So, you either just bought a sandbag or are seriously considering it. Either way, you may be unsure of how to use it or what exercises to start with. Luckily, I got you covered. Here’s the perfect beginner sandbag workout.
The Workout
This routine will require you to have some way of efficiently taking away and putting back weight into your sandbag. To make it easier I suggest purchasing sandbag fillers or create and weigh out your own. This can be done by filling gallon-size plastic bags with sand and writing how much weight approx. is in each bag. You can then take out and add weight during your workout.
This workout will consist of four supersets. A superset is a set of exercises that are performed back to back with no rest in between. Each superset should be performed three times before progressing to the next one. You should rest around 90 seconds after each set and perform this workout three days a week. Make sure you are consuming proper nutrition and getting adequate amounts of sleep to allow your body to recover. During the first week, however, your body will be sore and need more time to recover.
Superset 1 (3 Sets)
1a. Deadlift 8-10 reps
1b. Overhead Press 8-10 reps
Superset 2 (3 Sets)
2a. Ground Bag Press 8-10 reps
2b. Skull Crusher 8-10 reps
Superset 3 (3 Sets)
3a. Zercher Squat 8-10 reps
3b. Squat Jumps 10 reps
Superset 4 (3 Sets)
4a. Single Arm Row 8-10 reps
4b. Sandbag Curls 10-12 reps
The order of the supersets does not matter, but I suggest you start with Superset 1 because it is probably the most difficult.
Conclusion
This is a very challenging workout and I suggest being humble with the weight. Cumulative fatigue will add up fast and if you push the weight too high you won’t be able to finish the workout. Don’t let this intimidate you though. Your body will quickly adapt to this workout and you will be able to increase the weight over time. Just because this is a beginner workout, doesn’t mean it won’t be difficult. If you are an experienced lifter you can still do this workout because the sandbag is inherently unstable and will require you to use your muscles in a way they aren’t used to. But, if you need more of a stimulus try performing this workout 4 times a week. Good luck!