Josh Henkin's: Sandbag Fitness Systems

Check Out Our New Sites!

2010-01-20T05:58:00.000-08:00

Check out our New Site: http://henkinfitnesssystems.com !!

Want to save 25% on ANY of our Ultimate Sandbag products? You can do it now by signing up to be a fan on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/sportsperformancetraining

It's GOTTA BE the Program

2010-01-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

I would feel dishonest, unfair, and untrue if I just showed exercise after crazy exercise to you. Just throwing a bunch of exercises together with some reps and sets really doesn't make a program. Sure, you might get results for a little while just by providing a good effort. Don't worry though it won't be long till the progress plateaus and little aches and pains arise.

Yea, I sound like the glass half empty guy right? Well, maybe it is because I am so tired of people online throwing out random workout. Hey, I like variety and to tell you the truth rarely follow a very set routine. However, I do like to look at a training week and plan some goals.

Ask any successful coach that has actually made long-term progress with clients and they will tell you the same thing, planning is key. How might you make a week of training?

I personally think most people can not handle more than four days of intense training. So, here is how a week may look:

Day 1: Priority of volume with intensity. Options: Density or Ladders

This can be followed by some assistance work done in a circuit style, I personally like intervals for this part of the routine.

Day 2: Power Circuit Training. This is an opportunity for people to work in patterns of motion that they typically don't get with strict strength work. Rotational movements, different lunging patterns, crawling, are all great options within this training session. Typically this is higher repetition work but a more moderate intensity.

Day 3: Strength Focus. Why so late in the week? Generally most people need a significant time building tendon and ligament strength as well as fix muscle imbalances before they place too much emphasis on heavy lifting. Ignoring this rule usually leads to some nasty pain or injury. Lots of interesting ways to develop strength with sandbags though.

Waves: Perform a series of reps in compound movements like clean and press: 1/2/3/3/2/1 the first series is lighter than the second series building upwards.

Clusters: Perform one set with approximately 10 seconds in between till all the "mini-sets" are done. For example, Zercher squats of 5 mini-sets of 2 with 90 seconds of rest after. You can repeat this two to three more rounds.

Day 4: Pure Intervals. This time will help speed up the recovery of the strength focus routine because it will have much lighter loads. The idea is to work up to eventually 60 seconds of work but you can start as low as 15 seconds.

Above is a video of what a Day 1 might look like!

What to do first?

2010-01-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

What should I do first? What program should I be doing? It should be the first question anyone asks when they begin a training program. Sure you can listen to the grunters and screamers that tell you to "JUST DO IT!" However, often "just lifting" gets you only so far.

Having a plan and goals goes a lot further in long-term success than just trying to beat yourself up. Sure you see some initial results, but then you hurt, you plateau, and eventually become very frustrated.

Where to start then? First is to be realistic how often you can train. I tell people don't try to get every day, just try to see how many days you can commit to and stick with. Decide the best place for you to train. Some people love the gym, it is an escape from everything, others love being at home for the convenience.

Why does this matter? It will depend on what equipment you have available and how you might structure a routine. Some people may have cables, bands, squat racks, bumper plates available, while others may have a few kettlebells, sandbags, and a TRX. Neither is right, it is whatever keeps you motivated and focused.

What is your goal? Do you want to achieve certain lifts, body weight, body fat, heal some aches/pains? I usually recommend people choose two non-competitive goals. For example, it is hard to squat 1000 pounds if you only want to weigh 200 pounds. However, you may want to shoulder a 175 pound sandbag, but lose 10% body fat. That is definitely possible.

Identify what obstacles you may foresee. The truth is we are all going to face challenges to our goals. See how many of these you have control over and what might be things you have to work around.

Tell others of your goals, it often makes people more accountable if they tell important people in their lives about what they are trying to accomplish.

Tomorrow, I will talk about how to structure a week of training that anyone can adapt to have variety and focus!

Get the week off right, identify your goals, know where you are going to train, what obstacles will you face?

In Strength,

Josh Henkin, CSCS

http://henkinfitnesssystems.com

Don't Miss This

2010-01-14T16:09:00.000-08:00

Monday! That is the day our new websites go up and things will change forever! I am so excited about the growth of our program and we are changing things, BIG TIME!! People from all over the world are getting involved and it will be very exciting to show all of your how we are changing for the better. I have to hold myself back from showing you all the great new programs we have coming.

We are also so close to being caught up for 2010 in other ways. You have all been very helpful in assisting us with our Over Stock Sale! That is why we are going to continue it just for a few more days. Monday, this sale will be no more.

Just use coupon code 1976 and save 25% on these products that means $50 on our Advanced Ultimate Sandbag Package!!!!

Advanced Package Black: Buy Now : $149.99

Advanced Package Camouflage: Buy Now : $157.99

Advanced Black Shell: Buy Now : $67.99

Advanced Camouflage Shell: Buy Now : $74.99

Pink Power Package: Buy Now : $82.99

Pink Shell: Buy Now : $41.99

35 pound filler white liners: Buy Now : $18.99

We Have the Edge

2010-01-13T06:17:00.000-08:00

Most people are just flat out confused! They are a little familiar with powerlifting, a bit with Olympic lifting, ok, know some "functional" exercises and they try to jam it all together into a big mess. You see most people feel like they don't have the power to change things. They have to deal with the status quo and use what little they may know about different training methods.

However, we have the edge! We are actually seeing the needs of our clients and creating programs, exercises, and tools that address those needs. It makes coaching so much better to use these methods to address specific needs rather than trying to squeeze people into such a confined philosophy box.

Our certifications and workshops are about to launch for the new year and one of the biggest concepts I could teach people is to look at adding complexity to movements. Sure, if you are a powerlifter try to squat 600 pounds, but all the research shows that it isn't the strongest athletes that are the best, it is the most powerful athletes.

One of the most underused ways to develop power, athleticism, and fitness is through more complex movement patterns. Sure, I have seen the goofy exercises, but I am not talking about those where people stand on one leg and scratch their nose while they try to curl a dumbbell. I am talking about adding force from different angles of the body while moving in sometimes explosive means.

The Ultimate Core Strap and Ultimate Sandpack have definitely open the door to a lot of cool new exercises. So, while our new sites are ALMOST here, I wanted to share some initial ideas with the two videos above. We can resist movement, produce movement, and this all results in an amazing training stimulus that nothing else can replicate!

Watch these videos, try the metabolic workout and you will see what I mean.

We are close to our new sites, so until they go up, you can get these great tools here!!!

Ultimate Core Strap: $29.99: Click Here

Ultimate SandPack (back pack): $169.99: Click Here

Serious Strength Training

2010-01-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

I admit it! I was definitely one of those coaches that believed to have a real, serious, focused training facility I had to have all the usual suspects. Primarily squat racks, bumpers, Olympic bars, etc. C'mon, isn't that what a strength coach should have in his/her facility?

However, if I had to do it over again, I would have!!! While my philosophy of training has not changed how to address it has. If you asked me how to build really solid strength seven years ago I would have said heavy deadlifts, squats, and presses. Now, I would have a completely different perspective. There seems to be so many more options since tools such as sandbags, suspension training, and kettlebells have become available tools.

Now I look at a strength program and not only do I see new opportunities to create strength programs that not only help the weight on the bar, but keep movement abilities as a top priority as well. Too many times when people try to lift more they sacrifice both their athleticism and health. Sure, people can increase the amount they can lift on the bar, but how do you feel? Banged up? Tight? Stiff? I was that person too!

But wait?! How do you get stronger when the weights of sandbags, kettlebells, and suspension units can't come close to what you can put on a bar? Ah, there are numerous ways....

1. Take your same type of movements and change the leverage. For example, start with bear hug squats, move to zercher squats, then shoulder squats. By changing the leverage you change the weight your body feels and can make a lighter weight feel much heavier!

2. Change the speed of movement. Once the tempo of a repetition was really specific. While we have gotten away from that, you can still manipulate a repetition by decreasing how fast you lower a weight, where you add pauses, how fast you try to lift the weight.

3. Alter stability of the exercise. Instead of lifting from a very stable base, try changing the base of support. When you press overhead go from different positions such as a lunge. Rather than just performing a power clean, work on a staggered stance power clean.

Rather than just talking about all the ways, here is a strength workout I performed recently with the same training tools we are talking about.

Out Run the Police?

2010-01-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

This week I got a very cool email from one of the most respected people in the fitness and bodybuilding industry, Will Brink. I laughed to myself as one of the first books I ever owned was a Will Brink book!

Well, I was incredibly excited to hear that Will was working with SWAT teams in the Northeast. Even more exciting was that he told me that they were using our Ultimate Sandbag quite a bit as part of their training.

Such news gets me pumped because with all the "warrior" training talk that gets thrown around our military, police, fire, and other emergency groups are the real warriors. Getting fit or healthy is great, but to train when your life REALLY does depend upon it is a whole different thing.

Check out some of the great videos Will sent me of their training!

Don't forget our Over Stock Sale will end soon! Take advantage of it.

Use COUPON CODE 1976 to save 25%:

Advanced Black Packages: Click Here

Advanced Camouflage Packages: Click Here

Power Pink Packages: Click Here

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Over Stock Sale!

2010-01-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! We are all caught up after spending much of the holiday season setting up things for our big 2010 push. This meant changing fulfillment, organizing new products, and making sure we are setting up our new systems just right. I am sure some of you went through similar things.

For those of you that have, you know you always find the unexpected, sorta like spring cleaning. Well, we found something pretty surprising. Some boxes that were thrown to the side of the warehouse and threw off our inventory completely!!

Well, that messes up a lot so we want to move some of our overstocked items. What are those? We found a good amount of our Advanced Black and Camouflage sandbags as well as our Power Pinks and 35 pound white liners!

So, we wanted to do something special to help us and YOU! For a limited time we wanted to give our loyal newsletter list a special. If you order either one of these products and use COUPON CODE 1976 you will save 25% on any of these four items.

Save 25%:

Large Black Shell: Click Here

Advanced Black Package: Click Here

Large Camouflage Shell: Click Here

Advanced Camouflage Package: Click Here

Pink Power Package: Click Here

Pink Shell: Click Here

35 pound White Liners: Click Here

I know, it is crazy but it is one of those things of running your own businesses. Mistakes happen, but take this opportunity to save big on great products and help us! This will be only for a week as we expect to be caught up fast!!! Don't miss out.

I'm So Proud of Her

2010-01-06T07:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a pretty big day! My wife, Jessica, flipped our 200 pound tire ten times. Normally I wouldn't be so excited, but Jessica is an unusual case. You see Jessica has suffered 5 disc herniations in her back and as long as I have known her has had bad back pain.

She isn't new to exercise either, she has been a physical therapist for quite some time so if anyone knew how to deal with such injuries it was her! However, treating other people and treating yourself can be two very different things.

After hearing about her back problems for some time and really wanting to help I couldn't wait till Jessica gave me an opportunity to share what I knew about bad backs to help her. After all, anyone that has had a bad back knows that having the pain come back is the worst feeling.

Eventually I did gain her trust though and we started with very basic movements. We had to teach her how to activate her hamstrings and glutes. She had to learn how to pivot at her hips and not her low back. Teaching how to lift with the legs and stabilize the low back was no easy task either.

To be honest, we would have some set backs, but she did notice herself becoming stronger and stronger and more stabile. That is why after a year of working on her instabilities, muscle imbalances, and movement patterns she could lift the 200 pound tire quite easily and with no pain.

I write this not just because I am incredibly proud of the work she has put into her rehab, but also because people write me all the time asking what do I REALLY DO? for my training. To be very honest it is the many times the same programs that you see me write about all the time. In fact, in the new INFERNO! DVD some of the workouts and many of the exercises are the same ones that I used with Jessica at different stages in her comeback.

Pre-sale lasts a few more days. Pick-up YOUR copy with a special surprise inside.

Just $24.99

New Inferno DVD

2010-01-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

It is finally on the way! Our NEW Inferno DVD is one of the best "Get in Shape Fast!" workout programs you can perform. I joined forces with my good friend Nick Radonijic to bring real life fitness to all of you! This is a two DVD set that contains full instructions and four follow along workouts that will test every aspect of your fitness abilities. These are no joke workouts that help you shred fat fast and get into incredible shape in no time!

This week is our presale, you can get Inferno for JUST: $24.99!!!

Ships out Friday!

New Workouts for the New Year

2010-01-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

Starting to accomplish those 2010 goals means putting them into motion as soon as possible. The past week I began showing you 50 unique upper body exercises, such drills besides being amazingly effective make training fun again.

Being motivated and consistent often means having new challenges, this new year of 2010 has already started off with a bang with new training tools to compliment our Ultimate Sandbag to bring you dynamic training routines.

Nothing feels better than regaining athleticism or actually ACHIEVING your training goals. Using workouts like the one above brings fun new challenges and excitement to training. It is a great way to start off the new year! Wait, tomorrow will be one more new big release!!!

More Challenging Upper Body Exercises

2009-12-29T17:11:00.000-08:00

My challenge continues with another 10 upper body exercises. Now we are up to 20 awesome sandbag training drills. What do I like about these exercises so much? They allow us to train in ways that are just not possible with other fitness tools.

You will see the overhead press with cable attachment is something brand new. We are able to apply force in multiple directions providing a very unique feel of an old drill. Most people don't think of overhead pressing as a great upper back drill, but combining good pressing techniques with the additional load of the cable makes the upper back fire much more. This acts as both a great range of motion enhancement of the shoulder and muscle balance.

Other drills like the three point row integrates the whole body. The traditional row is enhanced with multiple pulling directions emphasizing various areas of the body depending upon the placement of the sandbag.

As you can see many drills can make your workouts brand new and help blast through some training plateaus! Wait till you see the remaining 30 exercises!

50 Upper Body Exercises Part 1

2009-12-28T09:46:00.000-08:00

Competition, nothing gets my juices going like it! That is why when I received an email yesterday challenging me I couldn't wait to get going.

Michael C. from New Jersey (of course a good East Coast boy would write me a good challenge) wrote me: "Josh, I know you really are into the sandbags, but they don't seem that good for building the upper body. There aren't THAT many exercises you can perform with them."

Wow! My wheels just started turning in all the ways that sandbags can be used to perform all types of unique upper body exercises. So Michael inspired me to take on a personal challenge. I wanted to show all of you 50 upper body exercises you could do with the Ultimate Sandbag.

Maybe Michael was right, with a homemade or knockoff sandbag you can't do all that much training. However, with our Ultimate Sandbag and our new Ultimate Core Strap there is soooo much that can be done.

What makes sandbags such a great upper body training tool?

1. Change where you grab the sandbag or the position of the Ultimate Sandbag and you change the loading of the weight. Just see how different grabbing the ends is versus the handles, or doing a standard press is to a shoulder to shoulder.

2. We can manipulate leverage to create greater perceived loads. Try performing a press from a lunge position or just staggered stance. The load of the Ultimate Sandbag seems so much greater.

3. The Ultimate Core Strap allows for bands, cables, and leverage all to be used to create very unique upper body exercises that simply are not possible with other training implements.

Choose a pressing and pulling exercise every time you train and you will have great upper body development. Secondly, add in two isolation exercises if you want to build up some weak points, this is the same method the famous powerlifters at Westside Barbell use too! See all week what 50 upper body drills I suggest!

Taking Workouts to the Extreme

2009-12-26T13:41:00.000-08:00

Innovation is often a result of addressing a specific need. That is how I view everything we do at Sandbag Fitness Systems. From the creation of our Ultimate Sandbag to our newest creations, everything is done to make what I want as a coach possible.

Years ago I was introduced to a unique idea by Strength Coach, John Davies. Coach Davies spoke about strength training with a weight vest on the body. Not just your traditional bodyweight drills, but lifting as well. It was amazing the result this had not only your strength, but conditioning as well.

For me this has become increasingly more important. Old basketball injuries to my feet have really taken their toll where running is definitely out of the question. Yet, I have found this "loaded conditioning" to be an excellent way to still get a tremendous cardiovascular effect.

That is why I am excited to launch the presale of our Ultimate Sandpack! Our Ultimate Sandpack was developed to counter all the short comings that I have often found with standard weight vests.

1. Weight vests always seemed to flop around when doing explosive drills or running. This often caused them to be tremendously uncomfortable and limiting. Our Ultimate Sandpack was designed to conform to the body limiting the bouncing and annoying aspects of standard weight vests. Therefore, you can jump, perform calisthenics, and even jump rope with our Ultimate Sandpack.

2. Weight vests can be hard to adjust and work with an array of people and sizes. We have designed these Ultimate Sandpacks and have found them fit perfectly for everyone from 5'5 to 6'5! That is a wide array of people!

3. Having different weight limits can be very expensive! Our Ultimate Sandpack was designed to work with our 15 pound fillers so you can go as little as 5 pounds and up to 45 pounds in a single sandpack!

4. Many weight vests cut into the shoulder and hurt the back, but our Ultimate Sandpack was made with comfort straps not to dig into the body and yet give a tight fit. Women and men use the Ultimate Sandpack very comfortably.

The Ultimate Sandpack has become one of my favorite tools because old basketball injuries have made it hard to run and my current oral issues can make my arms weak. So, the Ultimate Sandpack gives me an alternative to having to run, in fact, one of my favorite activities has become walking my dogs with the pack. On days my hands hurt and are throbbing, I can load more by using the sandpack and take some stress off the parts of my body that hurt. This and the new exercises that are now created make the Ultimate Sandpack a standard in our training programs!

Pre-order the Ultimate Sandpack: Retail-$169.99, Pre-order-$139.99

Are YOU Ready for 2010?

2009-12-25T10:14:00.000-08:00

I really hope you had a wonderful holiday season! No matter what you celebrate I hope it brought a lot of happiness to you and your family. It definitely has not been an easy year for many people. I have numerous friends and clients that have been largely impacted by the change in the economy.

Sometimes it seems there is a lot of things out of our control. Yet, I am inspired by the ideas of efficiency and self-improvement expert Dr. Stephen Covey. In his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Covey states:

“The way we see the problem is the problem”, our problems all too often are a result of how we choose to see them and how we react to them. We all have them and we often have an opportunity to make negative circumstances into positive ones.

It would be easy to think that people like myself have very little problems. Wow! 2009 was a hell of a year for me not just business, education, or opportunity. Yet, there were many instances where my Ultimate Sandbag faced many challenges that could have easily made me quite.

However, I believe in what I am doing, and even though bad things happen we always try to make something positive in the long run. Yes, those positives may be hard to see initially. Yet, if you have a burning desire to make a change it can happen.

What is the problem with many New Year's resolutions? They aren't meaningful! We have to find something that makes us excited and willing to blast through challenges and negativity. As Dr. Covey says:

“Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.”

I hope you will be excited by our efforts and find that fitness is something that can help you take control of how you feel, your confidence, health, and many more factors. I truly hope that you will join us for an incredible 2010!!

FREE Workout, Holiday Sale

2009-12-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

With the holidays growing closer the next few days, I wanted to put out one of our best workout series to help inspire people to keep on their fitness. This quickly turned into one of my favorite training routines.

