5 Big Benefits Of Sandbag Training

Whether you train for strength, power, or aesthetics – you can benefit from sandbag training. Read our top 5 benefits of sandbag training, and how to add it into your programming.

How to use sandbags

Sandbags are a true functional fitness training tool. They’re heavy, awkward, and versatile as hell – ideal for carrying, lifting, loading, dragging and full-body work.

Get one sandbag and you have a training tool that can be used for strength and hypertrophy, power, fitness, and conditioning work. Training for a functional fitness competition? Your sandbag will be an amazing addition to your training programme? Want to get seriously strong whilst working through smaller muscle groups and imbalances? Use a sandbag. 

5 benefits of sandbag training

Adaptable and versatile

Sandbag training can be done at home, outdoors, in a garage gym, or at a commercial gym. You can use sandbag training solo or in pairs workouts or group circuits. 

Build stability with strength

Sandbags are awkward and uneven to lift and carry, and your body has to work hard to control the moving mass. This naturally builds stability alongside strength, which means you’ll be an all-round stronger and more robust athlete.

Build grip strength

Lifting and shifting a sandbag works all three types of grip strength (pinch, crush, and support) unlike other training tools. You’ll need to pinch the sandbag as you lift it, and crush and support it as you hold and carry it. Win/win/win!

Add challenge to workouts

Sandbag training is physically and mentally tough, which means it builds a different kind of strength than barbells and dumbbells. Sandbag exercises are a real challenge for your body to adapt to, and that’s exactly what we want in a lifelong dedication to fitness. 

Sandbags for sports performance

Whether you train for calisthenics, team sports, or solo sports challenges, adding sandbag training to your programming will build strength, power, speed, and endurance, as well as serious mental fortitude.

Why are sandbags good for strength training?

Barbells and dumbbells are great for building strength, but they leave some gaps that need to be filled by more awkward, uneven, and difficult to handle heavy objects. Sandbags fit the bill perfectly.

Multi-plane movements are key to building true all-round strength. In everyday life, we rarely move our bodies in one direction, so it’s important to train the frontal plane ad transverse plane as well as the more commonly-trained sagittal plane.

Sandbags build dynamic resistance as your body works hard to stay stable against the weight of an asymmetrical load. It also works your entire body as a unit every time you lift, regardless of what exercise you do. There’s no such thing as isolation work or accessory movements with a sandbag!

The best sandbags to buy online

Ready to add a sandbag to your home gym? It’s important to understand the different types available so you can choose the most suitable sandbag for your training goals.

Sandbags with handles (training sandbags) are the most versatile sandbags for strength, power, and conditioning work as the handles allow you to do a huge choice of different exercises. Our Gravity Fitness heavy duty sandbags are professional grade, made from ultra-durable 1050D nylon, and feature a number of handles at different positions on the bag. They’re available in small (max 20kg) and large (max 50kg). Just fill with sand and away you go!

Check out our sandbags at the Gravity Fitness online store.