Training With 100+ LB Sandbag

Love my Sandbells but I wanted to up the ante a bit and go even heavier and with only a few workouts, it feels awesome. Got some sand at a Ace Hardware store down the road and poured it into my 100 lb bag I've had for a while. Weighed it at 104.6 lbs. Just getting used to it and feeling it out was tough at first but knew I was strong enough to play with it. 

From carries to squats to overhead presses and more, this thing is making me work my ass off pretty well. Don't get sore all that much but I'm not killing myself with it either. With the carries, I marked 15 yards on the grass from the side of the house and would do a full revolution (30 yards) for however many times. One workout was 300 yards Bear Hug Style and another was 600 Yards doing shoulder to shoulder. Those exercises alone with a bag that heavy can make you rugged. 

Love going old school with this type of training and just sticking with one to a few exercises per workout and just hammer them. The last workout was 300 Total Yards & Over 1000 total pounds carried, 5x5 Deadlifts and 5x5 Overhead Presses. Might go for 100 Bear Hug Squats in sets of 10-12 reps but haven't decided yet or maybe I haven't reached that type of training yet but you'll never know. The idea is to see what's possible and work from there. 

Will I got even more say 150-200 lb? Someday but not anytime soon. Just working with this weight is still a great way to keep myself in shape. Sandbags are no joke and they can be brutal especially since they force you to work the stabilizer muscles and have the closest to training against a human. The transfer to regular weights is enormous and if you can easily work a 100 lb bag, you can work plenty of good weight with a barbell or dumbbell. One of the grips I use when I hold it in the bear hug position is the Gable Grip like in Grappling as I pull to keep the bag steady against my torso and work my back, shoulders and arms all at the same time as I Squat or Carry. It's a full body workout regardless of what you do. Just make it work for you.

I mostly use it for Strength Training and when it's needed, I rest long enough to go tackle the next set. These workouts can make you breathe harder than usual and quite hungry afterwards. If you want greater power in your training, a sandbag will do the trick plus if you're in wrestling or BJJ, you can do bag training by mimicking certain moves and throws as if you're going against an opponent, one of the oldest types of workouts around. Imagine building explosiveness in your throws, having insane grip strength, handle opponents like rag dolls or if you're a firefighter and able to carry a human being with ease out of the flames of a burning building. Strength Training with a Bag can be life saving.

This type of training is suited to the real world and being able to handle your own when it's called upon. Strength is more than just a look, it's having the ability to be strong enough to help others and not everyone picks on the rugged looking guy who can probably take your ass to the cleaners 6 ways to Sunday. Train to handle yourself but also be humble. You don't get strong to become an asshole bully, you become strong to have a greater quality of life and to make others feel safe. Get a Sandbag and see what you're capable of. Have an amazingly awesome day and check out the video below for some samples of exercises you can do. There are all sorts of exercises you can do but these few would get you started.