Train Like a REAL Athlete

2009-12-11T18:03:00.000-08:00

Ask ten coaches about training like an athlete and you are likely to get ten different responses. One thing that all the great strength coaches can agree on is that training like an athlete is the manner in which most should train. I know, you don’t compete at anything, but too often when people say they want to “be in shape”, “move better”, or have “better strength and endurance” they truly are telling me they want to be an athlete in life.

The beauty of the Ultimate Sandbag program is that it addresses all the needs of the athlete in way that no other training program can. The unique nature of sandbag training provides an element of that can’t be replicated. That is why we have been a part of elite MMA programs, NFL, Pro Sand Volleyball, top military, and many more programs.

To help show people how different the Ultimate Sandbag truly is I have posted below the Top 8 MMA sandbag movements. The drills shown aren’t only beneficial for MMA athletes, but anyone interested in maximizing their athleticism.

Is the King Dead?

2009-12-06T08:58:00.000-08:00

I did it, I did it for years! I always made the squat the cornerstone of all my training programs. Who would blame me? There are hundreds of studies and practical experiences showing just how darn effective squat training actually can be for performance. Yet, that doesn't mean there can't be a better way and our thinking can't evolve.

When I think to my own training I can remember times when squat numbers would improve, yet, performance in sports I would enjoy would not see any improvement. Why did this occur? After really taking a look at my own training and to those that I work with I found some interesting observations.

1. Since the squat form of people can vary so greatly it is impossible to make an overall generalization if squatting is good or harmful for one's goals.

2. We live in an era where injuries, muscle imbalances, movement problems, and other physical issues play a large role in what happens during the squat. I could yell and scream about how awesome they are and how you HAVE to do them, but that isn't always the answer.

3. More important than squat numbers going up is whether or not they are leading people to the bigger picture of their overall goal.

I know for myself squatting was definitely a beneficial exercise, but I really didn't understand what I was missing till I started addressing my own weaknesses. Sports such as basketball and Strongman took a large toll on my body.

From these sports I had more than a few days where my hip would ache, I would have altered walking patterns, shoulder tightness and just didn't feel like I could progress in my training. I made the hard decision to take a break from the traditional back and front squatting and make lunging a priority in my training program.

Most people would say that I was "wussing out", but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. The worst case from my own experiment? I would not get any better and possibly lose some strength. The result was much different than I expected.

After about six weeks of making lunging a strength focused lift for me I found that my hips felt better and more surprisingly my back squat went up! Why could this happen? A few things came to mind pretty fast.

1. Squatting is an easy exercise for us to think as a superior strength exercise because simply we can often handle more weight. More weight must mean more strength being built, but it is impossible to say that single leg exercises could not do the same at smaller loads. It would appear that lunges stimulate just as many, if not more muscles because of being slightly unstable. Therefore, we can't simply assume more weight equals more strength.

2. It is far more difficult to compensate on the lunge than the squat. The most common compensation is altering stride length to something shorter to remain more balanced. Outside of this pattern, it is darn hard to cheat a lunge. Many lifters know there are more than a few ways to cheat a squat.

3. You hit your weak points! I can't think of too many people that like to do what they are not good at. So many issues can be addressed with lunging, hip mobility, lower leg stability, and hip and leg strength. These issues can be missed with a lack of focus and time spent on single leg exercises. However, what I like so much about lunging is the dynamic stretch to one of the most problematic areas of the body, the hip flexors.

I also began to be in favor of using suspension training to enhance the training effect of lunges. The beauty of suspended lunges is that you can alter and progress range of motion and stability depending upon the version of the movement you use. Today I wanted to share some very important variations of suspended lunging that we use to take people's training to a new level.

The most difficult part? Being comfortable with not judging the success of the lift by how much weight you lift, rather by the results you obtain.

Beyond Abdominal Training

2009-12-03T05:15:00.000-08:00

A lot of people have taken such a great interest in the story of my low back injury, I wanted to talk about really what has made a difference. 80% of Americans will experience low back pain some time in their life, and well, mine was a little more than some slight discomfort.

While most people think I am a powerlifter or strongman, the sport I played most of my life was basketball. It was also the sport most impacted by two herniated discs when playing in high school. Not knowing how to strengthen it, it eventually caught up with me playing in college to the point where I lost use of my right leg for a very brief time.

Even when I regained use of my leg, the pain was immense and I struggled with it for a long time. I did physical therapy and I went to corrective exercise certifications and programs. However, understanding what was weak and wrong didn't occur to me when I switched my philosophy completely.

What I learned about myself is that I suffered from some problems that a lot of people suffer from.

1. I really didn't understand how to move correctly. I didn't know how to produce force, absorb force, use mobility in my hips and spine to produce movement.

2. I didn't know how weak my hips were really! Renown strength coach calls this, gluteal amnesia, but I think it goes into hamstrings as well. When I realized how they didn't know how to work together I knew I had a lot of room to improve.

3. I didn't know how to resist force, I could produce power and force, but I didn't understand how to resist it. When I started incorporating drills that addressed these issues I saw my pain go down and performance go way up!

Many people want to know the drills I used to get better. To be honest, they are the exact same ones I have been teaching for the past four years. Now, I have outlined them in a series so YOU can see the progression of movement and learn how to help others or yourself get out of the same pain and frustration I spent several years with!

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Rotational Exercises

Not Just a Kettlebeller

2009-11-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

"You can't base a philosophy around an implement"-Alwyn Cosgrove

At first I actually disagreed with Alwyn's statement. There is so much you can do depending upon the implement you are using. It is hard to perform functional based training if all you have is machines. Yet, I then thought about it more and thought about the rise of kettlebells. The more they grow in the maintstream the more poor use and implementation I see. That is when I began to see Alwyn's point. It still all comes down to coaching.

That is why I recently asked Strength Coach, Stefanie Tropea, to sit down with me and go over some of her training programs and coaching. Why did I ask Stefanie? Besides having a very successful training business in Norwalk, CT, Stefanie has began being successful in the sport of strongman. When a coach can balance business success, personal training success, and client success they are someone we can all learn from.

One of the things I learned from Stefanie was simple, yet perfect. Even though Stefanie is a big kettlebell enthusiast she explained to me it wasn't about lifting kettlebells, it was about using kettlebells to learn better movement. That is exactly how I feel about the Ultimate Sandbag, but she put it so much better.

Take time to listen this great interview with Stefanie Tropea where we discuss all things related to strength training!

Listen to Stefanie Tropea Interview

More Than Screaming and Yelling

2009-11-29T05:53:00.000-08:00

Unsophisticated, "hardcore", basic, easy, all these are terms I have heard various people use when refer to sandbag training. You see there is a HUGE difference between using a sandbag exercise and using sandbags as a systemized form of training.

I have seen many jump on board the sandbag bandwagon, but that isn't always a good thing. Seeing the random assignment of sandbag exercises to workouts or techniques being anything BUT good, I don't know if these people help or hurt our efforts. A sandbag by itself does not help you training, using a sandbag with great technique and purpose makes a world of difference in one's performance training.

Trust me, when you see the videos of athletes performing crappy sandbag exercises with the mindset of this being "hardcore", or "toughness training" it is anything but!

During the growth of my Sandbag Fitness Systems program I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet many coaches that I normally would have never spoken with. One of these coaches is Vince McConnell of McConnell Training in Fairhope, Alabama. Vince has been a leader in the fitness community for many years. So, I was really excited when he showed interest in the sandbag program.

Recently Vince sent me two videos of two VERY different athletes. The first is a high level athlete performing one of my favorite Ultimate Sandbag drills, the one legged goodmorning. As Coach McConnell told me this athlete can typically perform this drill with over double the weight with the bar on two feet. Yet, it is very obvious that this athlete is struggling to do less than half the weight on one leg with the Ultimate Sandbag.

This is a perfect example how good coaching can identify the needs of an athlete rather than just trying to "smoke" an already strong athlete. Now, the performance of the athlete, rather than the training of the athlete gets priority.

The next athlete is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Here is a young man that needs to build a base of training and instead of just "making him sweat", Coach McConnell provides a well balanced training program that hits patterns and muscles that makes this not just a preparation program, but definitely will provide this young man an edge in performance. It needs to be pointed out that this young man is not rushing through rep after rep, rather much more attention is spent with technique and performance. This may seem obvious, but how many times have you fallen for the trap of racing against the workout rather than remembering the objective of training for a specific purpose! Are you training or working out?

New German Volume Training

2009-11-27T09:26:00.001-08:00

About ten years ago one of the most popular strength coaches, Charles Poliquin, wrote about a revolutionary muscle building program known as German Volume Training. Coach Poliquin based the program off of the off-season training program of German Olympic Lifters that took the off-season as a time to put on functional muscle mass. The program was relatively simple on paper. Ten sets of ten repetitions with a weight you could do 20 repetitions with. Although simple on paper, this was a brutal training program.

Coach Poliquin had a split of:

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Chest & Back Legs & Abs Off Arms & Shoulders Off

This program would definitely put some mass on, but had two main issues.

1. It was great for bodybuilding, but how about those that wanted to have more athletic based training and focused on compound lifts?

2. The recovery from these workouts was brutal and often hard to accomplish.

I had been thinking thought this program could potentially be modified to have some solutions. What I did was create several options that would work for those that were interested in using this style of program with just kettlebells and The Ultimate Sandbag.

1. Still use the 20 repetition weight option as your determination of the correct weight. Alternate sets of kettlebell lifts with the Ultimate Sandbag. For example, if you are alternating Clean and Press and Front Squats perform first series with kettlebells and the second series with the Ultimate Sandbag and Zercher squats.

2. Only perform this GVT once a week and focus on those big lifts that give you the most bang for your buck.

3. Only do 10 sets of 5, where the first 3 sets are with the 20 repetition weight, then move the weight to 15 repetition weight for 3 sets, then four sets of a 10 repetition maximum weight.

I recently used this program with the Ultimate Sandbag rotating the following:

Clean and Press for 5

Shoulder Squat Right for 5

Bent-over Row for 5

Shoulder Squat Left for 5

I used the third option for my program and gave about 60 seconds in between sets. You will find this is perfect for building functional muscle mass, and yep, burning some serious calories! Try it out and send us your results!

Josh Henkin, CSCS

The Armory Challenge

2009-11-22T16:04:00.000-08:00

I have gotten a ton of emails from people over the last few military based workouts. It seems people have always been fascintated with the fitness level of those in the military. When people think of being "in shape" they want the endurance and strength that soldiers are able to demonstrate. Yet, even the military has had to update their techniques to keep up with an ever more demanding and challenging world. That is why I was honored to help out our military with a specific program to get their best through the selected process.

The ideas and concepts though that are used in these workouts can be used by anyone. Some of the keys is to "fill in the holes" where most training fails. That is why the TRX and Ultimate Sandbag are so important as they allow us to train ranges of motions and patterns that are impossible with most common implements. Using our "Tough Enough" or this weeks' "Armory" workout can really not only enhance your fitness, but resilency to injury as well.

Check out our Military Sale Special

Do You Really Have All Round Wellness?

2009-11-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

Being fit is more than just how strong you are, how much endurance you possess, or how flexible you are. In fact, fitness and health are not necessarily the same thing. Many "fit" people are very unhealthy because they don't manage all the components of health well. What is the solution? Recently I got to interview Paula Owens who is an expert in developing both high levels of fitness and health. If you ever wondered the following:

1. I am doing everything I think is right, but I am not losing weight, why?

2. Why do I workout but still feel like crap?

3. Am I doing the right things?

Then you will have to listen to this interview. Don't miss out either, Paula is running a special only on November 20th for her book the Power of 4 which outlines all these important details. This great book will only be $11.99 for this day and it is a steal!!

Listen to Paula Owen's Interview Here: Click Here

Want to pick up the book at this special price? Just go to Amazon.com on the 20th and get this great resource that can really change the way you live your life! I have personally seen Paula work her magic on every body from elite athletes, to those frustrated by not getting results!

Take the "Tough Enough" Challenge

2009-11-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

So many people wanted to see the types of workouts I created for the Special Forces candidates. Watch the video to not only see a great workout, but why we are using these exercises and tools! Get the secrets to being elite!

Don't forget about our Military Special going on now!!! Click Here

7 New Exercises=1 Killer Workout

2009-11-13T05:47:00.000-08:00

It is back to work at Sandbag Fitness Systems, all the family and events are done and we are creating new exciting things for 2010. My first job, leave all the poor imitators in the dust and show you more great and exciting workouts and exercises with the ORIGINAL Ultimate Sandbag.

Today's workout does just that! This isn't just random exercises, but those that all compliment and build different aspects of functional fitness.

1. Shoulder to Shoulder Suspended Lunge Press: Not a circus trick, in fact, this is one of the fastest and easiest ways to increase overhead pressing strength. By destabilizing the body, but still allowing an appreciable load to be lifted, the body increases the stabilizers and nervous system to allow for more muscles and motor units to be used when you attempt a more stable press. This exercise also teaches the important principle of rooting in overhead pressing and creating a strong foundation. The lower leg training hits one of the most commonly missed areas of training that can give you a huge return in performance!

2. Double Sandbag Bent-Over Row: Rowing movements are important for maintaining muscle balance and the bent-over version trains the muscular endurance of the low back. This is one of the most important attributes of back health according to low back expert, Dr. Stuart McGill. I wanted to show there are many ways to increase the load lifted and this one is pretty fun! Stacking a smaller sandbag on top of our advanced sandbag makes this truly a strength lift!

3. X-Shoulder Squat: Again, some may think that they are limited in performing strength work by the load of the Ultimate Sandbag. While many may find our Advanced Ultimate Sandbag or Burly Ultimate Sandbag to be plenty of weight, some want more of a challenge. The X-Shoulder Squat does that by adding load to the hips in the bottom position and giving the additional challenge of grip strength. Coming out of the bottom of the squat you really have to burst out of the hole! Exactly where many lifters feel weakest.

4. Cable Overhead Throws: One of my favorite new drills for many reason. Showing how if you make a sandbag with cheap material (like many of our competitors) or use a homemade version (sorry you couldn't do this lift) you are just missing out! The cable overhead throw trains all the explosive muscles that usually get missed! People spend lots of time throwing downwards but little the extensors that protect the body and can create even more power!!! This drill may be more important than sledgehammer or medicine ball strikes because of it training all the muscles from head to toe of the backside of the body. The stabilizers and powerhouses of the body.

5. Loaded Suspended Push-ups with Mountain Climbers: Working all patterns of motion is an absolute must. Horizontal pushing does just that, but people often don't give push-ups their due. They either fall into the trap of doing mindless reps or progressions are far too crazy to get any type of strength benefit. Being suspended adds one dimension of load and the Ultimate Sandbag does the other. Adding in the mountain climber adds more core work as well as isometric strength in the arms, shoulders, and trunk. Isometric training is another commonly missed attribute of training.

6. Band Twists: Ok, why can't you just do this with a handle? Adding in our Ultimate Sandbag makes this exercise hard to control and emphasizes grip strength and coordination. Why is this so important? It will add stability to the elbow and shoulder, a problem all too many people suffer!

7. Squat Thrust to Shoulder Throws: I wanted a conditioning drill that did more than make you sweat. The squat thrust is a commonly used, but often incorrectly performed drill. Attention must be paid to the placement of the feet on both aspect of the hip thrust as well as spinal alignment. Done properly this does a great deal to enhance flexibility and power. The Shoulder Throw works the core in a unique way in both producing force, stabilizing, and integrating the hips to develop a well rounded core exercise.

You can perform this workout in a circuit for reps or time, take the challenge though and see how you hold up to our Inferno Workouts!

Modern Fat Loss Training

2009-11-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

Today I wanted to provide another installment of our Inferno Fat Loss program. Holidays are here and so is intense training. You will notice we are integrating the TRX and kettlebells with our Ultimate Sandbag. These are perfect compliments to the Ultimate Sandbag and make training fun and challenging. Infinite variations are possible when you use these three simple tools.

Today we have the following:

Renegade Rows with One Leg Suspended: Adding one leg suspended causes the trunk muscles have to brace harder and uses the ab muscles even more. A nice progression on the classic renegade row, plus shows which side can stabilize. The use of the Ultimate Sandbag makes it more challenging to row without simply increasing the weight of the sandbags!

Alternating Kettlebell Snatch, Squat, Swing: A great hybrid with the kettlebell that gets you flowing fast and hits just about every muscle in the body! The alternating makes it a little harder to completely groove the lift so you have to work just that much harder!

TRX One Leg Burpees: Ok, a burpee is bad enough, however, being suspended and in sand makes it that much worse! If you don't have the sand available one leg being suspended is good enough. This adds more flexibility training, lateral instability, and exposes any weaknesses to your cardio, mobility, or lower body strength.

TRX V-Flye and Biceps Curls: Hey, isolating muscles isn't a bad thing, it is only bad if it makes the bulk of your training program. Adding in some isolation movements can enhance the body's stablizers and "fill in the holes". Many great lifters have used this technique to bring up weaknesses and prevent injuries. Heck, who doesn't like good arms;)

Sandbag Hand to Hand High Pulls: No, these aren't your classic high pulls, you will want to deliberately throw them at angles to greatly challenge the core, hips, and grip! The sandbags are hard to grab and ripping them up is practical for just about anyone who wants great strength. Changing up the angles makes it impossible to groove this lift!

Sandbag Ski Jumps: No joke on this one, especially in sand!! However, if you are just using the floor it is still a powerful drill. Jumping laterally often throws people for a loop, however, adding in a rotational pull of the sandbag makes it one of the best exercises for building lateral stability of the body. Not to mention, doesn't take long to smoke the legs.

Just as with all our Inferno programs, it isn't about just making you tired. It is about making your body strong, mobile, and athletic. Take our challenge of performing these programs yourself and email me at josh@sandbagexercises.com!

You Thought You Were Advanced

2009-11-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Alright, Halloween is over, but you know what that means! It means that the holidays are here along with all the temptations of poor food options, stressful family situations, and end of the year demands from work. All reasons that many people fall prey to gaining weight during this time of year.

That is why I wanted to start releasing our Inferno Fat Loss Program now!! The whole idea is to create 30 minute workouts that actually do some impressive changes. What is different about THIS fat loss program? For many, the exercises in these programs are brand new and hit the body in ways they never trained before. The mistake many fat loss programs make is the simply rely on "cardio" type of exercises which burn some calories but do little to improve strength, muscle, or reduce injuries. The Inferno programs implements exercises that do all of this.

Inferno also is the first time that the best training tools; The Ultimate Sandbag, TRX, and kettlebells have all been integrated into a systematic program that is designed for improved fitness in minimal time. Utilizing these tools gives us infinite exercises that we can perform and modify depending upon the various fitness level of the individual. All these exercises require all the muscles to be involved therefore, increasing the amount of calories burned and muscles strengthened.

These aren't circus exercises either! I know some of these might seem like "trick" exercises but let me explain...

Single leg clean and press: If you can progress to having a leg suspended this means we can focus on both stability of the hip and tap into the glutes and hamstrings more! The side to side movement the TRX allows for means the hips have to work harder to maintain balance. It also is a sign that the lower leg must work harder to stabilize the body. One of the biggest deficiencies is in the lower leg. Using the Ultimate Sandbag provides another unstable challenge. Because you can not groove this lift the body has to work harder to perform each rep. Lastly, the gripping challenge of a loosely filled sandbag means the hands and upper body are being challenged.

