If you’re interested in building strength, muscle, and raw power fast but aren’t willing to shell out tons of money for a gym membership or expensive Olympic weights for a home gym, consider sandbag training. Sandbags — the things that builders use to shore up fences and coastal towns to prevent flooding during hurricane season — are cheap to have, and the awkwardness of handling them makes them perfect for hard workouts that work your core and fast Build muscles. Too many people these days choose the easy way. They’d rather do bicep curls with twelve-pound weights than actually train their bodies. Sandbag training trains your body by engaging muscles you didn’t even know you had, resulting in quick functional strength gains and is a great weight loss workout.
The best thing about sandbags as a training tool is their low cost. You can get empty sandbags for less than a dollar each at your local hardware store, and then all you have to do is find sand or gravel or buy cement to fill your sandbag. When you’ve filled your bag, zip up the top (usually next to the sandbags at the hardware store). Sandbags are malleable and shapeless, so they fit pretty much anywhere in your home. If you plan to keep them indoors, you should double-bag your sandbag to prevent leakage. For a more durable sandbag you can always fill a duffel bag or even use a special sandbag specifically designed for training (although these will be considerably more expensive). Whatever you choose, you’ll get high-quality home-made exercise equipment at an affordable price.
Two great strength building punching bag workouts that will stress your system and quickly build strength and muscle can be done in the privacy of your home. The first is the sandbag engine. Hold the sandbag up on your chest with two hands, one on each side, and use your chest to push and support the bag. Squat down and push the punching bag overhead as you return to the starting position. Bring it back to the starting position and crouch again. To repeat. Since the punching bag will weigh about 60 pounds at most, opt for high reps and a high intensity. This will work your shoulders, core, lower body and chest while also working up a sweat and increasing your muscular endurance. For an extra kick, throw the punching bag over your head instead of just squeezing it.
Next up is the sandbag burpee. First, get into the push-up position with the sandbag aligned under your head. Do a push-up, then crouch down. Grab the sandbag and then go into a sandbag booster, push yourself up with your legs and push the sandbag over your head (or even throw it in the air). Come back down and get back into the push-up position. Repeat this as fast as you can, and you’ll be building endurance and building muscle fast in no time. A visual example can be found here Sandbag Burpee Video … but be warned, it’s pretty intense!
So if you can commit to spending a few bucks and taking about fifteen minutes out of your busy day, you can have an intense, original workout that builds strength and muscle fast.
Thanks to Mark Sisson
