Friday, December 28, 2007

Putting it to the Test!

Nothing is better as a coach than seeing people actually applying concepts you are trying to teach. I truly become the most excited when I see people using my sandbags and ideas that I have provided. The feedback from other coaches always makes my day and here is another example. Here is a great video of Rick Mayo using our sandbags in his personal training clinic in Georgia.


Sunday, December 16, 2007

Monday, December 10, 2007

Sandbag Backpacking

A Weekend of Kettlebell Fun

This weekend was a great experience as we had our second kettlebell seminar of the year down in Tucson, Arizona. Ron and Jana Holland were very kind in hosting us at their wonderful facility SWAT Fitness.

What? Isn't this blog about sandbag training? You would be surprised. What got me into sandbag training was kettlebells. Back in 2002 I was introduced to kettlebells after being very frustrated with the lack of results I was getting for my clients and myself!

Kettlebells blew me away with the effectiveness and the time efficiency kettlebell training provided. It was not just the tool, but the training methodology behind kettlebells. I thought though, "what else is out there?" That is where my idea for sandbags came about.

After some time working with sandbags I found that combining both implements might be the perfect combination. The reason being that they are founded on some common concepts.

  • Train Movement over Muscles
  • Focus on Posterior Chain Involvement
  • Unilateral Loading to Increase Core Strength
  • Postural Training in a Functional Manner
  • Improvement on Endurance, Strength, Movement Coordination, and Improved
    Body Composition.
I will be posting some of my favorite programs combining both of these great implements (some are already outlined in Knockout! E-book). However, if you can't wait check out my latest article on combining kettlebells and sandbags.

Click and paste the link below to read:

http://tinyurl.com/2cst6x

Monday, December 3, 2007

Bootcamps and Sandbags

Bootcamp, bootcamp, bootcamp, it makes me feel like Jan Brady on the Brady Bunch! They are everywhere and seem to be more popular than ever! There are a few reasons that bootcamps have grown. The first is that they are a win, win for clients and coaches alike. They make training more often more financially viable for more people while still making it viable for coaches as well.

Secondly, the group atmosphere is always better. Who doesn't want to push themselves harder when they are around other people? We are all likely to push ourselves harder and perform one more repetition or go a little faster when we have a group around us that is pushing us a little bit more. In addition, what makes teams so beneficial for young people? The bonding and discipline that a group can exert more than just a single individual.

If you have never participated in a group class or bootcamp I challenge you to find one in your area and try them out. They are a fun way to maintain or improve your fitness and heck you may even see some of our sandbags in those classes! Sandbags lend themselves perfectly to groups because they are relatively easy to learn and can be adapted to so many different situations. See how some of these excellent coaches have applied our sandbags to their own bootcamps.