SANDBAG TRAINING: WHY?
You all know how much I LOVE the sandbags! This past July I was introduced to Josh Henkins (developer of the Ultimate Sandbag Training) and his dynamic variable resistance training program. I am hooked! Since July I’ve been playing with the many different exercises, progressions, regressions, and combinations. I can honestly say it’s challenging, but super rewarding! Besides feeling so empowered when I’m done (yay!!), my strength has improved. Specifically, my core strength. I’m more balanced in my muscles – meaning, my back muscles no longer take over for my ab muscles! Although I do stumble often when doing the exercises (I’m still learning!), it’s not as much as before. They’re bulky. They’re odd shaped. The weight shifts. They’re cumbersome. All of that is what makes them unique and dynamic, which is why you improve so much! There are so many ways to change the intensity of the sandbag while using the same bag! This makes it super versatile and ever challenging. You won’t get bored and your body won’t get bored. Below is a quote (a long one) from the program. They say it much better than I can, so. . .
“In the full-contact arena, athletes contend with an ever-shifting set of challenges: sudden changes in velocity, power, force, weight, and energy-demand. The athlete needs to withstand powerful 
blows directed at any part of the body, to accelerate and decelerate at a moment’s notice, to strike back with blinding power and to remain stable in a highly unstable environment. The athlete needs to be this dynamic-while simultaneously minimizing the risk of personal injury. He needs a cat’s agile movement skills, a bull’s rock-like strength and a stallion’s enduring power. The rest of us are “everyday athletes”. Yet-while the level of physical challenge may be less intense-we can still strive to cultivate the same foundational movement skills, the same foundational strength and the same foundational power. Because we want to be in the best shape we can be-to be truly fit for anything life throws at us…high-energy, less prone to injury, more capable, more self-reliant, vigorous and physically appealing. After years of frustration and years of diligent applied-research, Josh designed a very specific type of sandbag device-and formulated a remarkably thorough training system-which has proven to meet exactly those functional athletic needs. As the name implies, Dynamic Variable Resistance Training (DVRT™) prepares ANY athlete to handle whatever challenge comes their way-with a far greater likelihood of success and with a much-reduced chance of injury.”
blows directed at any part of the body, to accelerate and decelerate at a moment’s notice, to strike back with blinding power and to remain stable in a highly unstable environment. The athlete needs to be this dynamic-while simultaneously minimizing the risk of personal injury. He needs a cat’s agile movement skills, a bull’s rock-like strength and a stallion’s enduring power. The rest of us are “everyday athletes”. Yet-while the level of physical challenge may be less intense-we can still strive to cultivate the same foundational movement skills, the same foundational strength and the same foundational power. Because we want to be in the best shape we can be-to be truly fit for anything life throws at us…high-energy, less prone to injury, more capable, more self-reliant, vigorous and physically appealing. After years of frustration and years of diligent applied-research, Josh designed a very specific type of sandbag device-and formulated a remarkably thorough training system-which has proven to meet exactly those functional athletic needs. As the name implies, Dynamic Variable Resistance Training (DVRT™) prepares ANY athlete to handle whatever challenge comes their way-with a far greater likelihood of success and with a much-reduced chance of injury.”YOU are an athlete. You may not compete or get paid for your athletic prowess, but you are an every day athlete. You are training for improvements in function, daily life, movements, strength, etc. These are qualities everyone needs. May this help your inner athlete bust out!