Single arm row to rotational press: Using the TRX we can make a bodyweight exercise incredibly intense for the elite or helpful exercise for those just starting a fitness program. Just by adjusting how close you stand to the TRX unit dictates the level of difficulty of the exercise. This one arm row variation is nothing like the dumbbell row. Here the TRX takes away a lot of the cheating that often happens on the dumbbell version. Adding in a rotational press of the Ultimate Sandbag gives us even more rotational abdominal training as well as intense arm training.

The Tactical Lunge: An amazing exercise to challenge both the legs and the lungs. The swinging and passing motion of the kettlebell changes the stability of the movement. The more the kettlebell moves the harder the exercise becomes. The tactical lunge should be fluid and smooth. Oh, btw, being in sand makes this drill a nightmare!

The Ultimate Sandbag Cyclone: There may be no other exercise the fills in the holes of the body's strength like the Cyclone. This movement takes in all of the body's core muscles, from the deep ones to the more superficial, no muscle is left unturned.

The Ultimate Sandbag Swing: The swing is known to be a great drill for the hips and low back, however, we can change the implement to add a new twist. Using a loosely filled sandbag makes this not only a great "cardio" challenge, but grip as well, yes more than a kettlebell!

These exercises give great synergy and promises not to disappoint. In only a few weeks our NEW Inferno DVD will be here for those that want to excel during the holidays.

That is No Sit-up!

2009-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

As much as I give the term “core training” a hard time, it actually is important. It is not the concept that I have a hard time with, it is the crazy marketing and hype. Having a strong core means more than abs, so having a strong low back and glutes are just as important. How you train these areas is more important than debating concepts.

My colleague Cem Eren helped me take some video of incredible core exercises with our Ultimate Sandbag that accomplish all the goals of functional core training. See if you can keep up with this workout as it leaves no muscle unturned! Don't worry even if you aren't a fighter you can still turn your core into the piece of steel that fighters are known for!

This is the last two days of our HUGE Doubles Sale! Don’t miss out on saving big money on our great Ultimate Sandbags. Click Here!

The Interview You Can't Miss

2009-10-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I got to spend an hour and a half talking training with Senior RKC, Geoff Neupert! We really laid out some of the most powerful training information, especially using kettlebells and sandbags. Just in case you missed the call last night you can hear it for FREE!!

Geoff Neupert with Josh Henkin on mixing Kettlebells and
Sandbags - quite possibly the *perfect*
combination - don't worry - a replay is available.

All you have to do is click below.

=> http://kettlebellinterrogations.com/josh/replay.html

Josh, an incredibly knowledgeable coach, gave
some great insights like -

- dispelling the myth of "roundbacked" lifting

- how to satisfy your need for variety and still
make excellent progress

- how to increase your hip mobility with sandbags
and improve your kettlebell results

- and of course, much more...

Catch it all here:

=> http://kettlebellinterrogations.com/josh/replay.html

Keep Training Smart!

Geoff

Are They Better Than Kettlebells

2009-10-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

That is the trick question that inevitably comes up during any of workshops, "are sandbags better than kettlebells?" I say a trick question because it is often hard to say whether or not another tool is better than another. There may be instances where a certain tool may be a better option than another. However, getting this question over and over again made me think long and hard about it.

I don't believe sandbags to be better because I would have to be able to prove that they produce a superior result to a nonsandbag or kettlebell related activity. Since such research hasn't been done it seems silly to go there.

Yet, sandbags do offer two distinct advantages over kettlebells.

1. Number of Holding Positions: Any kettlebell enthusiast can tell you that the various holding positions of a kettlebell is what allows a lifter to progress or create new exercises. Manipulating the leverage of the kettlebell follows the most basic of principles, overload! The kettlebell offers four holding positions: down by the side, clean or rack, by the horns, or overhead. Varying these positions alters the body's center of gravity challenging both the body's sense of balance and trunk stability.

Well, the sandbag offers eight holding positions; down by the side, bear hug, zercher, clean, shoulder, on the back, overhead, headlock. These additional options allows the lifter or athlete possibly more options for progression and creating challenging movements.

2. Grip training: Kettlebells are often promoted for their ability to develop grip strength. Holding onto a swinging kettlebell can often be a great challenge or doing bottoms up presses can be a great demonstration of grip strength. Yet, sandbags may still have an edge.

Grip expert, John Brookfield, states there are three types of grip strength. Most people only focus on crushing grip strength where swinging heavy kettlebells would come into play. However, there are two others, pinching and wrist. A properly loaded sandbag challenges all three forms of grip training and is a major reason they have been a favorite training tool of wrestlers and martial artists for centuries.

Want to hear the debate continue and see where I might give some more controversial points that may change the way people see kettlebells and sandbags? Come join Senior RKC, Geoff Neupert, and I for a special interview tonight for FREE!!!

Just visit: http://kettlebellinterrogations.com/josh/index.html

How You Are Missing Out

2009-10-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

It is inevitable that once something grows more and more criticisms come about from those that misunderstand. A great example of such a thing is the growth of kettlebells. I remember when I attended my kettlebell certification in 2003, more than half of the attendees had never even touched a kettlebell. Now in 2009 you can find kettlebells in Wal-mart, Target, heck, I even saw them at Best Buy!!!

With the popularity of kettlebells has also come massive confusion from all areas. There are people promoting only one use of kettlebells, others saying kettlebells can't build strength while others claim they can almost cure disease! The truth? Kettlebells are a phenomenal form of strength training that has done so much more changing the mainstream's concept of "functional training". However, the truth of the matter there is no one answer. Kettlebells have been used for centuries for strength, endurance, and yes, bodybuilding.

The problem with kettlebells is the same as any other strength training implement. People get stuck on a few good ideas and don't go beyond the scope of what they are good at. That is why complimenting kettlebells with other strength training tools provides a powerful result, typically better than anything that could be achieved with a single tool.

This was the whole concept behind my Synergy program. While many people assume sandbags and kettlebells are very similar, the truth is in all of our workshops people see the distinct differences.

How you combine these two functional tools can create fun and real result producing workouts.

1. The simplest idea is to take a common kettlebell drill and substitute the sandbag. For example, instead of kettlebell front squats, try the sandbag Zercher or shoulder squat. Instead of kettlebell presses, try a sandbag press or shoulder to shoulder press.

2. Using complimentary movements in alternating sets can bring the best of both worlds to a training program. For example, alternate sets of kb swings and sandbag shouldering, or kb turkish get-up with sandbag get-ups, lastly kb snatch with sandbag half moon snatches.

3. Alternate cycles of each which creates less of a total adaptation therefore stimulating new gains in training progress.

These ideas and many more are what Senior RKC Geoff Neupert and I are going to speak about this Thursday. This interview is FREE and all you have to do is sign-up at the site below to reserve your spot!

Kettlebell & Sandbag Interview: Click Here

More Than a Gimmick

2009-10-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

It is always tough to put out new ideas. In this modern era of fitness and performance training so many things are said and done to just grab attention it can make many skeptical. That is why when I launched my Double Sale, I was a little hesitant to how it may be perceived. The idea of using double sandbags in different ways has been something I have been working on for some time.

Yes, the use of a single sandbag is awesome, but using doubles allows for some interesting training effects. For example, any type of shouldering movement challenges the body to resist rotation and lateral flexion of the body. This is a huge reason shouldering is such a powerful movement. However, we can amplify this effect in a couple of different ways.

1. The most obvious would be to increase the weight of the sandbag on the shoulder. This may or may not be the best for the individual.

2. Adding a second sandbag either in a standard position down by the side of the body or by using the much underutilized headlock position. Now we have added an additional force coming through the body at a different angle and position. We have utilized instability training without compromising the overall goal of getting stronger and being more athletic. This can be done with a sandbag of the same size or different size.

This method works really well for shouldering, squatting, lunging, and more broad movements. It can also be used for pressing overhead to stimulate more pressing strength. Try this....

Get a moderately loaded sandbag to the shoulder position, then take a dumbbell or kettlebell that usually you can perform five repetitions and try pressing for 3-5. Then remove the sandbag and try the same press, what did you feel? Easier right?! That is because we stimulated more muscles throughout the body to stabilize and gave our pressing movement a better foundation.

3. Finally, moving two sandbags at once increases coordination of the movements. You can't zero in on your strengths so easily and the instability of the sandbags are amplified when you use multiple sandbags. As you can see in today's video, when I clean or press the two Ultimate Sandbags the feeling is completely than focusing on one sandbag even if it is a heavier sandbag.

These training techniques are pretty new information and it can seem a little overwhelming, but I can tell you the results speak for themselves. Try them yourself and see the difference double sandbag training makes!!!! Don't miss out on the Doubles Sale!!!

Sandbags and Kettlebell Experts

2009-10-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

Five years ago is when I began my journey of being the leading coach in sandbag training. I remember well being very apprehensive about releasing my first e-book. I wanted nothing more than to share with people a form of training that I found to be so immensely beneficial. Nothing is more scary than putting yourself out there for others to judge, comment, criticize, and evaluate your work. Before I put the book out to everyone I had sent it to a few coaches to get their opinions, heck, these guys would tell me if it sucked! Fortunately everyone was very kind with their words and feedback, yet, there was one person I wasn't sure about.

Pavel Tsatsouline had become a mentor to me and had helped me in my journey of regaining my own athleticism. After attending one of the very first RKCs, I wanted to send him my book for review. What I got back was more than surprising. Pavel was very encouraging about my project, but also thought I would enjoy diagrams he had from an early 1900's Russian strength training book that had numerous sandbag exercises in it! Unfortunately, a computer crash made me lose all the material, none the less the opportunity to see these exercises was very exciting.

Since my first experience with the RKC I have been a big proponent of the training, even in light of some people's negativity. I believe everything has to do with perspective and place. People are always shocked in our workshops about what they learn about training and themselves! Nothing is better than being able to show people the power of what you coach, however, that is often hard to do over the internet. The next best thing? Talking with another great strength coach about how to create powerful and real training programs.

That is exactly what I am doing next week with Senior RKC, Geoff Neupert. I have known Geoff for about five years and let me tell you he is about as big of a skeptic as you find. Having coached on the Division I level and being a top National Weightlifter, Geoff knows what works. So, next week Geoff and I are going to sit down and break down sandbags, kettlebells, and the most effective training programs.

Sales pitch right? Nope, absolutely FREE for you guys! Simply sign-up at the link after this post and you will get your spot on the teleconference. I suggest you don't miss the opportunity to learn some real secrets to training that our clients pay a lot of money to discover!

Sign-up Here: http://kettlebellinterrogations.com/josh/index.html

Can YOU Keep Up

2009-10-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

Accountability, if I had to nail down success to one trait that would be it. Far too often I hear clients tell me, “YOU are going to get me to lose weight”, or “YOU are going to get me faster”, or “YOU are going to take away my back pain”. Right off the bat I have to explain to people that I can’t do anything for them. I can educate them on the best techniques to be used, but ultimately they have to be proactive in their own performance and progress.

The same applies with my Sandbag Fitness Systems program. I can direct and give ideas to people, but ultimately they have to apply the principles to get the reward. People often ask about motivation? I feel if you have accountability you have some level of motivation that should be growing inside. However, a great coach can bring out the best in you even if you are on the right track.

That is the route I took myself when I worked with Cem Eren yesterday. Cem is a coach with amazing enthusiasm and passion and that only makes you want to train harder. Add in his innovations and you have someone that any coach or individual is excited to train with. Cem showed me some of his contagious training ideas and emotion with his Warrior Den workout. Check out this workout, the great thing is that it is based around mixed martial arts, but anyone who performs it would only see a rise in athleticism, fat loss, and awesome strength gains. But who really wants that? See if you can keep up with Cem!!!

Better Than Slamming

2009-10-19T16:03:00.001-07:00

I get asked all the time about slamming sandbags.."Josh, why can't I slam the sandbags, it would be awesome!!" The reasons are many, but here are a few of my standard responses....

1. All power that a slam would develop is created in the extension (where the body goes back) not in the follow through of the body. If the lifter can extend properly they can develop a ton of power. If the lifter doesn't get the extension of the body the slam is almost rendered powerless.

See how these fighters perform power throws:

While a slam may sound loud without the extension of the torso, the only ones that hurt are those that get back into proper extension prior to the movement.

Soccer players do this every time they perform an overhead throw as well, yet, this is a motion we rarely train! That is why one of my favorite drills to show in our workshops is the back/body throw. When done properly it trains this motion and builds unreal strength in the trunk and hips.

2. There is a limit for every piece of training equipment. Most people would never think of slamming a kettlebell, barbell, dumbbell or other strength tools. A sandbag too has limits, even though the Ultimate Sandbag is made of top of the line materials it isn't invincible. The bigger the sandbag the more compressive forces that go through the bag and those forces could be HUGE!!!!

If you want to train the strength to perform impressive body throws or tosses try the Back/Body Throw and my other favorite drill below!

I Don't Get the Joke

2009-10-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been just weird! I have been getting flooded with emails from customers asking if I had seen this sandbag or that sandbag. It seems like all of a sudden people found sandbag training to be an effective training method, almost overnight. I knew of course that companies one day would see what we were teaching and want to get in on sandbag training. Almost sad though what has just happened.

Most of these companies are straight up trying to take our design and resell it. Of course, if you aren't actually a sandbag user you don't pay attention to the details. Everything is important in the creation of the Ultimate Sandbag. There is a specific reason our sandbags are the size they are, remember in sandbag training you have to concern yourself with not only weight, but the dimension of the sandbags as well. People think our power sandbags are only for light sandbag training, the truth is everyone that attends our workshops finds the power sandbags phenomenal for rotational power development. You can see some of these examples below.

The construction of a great sandbag has to be right too! These other companies are selling cheap sandbags that the threading starts to fall apart and the material is thin and weak. Sandbags are different from any other training tool, most strength training implements are made out of metal. Pretty much metal is metal and as long as you can get the right price that is all that matters. However, with sandbags you have to concern yourself with getting strong enough fabric, the right threading, and the right type of stitching. Listen from a man that knows!

"As a Sports Performance Coach and US ARMY Veteran I am very particular when I make an investment in my fitness and training equipment. One thing that I can say is first and foremost is that nothing comes close to the Ultimate Sandbag and YES that even means the military issue duffel bags. The stitching on the bags far exceeds military standards and there was a lot of thought and planning in the design, function, and durability of this bag."-Nii Wilson

Nothing is perfect, but you don't get much better than this! Being cheap doesn't pay as a well used sandbag will fall apart in days if you don't make them right. Don't worry though it is obvious who makes sandbags and who actually uses sandbags!!!

Then there are "sandbag like" products. I actually thought when a customer sent me a link that it was a joke product he was making a spoof, I was wrong!! This thing is being promoted as the Ultimate Sandbag (ok, we won't talk about the trademark violations), what a joke! Imagine that someone made a barbell that you could throw and slam, but you couldn't squat, deadlift, press, or row. That is exactly what this thing is, a somewhat glorified medicine ball. Hey just because you fill something with sand, doesn't make it good for sandbag training. You can't shoulder, clean and press, zercher squat, or perform hundreds of the sandbag drills that you should and when you only go to 50 pounds is it still strength training? Don't even get me started with the price!!!! To me, it is comparing apples and oranges.

Why do I bring this all up? Yes, I can admit, I am human and it ticks me off to see rip offs (don't worry we are taking care of it;), and I hate it when companies make products just to market and not to help people. Don't worry though, we are hard at work making exciting new DVDs and products that actually do something!! In the mean time see what our sandbags can do!!!

Tough as Nails Workout

2009-10-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

Some people believe that women's training has to be with skinny little fitness models lifting no weight, or super human women that no one can relate to. My goal is to show that women can maintain their feminine side as well as their athletic side. The key is the same with men, trying to discover athletic movements that involve as many muscles as possible. However, one of the common mistakes people make is thinking of challenging people only with weight. Our sandbag program offers many different concepts including changing leverage, balance, or speed of movement. Today's workout shows just that! Check out this workout (yes guys, you can do it too!) and see just what I am talking about.

BTW, don't miss out on our great sale during breast cancer awareness month at: Pink Sandbag with FREE Gymboss

New Training Innovations

2009-10-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting parts of seeing my Sandbag Fitness Systems grow is what other coaches come up. A few months ago I met a really innovative up and coming strength caoch, Cem Eren, who runs an amazing training center here in Phoenix, AZ. Cem not only has terrific enthusiasm, but his training ideas seem almost endless. He showed me some of the great exercises he came up with and I couldn't wait to share some of his creative ideas with you!! This shows some even more amazing versatility with the Ultimate Sandbag!

The Inner Athlete

2009-10-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

I’ll admit it, my last video was less than stellar. I guess sitting in a car for five hours and rushing to shoot one of my favorite complexes wasn’t the best ideas. Yet, I love how much feedback one can get from these advanced movements. I could tell you my hips were tight and some serious work needed to be done on my hips.

After a week to get back into the flow of things I wanted to share some new drills that I have been working on that do more to get your inner athlete in top shape. What is the “inner athlete”? Whether you want to compete as a weekend warrior, play with your kids without being in pain, or being able to do things that make you feel your best without being wiped, everyone is an athlete.

The unfortunate part is so many people still get in a rut, it doesn’t matter whether they are using kettelbells, bodyweight movements, or a combination of a whole bunch of great tools. That is why sandbags have become so important to me, because the versatility is virtually endless.

In this weeks video I have four drills that are powerful whether you are a weekend warrior or an elite athlete, movement is king and these drills can do wonders for your movements.

One-arm Rips

This looks very similar to a single arm shouldering movement, however, it is all predicated off of the rotation of the hip. That rotation causes enough power that the sandbag should almost “float” up to the shoulder. An amazing drill for hip, trunk, and arm power. Believe it or not this is a killer upper body drill as well even though you don’t lift with the arms.

Lateral Step Around the Worlds

Around the Worlds are one of my favorite drills as it builds great power through the hips and trunk while providing mobility to the spine and shoulder girdle. Some people have seen these similar drills with other objects, however, the Ultimate Sandbag is unique because their dimensions work better in more complex versions. To add sophistication to the Around the World drill changing the stance can make the body view this as a whole new drill for stability and strength.

Scoop Rows

I believe bent-over rows get a bad name because they are hard! That isometric strength used by the low back is so important in overall back health. Add in a unique gripping option in placing the arms in a “scoop” position really toasts the upper arms and back in a unique way.

Squat Thrusts to Split Chops

Squat thrusts are nothing new, but people cheat them all the time. Taking the time to perform them right makes them not only a great conditioning drill, but powerful for hip flexibility and power. The split chop is another example how the Ultimate Sandbag just puts other sand tools to shame. Our overhead chops sure got a lot of popularity, but again, we need to think outside the box. Making this a split chop make sure that we can build some single leg power and amazing athleticism for anyone!

Try these drills in a circuit manner, either set some reps or simply use the Gymboss to count off intervals. You will find that you hit muscles you didn’t have and doing any extra “cardio” is not necessary. Best of all you will feel like you are regaining your right to being an athlete and enjoying the most important things in your life!

