf file on sandbag construction did turn out to be posted in the link I posted originally but you're right... there's lots of other good stuff there that I would have missed otherwise. Thanks for the tip!

[nanook]

Sorry. Sometimes the smartass in me leaks out. I think sandbag training is great. I have done almost every exercise with a sandbag that you can do with a barbell. There are also many exercises that can be done with a sandbag and not a barbell. Shouldering and Zercher squats are two of my favorites with the sandbag. Sandbags work your grip harder than a barbell and they are safer(if you lose a lift, it is easy to just drop the sandbag). I know that people have a problem with calling an exercise functional, so I will just say that sandbag lifting is closer to real life situations, that is, no easy grip spot and unbalanced.

Brad, I saw your post on the other site and I would suggest that you get a old army duffel or a sandbag from Ironmind, K2, etc. Even if you duct tape the paper bag that the sand comes in, it will fall apart fairly quickly.

If you are looking for instruction, Ironmind sells a sandbag training manual and Ross Enamait's "Ultimate Training for the Ultimate Warrior" has a extensive section on sandbag construction and training. I would highly recommend Ross's book if you are seriously considering sandbag training. Good luck.

[Q.]

I'm still interested in learning more. You wrote "I would suggest that you get a old army duffel or a sandbag from Ironmind, K2, etc." Do you think that going down to the local Academy (are those nation wide?) and picking up a duffel bag is good enough? Did you read about duct taping the individual zip lock bags? Is that what you did?

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"If you are looking for instruction, Ironmind sells a sandbag training manual and Ross Enamait's "Ultimate Training for the Ultimate Warrior" has a extensive section on sandbag construction and training. I would highly recommend Ross's book if you are seriously considering sandbag training."

I guess that I feel that I don't know enough to know what I need. I'll research the articles provided a bit more but I don't know what else there is to do with one of these other than lift it and carry it...??? If you've done a lot of work with the sandbag, I'd love to hear more!

[Flim]

I got a sandbag kit from ironmind a few months back and have really gotten a lot out of it. It came with a sandbag training kit that goes into the many different things you do with sandbags (squats, deadlifts, turkish getups, holds, carries, bent-over rows, and so forth) and even includes several routines.

As someone else mentioned Ross Enamait has covered sandbag training in at least one book and on his site you can download his guide to making sandbags - just do a google search for 'enamait sandbag construction kit' and you'll find it.

Right now i'm trying his method of filling up a bunch of zip-lock bags and stuffing them into the large canvas bag that i got from Ironmind. Just want to see if that will make the weight a little more evenly distributed and also make it easier to adjust the total weight as needed.

You might want to go that route - try making a bag yourself as per Ross Enamait and maybe order the sandbag training manual from Ironsmind (called The Complete Sandbag Training Course) or get Ross's book. Also, Josh Henkin has a brand new sandbag manual out now that might be worth checking into as well.

[nanook]

Originally posted by Q:

Did you read about duct taping the individual zip lock bags? Is that what you did?

I have a old army duffel and one from Ironmind and I had both before I learned about the ziplock bag procedure. I think that the ziplock bag is a good way to go. The biggest problem that you get not using this method is sand leakage. This is particularly annoying when you are doing any overhead lift.

As far finding a military duffel, I would try one of those military surplus stores. I was in the military and got mine for free, so I am not sure what the going price is. The ones that you can from exercise equipment places are usually made from heavy duty nylon and tend to handle weather better than the canvas military bag. Handles might be an option to consider, also. You can rip your fingernails off using a heavy bag.

As far which book to get, I have the one from Ironmind and Ross's "Ultimate Training for the Ultimate Warrior" and if I had to pick just one book it would be Ross's. He has a whole section on sandbag training along with sled training, sledge hammer training and bodyweight stuff. He also has a forum where you can ask questions that he will answer personally and he encourages anybody to e-mail him with questions.

Hope this answers your questions.

[Q.]

Thanks to all for the replies!

[Chris Correia]

Good, Brad. Now check it all out and give me your report, so I don't have to go all over the place and research it.

And, thanks in advance! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Lost Dog]

Q,

I made mine somewhere in between the two plastic bag methods.

I used trash compactor bags, which are pretty thick. I filled them each with half a bag of sand (25lbs) and double bagged them, trimming the excess on the inside bag. I left the outside bag with a long piece of plastic, so I can use it as a grab handle. I made ten of these 25lbs bags.

I can load up my duffel with up to six of them right now. At some point, I'll need a larger duffel.

I can load two in my small backpack.

I also have two old canvas sacks that hold two bags each.

One of my favorite things to do is put all ten on the ground, and lift each up onto a counter, making a pile. Then, I reverse it, making a pile on the floor. You can do all sorts of movements: squatting, pressing, twisting, tossing up to the counter, etc. You can do them for speed or reps, too.

[Q.]

Cool! I like innovation. Or, should I say, I lack innovation since I didn't think of this myself! I did want to hear some support for doing it at all and it sounds like several people out there are using this training approach at times. That's what I need to know!

Thanks!