Sandbags for Women

It doesn't seem to matter, EVERYONE thinks they are incredibly unique, why not? After all aren't we all very different? The truth of the matter we aren't all that unique, while some of us may have different training backgrounds, our bodies move and function in all the same ways. Such a belief of being "different" often comes when I work with my women clients.

There is no better comment that I get from women than when they tell me, "how do you know what women need, you aren't a woman!" While that may sound very rationale it actually is a very obsurd statement. Does a surgeon have to experience a heart attack to make them a better surgeon? Does a lawyer have to be sued to be better in their practice? Of course not, even more specifically, most strength coaches have never played the sport they coach professionally. Yet, they are able to provide great training programs because of experience and research.

The majority of my clients have always been women, maybe it is because women do not have the ego about strength that men often posses. Maybe it is because women don't have the experience at an early age lifting weights so they don't rely on their high school training to get them in shape. In any event, women often are more likely to be involved in personal training. The rules of training women? They are usually the same as men.

1. Practice multi-joint movements
2. Design rest intervals to match training goals
3. Keep training programs short, but focused
4. Repetitions should be varied not emphasizing high repetitions

Sandbags tend to be a great tool for women because it can be used in a circuit style training everything from head to toe. Training strength, flexibility, and the cardiovascular system. I asked my assistant Megan to put together the following video to show how women too can benefit from sandbags.

Lose 50 Pounds of Fat with Sandbags

The great thing about seeing sandbag training going mainstream is how much success others are having with the program. While I was at the Ryan Lee Bootcamp I was able to meet several professionals that I have spoken through only through email. BJ Gaddour was one of those coaches with some innovative ideas. BJ's new program (www.workoutmuse.com) is an innovative idea on how to optimize interval training, more specifically Tabata training.

Tabata is a 4-minute workout that was developed by a Japanese researcher with elite athletes. This scientist showed that 10 seconds of all out effort followed by a second interval of 20 seconds of rest done for 4-minutes could produce a better result that longer duration workouts. Of course though, this is not as easy as it sounds. This workout is absolutely brutal as 10 seconds of all out work done eight times is nothing to smile at.

However, BJ's system keeps you going and motivated. In fact, one of his clients lost 50 pounds using such a style of training, especially the sandbag. You can see it in action in the clip below.

Steve Maxwell Interview

Interviewing different professionals is not a new concept. I have known people that have done such things and made lots of money and interviewed I guess some interesting people. The problem is that very few people actually get the best coaches in the industry to reveal what they find works so well for their own clients!

Steve Maxwell is just such a coach. I have known Steve for several years even being an assistant of his at the RKC a few years ago. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Steve as he has been in the industry over thirty years! He has worked with thousands of people from those just starting a fitness program to world champion athletes.

Since then Steve has been forming his own unique system of training. Combining elements of joint mobility, kettlebells, and bodyweight exercises Steve has come up with not only one of the most complete systems I have seen, but one that is sure to keep people interested and challenged.

I got to interview Steve today and he shared with me some amazing information! Yes, I am going to steal some of his ideas for my own training. Some of them came at the perfect time just for my own training. Steve goes into great detail on training, anti-aging, and many of the fallacies of fitness. Also, hear how Steve found sandbags to be a HUGE hit with a special forces group, "even more popular than kettlebells!"

Listen to Steve Maxwell Interview

Visit Steve's Site

Mr. Low Bodyfat Interview

Recently I had the great opportunity to be interviewed by Muata Kamdibe asked to interview for his website. For may of you, you may remember speaking of Muata and his amazing 130 pound fat loss! What made it even better to me is he didn't accomplish this goal by performing a cheesy training program or "mystery" supplements. No! Muata worked with bodyweight exercises, kettlebells, and sandbags to make such an awesome change! He was strict about his eating habits and it all paid off!!

It was my pleasure to share some of my thoughts how sandbag training related to the great success Muata experienced. Click on the link below to read the entire interview.

Josh Henkin Interview on Mr. Low Body Fat

"Your The Sandbag Guy!"

