Strongman sandbags buyers guide
1. What Is a Strongman Sandbag and Who Is It For?
A strongman sandbag is a heavy, non-rigid training tool used for functional strength and conditioning. Unlike machines or barbells, sandbags shift, sag, and fight back — making every rep more demanding and realistic.
Who are they for?
• Athletes training for real-world strength
• Strongman and CrossFit competitors
• Anyone wanting brute-force conditioning
• Garage gym or outdoor trainers after a minimal, portable solution
If you want to be stronger in the way life actually demands — picking up awkward, heavy things and moving them — a sandbag belongs in your training.
2. Are Strongman Sandbags Effective? (Why Train with Them)
Yes — few tools build full-body, grip-heavy, awkward strength like a sandbag. Unlike balanced weights, sandbags test your ability to stabilise, adapt, and grind through each lift.
Benefits include:
• Builds brute strength across shoulders, hips, core, and grip
• Improves real-world “carry and haul” capacity
• High metabolic conditioning and cardio benefit
• Scalable and adjustable loading
• No fancy gym required — just you and the bag
If kettlebells and barbells build controlled strength, sandbags build unforgiving strength.
3. Types of Sandbags (And Which One Is Right for You)
Traditional Fitness Sandbags
• Usually come with handles and internal filler bags
• Good for light conditioning, but not built for real-world loads
• Can tear, leak, or feel unbalanced at high weights
Gravity Strongman Sandbags
• Built for serious load — up to 100kg+
• No handles — forces proper grip and real strength
• Reinforced seams, industrial-strength zipper, inner liner to prevent leaks
• Fill with dry sand or rubber crumb for safe loading
• Designed to be picked up, carried, thrown, loaded, and dragged
Verdict: Gravity’s Strongman Sandbags are for people who train hard. Not watered-down fitness toys — just raw, rugged strength tools.
4. Which Type of Sandbag Is Best for You?
• New to sandbag training? Start with a 40–60kg bag and build up
• Want to train explosive carries or throws? Use 20–40kg bags for speed and control
• Building brute strength? Load 80–100kg+ and practice bear hugs, cleans, and shoulder loads
Gravity bags are adjustable — so you can scale the weight by changing the fill. Buy heavier than you need now and grow into it.
5. What Are the Downsides of Sandbags? (And Who Should Avoid Them)
They’re not easy — and that’s the point.
Possible downsides:
• Technique matters — bad form = quick fatigue or strain
• Not as precise as barbells or dumbbells
• Can leak if using poor-quality filler or overloading
• Requires space (and maybe a tarp or mat) for outdoor training
Also: don’t use builders’ sand — it’s damp and wrecks bags. Stick with dry play sand or rubber crumb.
6. How Often Should You Train with a Sandbag?
• Strength focus: 2–3x per week in rotation with barbell or bodyweight days
• Conditioning: 1–2x per week with high-rep carries, throws, or intervals
• Skill sessions: Practice loading, shouldering, and carries at low volume more frequently
They’re brutal — so recover accordingly. Think sprints, not marathons.
7. What Exercises Work Best with a Strongman Sandbag?
• Cleans: From floor to chest — full-body power
• Shoulder Loads: Pick up and dump onto alternate shoulders
• Carries: Bear hug walks, Zercher carries, overhead carries
• Squats: Front-loaded sandbag squats for core and legs
• Throws: Short-distance explosive tosses
• Loads to Platform: Mimics strongman stone loading
Combine with ring or bar work for a brutal push/pull session — or throw on a Gravity weighted vest for a full-body warzone.
8. What Equipment Works Well with Sandbags?
Maximise your training with:
• Weighted Vests: Add load to carries and squats for next-level intensity
• Parallettes: Great for push-focused strength on days between heavy sandbag work
• Resistance Bands: Prime shoulders, hips, and core before lifting
• Pull-Up Bars: Mix heavy cleans with upper-body pulls for brutal contrast sessions
• Gym Rings: Build movement control between raw sandbag strength sessions