DIY Sandbag Workout

I wouldn’t consider myself a scrappy person, but I love to get down with a good DIY every now and then. A few trips to our family cottage left me craving outdoor, beachside workouts. What better way to maximize a body weight workout than with the sand beneath your toes…and in an old duffle bag?

DIY Sandbag 

Materials

1. Gym bag or duffle bag with a full zipper enclosure
2. Garbage bags
3. Sand

Instructions

1. Fill garbage bags with sand until you’ve hit your desired weight. It’s helpful to have several bags with the same-ish amount of sand so you can add or remove weight as you get fatigued, or need an additional challenge.
2. Knot filled bag, tightly.
3. Fill gym bag with desired amount of sand filled garbage bags
4. Get to work with the workout below

Workout

Complete 3 times with minimal rest. After all three sets have been completed, rest for 60 seconds. 

• 30 second beach sprint
• 15 bicep curls

Complete 2 times with minimal rest. After all three sets have been completed, rest for 60 seconds. 

• 50 Overhead walking lunges (25 each leg)
• 30 Knee drives (15 on each leg)

Complete 2 times with minimal rest. After all three sets have been completed, rest for 60 seconds. 

• 15 Deadlifts
• 10 Standing wood chops (5 on each side)

Complete 3 times with minimal rest. After all three sets have been completed, rest for 60 seconds. 

• 30 second beach sprint
• 30 halo rotations (15 each side)

How To’s

Sprint: Run on the beach as quickly as you can for 30 seconds. The friction and bit of instability beneath your feet will force you to engage your core and smaller stabilizing muscles throughout your abs an lower body.

Bicep Curls: Hold the bag with both hands and curl the bag from your hips to your shoulders. Don’t swing the bag or let it fall back to starting position. Focus on time under tension and complete each rep with control.

Overhead Walking Lunges: Hold the bag over your head. Perform walking lunges for the prescribed reps. Keep your shoulders engaged without letting your shoulders creep up to your shoulders. Engage your back and keep your butt underneath your body. Don’t let your hips or arms cock from right to left as you lunge.

Knee Drive: Load up all your weight on one foot and the sandbag in front of the same shoulder to weight bearing leg. Push off your heel of your weight bearing foot and drive the opposite knee into your chest as you rotate the sand bag to your knee.

Deadlift: Stand upright with your legs straight, all but locked out at the knee, holding the sandbag with both hands. Push your hips back, maintaining a soft knee until your hamstrings engage. Go as low as you can while keeping a flat back. You should ONLY feel this in your legs and core. NOT your lower back.

Standing Wood Chops: Hold the sandbag off to one side, starting above and outside the shoulder. In one motion pull the bag across your body from the shoulder down to the opposite hip by rotating your torso. Keep your back and arms straight and core tight while you pivot your back foot and bend your knees to get a full range of motion. Maintain stance and straight arms as you return to start.

Halo Rotation: Standing upright hold the bag at neck level. Keeping your elbows wide rotate the bag around your head with minimal movement throughout the core or lower body. A full 360 degree rotation is one rep.

Confession: You can do this workout with a kettlebell, a dumbbell or really anything load bearing. The beach/sand element does really eliminate any excuse not to get your sweat on while you’re on vacation…think about that.