When you think of workout equipment, a sandbag probably doesn’t come to mind. At least not right away like a barbell or dumbbells would. But really, it’s one of the most practical tools you can use to get fit. The shifting weight of a bag filled with sand is similar to what you’d face in day to day life - like a squirming toddler or a bag of dog food.
Sandbags are super versatile and can be used for most movements that you’d do with other more conventional pieces of equipment. In fact at Street Parking, most of our workouts offer a sandbag variation and we provide 3 Sandbag Series in Extra Program that are dedicated solely to sandbag work.
Many sandbags come with multiple filler bags that you can add or remove to adjust the total weight of the bag, allowing you to affect the difficulty of any given movement or workout. Another great feature of sandbags is that they don’t take up much space so you can easily store them at home!
We’ve compiled 7 awesome sandbag workouts for you to try out and have some fun with!
Take a minute to look at the goal for the workout before you jump in. Decide if you need to add or take out a filler bag and use the modification and substitution suggestions to allow you to hit the goal or at least get close to achieving it!
Sandbag Workout 1
4 Rounds
Each Round is a 3 Min AMRAP:
(As Many Reps as Possible in 3 Min)
16 Sandbag Step Up and Over
12 Shoulder to Shoulder Sandbag Thrusters
Max Burpees Over the Sandbag
Rest 1 min between rounds
Ideal Sandbag Weights:
Men: 50-70#
Women: 25-45#
Score: Total Reps Burpee Over Sandbag from all 3 AMRAPs combined ONLY!!!
Goal: Scale reps on over the shoulder and thrusters to get at least 5 burpees per round.
The way this one works is you’ll do 16 sandbag step up and overs followed by 12 shoulder to shoulder sandbag thrusters. Then, with any time remaining in the 3-minute window, you’ll do as many burpees over the sandbag as you can! Once the 3 minutes are up, you’ll rest for 1 minute then you’ll repeat all of that three more times!
For sandbag step up and overs, hold the bag however is most comfortable for you - that may be over one shoulder or across your back on both shoulders. Find something sturdy to step onto and over like a box or a bench. Facing the object, you’ll step up with one leg and plant your whole foot down then drive through your heel to come to standing. Once you’re at the top, step down onto the other side. Be sure to change the leg you step up with each time!
For the side to side sandbag thrusters, you’ll start with the bag on one shoulder. Squat down, remembering to keep your weight in your heels, feet flat, chest lifted and belly tight! Once you’ve hit the bottom, stand up hard and fast. Use the momentum created by the legs to press the bag up and over your head, then lower it to the opposite shoulder and repeat until 12 reps are done!
For these burpees, start standing alongside your sandbag. Bend at the hips and knees as you reach for the floor. Once your hands are planted, step or jump your feet back to the top of a push-up position. Lower your knees, hips, and chest all the way down to the floor then press your chest back up. Jump or step your feet back toward your hands, come to standing then jump over the sandbag. The rep is complete when you land on the other side.
How to modify if needed:
- Lower the height of the object you’re stepping up and over
- Simply perform a step up rather than stepping over to the other side of the object
- Lessen the depth of the squat by squatting to a target like a chair
Sandbag Workout 2
For Time
30 Sandbag over Shoulder
100 Hop overs
60 Sandbag Front squats
100 Hop overs
90 Back squats
RX Men 50-60#
RX Women: 30-40#
Score: Total Time
Goal Time: 25 Min
This workout is super straight-forward but you’ll have to dig deep to get through all of those reps! Don’t go out too hot, find a steady pace, and chip away!
For the sandbag over shoulder, you want to start standing with the bag between your feet. Send your hips back and bend at the knees enough so that you can get your hands and maybe even your forearms under the bag. Lift your chest and tighten your belly. Drive through your heels as you stand and lift the bag. Pull it close to your body and use the power from your legs to roll the bag up your torso and over your shoulder.
For the hop overs, you’ll stand next to your bag and hop sideways over the narrow part. You can also do a lateral shuffle if jumping is not an option! Think fast toe taps on the bag as you step laterally on and over to the other side.
For the front squats, start with the sandbag in the crooks of your elbows, resting on your biceps with your elbows high. Tighten your belly and keep your chest lifted, but do not overextend your back. Reach your butt back and down while you keep your chest and elbows up. Keep your heels down and drive your knees out as you squat down. Once your butt is lower than the top of your knee, drive through your heels with the chest and elbows leading the way until you’ve stood completely.
For the back squats, get the bag to your shoulders then press it up over your head before lowering it gently to the back of your shoulders, behind your neck. Once it’s there, apply the exact same mechanics as the front squat. Chest up, belly tight, knees out!
