Blow Up YOUR Training!
One of my colleagues recently gave me a tip to really don’t hold back on how I really feel about my program. Trying to be diplomatic and afraid to be too commercial always scares me. I don’t want people turned off because of my enthusiasm, but it is the truth, I LOVE sandbag training.
Most people simply do not give it the respect it deserves. Sure they will do some shouldering, maybe a zercher squat, but that is about it! The problem is that people are stuck, they are stuck in how they train, move, and try to get more fit. Sandbags give you a chance to let loose and think outside of the world of barbells, dumbbells, and yes, even kettlebells.
The classic power clean gives us a chance to demonstrate this very fact. I love the power clean because it teaches great movement qualities. It teaches how to achieve triple extension which is critical in power development, there is the training of the hamstrings, glutes, and low back in a synergistic manner which is vital, and it can quickly become an amazing power exercise.
Yet, most people see the power clean in a very singular way, the sandbags offer some really unique variations:
1. We can add rotation to the clean which is where most power movements actually occur.
2. There is some accommodating resistance that comes from the fact you have to keep accelerating to get the bag over the shoulder or some of the other variations.
3. There is instability that challenges all the muscles to work overtime!
4. We add more of a gripping option which strength legends like Brooks Kubik state “works the grip more than barbells ever could!”
Above are 16 awesome variations of the clean, all used for different reasons. I cover this in our L.I.F.T. certification, but try to simply replace your standard power drills with one of these and see the difference!!!
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Stephen
Josh,
Awesome stuff!
But I have to tell you that I really can do all of those movements/exercises with my homemade stuff.
Everything you did I have homemade sandbags, trx, bulgarian training bag, etc.
I love your stuff, don’t get me wrong, and you are correct in what difference sandbag training makes as compared to other modes of training do.
Keep up the great work.
Josh Henkin
Stephen,
I respectfully disagree. You can do some of these movements, but they would be very limited. Most homemade sandbags are not going to have the length of our advanced package. Other homemade sandbags will not have the fluidity to move with you in these movements. It is also very hard to clean a sandbag to the fists as you would have to with a homemade sandbags. While I guess possible, would definitely lead to bloody knuckles. I would have a very hard time thinking the cable and band exercises could be used with homemade sandbags as well. Our bags are designed to have these attachments so even if you DID do this to a homemade bag I doubt it would flow well. Movements such as the overhead chop I have never seen attempted with homemade bags either. While some of these are possible, the ability to change the weight, have specific dimensions and control the flow makes a huge difference in the training of sandbags.