In recent years, sandbags seem to have become all the rage in fitness circles.
Maybe I’m alone in this assessment (maybe people were always interested in using giant balls of sand to further their own suffering), but you have to admit that this type of training is incredibly popular these days.
…and I can understand why…it can be really challenging and it works.
However, not all sandbag training, and especially all sandbags, are created equally, in some cases, you gotta make a choice…especially if your sandbag WOD calls for a certain type of bag. Today, we’re going to discuss sandbag WODs that call for a bag like the one on the left (if you’re looking for a sandbag WOD with one on the right, check out our upcoming list of the best ones):
Yeah, I know; it looks a little bit tougher to manage than that one on the right. It doesn’t have handles, doesn’t rack well on the shoulders, and…it’s just harder to deal with.
However, this is the bag you’re most likely looking to be handling if you participate in CrossFit and the workout of the day calls for a sandbag. Although GORUCK might be having something to say about this due to their relationship with CrossFit, until further notice, assume these balls of doom are what you’re working with…
…and with that resounding and inviting intro aside, let’s get to the Top 6 Sandbag WODs (involving circular sandbags).
Table of Contents
Top 6 Sandbag WODs (Circular Bag)
If you’re short on time and want to know the top workout; check out the final entry on our list. It’s…interesting to say the least.
Fettig
Equipment: Assault Bike, circular sandbag, wall ball
A 50-pound sandbag may not seem all that heavy, but 120 reps of throwing them over your shoulder…yeah, that’ll start to add up. Also, you have to consider how you’re gonna feel when you start each set of 30 after busting out 40 calories on the Assault Bike.
Man…I hate wall balls more than anything, but they may be the “easiest” part of this one…crazy to think!
Ski-bag
Equipment: Ski Erg, circular sandbag
Only 50 calories on the Ski Erg…total. That doesn’t seem so bad, right?
Well, when you supplement that with 50 heavy sandbag squats… well… just hope that you never have to put that bag down. Granted, if you watch the video below, it’s certainly possible to finish the workout…and to finish it fast…
…if you happen to be the fittest woman on Earth, that is…
Sentinel Training 60 – June 14, 2014
Equipment: Pull-up bar, circular sandbag
For this one, all you need is a pull-up bar and a sandbag…doesn’t get much more clear cut than that, right?
Yeah…that’s pretty much what I thought before taking this one on. I can’t tell you when I’ve ever looked forward to burpee pull-ups as much as I did in this workout.
(…and yeah…I set the bag down on those squats…a few times…)
Sandbag DT
Equpment: Circular sandbag
Have, like, 10 square feet to work out in and a 150-pound sandbag? Congratulations; you have all that you need to take on the sandbag version of DT! Granted, it’s perfectly fine if you want to take it on with a smaller, lighter bag. After all, look how much trouble perennial CrossFit Games competitor Dan Bailey had with it.
When a dude who has five top-10 appearances makes things look difficult…don’t be upset if you have to scale!
2023 CrossFit Semifinals Workout 7
Equipment: Echo Bike, pull-up bar, circular sandbag
Those Echo Bike cals aren’t so bad.
20 toes-to-bar…I can do those unbroken without too much trouble.
…but 200-pound sandbag carries…man…I don’t care if it’s “only” 60 feet…that bag is heavy!
I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that this was the final event of the 2023 CrossFit Semifinal competitions.
Rogue Bearhug Challenge
Equipment: Circular sandbag
You get a heavy, circular sandbag and hold it for as long as possible (if you hold it for long enough, you get a bunch of prize money and other stuff, as well!) Apparently, some people have held it for close to 20 minutes, which is especially crazy when considering that a legit CrossFit Games athlete (Colton Mertens) could only hold it for a couple of minutes:
Granted Colten isn’t the biggest guy, but man…tough stuff. If you want to get an excellent core workout in, and possibly win some prizes, keep your eye out for the next iteration of the Bear Hug challenge.
3 Reason Why You Need Sandbags in your Life
As we’ve seen from these top sandbag WODs, there is a pretty good amount of diversity between these exercises. However, they all have a few key aspects in common:
Inexpensive
Yeah, I know. A Concept2 rower, Echo Bike, or Ski Erg can be a little expensive. However, the bags themselves are very inexpensive considering the array of exercises you can perform with them. If you really don’t want to put out for a machine, just stick to the 2 WODs discussed that only require a bag (or the third that only requires a bag and a pull-up bar).
Minimal Space Requirements
So you’ve decided to pick up a rower, bike, or Ski erg. Well…even with that extra piece of equipment, you can still reasonably complete most of these workouts in half of a one-car garage. Heck, for the sandbag-only workouts, you can complete them in the corner of the garage!
Build Massive Core Strength
Every time you lift or move with a one of those giant bags, you better be bracing (don’t worry; you’ll likely do it by default) and if you want to be able to hold the bag for any amount of time, you better be open to developing a solid core. The good news? Working with sand is exactly what you need to do to forge your own iron core and mid-section. So even if you don’t necessarily want to build this core strength, remember…
Go Pound Sand!
Yeah, I know; not the most original name for a concluding paragraph. However, if you’ve ever been the one responsible for loading up your sandbags, especially if they’re those really compact ones, you should completely understand where I’m coming from.
If you’re lucky enough to have never had to do this and have no idea what I’m talking about, good for you; more energy (and sanity) for completing our top sandbag WODs!
