Sandbags, whether store-bought or homemade, are highly versatile and functional training tools that can help you simulate lifting exercises and load-bearing events that enhance the entire body. The entire core system, grip, legs and shoulders can benefit from this simple training tool. It simulates log PT, boat carries and buddy carries and is even part of the new Army Combat Fitness Test, which includes a sandbag event.
Here are several ways you can add sandbags to your training, plus the exercises that can help you better prepare yourself for a wide variety of load-bearing events in the military:
1. Put a Sandbag in a Backpack
If you are training to ruck in the military, don’t start by adding metal plates into a backpack only to find yourself bruised after several miles. Instead, put a sandbag into the backpack or radio pouch of an ALICE Pack (standard military issue). Our homemade version perfectly fits 45 to 50 pounds of sand in a duct-taped cube into the radio pouch of military-style backpacks.
2. Simulate Log PT
The ultimate team-building event in many military training programs requires six to seven people to lift and move together. Events such as overhead press-and-holds, chest-carry lunges, chest-carry situps, and shoulder-carry squats will challenge the best members of a team. You can simulate these events using a sandbag by yourself to build the core and leg strength and endurance needed to not feel crushed under the log. For more details on that log PT simulator classic (also for pictures of a sand baby). Make sure you practice chest-carry lunges and shoulder-carry squats, as you will do countless reps of these during log PT.
3. Shoulder-Carry Runs
Another event with the log is running as a group with the log on the team’s shoulder. You can simulate this with sets of 400- to 800-meter runs with a sandbag on your shoulder, as a log’s weight dispersed on six to seven people’s shoulders feels like 40 to 50 pounds.
4. Hot-Laps
Another challenging event is running in soft sand up and over sand berms. Whether done as a team under a log or as an individual with a sandbag, you will run with this weight in a chest-carry position for distances over a mile. This is specific to Naval Special Warfare (SEAL/Special Warfare Combat Crewman) training, but other units will do similar events with or without soft sand.
5. Weight Replacement
Supersets, AMRAPs (as many rounds or reps as possible), and max rep set-type circuits are classic ways to incorporate sandbags into a training routine. These will mix running, calisthenics, and sandbags to replace weights, making workouts tougher with minimal equipment. If your sandbag has handles, you can add clean-press, rows, deadlifts and farmer walks to replace barbells, kettlebells or dumbbells. You can add sand to these types of commercial sandbags while traveling with a canvas bag from companies such as GoRuck.com by just scooping up some sand to fill it.
6. Power Thruster Throws
To develop the ability to create power throughout your entire body, throwing sandbags can be a useful tool. It is recommended to throw the store-bought canvas bags, as the homemade duct-taped sandbags will be easily damaged with a throw. Grab the sandbag and place it shoulder high, squat down, and explosively jump and throw the sandbag as far as you can. You can also twist and throw the sandbag with your legs and torso to develop rotational power. These are full-body and core activities that can help prepare your body for a wide variety of load-bearing activities.
7. Bleacher or Hill Run
Making running harder with hills or bleachers is a standard progression with running. Adding weight to the bleachers and hills with a shoulder-draped sandbag or chest-carry sandbag can take this progression to another level. This type of workout can be mixed with squats and lunges when not climbing the bleachers or hills, making it a leg day that works the entire posterior chain and the heart and lungs.
Adding sandbags to a workout can serve as a supplemental plan that replaces weights when you do not have access to a gym. But they can also serve as an integral part of a resistance-training routine that mimics real-world tactical training when combined with calisthenics and running. For military prep, they replicate the unstable loads often encountered in real-life scenarios. Unlike traditional weights, sandbags shift during movement, forcing the body to engage stabilizing muscles and develop functional strength, grip endurance and core control. The versatility of these pieces of equipment is only limited by your imagination.
Check out the Military.com Fitness Section for more information on preparing for rigorous military training using a variety of homemade and store-bought equipment, or no equipment at all. These team-building activities can be simulated with sandbags and make up a large part of the military combat unit’s training. Be ready.
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