Small But Mighty

Let's face it in strength training, generally, the bigger, the better. I have long been guilty of this mind set. If there is something heavier, bigger, or more awkward, the more I get excited. Strength training though isn't always about load, I know, sounds weird coming from someone who loves lifting heavy things! I learned the hard way though that this line of thinking isn't always the best for longevity.

Once you sustain an injury like I did with my low back they never go completely away, but can be managed carefully. When I became active in strongman there just wasn't anyway my back could keep up with the other lifters. In a sport like Strongman, being able to lift big things is definitely the key! I had to think what weaknesses the other competitors had that I could optimize. It came to me in the idea of being faster and more mobile. Too many lifters sacrifice their mobility for more strength which is even evident in many sports as well.

So, I didn't try to overtrain and strain my back, instead, I trained far more variety of movements than most of my competitors. This allowed me to suffer less injures, maintain my athleticism and speed, and compete with guys who were stronger on the classic bar lifts. How does that apply in other areas?

This experience taught me the value of not losing sight that many of us need a lot of general training. Very few of us are elite athletes that train hours and hours upon the day. This means many of us fight chronic tightness and lack of movement excellence. By moving in a variety of patterns you can regain your own "inner athlete" and reduce your chance of experiencing injuries in your training.

Besides being designed for people new to fitness, my small sandbags were designed with the ability to perform more movement. A sloppy filled lighter sandbag is too difficult to perform diverse motions and patterns.

That is how I developed the Sandbag Stealth Challenge. Based upon the small sandbag this program is designed as not only a means to develop great strength-endurance, but mobility, strength in a variety of ranges of motion, help chronic injuries, and develop a resilient body that allows anyone to be an athlete! Try my challenge by following the video below: