The ultimate guide to sandbag strength training

Sandbag strength training is one of the most fun ways to get strong.

Sandbags are tough, durable pieces of equipment that are meant to get dirty. That means they’re perfect for an outdoor workout.

One of my favorite Saturday morning workouts is taking my sandbag to the backyard. Then I do walking lunges from one side to the other. Or, I’ll rotate between cleans, push presses, and squats. If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll do one of the Outdoor Muscle sandbag workouts below.

That’s the beauty of the sandbag. They’re versatile!

Sandbags are also affordable. If you don’t have a lot of cash to work with, a sandbag is a great choice. Few pieces of equipment give you as much bang for your buck as the sandbag. 

Benefits of Sandbag Training 

Versatility: Sandbags are the first thing I recommend to anyone starting a home gym. They are versatile training tools that you can use for just about every kind of exercise.

Spend some time working out with a sandbag to ensure you enjoy exercising outside a gym. I’m confident you will. But just in case, don’t drop 10k on a home gym only to find out you don’t like working out at home.

Affordability: The average sandbag will cost you between 50 and 100 dollars. Not bad for a piece of equipment that will last you a long time and offer a ton of great workouts. 

Durability: Sandbags are meant to be thrown, slammed, and dragged. A well-built sandbag will last years, no matter how much abuse you put it through.

Portability: Sandbags are perfect for outdoor workouts. Throw your sandbag in the back of your truck or car and hit the road. I take my sandbag with me everywhere we go.

Performance: Sandbags are a great tool for improving athletic performance. Martial artists, wrestlers, and football players could all benefit from incorporating sandbags into their training sessions.

What are the Different Types of Sandbags?

Sandbags come in two types. The more common sandbag looks like a duffel bag. Inside the bag are modular filler bags. Outside are two soft-grip handles (or hard-grip, depending on the brand).

The other type of sandbag is the StrongMan sandbag. Strongman sandbags are cylindrical and heavier than traditional sandbags. Strongman sandbags are used for Strongman exercises, not standard resistance training exercises.

If you like Strongman exercises like sandbag carries and over-the-head throws, you will want this type of sandbag. A standard sandbag is a better option for traditional weight training and functional fitness movements.

Note: This article does not focus on Strongman exercises. I recommend checking out Allan Thrall from Untamed Strength for more information on this type of sandbag training.

Where Can You Buy a Sandbag for Weight Training?

Online sellers will have the most options for sandbags. Most sporting goods stores carry a limited selection of sandbags (if they carry them at all). Gym equipment companies like Rep, Rogue, GoRuck, Giant Lifting, and Brute Force make some of the best sandbags.

What are Some Good Sandbag Strength Training Exercises?

You can do most traditional barbell exercises with a sandbag. Plus, a lot more.

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Lower Body Sandbag Exercises

Squats: The sandbag squat is one of the best ways to get a leg workout using a sandbag. You can do any squat variation with a sandbag, including back squats, front squats, and the bear hug squat.

Lunges: Lunges are unilateral exercises that work the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. You can use a sandbag to do forward lunges, walking lunges, reverse lunges, and step-ups.

Deadlifts: Deadlifts build strength throughout the entire posterior chain, including the erector spinae (lower back), glutes, hamstrings, and lats. Feel free to use a heavy sandbag for the sandbag deadlift.

Good Mornings: Good mornings use the hip hinge movement pattern to work the lower back and hamstrings. The sandbag good morning is a good way to target the hamstrings when you don’t have a ton of equipment available.

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Upper Body Sandbag Exercises

Chest Press: The chest press works the sternal and clavicular attachments of the pectoral muscles. The triceps also perform a role in chest press variations.

You can use a sandbag to perform a bench press or floor press to work these muscles. If you have an adjustable bench available, you can raise it to target your upper chest with incline presses or lower it to target the lower chest with decline presses.

Overhead Press: Sandbags are great for working the anterior, medial, and posterior heads of the deltoids. You can do overhead presses with a sandbag, upright rows, and front raises with a lighter bag.

Curls: Who doesn’t love a good arm pump? Standard curls and hammer/reverse curls work the long and short heads of the biceps. You can do standing curls with the sandbag (palms facing up) or reverse curls (palms facing down).