In Strength,
Josh Henkin

http://SandbagFitnessSystems.com

The Demon is Here!

2009-10-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

At my first L.I.F.T. certification last month in Sweden one of the students asked me an incredibly hard question. He asked if I was leaning towards using sandbags over any other training tool. I had to think hard as how do you answer this question without seeming like you are just being a marketing agent? The only thing you can do is tell the truth. That is exactly what I did!

The truth is when I began my sandbag training program almost five years ago, no, I liked sandbags, but thought they were a nice simple tool. However, in the last five years, teaching, working, and developing the Ultimate Sandbag I have new perspective. I have found the Ultimate Sandbag has made sandbag training definitely a primary method of training.

Recently I found this to be very true as I became motivated to try to hit a maximal barbell squat attempt. Truly not a very well planned attempt, I felt motivated after a good workout using the Ultimate Sandbag and some TRX drills. To be honest, I hadn't used barbells for some time, probably about four months. Why? A few reasons to tell the truth....

1. My schedule has been very hectic, traveling, running the facility, shooting a lot of new sandbag projects! Busy has been an understatement!

2. No one has ever really devoted serious time to sandbag training and tested the results on barbell training. The history of sandbags has really been on wrestlers who traditionally do not use barbells. So this is hopefully the first of many stories of people getting great results in their maximal strength using sandbags.

3. I had spent so many years training heavy I wanted to see if using other patterns of motion could hit weak spots that would make me stronger without loading my back so much.

So, the result? I hit a personal best and with no weight belt! The explanation? I can only hypothesize, but these types of results can only be an indication that there are some major differences with sandbag training.

One of the biggest differences was the stability of my trunk, with all the talk of "core training" I found my ability to stay upright and stabilize was so much improved on the back squat. I also believe the different ranges of motion allowed for me to hit some of the weak points that are hard to hit with barbells, dumbbells, or even kettlebells.

So, what would I recommend others do? Yes, definitely start with the foundational drills: shouldering, squatting, pressing, carrying, and lunging. However, once you are strong in these drills you can attempt complexes like the "Demon". What is the Demon? It was a complex I designed to hit on a lot of the weak points of most lifters and athletes. Very few people ever train the heavy rotation pull in the Demon or the unstable pressing position of being in a lunge. This is not simply a complex to get in great shape, but to get scary strong too! The Demon is just another reason why sandbag training is breaking new innovations in strength training. Try it out!

Can YOU Keep Up with Pink?

2009-10-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

This workout can make even the toughest men feel very humble, see if YOU can get through it!

Leaving Las Vegas

2009-10-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

With the explosion of sandbag training in the fitness industry, traveling has been almost a weekly event for me. This means I really have begun the challenges of many of my clients that are working 50 plus hours a week, balancing family, and still trying to get more fit.

However, these challenges have made me appreciate the simplistic beauty of sandbag training as well. This past weekend I drove up to Las Vegas for some networking and was able to toss two sandbags into my car. It was great, they don't roll and bang up my car, and I had weights from 20 to 150 pounds without taking up too much room.

Having these weights available to me allowed me to still perform a very complete workout. I didn't have to focus just on conditioning because I had too little weight, and yet I could enjoy the fun of training outdoors!

So, I had to put my good friend Nick through the paces. One of my favorite ways to train when I am on the road and have my bags with me is to run Power Interval Circuits. Intervals work so well because you can alter the sandbags and keep the interval fixed. What do I mean? You want strength work you are only going to be able to get about 3-5 reps in with a heavy bag, perfect for strength. Want endurance? Use a lighter bag and you will move faster and get more reps in. Want power-endurance (the missing ingredient to many strength programs) then use a moderate weighted sandbag and try to perform the reps as explosively as possible.

The circuits are also amazing because you can use much more variety in your training, especially with the sandbags. For example, a typical workout might look like this:

Lower Body Pull

Upper Body Push

Lower Body Squat

Upper Body Pull

This does work, however, we can work on much more with the sandbags and improve your overall athleticism. Today's circuit may have the same idea, but looks totally different!

Lower Body Pull=Shoveling Deadlifts

Upper Body Push=Weighted Push-ups

Lower Body Squat=Reverse Clean Lunge

Upper Body Pull=Components of Clean and Holding Zercher Positions

Add in the stair climbing with the sandbag and you have more than a complete workout. Check it out!!!

The Innovations Keep Coming

2009-09-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

One thing I can not stand is a program or coach that simply shows new exercise after new exercise for the sake of doing something different rather than having purpose. People that often attend our workshops and certifications are shocked by the amount of exercises you can perform with our Ultimate Sandbag. The difference is that we have to take people through our progressions and teach them why they are doing different movements so that their is purpose behind their training and the training of their clients.

One such example is the "Cyclone" lift. The Cyclone is a combination drill that integrates components of the rotational deadlift and around the world drills to create a movement that builds the entire core of the body in very unique ways.

Very few core drills start the lifter in a position of rotation. This is a demanding position because the body can not use its normal dominant stance. Such a position also requires that the lifter be very efficient in their movement to create and absorb the forces of the lift correctly and safely.

The large range of motion that occurs with the Cyclone makes it a functional drill for just about anyone and an absolute necessity for athletes and weekend warriors alike. The benefits are:

1. Explosive hip power in new ranges of motion that aren't trained in standard cleans, snatches, swings, or chops.

2. A powerful core that can not only produce a great deal of force, but resist force as well.

3. Because it trains both the glutes, hamstrings, low back, abdominals, and muscles of the upper body we are truly getting an all round core drill. Very few exercises can train the entire pelvis and spine structures at one time.

However, just as with any exercise there are a few cautions. Firstly, is that one needs to be very proficient in both the around the world and rotational deadlift exercises. I would suggest spending time on half moon snatch and shoveling as well.

Size of the sandbag plays a big role. Smaller sized sandbags make it easier to maneuver through this movement, but our bigger ones make this a power house. A really easy way to use the bigger sandbags and make that progression is to change from sand to a lighter material for the filler bags. This gives you time to adjust to the different size and also slowly progress to higher weights.

Check out the Cyclone below!!

Don't miss out on the last few days of our BIG sandbag sale: Click Here

Want to see the power of sandbag training in person? See us in Orange County Oct. 17th: Click Here for more information

New Interview

2009-09-22T11:30:00.001-07:00

The last couple of months have been an explosion for our Sandbag Fitness Systems. After many years of work, it seems we are making a dent in the "functional training" industry. Most exciting isn't the fact we have been bringing back the use of sandbags, but putting forth the science and meaning behind sandbag training.

Just last week I had the pleasure of being interviewed by world renown strength coach, Charles Staley. I have known Charles for some time, but still being interviewed by one of the most well respect strength coaches of our time is very exciting! We talked for about an hour and I think I even got Charles pretty psyched about sandbag training.

Check it out:

Josh Henkin Interview

Don't Miss out on the Advanced and Burly Bag Sale Going on Now:

Big Sandbag Sale!

You Can't Miss This

2009-09-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

For the past four years I have been trying my very best to teach people the benefits of sandbag training. No, not just they are hard, but the science that really does exist behind this form of training.

Every time I run a workshop or certification the light bulb goes off! It is as though once people see and feel the power of the type of training we are talking about, sandbags quickly become a staple of their training programs.

Here is what one attendee thought of my recent L.I.F.T. certification:

"The L.I.F.T. seminar is easily the best I've attended. I'm an aspiring personal trainer, with some experiance from lots of different things, Kettlebells, sledgehammers, bodyweight and so on. I'm a huge fan of functional training, and that's what I like about Josh's methods. It's not overly complicated, it is highly effective and usefull, and it is actually fun. Also I like the emphasize on the corrective and rehabilitating aspect. Even though that is not the main purpose of the training, it is a very nice b-effect. I have several bio-mechanical issues I've been struggling with for years, and several of them improved heavily during the seminar, leaving me better not worse after workout. There's no doubt in my mind that couch Henkin is on to something really great here. And yes, you can build some serious strength with this;) This is going to be a major staple in my regime, both for myself and clients." Henrik Eberhardt, Norway.

I am happy to announce that we have a one day workshop in Irvine, California coming up October 17th for a crazy low price.

NSCA Members: $149

Students: $99

Non NSCA Members: $179

On-Site Registration: $199

They are so full of it!!

2009-09-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, this is going to be one of those posts where I can't help my personal feelings really get the best of me. Recently I had a well known strength coach write me and say how much he enjoys the sandbags for conditioning, they are a really great tool for that. WOW! Is that all you think this training can be for, conditioning?

This doesn't surprise me, the industry as a whole is generally full of contradictions. We love to refer to the training of old-time strongmen, but very few actually perform any sort of the training these amazing athletes did. They were not only well conditioned, but possessed amazing flexibility and strength. Listen to what the great John Jesse wrote in his book, "The Encyclopedia of Wrestling Conditioning"...

"Sandbags, heavy stones, and war clubs were used for the development of strength by wrestlers of many nations for several hundred years, long before the invention of the iron barbell."

I think most of us can agree there are few athletes that can match the amazing all-round athleticism of wrestlers (this is coming from someone who played every team sport, but never wrestled).

John Jesse goes on to say...

"Sandbags over 100 pounds are awkward to handle and provide a true test of all-around strength, particularly in lifting them overhead or brining them to the shoulder with one hand. Some of the old-time strongman wrestlers would shoulder a 180 to 220-pound sack of grains to the shoulder with one hand and then walk several hundred yards with the bag on their shoulder. A few were capable of pressing the same bag overhead with one hand after bringing it to the shoulder."

Let's face it very people really do understand the amazing all-around strength these athlete possessed. It almost seems impossible by today's standards.

That is why I have placed challenges such as the "3 Rounds of Hell", or "The Warrior Challenge". I have received hundreds of emails of people trying to accomplish these challenges and not coming even close. So, I am DARING you to get into the best fitness of your life! Don't be want of the cheesy infomercial fitness gurus that most people (whether or not they admit it) are trying to emulate. Challenge yourself to be so much more!!!

Don't Be This Become Super Human

Don't Miss Out on Our Sale on The Ultimate Sandbag that Can Help You Become Super Human: Check It Out Here Now!!!

The Newest Fitness Challenge

2009-09-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

Having something to train for is so much more fun than just working out. It is easy to just run through the motions when you don't have a goal, but let's face it training with a goal in mind completely changes every aspect of fitness training. That is why I wanted to come out with a new fitness challenge for all of you. This one is slightly different, it is just a challenge, but one with a special reward for those that dominate it!

Now till the end of the month the Warrior Challenge is going to reward one winner with a prize valued over $200s! That's right, one winner can take home a FREE Burly or Advanced Package, let me explain how and why!

For the last few years I have had to listen how sandbags are great for conditioning, but if you want to get really strong you have to use barbells and dumbbells. People quickly forget load is load and a shifting load is far more difficult than a stable one. That is why those that have worked with our Burly and Advanced Packages write in on how challenging these sandbag are in every respect.

I didn't want to try to convince people though, I simply think having people experience this type of training is the best solution. Why the Warrior Challenge? It is no secret that complexes and flow exercises have become very popular for their ability to train a lot of fitness qualities at once. Well, I wanted a drill that could strengthen the ENTIRE body in a way that was impossible with any other training implements. The Warrior Challenge encompasses the best of sandbag training, shoulder, shoulder squat, shoulder to shoulder press. These drills entail explosiveness, head to toe strength, core power, and endurance.

The challenge? Perform 30 total repetitions of the entire complex; shoulder, shoulder squat to shoulder to shoulder press. Dump down the bag and repeat, this is one repetition. The challenge is to use either our Burly or Advanced sandbag package and perform this drill in as little time as possible. No easy task to say the least and really makes you feel like you can conquer any challenge, exactly why I named it the Warrior Challenge.

How do you win? A person needs to sends us a video with the weight of the bag and them performing the Warrior Challenge. The person with the best relative score (that is the weight of the sandbag compared to their bodyweight) and time you can win your choice of either a Burly or Advanced Package.

For those that want to take the challenge, but don't have our Burly or Advanced yet, I have decided to put them on special until the end of the month. Not only is there a discount, but if you pick up a Burly or Advanced during this time you will receive two FREE workouts with our heavy duty sandbags. Below is the Warrior Challenge in action and beneath is the very special discounts! Don't miss out on becoming your own fitness warrior.

Burly Black-Save $30!!: $178.99

Buy Now Here

Burly Green Camouflage-Save $30!!: $188.99

Buy Now Here

Advanced Black-Save $30!!: $170.99

Buy Now Here

Advanced Green Camouflage-Save $30!!: $180.99

Buy Now Here

Is Your Workout Dumb?

2009-09-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

“Tough”, “hard”, “improves coordination”, “powerful”, these are all terms people throw around as though they actually mean something. Program after program, person after person, I hear references to these terms that end up meaning nothing.

For example, swimming 2000 meters is hard for me, however, does it mean I should be trying to accomplish it? Does it have any relevance to my fitness goals? Performing ten minutes of kettlebell snatches is tough, again, does it have any meaning to my goal? People often mix up very specific training for general fitness. In the two examples I just gave both would be useful, but to two completely different types of athletes. Improving in both of these fitness tests would require very specific training and if getting better at them had meaning to your fitness goals then spending considerable time training for them would be worthwhile.

However, what I often see is the random testing of ones self to these relatively meaningless tests. A test is only good if it provides feedback upon a desired outcome that has meaning. That leads me to my other two favorite statements, “improves coordination” and “builds lots of power”. Again, two of the most vague statements that one could possibly say.

Let’s take a look at “improving coordination”. My favorite definition of coordination is, “the harmonious functioning of parts for effective results.” In strength training terms we have two slightly more scientific definitions of muscle coordination, intermuscular and intramuscular coordination. Intermuscular coordination refers to the ability of the muscles to work together to perform a task efficiently while intramuscular coordination has more to do with maximal motor unit recruitment, rate coding is optimized (firing rates of motor units), and syncrohonization, activation of motor units in a synchronized manner. Ok, I am not saying all this to be a jerk, however, I do find it important to realize that we use terms commonly without much meaning behind them.

Most times people refer to coordination to my first definition, basically, they learn how to move better. In this respect, coordination is very important, however, many coaches are prescribing programs that do very little for coordination. Why? Many programs fall into the trap of being very redundant, same patterns, same speeds, same ranges of motion.

Let’s look at some classic patterns. Here is a program commonly prescribed for upper body strength:

Military Press x 5
Chin-ups x 5
Bench Press x 5

A quick look at this type of routine and you may find nothing really that wrong with it. I hate to say wrong, but more lacking imagination and training a lot of fitness qualities we need. During our L.I.F.T. certification in Sweden we talked extensively why it was important to build complexity and to analyze many needs into a routine. Let’s look at the same routine with three different L.I.F.T. types of programs.
Workout Option A
Sandbag Shoulder to Shoulder Press x 5
Body Row with Hands Pronated x 12
Band Horizontal Presses x 30 seconds

Workout Option B
Eccentric Pull-ups x 3
Suspended Pike to Push-up x 10
Sandbag Clean and Push Press x 15

Workout Option C
Single Arm Suspended Push-ups with Arm Extension x 5 each side
Single Arm Band Row with Pause for 2 seconds x 10 each arm
Sandbag Around the Worlds x 30 seconds each side

You can see how quickly we add some much needed sophistication to a relatively simple concept. We have not taken away from the general idea of an overhead, horizontal, and upper body pull. Instead we have changed a few important variables.

Not every repetition and set scheme is the same. Since the body needs to be challenged with some higher strength intensities, moderate, and endurance, we have organized the exercises to reflect this. The first exercise in the series is designed to provide the higher intensity levels and will be performed when the body is more fresh. The intermediate schemes are in between, and endurance is laid at the end of the routine when fatigue is at the highest.
We have shown many different patterns in which to stay true to the idea of overhead, horizontal, and upper body pull. This goes very well with the Pavel Tsastouline idea of “same, but different”. Changing the rep/set schemes, implements, and patterns allows us to train these natural patterns of movements in a way which our body’s “encyclopedia of movement” grows.
Speeds and ranges of motion have been manipulated to stimulate other fitness qualities and coordination patterns. Simply changing speed or the range of motion can often provide a completely new stimulus to the body. Plus, we have added in the much neglected part of isometric training with some of these movements.
A workout like this can be easily modified to any fitness level simply by adjusting patterns or levels of progression. This means we can make some of these “corrective” in nature or even high level of performance.

Hopefully you can see now that most of the routines and programs that we are following are not building us long-term success. They are sacrificing some immediate specialization for the sake of long-term progress and results. Don’t be fooled into performing a routine just because someone said it was “hard” or “tough” make sure that the programs you are following are matching the goals YOU have set forth.

Next week I will share some videos demonstrating these concepts in further detail and releasing a NEW sandbag challenge!

In Strength, Josh Henkin, CSCS
http://sandbagfitnesssystems.com

Sandbag Attack In Sweden

2009-09-09T07:56:00.001-07:00

It has been a week since my last newsletter, where have I been? Well, I am excited to say that I was busy putting our the first L.I.F.T. certification for a bunch of amazing coaches in Sweden. The European coaches from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and England were all fantastic to work with and we got an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the L.I.F.T. program.

For me, it was really important for these coaches to see how much of athletic based training we were still missing from most programs. My goal was to teach how to put together training programs that would correct poor movement patterns, challenge their strength and endurance, as well as being fun and exciting. I think we accomplished just that!

The vehicles that we used in teaching these methods were our "Ultimate Sandbag", the Jungle Gym, and strength bands. It quickly became obvious to these coaches that these tools were far more versatile than they had ever imagined. However, it wasn't just about teaching exercises, heck, anyone can put up seminars of just random exercises (forget, they already do:).

No, I wanted this to be about having purpose behind everything that we do as coaches. It was about finding the right progression and being able to maintain the interest of the client or even yourself in training. It the upcoming days I will post excerpts from the L.I.F.T. system so that everyone can see what makes this program so incredibly unique. However, nothing is like attending one of these programs for yourself. So, we have new dates coming up soon and in the meantime you can see the action for yourself.

Hardcore Upper Body Training

2009-08-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

To say things have been busy and hectic is a HUGE understatement! I hate to miss giving you great updates so I took advantage of my time training to share with you all what I like to do in training. Being busy is the life of a great coach and many of your clients. Maximizing results is a combination of picking the right exercises and the right formula. Check out this upper body workout that has allowed me to keep my strength from my Strongman days, but has kept me without all the aches and pains a lot of my competitors get!

Big news! We are coming to Orange County for an action packed day October 17th at the Premier Koh Physical Therapy Clinic! For more information email Davis Koh at: davispt@gmail.com

She Was The Toughest Person

2009-08-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Honestly, when I was planning to write this blog on Friday I had no idea the turn it was going to take. You see, I have been waiting for three months very excited to see Sandbag Fitness Systems get a very big article in a popular fitness magazine. Unfortunately, I was bummed not only to see us left out of the article completely, but we weren't properly credited for a picture of our "Ultimate Sandbag" either. Many of you were very kind with very generous words of encouragement, but I was still a little ticked off.