"Sometimes Simple is Best"

The past few days I have spent far away from my studio in Arizona. I've been up in Connecticut at the Ryan Lee Bootcamp. A little more than three years ago is the time I really got the opportunity to introduce my Sandbag Fitness Systems to a large group. Ryan asked me to give a small presentation on the idea of sandbag training and implementation. Since then, things have exploded!

Fortunately and unfortunately people recognize me as "the sandbag guy". It is something that I love and hate to hear, ok, mostly love. In fact, I met a strength coach here that didn't even know that I owned my own training center. That is good in the way people have really taken to the idea of sandbag training, however, what I am promoting isn't sandbag training.

No, in fact, I am simply using sandbags as a vehicle to teach people that strength and athleticism are vital to the quality of life. One of my biggest inspirations and motivations for the sandbag training was what I witnessed daily working in gyms. PEOPLE ARE WEAK!!!! Yes, even many trainers and coaches are pathetically weak. I have met "world renown" coaches that can't even train themselves because of all their ailments and "issues".

Listen, strength does matter, it isn't to say that one must lift 800 pounds, but you must be strong. Strength does solve a lot of problems, health and performance related. I see so many injuries with people because they lack strength to perform the daily activities that they require or want to be able to perform. Sandbags are the tool to help change all of that. They often bring out the primal side of people, the side that is tired of trying to train in the commercial gyms. Sandbags appeal to people that want to get down to the meat and potatoes of what works.

At the same time sandbags offer so much fun in their variety of drills as well as their ability to be taken outdoors. However, I probably don't have to convince you of this. I know sandbags to be soo effective because of the emails I receive from YOU all the time. People writing telling me how sandbags have completely changed how they feel physically and how they feel about themselves. How people feel that they can do anything because they have taken on the challenges that sandbags presents. Really sandbags are my way of helping people change their lives by making them strong and athletic, pure and simple.

Yet, people are still confused about where to start, how to begin. I am in the works of updating a lot of my material as so much has changed, however, a lot has stayed the same. Over three years ago I wrote my first manual Sandbag FUNdamentals and it still is one of the most helpful resources for people. It is simple, just like sandbags, it is teaching the important exercises and giving you routines to start benefiting from sandbags tomorrow. One of the most inexpensive resources available it truly is the blueprint to start your sandbag training.

I am also happy to announce that very shortly I will be releasing a new DVD updating our highly popular High Octane DVD. The difference? Well, I didn't have our Ultimate Sandbag in the original, this tells you how much I never really planned to be "the sandbag guy", but more importantly there are THREE follow along workouts that are combined with a resource of over 60 of the best sandbag drills. That is what I want to be about, giving those that give me their trust the best training information possible.

Jon Hind's Secrets to Success!

I was so happy when this past Monday I was able to get strength coach Jon Hinds for an hour interview on his training. You see, Jon has been doing the type of training that has recently become popular for over 25 years! His experience working with elite athletes is extensive, however, what may be the best story is how he got his 78 year old grandmother to do her first chin-up!!!

For those that are unfamiliar, Jon Hinds is the creator of successful exercise pieces such as the power push-up, power wheel, jungle gym, and many more of the best training tools available!

Now you can listen to my interview with Jon for free just by clicking on the link below...

Jon Hinds Interview Click Here

Make sure to visit Jon's excellent website below!

The Monkey Bar Gym

More Sandbags, Less Injuries?

Most people throw sandbags into the category of being "hardcore", such a term truly diminishes the value of such training tools. While sandbags can be one of the toughest and most challenging training tools, they are also incredibly helpful for injury prevention as well.

I have written extensively on their use for injury prevention and sporting performance (check out the articles section) so this is nothing new. However, an aspect that commonly gets overlooked is their ability to develop better movement skills in people.

Some time ago I posted a very innovative video of Scott Sonnon (www.rmax.tv) using our small sandbag for loaded mobility work (check out the video below). Coach Sonnon's use of the bag is a perfect example of how we can prevent injuries by getting better movement and neuromuscular control in some of the bodies toughest areas.

What I would like to introduce in the video below are some standard drills that hit those areas, the shoulders, thoracic spine, hips, and low back. Purely stretching does not do the job as these are complex joints that need to move, be reeducated, and get stronger. So, check out the first installment of my Enhanced Movement with Sandbags Series.



Scott Sonnon's Video (www.rmax.tv)