Rows: Rows work the back muscles, including latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius. The biceps also have a role in rows. You can use sandbags for various rows, including standard bent-over rows (palms down), reverse rows (palms up), and seal rows.

Triceps Press: The triceps have three heads. The medial, lateral, and long head. You can torch all three with the sandbag by doing the standing overhead triceps press. Or, grab a bench or flat surface for some sandbag skull crushers.

Here are a few other strength and power exercises that work well with the sandbag.

Full Body Sandbag Exercises

Over-the-Shoulder Sandbag Throw

The over-the-shoulder throw is a workout unique to sandbags. It’s not something you can perform with a barbell or dumbbell. This exercise works the posterior chain, core, and arms.

Start in a deadlift position with your hips low, spine neutral, and chest up. Pick up the sandbag from the ground by the handles. Stand up, driving your hips forward. As you stand, throw the sandbag over one of your shoulders.

From the shoulder, allow the sandbag to fall to the ground. Repeat the movement, switching the shoulder you toss the sandbag over. Repeat alternating shoulders with each rep.

Sandbag Clean

Whether you use a barbell, kettlebell, or sandbag, the clean is one of the best power exercises. The sandbag is a great way to practice the clean before moving to the barbell.

The starting position is with the sandbag horizontal at your feet. Place your feet shoulder-width apart in a deadlift position. Grip the handles of the sandbag. Stand up like you are doing a deadlift. As you stand, flip the sandbag over into the front rack position. As you catch the bag in the rack, drop down and perform a front squat. Stand up. Flip the bag back down and lower it to the ground.

The front squat makes it a full clean. 

To make this move even more challenging, turn it into a cluster or clean + thruster. I have a complete guide on the cluster if you need to become more familiar with it.

Sandbag Push-Up One-Arm Drag Complex.

Drags are excellent for developing pulling power. There are a few different drag exercises you can do with a sandbag. The first is the push-up one-arm drag complex.

Start in a push-up position. Have a lighter sandbag positioned vertically close on one side. Keep your back straight. Keep your hips from dipping. Perform a push-up. Reach under your body with the opposite hand. Drag the sandbag to the other side of your body while stabilizing with the grounded hand. Perform another push-up and drag the sandbag to its original position on the other side of your body.

The second is the bear crawl drag.

The bear crawl is a fantastic exercise with many benefits for any fitness level. Using a sandbag takes this exercise to the next level. I recommend having a lot of space available when doing a sandbag bear crawl.

Place your hands on the ground in front of you below your shoulders. Bend your knees and keep your back straight. Make sure your knees are beneath your hips. Keep your toes planted on the ground with your heels elevated. Move your right hand forward. As you do, move your left leg forward. Don’t pause. Move your left hand and right leg forward.

Alternate between right hand/left leg and left hand/right leg. Determine the amount of distance you crawl before stopping. That distance is equal to one set.

Sandbag Turkish Get-Up 

The Turkish get-up can enhance any training program. How many muscle groups does the get-up work?

If you answered all of them, you are correct. The get-up is the definition of a full body workout. Doing the get-up with a sandbag is no walk in the park.

Start on the ground with a sandbag draped over one shoulder. Bend the knee on the side with the sandbag, placing the heel close to your butt. Extend the opposite leg out, making a 45-degree angle with your hips. Extend your opposite arm to the side. Roll to your opposite side. Come up on your elbow. From the elbow, come up onto your hand. From this position, bridge your hips up. Move your opposite leg back, placing your knee on the ground. From this position, transition to a half lunge. From the half lunge, stand up, bringing your feet together.

This is the halfway point.

Step back with the opposite leg and drop back to the half-lunge position. Drop the opposite hand down to the ground. Bring the opposite leg through, so you are back into the bridge position. Drop down to your hips. Then back to your elbow. Then, to the starting position.

Sandbag Lateral Throw

The lateral throw is a rotational exercise that you really can’t do with anything other than a sandbag. At least not without destroying your equipment. 

Hold a sandbag by the handles at your waist. Put your wait on your back foot just like when swinging a bat. As you transition the weight to your back foot, swing the sandbag back.

Now, transition the weight to your front foot while rotating your waist. Again, it’s just like swinging a bat. The sandbag rotates with your waist. Launch it and use the power from your hips.

Sandbag Thrusters

Thrusters are a popular exercise in the CrossFit community. They work multiple muscle groups, including the legs, shoulders, and core muscles.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the sandbag by the handles in the front rack position – cradled between your arms and shoulders. Your hands are back toward your shoulders, holding the sandbag in place.

Perform a front squat. Lower your body toward the ground, keeping your spine neutral.

Drive your knees outward. Stop when you drop just below parallel with the ground. Stand up and press the sandbag overhead. Lower the sandbag from the overhead position.

 Drop down into a front squat as the sandbag reaches the starting position at your shoulders.

Repeat.

What are Some Good Sandbag Workouts?

Here are five Outdoor Muscle sandbag circuits that will give you an excellent full-body workout.

Outdoor Muscle Sandbag Workout 1: Sandbag Pyramid

For time:

• 10 Sandbag Push-Up Drags
• 15 Sandbag bBack Squats
• 20 Sandbag Walking Lunges (10 on each side)
• 25 Sandbag Thrusters
• 20 Burpees Over Sandbag
• 15 Sandbag Rows
• 10 Sandbag Cleans

Outdoor Muscle Sandbag Workout 2: Sandbag 20’s

For time:

• 20 Sandbag Burpees
• 20 Sandbag Squats
• 20 Sandbag Over-the-Shoulders (10 on each side)

Outdoor Muscle Sandbag Workout 3: Ultimate Sandbag AMRAP

AMRAP in 17 minutes

• 5 Sandbag Front Squats
• 5 Sandbag Curls
• 5 Sandbag Overhead Press

Outdoor Muscle Sandbag Workout 4: Bad News Bears

AMRAP in 20 minutes:

• Bear Crawl 10 yards
• Sandbag Bear Complex
• Bear Crawl 10 yards

Outdoor Muscle Sandbag Workout 5: Gone in 30 Seconds

3 rounds/no time limit:

• 30 seconds Walking Sandbag Lunge
• 30 seconds Sandbag Clusters
• 30 seconds Sandbag Floor Press

Here are five CrossFit workouts that use sandbags for you to try.

Deligiannis (Memorial WOD)

For time:

• 100 Sandbag Turkish Get-Up

• 100 Sandbag Cleans

• 100 Sandbag Squats

• 100 Ground-to-Shoulder Loads

• 100 Sandbag Shoulder Presses

• 100 Sandbag Sit-Ups

• 1-mile Sandbag Run

• 100 Push-Ups

• 100 Pull-Ups

• 100 4-count Mountain Climbers

• 100 4-count Flutter Kicks

• 1-mile Sandbag Run

Bataan (GORUCK)

Nine rounds for time:

• 10 Burpees Over Sandbag

• 11 Sandbag Deadlifts (80/60 lb)

• 12 Thrusters with Ruck (30/20 lb)

• 13 Twists with Ruck (30/20 lb)

• 14 Standing Arm Circles (30/20 lb)

• 15 Neck Circles (Feet elevated position)

• 16 Sit-Ups with Ruck (30/20 lb)

• 170 meter March (30/20 lb)

Butters (Hero WOD)

For time:

• 1 mile Run

• 6 Tire Flips

• 17 Pull-Ups

• 1 mile Run

• 7 Kettlebell Snatches (53/35 lb)

• 15 Deadlifts (225/155 lb)

• 10 Sandbag Ground to Over-the Shoulders

The Pitt (Memorial WOD)

For time:

• 1-mile Sandbag Run (50/30 lb)

Then, Seven Rounds of:

• 30 Sandbag Back Squats (50/30 lb)

• 10 Sandbag Strict Presses (50/30 lb)

Then finish with:

• 1-mile Sandbag Run (50/30 lb)

Keenan

AMRAP in 19 minutes:

• 20 Sandbag Squats (30/20 lb)S

• 10 Sandbag Get-Ups (30/20 lb)

• 200-meter Sandbag Run (30/20 lb)

• 7 Burpees Over Sandbag

Make sure to subscribe to the Outdoor Muscle Newsletter and YouTube Channel for the latest fitness content!

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