The more I thought about it the more I could hear the voice of my stepmother in my head, "ok, so what are you going to do now?" For most of my life my stepmother and I were very close, mostly because she was extremely no nonsense. Not because she didn't care, but she herself had to overcome so many obstacles in life that she didn't know anything else but telling it how it was. I remember when I had to retire from basketball too early. A dreamed dashed, but she didn't want me to feel sorry for myself, but rather wanted to know where I was going to put my energy.

It wasn't tough love, but an amazing ability to keep perspective on things. That is what I thought about after being disappointed this week. Every day I am fortunate to help so many people that little setbacks are no big deal, don't dwell on things that are so negative.

Her inspiration went a long ways with me. I have worked with professional athletes and elite military personnel and I would say they would all consider my stepmother the toughest person they would meet. She wasn't a hardass, quite the contrary, she would help a stranger she met just minutes earlier if she could. However, she was determined never to have life's challenges keep one from reaching their potential.

This came to be very true when she was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer ten years ago. Finding that the cancer was in bones and organs the doctors only gave her a few months to live. My stepmother had other ideas, even though she was told she had only months she was determined not to get beaten by the disease. Not only did she live more than a few months, but she fought so hard for seven years till the disease finally did win.

During those seven years though she just didn't sit around feeling sorry for herself, she became one of the strongest advocates nationally and locally for women with breast cancer. In fact, one of my very first speaking engagements was at a local fundraiser she was running, many, many years ago.

It was always amazing to me that she was so eager to help others even though her own health was failing every day. Even though her body was failing her, it was incredible that her spirit never was.

My stepmother was a tremendous supporter of mine, although I am not sure if she always understood what I did. Yet, I do remember when she was so proud that she could snatch a 3 pound dummbell ten times without being exhausted. I knew one day that my family would be without her, but I did always want to do something to embody her spirit.

For some time it has been a challenge just to educate people on sandbag training. However, since we have made such great progress it has allowed us some unique opportunities. One in particular was to come out with a special pink sandbag. This bag was designed with my stepmom in mind. I wanted to do something that allowed us to give back in the same way she gave back every day.

That is why, with help from a good friend, we are working with the SingletonMoms.org. This is a Phoenix based organization that helps single moms living with cancer. From now till the end of October I will be giving 20% of sales of our pink bag to the Singleton Moms organization. I want to raise money, a lot of it!! I hope you will take time and work with us.

I realize in this day and age people are hooking up with all types of charities for business reasons. I truly hope after hearing my story that you will see that this is very dear to my heart and will invest in not only a phenomenal fitness tool, but those that need help as well.

THANK YOU!

Purchase the Pink Sandbag: Click Here

Here are three workouts that demonstrate our Pink Sandbag is not for the faint of heart!

The New Age of Group Fitness

2009-08-11T10:48:00.001-07:00

I went into great detail last time about the fact we have to evolve or perish! That means everything from our training methods to our business models. As renown strength coach, Alwyn Cosgrove, states, the future of fitness is in group training. How you structure your group training models can vary greatly. Sure, lots of methods work from large bootcamps to smaller semi-private training models are all means to help both the clients and instructor enjoy the coaching processes that much more. Let's face it, coaches and trainers get into the industry to help people, but if you are so exhausted from the extreme long hours of one on one training, how much benefit are you providing your clients?

It is great that many coaches and trainers have found that group training is the way to go for longevity, however, just as with one on one, group training can be good and very bad! Planning far ahead and having a strong training philosophy is key in making these programs a long-term success. That is a major reason that I love The Ultimate Sandbag so much. The challenges that face a coach working with a group are numerous. From working with various ability levels to teaching fun and innovative exercises, the work is actually much more, fortunately so is the payoff!

I find that educating people on the versatility and power of these programs is of the utmost importance. That is why two weeks ago I was in Long Beach for the Perform Better three day summit. With some of the top names in attendance (Mike Boyle, Robb Rogers, Alwyn Cosgrove, Eric Cressey, etc.) you couldn't help but learn something helpful.

I did as well especially when I got to speak with many of the coaches, both who were lecturing and those in attendance. One in particular was Cameron Hedges of Results Fitness. Cameron is the head of group fitness at Results Fitness and has been implement our Ultimate Sandbags for some time. Listen to how Coach Hedges implements our Ultimate Sandbags and get a sneak peek into my presentation on the proper use and programming of sandbags.

You Evolve or Die

2009-08-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

Well, without getting into a big debate over evolution, this is one of the basic principles in our world. Now, you can talk in terms of Darwinism or heck, just the sporting world! No, don't doze off yet! This isn't a lecture over Darwinism or a debate on evolution, it is rather a fact that our current world faces including myself!!!

They say that all sports are copycats, meaning whatever system the best team ran, all the others want to start to copy. A good example is last year's Miami Dolphins. Two years ago they won only one game, last year they threatened to make the playoffs. This was incredible considering they really didn't upgrade their players. Instead, the new coaching staff implemented an unusual offense that surprised many teams, called "Wildcat".

This offense is run through the college ranks, but never seen in the pros. Knowing that the Dolphins didn't have the players to really compete in a traditional pro football offense, the coaches got creative, really creative! Although they did not go to the playoffs or win a Super Bowl, their turnaround was one of the biggest ever in the NFL. The result was that almost every team now thinks about how to implement this unusual offense into their own team's program. There was an evolution and a lot of "thinking outside the box" that allowed the Dolphins to experience success.

Where the heck am I going with all this? It reminds me a lot of what were are doing with our Sandbag Fitness Systems program. It began as a simple idea, I wanted a sandbag that met the needs of my strength program. Now it has evolved into a full blown system that goes way beyond the concept of simply a sandbag. "The Ultimate Sandbag" is now a training tool that solves movement limitations, aids in increasing performance, and is a staple in fat burning programs of some of the top coaches in the country.

This idea of evolution can also be thought in terms of our "Ultimate Sandbag" itself. As the demands on "The Ultimate Sandbag" rises, so does our design. As many of you may have noticed we have gone through many designs, specifically on our filler bags. One of the most powerful aspects of our "Ultimate Sandbag" is the function of our filler bags. Being able to change weight and be clean about it is something that truly separates "The Ultimate Sandbag" from any other sandbag like product on the market.

You will now see a new evolution on these filler bags. We recently tried two have two inserts, but that was extremely costly and did not serve the purpose we were hoping. Now, you will see one filler again, but we have new aspects of this filler that will truly allow us to evolve and keep growing the program into something the industry continues to recognize as a leader.

What About All the Others?

2009-08-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Is there any other industry that is so prone to flip flop behavior and ideas more than the fitness and sports performance industry? Really, between "core training", "functional training", and "sport-specific training" it seems that these popular buzz words are so popular that you can ask ten different coaches what they mean and probably get ten different answers.

One that cracks me up is sport-specific training. I love when parents want their 13 year old to perform sport-specific training! These kids have so little training background that such training is useless as they need to build a base of strength, endurance, and flexibility. Nowadays, this trend is so bad that it is having a large negative impact on their training!

Then you have another group that tries to replicate sporting movement with weights. That isn't sport-specific training, that is foolish and often results in ruining the sport skill that you are trying to improve.

There is the group that believes you should just try to get crazy strong in the weight room and this will take care of everything on the field. You know the team that brags about their bench and squat numbers, but ends up having a very average record for the season.

Then there finally is a group that shouldn't perform any strength training. Yes, in the modern age there are still coaches and sports that think strength training makes you immobile and lose your sporting skill. One of the sports is the one I grew up playing, basketball.

No, basketball players are training, well sorta! There are still a lot of players and coaches that think strength training is going to mess up their shot. In fact, legendary strength coach, Vern Gambetta, once told the story of working with the Bulls in the 80's and how upset the head coach was about the guys lifting! That isn't THAT long ago.

Of course you have those that do train, but they bodybuild, try to powerlift or olympic lift. It is as though we try to cram athletes into our strength training paradigms. A good coach can recognize not only the needs of the athlete, but the challenges they face as well.

I feel outside of football our interest in really developing strength programs for other sports is very limited. Firstly, basketball players typically have terrible leverages because of their height. Trying to force them to do the same lifts guys who average 5'7 excel in is a little crazy!!! Can they benefit from them? Maybe, but is there a better way? That is why I believe sandbags are such a terrific tool when implemented correctly. Remember the goal of athletics isn't to make your athletes better lifters, but better athletes.

Want to see an example of how powerful sandbags can be for not only producing powerful results, but problem solving? Check out today's video:

A Powerful Combination

2009-08-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

I just came back from the Long Beach Perform Better Summit and had such a great time being around some of the great strength coaches in the industry! Those that work with the most elite athletes and those that are running the most successful training businesses. Throughout the whole weekend everyone shared innovative ideas from training to how to run a more successful training facility.

It is funny how many are saying the same thing, just in a slightly different way. However, out of all the information shared one theme rained throughout. This was the idea that group training is the new age of personal training and coaching. The age of one on one personal training is dying quickly. I love how renown strength coach, Alwyn Cosgrove, explains why this long time used business model is so ridiculous.

What is done in a group atmosphere? Swimming lessons with kids, martial art classes, firearms, SWAT and military training, physical therapy, and about all team training! The idea that we still have one on one sessions is absolutely ridiculous. Sounds great right? Our clients enjoy their training more, we as coaches enjoy the training and build more successful businesses. However, there is just one little problem, how do you set up an effective group training environment.

One of the many goals in my L.I.F.T. certification is to answer this question. This is one of the most powerful benefits of my Sandbag Training and the L.I.F.T. certification, it is that they are perfect for group training facilities and can be easily adapted to these programs to provide the clients with a fun, but highly effective training result.

There are many great coaches already having great results with this type of model. One of this is Dale Buchanan of Supreme Ultimate Fitness. Dale has created very unique programs that fall into the same mindset of the L.I.F.T. program, I highly recommend you check them out!

Coming soon is more videos demonstrating how to organize the most unique and powerful training programs in an systemized manner. Check out our upcoming certifications HERE!

Listen to the Dino Man!

2009-07-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

I make no claims about "inventing" sandbag training. In fact, I like to give credit where credit is due and one of my biggest inspirations was Dinosaur Training legend, Brooks Kubik. Many years ago I was very frustrated with my training and the pain I still had in my back. After reading Dinosaur Training I was so inspired to try something new, something that really worked with my personality.

It was Brooks' writing where I first read extensively about sandbag training and he states in his book how sandbags are the best odd object training tool. Why? There are many reasons mostly though their safety and versatility range supreme. However, a friend of mine recently sent me on of Brooks' classic Dino Files packed full of training advice for combative athletes.

Why send me this information other than it reinforced all the training we all love?! Tip number 30, "sandbags are one of the very best training tools for combative athletes". There is no hidden message there, but if it is perfect for a combative athlete, why would it not be perfect for anyone interested in elite fitness. After all it is hard to argue that combative athletes are not the most well-rounded athletes.

Many of the exercises described are ones you are all familiar with, shouldering, carrying, and so on. However, there was one in particular that I haven't talked about yet, watch the video to see this incredible drill!

Q & A

2009-07-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

Something that I've been meaning to do is really get our Q & A blogs going. So many people write me in with great questions that I want others to learn from their questions. Please, please send in those questions that you have been hesitant to ask because it could really help others! Today is one of our first Q & A blogs.

Hi Josh,

I just purchased the Strength Package, including the High Octane DVD. I did Program One yesterday. I want to make sure I'm starting off correctly, and I have a few questions.

1. I am 48 years old, just under 5'7", 140 lbs. I have always been thin and relatively weak, and have had trouble maintaining an exercise program. I think I will enjoy the Sandbag and stick with it. I am interested in long-term cardiovascular health, as well as building, toning and defining my body. What weight do you suggest to start? I chose 45 lbs., which seemed comfortable yet challenging. Will I see benefits at this weight, or do you think I should increase it right away?

2. Is it safe and beneficial to do the workouts on consecutive days, or should I go every other day?

Thanks for your help. I love the Sandbag and will tell everyone I know about it.-Mike C.

Weight is always relative! Without knowing it you used one of the most common methods of assessing weight which is RPE (rate of perceived exertion). I have long said that sandbag training weights should be dictated by how challenging it feels, not by the number on the scale. A sandbag generally will be lighter than any other strength training implement you have used in the past because of how awkward and "noncooperative" they are. If the weight feels challenging, but allows you to maintain good form then it is the right weight.

The programs on the High Octane DVD were designed to be performed every other day. Now, COULD you do them on consecutive days? Yes, however, you may need a few days after this to recover. Most people don't realize that sandbag training greatly fatigues the nervous system because of all the muscle coordination needed and this is far more fatiguing that just tiring out the muscles. That is why generally I give a day in between for workouts, yet, I realize that some people's schedules do not allow for this. So, to be realistic you can do back to back days but give time for recovery especially if you are beginning to feel very tired or excessively sore.

A Special Situation

2009-07-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, this was COMPLETELY unplanned!!! When I launched our new filler bags last week I wasn't anticipating getting slammed with so many emails from customers who already had our product just wanting our new white liner. The question quickly became, "can I buy just the white liner" and to be honest my initial answer was no!

Not because I am trying to be a tough guy, just the opposite. We have quite a few people email daily confused about which Ultimate Sandbag is right for them, adding the white liner option would make things even more confusing. Additionally, the new filler bags are not cheap! Keeping things in the USA is very important for me, but it does come with a higher cost. Yeah, you may see that our prices were raised slightly, but we actually decided to eat some of the cost because selling a superior fitness tool is more important than doing it for cheap and making more money! Doing them together did make it a little more manageable.

However, since I want to give you guys what you really want and thank you all of you that have been such strong supporters, I am going to do a one week special on the white liners. Here is the deal though....you will only be able to purchase them buy themselves for one week, they won't ship out till a week from tomorrow as we will only order as many as we need. So it will take 2-3 weeks to get your white liners. In addition, they must be used in some type of canvas filler, we won't guarantee any of them that were used by themselves.

Believe it or not, all that we do is with you guys in mind and we want your sandbag training experience to be the best it can be. So, you can choose from the three sizes below:

Buy Your 10 Pound Liner

Buy Your 20 Pound Liner

Buy Your 50 Pound Liner

The Best Just Got Better

2009-07-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

People generally don't understand that I take Sandbag Fitness Systems VERY seriously. It isn't a "side project" or something that I do recreationally. That is why I am constantly striving to make my program and The Ultimate Sandbag the best training tool available. I believe that goal was accomplished with our innovation of our filler bags. A great concept that other companies have tried to copy, but have made poor copies.

While our filler bags were very effective, I knew they could be better. Want to see what we have done check out the video below:

These new bags will be shipped out starting Monday with all our packages!!!

It Is VERY Different

2009-07-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

I can say it over and over again, The Ultimate Sandbag is sooooo different than anything else! Really, I can say it all I want, but I know the reality, it sounds like the old tiresome marketing that we all get hit with almost daily! So, what does one do? I get great people like all of you to write in with your experiences and it makes things seem so much more real. The greatest gift I get is getting emails from all of you on how my program has impacted you! Today is no different.

Note: Even dogs love our

Sandbags!

A few days ago I received an email from Anthony. Unfortunately, I have never met Anthony, but he was kind enough to share with me what he thought of our Ultimate Sandbag and the programs...

"I had my first park session with the Ultimate Sandbag a short while ago. I have been doing thrusters (squat with a push press) in an interval fashion for fat loss; and I was thinking that the sandbag training wasn't going to be as brutal (and I was a little concerned about that). After a month of rain, I finally got to the park; and enjoyed the session very much. I did 15:15 interval of the lateral shouldering movement (bag dropped to the outside of the foot). I chose the small bag so I could concentrate on form. I was very surprised at the result. I was very sore in the external rotators, glute max, hamstrings and adductors. I have never been sore in that range of muscles before; the thrusters hitting the quads only with the shoulders being a weak link. I think this is the best exercise (movement) I have done and can't want to go heavier.

Thanks Josh
All the best"-Anthony S.

Anthony experienced simply everything I had talked about. The difference? He had to experience it for himself! One reason I have found myself traveling so much is because I found people needed to experience what this type of training does. You can't "sorta do the same" with any other piece of training equipment. The unbalanced weight, varying shapes, and all the variety make this a devastating piece of fitness equipment. Sounds like a sales pitch right?! Not really, all of what Anthony said he felt was with a small sandbag that is under $100!!! Shoot, a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells of equivalent weight are easily going to run you over that price. It isn't about the sales pitch, it is about changing people's perceptions of fitness and making it dynamic and exciting again!

I loved what Anthony wrote me, but was even more pleasantly surprised when he sent me a follow up email.

"Just back from a session. My core feels like it is made of rubber now :-) Anyway I thought I would share a little story since I have a minute.

I was talking to my uncle the other day. My father and his family had a fruit and vegetable business 70 years ago. They are always talking about the old days and how they would be loading and unloading trucks by hand all hours of the day and night. While we all have similar builds, one thing I have noticed about them is that they have much thicker hands than I do. I guess it is from lifting all those 140 pounds bags of potatoes. It is not so different from lifting sandbags. It really tickled my fancy thinking about history repeating, or the more things change the more they stay the same; and just after I purchased the Burly Bag.

By the way, I am really enjoying lifting the sandbag."

No, in fact, in the age where being "old school" is viewed as cool, this is the most old school type of training anyone can perform. Sure, people didn't do it for exercise 100 years ago, they did it for work! However, people were so much more fit then than we see today. Read any old time strongman book and what is the key? It is the amazing tendon and ligament strength that was created with such training.

Yes, there are a lot of tools that are awesome, but not all are very versatile. What I love about sandbag training is it can produce everything the famous old time strongmen talked about, but can also be used for our modern techniques as well. It gives such a unique feeling that this will become a staple of every fitness program.

Next week we are going to be releasing some very cool new projects and updates. Keep your eyes out for it and please, keep the great emails coming!!

Making it in the Fitness Industry

2009-07-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

When I started the L.I.F.T. certification I wanted to really address the issues of being in the fitness industry. After all, being involved for 15 years I can tell you that there were more than a few times that I contemplated actually getting out. Let's face it most of us that get into the industry do it because we love two things, to train, and to help others. Unfortunately, most like myself, ignore the fact we do run businesses and need to make a living for us to continue to do what we love.

That is why I thought it was critical to develop a business component to the L.I.F.T. program. While I have a lot of surprise guests to contribute, one that I knew could really give some powerful insights to how to take your training business to another level and help those that are just starting up. My good friend and colleague Troy Anderson gave some amazing ideas and tips in his hour interview on how to make it in the fitness industry. You can't miss this two part series!!

Listen to Troy Anderson's Business and Marketing Concepts Part I

Burly Bag Opening

2009-07-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

Wow! To say a lot has been going on is a huge understatement. I have been working so hard at making some changes that are far needed to get Sandbag Fitness Systems to the next level. The first very cool completed project was the new Burly Bag. Yes, A LOT of people have been writing me to get a hold of the new Burly Bag. Originally the bag was designed to be an intermediate between our medium and large sandbag. Then there was a mistake! The manufacturer sent me something much bigger, this bag instead of being able to hold up to 120 pounds could hold 200.

At first I was pissed! Then I started to work with the bag and realized this was actually far better than I had originally designed. Instead of simply having an intermediate bag we had created something brand new. With the length of the bag being the same as the medium, but the load able to go heavy, this became a very unique sandbag. What did I find?

1. When the bag was not filled full it began you at the toughest pulling position creating the best position to develop superior full body power. This pull is stronger than any other type of implement because the weight is also completely against you so you have to generate more force to get the bag moving.

2. The perfect tool for increasing overhead pressing strength. I know you can press with a host of objects, what makes the Burly Bag ideal? People speak about awkward implements, but sandbags are completely unique. Having pressed about every type of strength implement I can say for a fact that sandbags are far and away the most unstable. This makes the Burly Bag a powerful tool in increasing stabilizer strength and makes any other training tool feel much easier!

3. It is amazingly diverse as it can replicate just bout any form of strength training. One of my favorites is how you can use the Burly Bag in a similar fashion, this time without ripped up forearms or a bad back!

The Burly Bag isn't the only new change. Possibly even bigger is the creation of our new filler bags. I had a choice, a tough choice. The filler bags were originally designed to be as durable as possible and still be affordable. It was also awesome that we could have them made in the US. I still felt like they needed more, our customers deserve more. This was so tough because I had to both find a manufacturer that could make the change and more importantly still make it affordable.

I like to believe after a lot of hard work this was accomplished. What is different?

Extra durable stitching was added

The way the stitching is laid is now reinforced

There is now an additional layer to the filler bag that prevents leakage.

Unfortunately this cost quite a bit more! However, it seems more than worth it when you see the new filler bags. The best part is this is done with only a minimal increase in our prices. I decided that Sandbag Fitness Systems would take the rest!! Being able to deliver an incredible training tool is more important than anything. So, now all orders will have our new fillers and the new Burly Bags will come with 3-50 pound fillers.

So don't wait, I am launching an incredible special to save you $40 that will only last till Monday night!! The Burly will come in two styles, black and camouflage, you choose the challenge!

Purchase the Black Burly Bag: Click Here : Just $158.99

Purchase the Camouflage Burly Bag :Click Here: Just $168.99

Note: This is a pre-sale, Burly Bags will go out a week from Monday and arrive in 3-5 days for domestic shipments.

The Truth About Core Fitness

2009-07-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

I think there are always two good measures of knowing what is happening in the industry. Because I am usually in my training facility, I don't get to see the mainstream training ideas as much as I use to. Also, I can't look at too many websites or magazines without feeling a little sick to my stomach.

Having traveled quite a bit the last few months it has been interesting to see how people are interpreting still one of the hottest concepts, core training. Scientists and coaches all seem to have their ideas of what core training means. Some are quite complex and other are crude. Hard to say who is right or wrong, most often I tend to think everything is about the context of the individual.

The core training of an elite powerlifter hopefully is different than the housewife that hasn't worked out in 20 years. So, I think it is good to have a philosophy of core training, but progression and appropriate implementation are crucial!

Core training can be hard to nail down because the trunk is a complex structure, add in the hips and you definitely have a lot going on. That is because of all the muscles involved as well as all the nerves that innervate the trunk. So, it isn't as simple as "training the abs", "working the obliques", or "activating the glutes".

See how I break down core training in the new L.I.F.T. certification....

What is L.I.F.T.?

2009-07-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I released the first announcement of the new L.I.F.T. certification. It didn't take long for me to get a great deal of emails asking many questions in regards to what is L.I.F.T.? It is very difficult to sum up L.I.F.T. in just a few paragraphs or words. I can tell you L.I.F.T. is not about just learning how to lift sandbags or cool new exercises to perform. There are plenty of programs that are willing to show random exercises. That isn't my goal, I want to teach trainers and coaches how to take their programs to the next level!

So, what are you going to learn.....?

How to improve mobility and flexibility within seconds

Reduce shoulder, back and knee pain with just a few cutting-edge exercises

Discover how to create programs that will both motivate and challenge your clients

Learn what true CORE strength is and how it applies in all aspects of movement

Greatly improve how you market to your clients and create a more successful training business

This is just a few of the key things we will cover over the two days. Two days almost doesn't seem like enough time to cover all the great material that we are going to review. Over the next few days I will discuss further some of the more detailed concepts we are going to teach and how they all come together. Check out the video below though to see how you can create highly effective metabolic circuits and improve shoulder health in one training sessioins!

Don't Be Like The Rest

2009-07-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

Either be part of the solution or the problem, that old saying rings so true in my ears. In fact, it is that type of thought that keeps me pushing through many of the challenges that bringing my Sandbag Fitness Systems has faced. This isn't about my programs rather my growing frustration with those programs out there. There is an increasing number of certifications that make promises to fitness professionals that are just LIES!! It isn't only the mainstream associations, there are more and more individuals running "educational" programs that are simply failing today's fitness professional. Worst of all is the fact that many of the programs are now just marketing hype to get people in the door.

It has been almost twenty years since I attended my first seminar in the fitness industry. Through those years I was exposed to so much, both theory and training concepts. Each one of these certifications and programs I considered an educational process because I would always try to apply what I learned with my clients. Some concepts seemed to make the foundation of what was going to become my training philosophy, however, a great deal ended up being impractical and unhelpful to my clients. In fact, I remember one program I went through almost ten years ago I paid $3000 for! In the end, I may use 1% of the information.

Was this a failure? Financially maybe, yet, I had to try and experience these ideas to decide whether or not they had validity. Now, almost ten years later these ideas are being recycled as new and there is a new host of coaches trying to cash in on these ideas.

The same goes for the business side of training. For years there were no programs to teach trainers and coaches actually how to make money in the industry. I learned many things the hard way having to go through many of the most common mistakes along the way, simply because there was no one telling me otherwise.

Today the last thing there are is too few certifications! However, many are put on by trainers and coaches are scrapping by themselves, or have trained less than 50 people in their careers. They have found a clever way to market and actually make an income by wowing people with what appear to be new techniques that are simply recycled ideas they learned from others.

I decided I could sit back and just whine about what is going on in my industry or try to become part of the solution. I have been working on my concept of L.I.F.T. (loaded integrated functional training) for a few years. Unlike most certifications this wasn't born out of a book or an idea trying to make clients fit a program. Rather, this program was the result of all my years working with a huge variety of people. This program was developed to address the needs of the client and the coach/trainer working with a client. I wanted something that could fit this criteria:

1. Would be interesting and motivating to both the client and trainer/coach

2. Would be unique to help market new business to the coach/trainer

3. Could produce results faster than almost any other program available

4. It could be easily adapted to any fitness level

5. Founded in well established training concepts

I really believe L.I.F.T. fills all these important points and has the potential to reinvent the fitness industry. Three tools help teach the important movement concepts that are laid out in the L.I.F.T. programs; the Ultimate Sandbag, Jungle Gym, and Strength Bands. These three implements bring very different methods to the training table and while they are powerful by themselves there is an even more impressive synergyistic effect when you combine in the way I have laid out in the L.I.F.T.

L.I.F.T. is designed to help the modern trainer to be as successful in their business as possible. We will even spend some time during the program covering common mistakes in running your own training business (a special guest will help with this part!).

I was so excited when just letting people know what I was expecting to do that we had people ready to host immediately! I wanted this week to be special as we already have three host cities for our launch of the L.I.F.T. program. Motala, Sweden, Avon by the Sea, New Jersey, and Atlanta, Georgia! All the dates are now listed on our site for September. With the time coming fast I wanted to start with a bang!

For this week only you can sign-up for the L.I.F.T. certification for just $599.99. Don't worry, if that still seems hard to make happen we have payment plans set-up on the site as well. We want to have as many great individuals involved to turn the fitness industry on its head and help all of those that find fitness to be their passion be rewarded for their hard-work and dedication.

I will be discussing topics of L.I.F.T. all week long, but don't miss the opportunity to get an amazing deal that will become the leader in the industry.

Go to http://tinyurl.com/6kbof7 to learn more!

The 5 Best Exercises You Aren't Doing!

2009-07-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

What five exercises will go a long ways in helping you champion the "3 Rounds of Hell"? They may not be the one's you were thinking of. Watch today's video and let me know how your progress of the "3 Rounds of Hell" is going. Next week we have some exciting announcements!!!

What a Navy Seal Has to Say...

2009-07-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Since I first talked about the "3 Rounds of Hell" I have had so many great emails from people telling me how brutal it was and how almost impossible it seems. I began to think if I had made the challenge too hard as I had yet to receive an email or video about anyone accomplishing it. Then the challenge got its own test!

A former Navy Seal and current special operations soldier "Tim" came back to Arizona after some recent military training. "Tim" is absolutely no stranger to hard workouts, the times I have worked with him it just simply amazes me his mental toughness, it is just from another planet! However, after catching up with "Tim" for a bit he asked me if I had anything new for him. That is when I thought I would unleash the "3 Rounds of Hell" on him. To say he was excited was an understatement!

The next day Tim dedicated his whole workout to trying to accomplish the "3 Rounds of Hell". I was very intrigued to see if someone could get through it or would I have to modify some of the criteria? Tim weighed in at 215 so we figured out he would use the large sandbag loaded to 150. After a brief, but focused warm-up Tim tackled the challenge. The first round seemed almost easy, the second you could tell some fatigue was coming, the third he almost looked mortal!!! He did it!! Yes, Tim completed the "3 Rounds of Hell", but laid on the ground for a good ten minutes.

Tim thought it was a heck of a challenge because it tested not only his strength, or endurance. It tested his willpower, his hands, his upper body, lower body, EVERYTHING! Sad thing is he was contemplating a "5 Rounds of Hell"! Well, until more mortals accomplish this goal I think I will stick with the three rounds, but that doesn't mean I don't have some tricks up my sleeve.

I am going to start launching a video series on how to train for the "3 Rounds of Hell". Most people would assume that simply trying to do more and more work with shouldering would be the best route, but that isn't so. There are many supplementary exercises one should employ that will greatly enhance your ability to get through the challenge.

The first mistake people make is they don't realize that the upper body is heavily involved with repeated bouts of heavy shouldering. Often it is the hands, upper arms, and upper back that fail people. The gripping and shifting of the weight can seem as though it adds severe weight to an already heavy implement. What can you do? These are exercises I like to implement and will talk more about in later videos:

1. One-arm shouldering

2. Bent-over row grabbing on the sides

3. Bear Hug rowing

4. Bear Hug walks

The next most common mistake is that people don't have good enough flexibility in their hips to keep the repeated hip drive going. When people are tight and try the challenge they will find that they start using their low back as a prime mover and they move very inefficiently and become tired VERY FAST!

What can you do? These are some of my favorites...

1. Hurdle Zercher Squats

2. Overhead Lunge

3. Heavy Bear Hug Squats

4. Overhead Chops

Of course you also have to be strong in the hips and low back. What can you do besides just shouldering?

1. Shouldering Suspended Lunge

2. Zercher Goodmornings

3. Get-up Bridge

4. No Pivot Half Moon Snatch

So, you see there is far more than just shouldering over and over. These twelve supplementary exercises will go a long way in building that foundation. Next time I will show you some of them in action and we will go more into how you put it all together into a program that will let you dominate the "3 Rounds of Hell" like Tim did!

Quality is the Proof

2009-06-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

I was so shockingly (but pleasantly) surprised when I opened my email today and saw a video link by New York based bootcamp instructor, Nii Wilson. It wasn't that Nii emailed me, in fact, he is a incredibly enthusiastic trainer. The surprise was the video he made completely unsolicited by me. Nii had spoken to me some time ago about how excited he was in regards to the quality of our sandbags. While I always appreciate the kind words, Nii's perspective was very unique.

Unlike most people, Nii had spent time in the military and in their logistics department that was in charge of materials for soldiers. This meant that Nii was more than familiar with the concept of army duffel bags and their use for training. There are a lot of people that still try to argue with me that a homemade version of their sandbag is the same as our Ultimate Sandbag. Others believe that it is close enough that the extra money isn't necessary. Well, after Nii's video I was even more amazed how our research and development had created such a unique training tool.

Making a perfect product is pretty tough, but we stand behind our Ultimate Sandbag and often help people out if anything seems wrong. This is far more than most companies that won't even write back. Check out Nii's well done video though and see if the Ultimate Sandbag is for you!!

Lessons of Adversity

2009-06-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

I was laying there in bed, just wishing that I didn’t have to get out of bed because my head was pounding, my right arm throbbing, and oh feeling a little nauseated doesn’t help. No, it is the flu, cold, or any new disease. It is the normal process of dealing with oral reconstructive surgery that I have been going through for the past year.

Why tell you this? I find every injury and situation has taught me a lot about training, attitude, and how to coach people better. It is also my hope to share my own challenges because I know many of you are facing similar situations and you are putting forth everything you can into finding motivation to train.

Trust me when I tell you I understand the such challenges. Coming from someone who absolutely LOVES to train, push themselves, I have found the last year extremely challenging. However, I have found some techniques that have made it a little easier.

Train! That may seem weird or easy for me to say, but there are days where I feel like it is an accomplishment getting out of bed and being able to work with my clients. Yet, I feel so much better to train, but how do you get to that point? My first rule is to find anything that allows you to train, that might be simply going for a walk, do some biking, yes, get on the horrid cardio equipment at the local gym. More times than not simply doing a simple workout will improve both your physical and mental well-being.

That also goes for your strength training. The sandbags have been a great means for to do a lot with very little energy. Performing brief circuits very frequently has been an important way for me to keep my metabolism and strength gains stable. In fact, recently I was in Chicago for a conference and was able to train with my good friend Nick. Nick is one strong guy, especially for his bodyweight. I felt less than adequate because Nick always displays amazing energy and enthusiasm and lately I have been working hard for both.

Barbell back squatting was on the menu for the day and to be honest, it was one of the last things I felt like performing. At a bodyweight of 180 Nick was performing clusters with 335, most impressive! Me on the other hand? 335 for most my size should be a relative easy weight. However, I hadn’t barbell back squatted probably in six months or so. I had to move to sandbag squatting variations to take pressure off neck and hoped to take this time to strengthen my trunk with the sandbag variations. In addition, I moved to more single leg work as my form of keeping my leg strength up.

I was inspired by Nick’s work though and although I could tell my body was more than off I wasn’t going to let him completely show me up! Getting underneath the bar I was a little bit nervous about what the results would produce. It wasn’t just about my body, but what if all this other work really didn’t transfer, after all much of my ideas weren’t practiced by elite or very experienced lifters. When I walked out of the rack though I felt strong, stronger than I typically had with this weight on my back in the past. While I didn’t have the endurance to perform many repetitions, I was extremely excited about the transfer that I had experienced and that when this surgery was done I would reach new heights in my training.

Nutrition is MOST Important: This can be equally as challenging, food often tends to be emotionally based as well. Think of when you have been most down, MOST people will often let their nutrition go. This is also a challenge considering when you aren’t well only certain foods sound good. Yep, there are days where the only thing that sounds tolerable is crackers or soup. So, what do you do? What you have in the house is of utmost importance. For me, that meant having flaxseed based, gluten-free, crackers on hand. It meant having homemade vegetable soups ready to go made out of the crock pot. Don’t worry though, I am not perfect either, but making these plans will go a long way in making you not fall into many of the common pitfalls.

Nutrition isn’t important for the reasons you may be thinking. Sure keeping yourself in shape is important (especially for those that are going to be having to deal with surgery), more important is avoiding the cycle that often occurs with feeling horrible (both mentally and/or physically). The cycle usually follows feel bad>eat badly>feel even worse. Poor nutrition increases inflammation in the body and can keep one’s mood low. This is a recipe for disaster!

Good nutrition can do exactly the opposite. Various foods can act as an anti-inflammatory, improve healing, help mood, and keep your conditioning from getting poor. As I mentioned it isn’t always easy, but if you are determined to stay on the right path you can always make better choices.

Set new goals: Yes, sometimes new goals feel like “getting out of bed”, “being able to workout”, or a host of others. Realistically, new goals can be created and progress can be made. For me the opportunity to focus on some new sandbag training goals have been very helpful. That is really where the “3 Rounds of Hell” originated. There is incredible value for so many with this challenge, but for me it was about developing a goal for myself to keep improving my power and stamina. This leads me to creating new programs and testing these methods to continue the growth and evolution of this system of training.

This isn’t about making anyone feel sorry for me, rather, hopefully giving inspiration to others that may be going through their own personal challenges. One of my biggest inspirations was my step-mother that fought Stage IV breast cancer for seven years. No matter what came her way she had a positive attitude. Even when it was obvious the cancer was winning she never showed a poor attitude, in fact, she was doing charitable events for breast cancer awareness till she could no longer get out of bed. That type of persistence and attitude has given me the perspective that no matter how lousy I feel day to day, that is is all temporary and the majority of my life will be spent feeling great and hope to help other find methods that help inspire them to live healthier lives.

Limited Edition Women's Sandbag

2009-06-22T08:42:00.001-07:00

Who are the most willing, open-minded, and likely to get involved in a coaching program? WOMEN!!! Having coached for 15 years I can honestly say how much easier women are to work with than men. Why? Firstly, women are primarily interested in results and feeling better. Typically, women don't come into a training situation trying to pretend they are still in their high school football shape or demonstrate how tough they are (even though these guys haven't moved from their office chair in 20 years!)

Women are open to new ideas and if you actually listen to what they want, sandbag training is perfect for them! Sandbag training is a highly athletic and a graceful form of training that stimulates strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance. Possibly the most important, it isn't that typical iron weight that can often be a big turn-off to many women.

That is why I wanted to create something specific for all of our women. Too often women are forced to adapt into men's programs or follow cheesy women's infomercials. That is why I created the "Femme Fatale Fitness Program". The programs are the same ones I use for my female clients at my facility. Programs that have helped numerous women go from 50 pounds overweight to wonder women!

Alright ladies, you too have your challenges though. You can fall into the traps of marketing or our "social norms". However, it doesn't mean you have to be perform bad fitness programs to try to conform. Your problem areas are different from guys, but don't think cheesy machine exercises are the way to go. Very dynamic, fun, and effective exercises can be utilized to deliver much better and faster results. Yes, that is the basis of the "Femme Fatale Fitness Program".

To launch our program I wanted to do something exciting and fun! So, we created a limited edition women's pink camouflage bag. A very cool looking sandbag that is the same dimension as our small sandbag, but with handles on the ends as well to be more versatile for women. This isn't a sales pitch. I only have about eight bags, so this is truly, first come, first serve. In fact, you will have to email me for the special link to purchase the bag.

This is going to be an experiment for us of sorts as well. Not only did we create a limited edition sandbag, your response will determine if we make more!!! However, I wanted to move away from people just focusing on the bags themselves, so we are going to give you two secret workout programs that I demonstrate to start getting results today! Lastly, we are going to offer two options for payment, you can pay in full or try our experiment of a payment plan to help those that are dying to get their hands on the bags, but just getting hit hard with the current economy.

So, if you are ready to jump on our NEW "Femme Fatale Fitness Program" email me directly at jsandbags@hotmail.com, remember we only have 8!!!!

3 Rounds of Hell is Here

2009-06-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

After I spoke about my challenge of "3 Rounds of Hell" last week I received a ton of emails!!! Some wondering how to do it, some how to train for it, and some doubting it could be done! I'll admit, my initial challenge was pretty brutal, but that is how I wanted it. Yet, I feel like there are things I needed to clear up....

1. Why shouldering the sandbag? This seems to be the most fundamental lift that encompasses the most overall body strength. We can load it very heavy or use a more moderate load and the drill won't be limited by blisters on the hands, major technique flaws, or anything other than the drill itself.

Where some lifts test a dominant area of the body (i.e. upper or lower body strength) shouldering requires everything! If you don't have proper hip or low back strength, you will know it! If you don't have enough upper body strength, you will know it. You simply can not cheat the movement.

2. Are there rules? The only rule I have come up with so far is that the movement must be a clean shouldering repetition. You can't inch it up the body or rest it on the legs. It must explosively reach the shoulder from the pulling position in one clean rep.

3. Can you scale the challenge? I don't think everyone should have the same rules. As of right now this is how I see the challenge

Men:
180 or under: 120 pound sandbag
180-220: 150 pound sandbag
220-270: 170 pound sandbag
270 and over: 200 pound sandbag

Women:
130 or under: 50 pound sandbag
130-150: 70 pound sandbag
150-180: 90 pound sandbag
180 and over: 100 pound sandbag

I will admit, this challenge is not well tested. That is the fun part about what we are creating with Sandbag Fitness Systems, we are writing the book on sandbag training. Unlike most other forms of physical conditioning there is not textbook on sandbag fitness that everyone follows, we are writing the rules. In fact, I wanted to take the challenge for a run myself, heck, I can't ask others what I am not willing to do.

Yep, it kicked my ass! I think within two weeks of training for it I will have all three rounds nailed down. However, I can honestly say that my hips, back, and arms were completely toast! My heart was racing and I KNOW this will have amazing carryover to so many other fitness goals.

In the next few weeks I will write much more about how one progresses and trains for such a challenge to dominate the hardest fitness challenge!

The Hardest Fitness Challenge Ever?!

2009-06-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

I still hear it all the time, "sandbags are great for conditioning, but don't do much for your strength." How ridiculous is this? I always know this is someone that has really never spent any serious time sandbag training. Instead of trying to rationalize to people that sandbags can make you strong I wanted to place a challenge to prove my point.

The trouble is, "what is being strong?" Being able to lift a lot is great, but just being able to lift a lot isn't tremendously beneficial. Being able to reproduce feats of strength repeatedly is far more impressive. I took one of the best sandbag drills and created a challenge to see how many people could perform strength and endurance? No, I didn't want this to be easy, I wanted it to be a brutal test of fitness.

What is the test? Initially it was taking our large sandbag, loading it to 150 pounds and performing 10 shoulders (5 each side) within one minute. Many people weren't even able to last through this challenge. Heck at a recent conference I had a former football player who weighed 300 pounds unable to complete this challenge as he thought his heart was going to explode! I wasn't satisfied though.

I wanted to see how people really could recover and do it again! So, the NEW Sandbag Fitness Challenge is the "Three Rounds of Hell" drill. It is shouldering the 150 sandbag 10 times in one minute, resting one minute, and repeating this for two additional rounds. Don't worry, women can do it too with the 70 pound sandbag!

Want to see how hard the 150 pound bag shouldering is? I placed the challenge to an excited trainer at the recent Perform Better Summit. Want to see if he was able to make it? Oh btw, if you make our challenge you have to perform a CLEAN shouldering movement, no stopping at the chest! I was in a good mood here:

Synergy Special is On!!

2009-06-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

I am heading off to Chicago in a few days to be a part of the Perform Better Summit. For those that are not in the industry, this is always a pretty big event with approximately 30 top speakers lecturing and giving hands on training sessions. Definitely a very cool event. Of course, I know kettlebells are going to be a popular tool of application. It is amazing how kettlebells went from being completely unknown to a training tool that has numerous certifications, television programs, and celebrity endorsements that promote its benefits. In fact, I was speaking to a rep of Perform Better and he told me that kettlebells were their top selling product. Pretty darn impressive.

I am hoping that sandbags can make the same run and changes in the industry that kettlebells have been able to achieve. As I have written about extensively, sandbags are just as versatile and powerful as kettlebells and offer some unique aspects. So, there is no doubt that sandbags will get their day as well.

Thinking about the similarities and differences of sandbags and kettlebells is what made me think of running a special on the Synergy program. I wanted to do something different so I am releasing the Synergy Special Sale that is unlike anything else!

What will you receive?

The top selling Synergy DVD that has follow along workouts with kettlebells and my Ultimate Sandbag

Two e-manuals that have over 4 months of programs and exercise descriptions. These are lengthy and packed full of great training materials!

Two one hour interviews with a top goal-setting expert and a gentleman that lost over 130 pounds using this type of program!

The Elimination Diet: learn the secrets on how to shred fat really fast and how to improve your performance.

Then the best part!! 10 1-hour interviews with some of the top kettlebell coaches in the industry. This is over 10 hours of amazing training material from rehab, nutrition, fat loss, sports performance, to the Pavel himself speaking about kettlebell training.

If you want to jump over to take advantage of this special go to the link: http://tinyurl.com/nceksy

This sale will only be good till Thursday night! Don't worry if you already have the DVD you can purchase the bonuses themselves.

http://tinyurl.com/nceksy

Fitting Everything In

2009-06-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Options, there almost seems like there are just too many of them. Trying to fit in strength, power, speed, stability, corrective, and endurance work altogether seems virtually impossible. This is especially true when you are not a professional athlete and get paid to train. I'll be honest, with things getting busier and busier for me there seems to be only so much in the tank.

It isn't a desire, but like many people, we only have so much in the tank for our energy and making sure we are balanced individuals and achieve all our goals isn't so easy. Yet, that isn't an excuse, it simply means we need to find better and more efficient ways to train. It isn't about doing all strength, or all conditioning. Having balance in training is just as important as life.

So, how can you do it? I think Synergy is a great example how! We can simply focus on three training implements, tools you can have in a gym, outside, or at home. Simplicity doesn't mean an inability to get great results. In fact, I have found using the special Synergy Complexes you can feel and perform better. How do I know? I have used these very complexes to maintain my maximal strength and conditioning during these busy times. See what they can do for you!

Optimizing Synergy Fitness

2009-06-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

Strength coach Charles Staley has a great saying, "everything has a cost, not everything has a benefit." This is especially true when it comes to determining different implements to train with. I would have to say most training implements do have some benefit, but they can vary greatly to how much. EVERY training tool has a cost to the body, whether it is to the nervous system or some risk to the health of the joints and muscles.

One inherent risk to every training tool is that you become very good at one form of training. Your body does "groove" to each training tool and becomes more efficient with the movements. This is actually a good thing as you do want some level of adaptation to cause positive changes to your body's systems.

This is a big reason I was so excited to create the Synergy program. Many people have already seen the great behind kettlebells, but fell for the trap of performing a high amount of repeated movements. This has the same downfalls as jogging, or other very repetitive movements. We already know that cyclists, runners, and swimmers develop repetitive stress injuries, yet, for some reason people don't think it will happen when they perform high rep swings or snatches day after day.

That is why combining sandbags and kettlebells can be so important in not only performance enhancement, but injury prevention as well. By challenging the body with new stimulus' one could potentially avoid a lot of common overuse injuries that comes with this form of training.

Now, it is obvious that sandbags and kettlebells are amazing combined together in various programs as I outlined in the Synergy DVD. However, another favorite method of mine is to alternate sets of similar patterns between sandbags and kettlebells. This not only prevents those overuse injuries, but can improve the performance of specific lifts. In the video below I have demonstrated how easy, yet, powerful such training can be.

Beating The Gym's Ass!

2009-06-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

I have long used sandbags in my training programs, however, it has only been the last few months they have really taken center stage. Having so many toys in my training facility it is often hard to use only one, however, I have found as I got busier and busier that I did tend to drift towards the sandbags. Yes, I have TRXs, Jungle Gyms, and kettlebells, I also have bands, sleds, and a ton of other great toys, but why the sandbags?

The best reason is that I know that any exercise I perform I am going to be challenged more than I could by any other tool, yes, even more than a barbell. One arm kettlebell snatches with a 32kg bell is a vacation compared to snatching with two hands a 90 pound sandbag! A 250 barbell front squat is no big deal compared with a 150 pound sandbag zercher squat. You can see that it is hard to find a equivalent for sandbag work. More muscles=better results!

It could also be that sandbags are so amazingly versatile. With a kettlebell you can hold it in the rack position by the shoulder, overhead, or by your side, however, with a sandbag you can have it on the shoulder, overhead, in the zercher, in the clean position, bear hug, or even on the back. Instantly you have six different variations of almost any exercise.

Grip work? Oh yea, sure lifting heavy bars helps your grip, but digging into a sandbag is like nothing else. The constantly shifting weight and awkward nature of the sandbag makes it an unusual grip tool. Just ask grip expert John Brookfield who recently became a fan of our sandbags!

Of course nothing can say more than movement over muscles. The quality and number of movements one can perform with the sandbag are endless. Feeling athletic is so far underrated and is really what makes people feel strong and powerful. The athletic drills you can create and perform truly make you feel half your age, or that you can compete with anyone!

The key is how you put it all together. This is the first video shot at my new facility and demonstrates how to put together all these great properties of sandbag training!

This is like NOTHING else!

2009-05-31T14:40:00.000-07:00

I joking call this year my "2009 World Tour", but to be more accurate it is more like "2009 US Tour"! That's right in 12 weeks I am going to have been in 7 different states doing workshops and conferences. It is very exciting even though it is also completely exhausting. Especially because it most cases when Monday hits I am right back in the gym!

I am not one to complain, ok, not TOO much! Mostly because it has been so cool to see the responses people have had to the Sandbag Fitness Systems program. It is great to see people's eyes light up when they see the program in action. This is probably because it is so drastically different than what everyone is doing! I can say that confidently because I have been a witness to what some of the biggest names and programs in the industry are doing, and guess what? These are the same people that are most excited when they see the Sandbag Fitness Program (SFS).

I know, what are you missing out on? I will give you some of the secrets.

One of the biggest benefits is that I am able to show people what true functional training is really all about. The cool thing about the SFS program is that it can accomplish fitness and performance goals. Heck, it can do it by itself if you really wanted. In many situations coaches have to switch apparatuses depending if they are doing strength, speed, power, core, or movement training. It is amazing that you can simply change the weight or size of bag and accomplish everything with this program. Yes, you can train to be stronger, faster, more agile, greater endurance, and be more flexible!

I know Josh, that sounds like more senseless and silly internet marketing! I couldn't agree more, however, don't take my word for it, check out what the Indiana Football State Champs have to say!

"I recently purchased two Ultimate Sandbags for our high school football team's off-season training. The players are use to using free weights and a few specialty machines, a power runner and a power thruster. When I first introduced the sandbags to supplement the work they were accustom to doing with free weights, they thought it was going to be a piece of cake. After all the bags only weight 50 and 70 pounds each. These guys are use to moving 200 to 300 pounds regularly. They were quite surprised at how challenging a sandbag can be. After a few sets there was a lot of huffing and puffing.

Cardinal Ritter High School of Indianapolis is a small private school without a lot of money to spend on equipment. The couple of hundred dollars I spent on the Ultimate Sandbags will pay bigger dividends than machines costing thousands of dollars and when the weather is nice enough for us to move outside the bags will come with us while the machines stay inside.

Thanks for all the ideas and information that you continually share with your customers. It has been a big help for me and the team.

By the way, Cardinal Ritter is the 2008 Indiana State Champs and we do not intent to rest on our laurels."
Larry Timko

Not all movements are equal, if they were it would be great to spend all day doing biceps curls. However, we know that big movements stimulate more muscles and more anabolic hormones (ok, you get more buff when you do them!). When people see that you can do snatches and cleans with the sandbags they get pscyhed! After all, they are far more difficult with a sandbag than any other piece of equipment. Yet, the biggest surprise comes when people see shouldering, half moon snatches, split cleans/snatches, overhead chops, and the far great movements that create a more athletic, incorporate more muscles, and just yield better results.

Results however, can come in many forms. One can be just getting people out of pain!! Pain is often the biggest demotivator and when people get introduced to our pre and post-rehab programs they can't wait to start using these techniques. Yes, sandbags are not neccessarily just for intense strength training, but creating better movement and rehabbing injuries. Backs are especially amazing to heal with the SFS program.

Listen to what personal trainer Tony Tomich noticed implemented SFS program...

"I'm a Personal trainer, I use your Ultimate Sandbag System with all level clients male and female, athletes and stay at home moms, and all levels in between. All quickly realize the difficulty and benefits of incorporating sandbag training into their regular workouts. Its like nothing else ! After just a few workouts back problems are going away, improvement in all other areas of fitness are evident. Your sandbags have a permanent place at Real Life Personal Training. Rock On !"

How can you learn these techniques? Hey, the over 100 FREE videos online are a great place to start (http://www.youtube.com/user/SandbagFitness), but we are at more and more events. I hope you will check out the SFS program and see us at some of our events.

Oh, and don't miss out on seeing our first upcoming certifications coming in September!!!

Now that I am coming home expect more videos, cool new bags and so much more!!!

I am psyched about helping people improve their lives and I hope you will help me achieve this goal!

In Strength,
Josh Henkin, CSCS
http://sandbagfitnesssystems.com

What your training is lacking

2009-05-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

It is hard, it is hard to find time to squeeze everything into a training program that we all should. However, that is the difference between a well laid training program and taking a shotgun approach to fitness. Making time for the "little things" ends up making the "big things" actually work.

I often laugh to myself when people say they didn't get anything out of a particular exercise or program. The truth is that one has to ask, "did you follow the program exactly outlined or did you make your own modifications?", or "did you do the exercise right?"

Recently I got to interview a coach who really has put it together and realizes how everything impacts performance, yes EVERYTHING does! I remember years ago reading an online magazine called Dolfzine. It seemed so cool as it had great minds like Krista Scott Dixon, Dr. Mel Siff, and many more top coaches and scientists writing for it. Little did I know how heavily involved that Vince McConnell was in creating such a great project.

Not only has Vince worked with and studied great coaches, but he has 25 years of coaching a vast array of clients himself. Not too many coaches have been great athletes themselves and coached every sport from football to tennis and helped young kids and elderly adults. That definitely demonstrates some unique insights into fitness and performance. Vince was kind enough to talk about his experiences and thoughts on training. Oh, and his favorite new tool, "The Ultimate Sandbag".

Listen to Vince McConnell's interview here!!

Should YOU Train Like a Fighter?

2009-05-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Recently I was interviewed for a MMA website. I always love to talk training because I think there is so much more you can say than is possible to write, plus I can be long winded in a good way:)

I think talking MMA is great because it is both popular and relatively new. There are so many aspects of MMA training that is makes it one of the more challenging sports to train for. However, let's face it, most of us are never going to get into the Octagon and fight. Yet, I think even every day people can benefit a lot from implementing concepts from MMA.

MMA brings together many aspects of fitness; strength, endurance, flexibility, and skill. However, one could argue that most sports bring these qualities, but MMA is unique in the fact that there needs to be flexibility in some pretty extreme positions. Strength has to be possessed in all ranges of motion for the whole body. Endurance has to be a good mixture of not only anaerobic training, but dynamic and isometric as well.

This may be why MMA athletes generally have physiques many would be very happy to possess. In my KNOCKOUT! e-book I cover how one can use sandbags and other implements to achieve these impressive physiques, however, the good thing about MMA is that is traditionally has been a minimalist approach.

Before "functional fitness" was fashoinable, MMA athletes borrow so much from different arts that allows them to move so efficiently and have strength that is hard to match by many athletes. What lessons could we learn from the training of MMA athletes to use for our own fitness?

1. Train in many ranges of motion: Just thinking of the lunge exercise with a sandbag I can come up with 50 variations that will challenge the body in unique ways to improve both performance and strength.

2. Training isometric and dynamic strength: There is only so much energy and time to train it is hard to think of adding even more can be overwhelming. So, here are some quick ideas of how to add some isometric training....

a. Add pauses to various positions when you perform lifts, great examples are pull-ups, squats, and push-ups.

b. Use variations of bear hug and zercher training to build both trunk and upper body isometric strength.

3. Mix up your anaerobic training: Typically people think interval or circuit training is very hard to vary. Nothing could be further from the truth!

a. Mix up the work to rest ratios: If you are use to training for 30 seconds and resting for 60 seconds, simply add ten seconds to your work or reduce your rest by ten seconds.

b. Change the loading position, instead of doing bear hug squats, simply change to shoulder squats and the exercise becomes new!

c. Keep track of the number of repetitions performed during an interval and try to not let it drop 10% during the whole workout.

d. Perform static positions for the duration of the work interval.

4. Do an exercise you have been putting off: I can say get-ups aren't my favorite, but I probably need to implement them more. Usually we stick with what we are good and familiar with. Try to select at least one exercise in your routine that you have been avoiding.

You see, there are a lot of important lessons to be learned from MMA. Yet, there are easily a lot of mistakes these athletes make. To learn more tips and avoid the mistakes check out my e-book KNOCKOUT! or my recent interview.

Click Here to Listen to Interview

Click Here to Check out KNOCKOUT!

The Misuse of Strongman Training Part II

2009-05-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! Did I get some emails about my last post! It seems as though I really struck a nerve with a lot of people that have strong feelings about the pros and cons of Strongman training. First, we have to clearly define Strongman training, I am speaking specifically of the events in Strongman Contests. This would include:

Log/Axle clean and jerk
Farmer's Walks
Yoke Walks
Tire Flips
Stone Lifting
Car Pulling

Sure, I am missing a few, but these are the most common ones. Strongman training is not sledgehammers, bent pressing, kettlebells, get-ups, etc. This falls into general training as this is not training used in competitive strongman events.

So, what is my problem? It isn't with any of the events or lifts, it is purely with how they are employed and who they are used with. It has become commonplace to quote some of the greats of old time strength training; Saxon, Hackenschmidt, Jowett, and many others. These men were immensely strong and athletic, but there is many things that are often not mentioned about their training.

1. Most of the old time lifters came from a background of manual labor, often farming or other industrial jobs. This meant years of intense physical training building their fitness and supporting system of ligaments and tendons.

2. The old time lifters were often very proficient and even competitive in wrestling and gymnastics. This gave them strength in a wide array of body positions and angles. It provided them proper conditioning to handle high intensity loads, and possessed amazing dynamic flexibility.

3. All these men would discuss the important role of spending time performing general exercises for an extensive period of time before pursuing more intense training.

4. This was a time before highly processed foods that often impedes and impacts recovery.

All things considered, these men did not really perform the strongman lifts of today and to make comparisons is highly inaccurate.

We only hear the benefits of doing Strongman training, so what are some of the drawbacks?

1. Heavy walking exercises can often place a great deal of compressive forces on the spine and/or hips. Because it is very hard to stabilize the pelvis under these conditions one's hip girdle gets negatively impacted. Don't believe me? Test your hamstring and hip flexor strength and flexibility after doing heavy farmer's walks and/yokes! Impeding hamstrings and hip flexors is devastating to an athlete and can destroy performance. For general population it can cause back pain and discomfort in the long run.

2. Farmer's walks especially torch the upper traps. For many people, they possess an unusually high level of activity and stress in the upper traps. When they perform these lifts they can develop severe neck restrictions and pains. This is a place for referral pains as well and can cause shoulder and upper arm type of pain symptoms.

3. Stones and tire flipping place the body in an imperfect lifting posture. Again, if the lifter is not proficient at bracing and understanding how to stabilize their pelvis the back can potentially get injured. A great deal of time needs to be spent teaching pelvic stabilization and core strength in many positions including extended.

4. Thick bar work and heavy duty gripping can cause some major problems in the elbows. Because these muscles can get easily overworked, tennis elbow type of symptoms.

Many people tend to forget that Strongman training is training for a sport in of itself. As with many sports, there are aspects that are not healthy, but necessary for performance. Especially at the higher levels of sport one increases their risk of compounding the negative aspects. That isn't to say that you couldn't use these lifts, in Part III I will discuss how to wisely implement such exercises.

The Misuse of Strongman Training Part I

2009-05-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I was presenting at the Sport Specific conference with a host of coaches that was quite impressive. People such as Alwyn Cosgrove, Mike Boyle, Lee Taft, Dave Schmitz, Brian Grasso, and many more were all in the mix. I remember this being my first time in speaking in front of several hundred fitness professionals. I wasn't too nervous, I knew my presentation and felt confident it what I was going to speak about. However, when Ryan Lee told me that I was moved to present after Mike Boyle, I was a little more intimidated.

I had seen Mike Boyle present before and he does a great job of captivating his audience. I knew following him would be a great challenge as many people would still be digesting all that Mike had to say. So, I knew I had to bring my A game and standing outside rehearsing and preparing, I did feel a little nervous.

However, everything became so much more complicated as Alwyn Cosgrove and Ryan Lee hunted me down with a very concerned look on their faces. I thought, "great I've been bumped from the conference!" When in fact, they both tried to console me as though something very bad had happened. They kept saying to me, "you know he isn't talking about you." I had no idea what they were talking about, but I found out quickly Mike Boyle was saying how strongman training was just stupid.

I have to admit, my first reaction was to get very upset, ok, I was pissed!! I couldn't understand why a great coach would talk so badly about a method of training that was exploding because of it functional carryover. It wouldn't be for a few more years till I would understand what he was actually talking about.

At the time I was too deaf to listen to Mike's objection because I was immersed in training for a strongman competition. I was not only training for a competition, but had credited much of the training to healing my back. As I look back though, many people would assume that strongman training was ALL I did for my back. This is far from the truth. The extent to my low back rehab goes far beyond just using Strongman training (I will talk about this later).

Yet, the focus continued to be on strongman training and what I didn't realize at the time was how people were going to apply this type of training to various programs. When I trained for Strongman, the goal was to lift as heavy as possible, as fast as possible. I recall my first few times lifting stones my biceps throbbed for about two weeks!!!! I remember as the training for a competition got closer and closer, it was more about just managing my pain rather than increasing performance. Then I realized something really important!!!

I began to notice that many of the guys I trained with and myself moved horribly!! Yea, we looked like we could lift a lot of weight, but our arms didn't move when we walked, it felt like as though a steel rod was in my back and moving quickly or athletically was going to take some serious warming-up!!

Of course, if your only goal is to be a competitive strongman, then yes, this is part of the business. However, I know many coaches that are now implementing strongman based training for athletes and fitness individuals alike!

In regards to athletic training, the question has to be asked, "what is the cost of this training versus the benefit?" After being involved in strongman training for a few years now I think I can speak intelligently on the impact of certain types of training on athletic development. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing wrong with any of these movements, the problem comes from our lack of conditioning and strength to deal with them appropriately.

In Part II of this series I will cover how the different strongman events impact performance, good and bad! I will also discuss how to intelligently apply strongman training to any individual.

"The Ultimate Sandbag" Takes On All

2009-05-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

It is a challenge, this sandbag training thing isn't as easy as it sounds. When I was at the University of Florida for their football S & C conference, many people smiled and nodded their heads to me. It was as though they all had some memory of using a sandbag somewhere in their past. However, it still amazed me how many people were simply reluctant to try lifting "The Ultimate Sandbag". A few were interested after one of the speakers gave some examples of sandbag training, but was it really beneficial?

Now I am all for new and innovative ideas. Heck, I love it when people send me videos of themselves doing new things, that is the only way things evolve. However, I do have a problem when people just don't seem to get it.

This is a picture from a company kind enough to support us by distributing our "Ultimate Sandbag", however, to be honest I was disappointed by the image they chose to use. Truthfully, if this was the foundation of sandbag training I really wouldn't see the point. I am not sure if many do, even this coach in Florida was talking about holding a sandbag in the same position and doing step-ups! Why? Wouldn't a bar work much better and you really wouldn't notice the difference with a sandbag other than it being incredibly uncomfortable!

I recently obtained a new copy of the book that really started it all for me, John Jesse's "Encyclopedia of Wrestling Conditioning". Besides being very practical and having many of the old time lifts we have been reintroduced to, John had a very extensive section on sandbag training. It was good to cover the material again and to know that we are carrying on the tradition of such strong athletes like wrestlers.

In the list of many different movements in the book, very few were your typical barbell exercises like squats, or clean and press. Most were very movement oriented and had the sandbag moving in many different planes of movement. It is too bad in 1974 Mr. Jesse didn't have access to "The Ultimate Sandbag" because it is obvious from his writings that hundreds of more exercises could be created.

Most people only focus on basic strength lifts such as shouldering, squatting, and pressing. While these are terrific lifts, they only touch the very edge of sandbag training. Even with the very crude bags that John Jesse used the variation of movement and training was very extensive. However, by using our sandbags you can create even more dynamic training.

Just as training evolves, so does the equipment. "The Ultimate Sandbag" offers such tremendous benefits because it allows old time training to be meshed with modern day innovations. Very few people realize the lengths we have gone to develop something that is completely unique. Sorry, the homemade versions are a dying breed, not because something looks cooler, but because you can't even imagine the possibilities of sandbag training until you try my program. Sounds like boasting, I know. However, take it from someone who really knows the difference, Strength Coach, Nii Wilson....

"As a Sports Performance Coach and US ARMY Veteran I am very particular when I make an investment in my fitness and training equipment. One thing that I can say is first and foremost is that nothing comes close to the Ultimate Sandbag and YES that even means the military issue duffel bags. The stitching on the bags far exceeds military standards and there was a lot of thought and planning in the design, function, and durability of this bag. I ordered the "Advanced Package Sandbag and I am enjoying the quality of instruction of the "High Octane DVD" and the easy to understand format. Within minutes you can take a novice and get them results and have them seeing the benefits of sandbag training. I train mainly women in my "NO BS NYC Boot Camps" and I must say they are very happy and get a strong sense of self confidence when they do the same type of workouts that pro MMA fighters or other athletes are doing. If you didn't get the point of the mini biography I just wrote basically I am saying the Utimate Sandbag and High Octane DVD package are the best resources to have in your fat loss or performance training tool kit. Thanks Josh for putting out a quality product. I will be getting another in a few short weeks. Can you believe my mom wanted the Ultimate Sandbag as a Mother's Day present...crazy huh?"
Nii Wilson

USAW Sports Performance Coach
NYC's Women's Rapid Fat Loss Expert

www.noBSnycBootcamps.com
www.NiiWilson.com

Here is a circuit that truly captures the essence of sandbag training. Heck, this would make John Jesse proud himself to see that such training is being carried on.

Fitness Secrets from The Field

2009-05-11T18:18:00.000-07:00

When giving training advice there seems to be three categories of people...

1. Those that read a lot of training science, but don't really get to train and use the information on anyone.

2. Those that have trained a lot themselves, but have read little on the science of fitness and performance.

3. Those that have read a lot of training texts AND have trained lots of people to see what really works and what doesn't.

That is why I was very interested in interviewing Nate Morrison. For those that don't know, Nate was a top kettlebell instructor for years, but being involved in the military, his duties carried him away for some time. However, now he is back, and both experience of working with top strength coaches and his work in the field with real people makes Nate's information both innovative and very practical. Guess what, he may not even recommend that kettlebells are your best option!! Click on the link below to hear the interview.....

Click Here to Listen to Nate Morrison Interview

Camouflage Bags Are Here!!

2009-05-10T17:47:00.001-07:00

I am so excited! For months we have been working on putting out some very cool new products and the first in this series is our camouflage sandbags! These are very cool and give people the true feeling they are dealing with something that is beyond just a sandbag. These highly durable and versatile sandbags are not only amazingly functional, but look sleek as well. There definitely is a point where you have to look the part of a professional and when working with people you don't want to give them a sloppy and crude sandbag. This isn't "hardcore" this is just cheap! Don't be mistaken, this is no ordinary sandbag and in fact, we are close to changing the name as well as the look to reflect how strongly we feel about these bags.

We have ordered only a very limited amount for our new launch, so this is very much first come, first serve. Our stock is so limited that we won't even sell the original camouflage bags online, nope, you will have to call in your order so that we can keep track of who has jumped on this great deal! We have been so slammed by requests of when these bags are going to be ready, that I expect them to go very fast!!

In fact, I had to set a few aside for myself when I head off to the N.C. State basketball conference this weekend.

This is also going to be one of the few times that we allow people to just buy the sandbag shell in case you have already all the fillers to go with the program. However, if you have been waiting to get your package, this is the perfect time!!!

***These sandbags will not ship till June 10 as we are just getting them in, however, we wanted to offer you an opportunity to jump on getting yours first!

To order please call Michelle at 813-909-9420, sorry emails won't confirm you an order as these will be phone based orders only!!!

Small Shell Only: $74.99

Introductory Package: $99.99

Medium Shell Only: $89.99

Strength Package: $125.99

Large Shell Only: $109.99

Advanced Package: $199.99

Can You Handle The Bear!

2009-05-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

There are so many aspects of sandbag training that get overlooked that it is often hard for me to even know where to begin talking about. Very few people utilize the bear hug sandbag position. Varying holding positions allow for different training effects and variants that are important to fitness and sports programs. The bear hug is one of those positions that people completely ignore.

Why the bear hug? For beginners it is a perfect position to learn sandbags as it is a very stable and balanced position. Holding in this manner allows for greater depth of movements in exercises such as squats, but also greatly challenges the trunk in ways like nothing else. Don't even mention the upper body stimulation one gets through tremendous arm and upper back work.

For more advanced lifters and athletes, the bear hug position is vitally important as many sports require strong isometric holds, yet they never train it. Most spend their time purely on dynamic strength training, so utilizing isometric bear hugs should be a cornerstone to many athletes and strong lifters.

However, you just don't need to squat. There are many variations of the bear hug, even better in a great super complex I call "The Bear". This series trains the body from head to toe and is perfect for strength, endurance, speed, and flexibility. Watch the video and tell me how you do taming "The Bear"!

She Lost over 150 pounds!

2009-05-04T14:48:00.001-07:00

After sharing my story on how important functional fitness really is, I asked for stories on how fitness impacts your life and I was so happy to get some tremendous responses. I think this one really got my attention both because of the enthusiasm and results that were achieved. Sheron, thank you so much for sharing this!!!

"Hi Josh, I have been following your post now for a few weeks and I wanted to share with you.........since you ask anyway! In August of 2007 I weighed about 311 (I am 5'4"). Today I weigh-in at about 155 on a good day. To make a long story short I met Dan Sell, a wonderfully motivating personal trainer who gave me "a new lease on life". His knowledge and patience have made me a fitness addict. I do boot camp 3 times a week, never missing! I enjoy weights more than cardio but recently ran my first 3.1 miles and it was so exciting to me...Now, I'm sure you hear these kinds of stories all the time and mine is not unique but let me add that I am a 57 year old female, mother of five and grandmother of five who had not worked out since high school. One of my favorite pieces of equipment is the sandbag and we have done many of the workouts that you do in your videos.I just wanted to say thank you and keep filming. I enjoy them very much."

Sheron

Very often question if you can really get results from this type of training. Heck, I have heard coaches question whether or not it is safe for people that are just starting fitness programs, I guess the proof is right here from great people like Sheron!

It is funny that just about three years ago a prominent strength coach was calling this training "stupid", "waste of time", and now this type of training is being discovered by so many people that are seeing how it can change their life. I think these stories like Sheron are far more motivational than what trendy athlete is doing in their training. To lose such weight is not only amazing from a physical perspective, but emotionally as well!

Great program, motivation, and fun will make for an outstanding life!

Summer Sale is Here!

2009-05-04T07:20:00.001-07:00

Let's see, is there any other way to say it? The economy sucks! While things may be taking a very slow turn for the better, it does seem some time away. Choosing what to spend your money on is even more important than ever. Trust me, things I would have normally purchased, risks I would have taken, or projects I would have launched are on the back burner because of the current economy. Does that mean my life is suffering? Nope, not in relation to many that are struggling to pay for their house, keep their jobs, or have to go back to work because their retirement is all gone.

That is exactly what happened to a close family manner. He was all set to retire in about two years and lost just about everything over the past year. I couldn't imagine saving your whole life only to lose it in one bad year!!!

Fitness is one of the few things that people can still do to make themselves better. Usually during times of stress we turn to bad habits, alcohol, junk food, smoking, not sleeping, yep, been there myself for several of these things. It is very destructive and only creates more problems as you feel more like crap.

That is why I wanted to launch the Summer Sandbag Stimulus Sale, sure it is a play on our current government, but more importantly it is something that allows people to enjoy fitness for a low cost! Some of you may say that our sale looks like our old prices and you are right!

It is vitally important that we keep production of these sandbags here in the US! Having gone overseas I can tell you the quality is higher, the ability to evolve is easier, and it helps keep US workers busy!

Most people don't understand that sandbags are one of the most costly fitness products to create. Why? There are several reasons...

1. You can't shortcut on any material on the sandbag or it will fail you! Sure, some companies try to skimp on the type of thread, canvas, or place less options on the bag so they can sell it for a high cost, but keep their costs low. This makes for an expensive piece of crap! How do I know? Having replaced many people who went for other brands I can tell you that this happens a lot! I recently yelled at my manufacturer when they were about to go with a cheaper thread to save a little extra money. He even said to me that he thought we were going overboard, I said there is no such thing in making a product people spend their hard earned money on.

2. It's all in the stitching! Unlike weights that usually just need a simple mold, sandbags require a great deal of detailed stitching that is very expensive when you do it right! Over the course of time we have increased our costs holding off on the retail price so we could make a superior sandbag.

You see it isn't as simple as just throwing some canvas together. From the double stitching, special canvas on both the shells and fillers, to reinforced handles, we have created something that is going to make you excited about training because it has made ME, one of the biggest skeptics, excited about training.

Don't just listen to me, listen from someone who fitness can save their life:

"I have never been as challenged by a single piece of equipment as I am with your sandbags! The creative design makes all the difference in the world. The placement of the handles, the rugged bag with the indestructible material, as well as the securing system truly makes it a piece of equipment that any serious, or not so serious, fitness enthusiast MUST HAVE! I should also mention that the different sizes that you offer, they truly are all you need for a complete gym!"

Officer Michael Yatsko
Physical Fitness Coordinator
City of Phoenix Police Department

Unfortunately, we can not absorb all these costs and as of September 1st the prices will rise. Don't worry though as our quality will be as high as ever so don't miss out on the Summer Sale to get the hottest piece of training equipment!!

The Romanian Sandbag is Here!

2009-05-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

Are you dying to know what secret training method I was able to scrounge up from secret Romanian strength training books? Do you want to know how I have now been able to develop a sandbag based upon the underground strength training methods of ancient athletes?

The truth is NONE! I know, right now disappointment is racing through your body, DON'T! There is a terrible misconception that anything foreign is better than what we currently have available. Sure, we can always learn and borrow from others, but this idea that training is far more mysterious than it is, is simply a lie.

This really dawned on me as I was doing research for a group that wanted to hear about the history of sandbag training. As I dug, dug, and dug for a definitive starting point of the beginning of sandbag training I kept coming up empty. Until I found some paperwork that seem to find the beginnings of sandbag training to date back to ancient Egypt. So, maybe it isn't Romanian, it is Egyptian Sandbags!

Seriously though, I wanted to discuss that most training isn't from a singular source and maybe sandbags can be the most representative of this fact. Why don't sandbags have a glaring single place that they were popularized? Probably because it was so obvious to so many different cultures that sandbag training was such a versatile and effective training tool. You can find variations of sandbag training in about every culture of athletic development.

Before "functional training" was a big buzz term, athletes and warriors were using sandbags because they could accomplish so much. This is where I face a crossroads of sorts.

I have always been very careful about what I said in my blogs, articles, videos, and newsletters. I never wanted to be that sales pitch guy that made something seem to so much more than is really is. However, that was before I worked so hard to create a tool that would ruin that thought for me.

Initially when I wrote about sandbag training I was in the same boat as everyone else, using homemade simply made sandbags. I was right, at that time sandbags were a good training tool, but they quite wouldn't have the versatility that a staple training tool would have. The evolution of what I know call "The Ultimate Sandbag" does make the sandbag training not just a cool training technique, but an absolutely necessary one!

Want to know why these sandbags are so special and why they won't be sandbags for much longer? Stay tuned for next post!!

A Lesson from Levi

2009-04-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

Those following me for some time will definitely recognize the three furry guys that walk around during my video shoots. I would hold them out of them, but it just wouldn't let people know what it is really like to train at my facility.

All three are great rescue dogs that often get a hello from clients before I do! There is Lucy who is the oldest and pure Boxer, Ms. Attitude supervises most training at the gym and can demonstrate a mean step-up! Elliott is the largest and often has the biggest mouth, of course he is all show and will often roll over his back before he would ever bite. Then there is my youngest Levi, a Boxer and Greyhound mix, agile, goofy, and not sure if he is bright, but darn cute!

Ok, they are occasionally a bit rough to handle, especially when other dogs are around. Levi may be the worst twisting and crying and basically throwing a temper tantrum. Usually this isn't much of an issue, but this past weekend I had a large heart attack. Levi broke loose and was in a dead sprint, that Greyhound and Boxer mix makes for a lightening bolt of a dog! Sprinting after him with over 120 pounds of dog with me was not an easy feat.

There was sprinting, jumping over bushes and rocks (desert landscape is no joke!), dodging people, making sharp turns, and other adventures on my wild chase. Eventually I was able to track him down, it was nerve wrecking as I am not sure if he would avoid traffic or other dangerous situations. My point? This is where all the things like "being in shape", "functional", and "training like an athlete" come into play. I was able to run fast, be agile, endure, and accomplished what would be most of my fitness goals.

This is really the test of training programs, can you transfer what you do to the real world. Can you go out and play with your kids and feel good and strong? Can you go out with friends on the spur of the moment and enjoy yourself like you did in your teens? Can you move the couch and not be laid up for days because you threw out your back? This is all about good training and this is why I designed Sandbag Fitness Systems.

I hope you will share with me some of your stories on how training has helped change YOUR quality of life!