Sandbag Workout 3
For Time
20 Alternating Hang Clean & Press
12 Bear Hug Lunges
18 Alternating Hang Clean & Press
12 Bear Hug Lunges
16 Alternating Hang Clean & Press
12 Bear Hug Lunges
14 Alternating Hang Clean & Press
12 Bear Hug Lunges
....Keep lowering Alternating Hang Clean & Press Number by 2 per Round - Keep Bear Hug Lunges at 12 Until...
2 Alternating Hang Clean & Press
12 Bear Hug Lunges
Ideal weight for Men: 50-70#
Ideal weight for Women: 25-45#
Score: Total Time
Goal: Under 25 Min
For this workout, the alternating hang clean & press reps start at 20 and lower by 2 reps each round. The bear hug lunge reps are performed after each set of hang clean & press and stay at 12 the entire time! You’re done when you’ve completed the round of 2 alternating hang clean & press and 12 bear hug lunges!
For the alternating hang clean and press, step your feet outside of the bag, send your hips back and bend at the knees until you can grab the short sides of the bag. Stand up so that the bag is hanging in your arms at your waist.
Keeping your arms long and straight, dip down by hinging at the hip slightly and bending your knees. From here, you will basically jump hard and fast and shrug your shoulders to make the sandbag weightless. While it’s “floating,” guide the sandbag up your body by pulling your elbows high and outside. Pull yourself down into a partial squat, allowing for the bag to meet at your shoulder. Keep you heels down, butt back, and knees out.
From here, stand up hard and fast to pop the sandbag off your shoulders. Punch the sandbag up and over your head until your arms are locked out. Lower the bag back to your shoulders then to your waist until it’s between your legs and ready for the next rep. You will alternate sides for 20 reps so it is 10 on each side.
For the bear huge lunge, hug the bag against your chest with your arms wrapped around it. Keep your belly tight, chest up and squeeze your elbows to your ribcage to keep the bag close to your body. We like the reverse lunge because the working leg stays planted so you end up being able to drive through the heel really well. You will step back and keep the heel down. Don’t allow your knee to cave in. You will gently touch the ground with the knee of the leg you stepped back with. Then drive off the heel of the front foot to bring you back to standing. These are alternating so you will switch legs for the next rep and it ends up being 6 per leg. Although we like reverse stepping, you may choose to do forward stepping or even walking lunges.
Sandbag Workout 4
5 Rounds
10 Sandbag step overs (L)
5 Bear complex reps
10 Sandbag step overs (R)
5 Bear complex reps
RX Men: 50-60#
RX Women: 30-40#
Box Height Estimate: 20-24" Men/ 16-20" Women
1 Bear Complex Rep = Power Clean + Front Squat + Push Press + Back Squat + Push Press
For those of you with a heavier sandbag, if unable to adjust the weight, feel free to decrease the reps to 7 step overs/3 Bear complex meet the goal time.
Goal time: 20 Min
Be sure to watch the video for this one to see the movements being demonstrated! There’s a twist to the step overs that you may not be expecting and the bear complex has a few steps to it!
For the sandbag step overs, start by getting the bag to your right shoulder and make sure it’s secure and stable. Plant your left hand on the box then step your right foot onto the box. Keep your belly tight as you pick up your left foot and step it through to the other side of the box. Step your right foot to the floor, stand all the way up, turn around and repeat on the other side.
Feel free to modify these by lowering the weight or box height. You can also substitute with a step-up or step up and over.
For the bear complex, you will start standing over the bag with your feet on either side. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly until you can grab the shorter sides of the bag. Keeping your arms long, drive through your heels to stand with the bag. As it gets to around the middle of your thigh, drive hard and fast through your legs to accelerate the bag upward. Pull your elbows high and outside, keeping it close to your torso. Then, punch your elbows forward, rotating the bag up and over your forearms so that you catch it in the crooks of your elbows, resting on your biceps with your elbows high.
From here, send your butt back and down into the front squat. Keep your belly tight, chest lifted, and elbows high. Drive your knees out and keep your heels down. Once your hips are below the tops of your knees, stand up with your chest and elbows leading the way.
Once you’ve stood completely, press the bag over your head. You can also use the momentum from standing up and the power of your legs to finish the press. Once the bag is overhead, carefully lower it to your back across both shoulders.
From this position, you’ll do a back squat. Apply the same mechanics as the front squat. Chest up, belly tight, knees out! Once you’ve completed the squat, press the bag overhead again to complete the bear complex rep. Like with the first squat and press, you can use the momentum you gain as you stand to get the bag up and over your head!
Try to choose a weight that would allow you to be capable of doing all five of the bear complex reps without dropping the sandbag. That doesn’t mean you have to do it that way, but that you could if you wanted to.
Sandbag Workout 5
For Time
75 Push Up Drag
75 Sandbag Burpees
Every Minute on the Minute
(including the first minute!)
10 Sandbag Hop Overs
NO RX or RX+ weight - use the bag you've got.
Suggested weight range:
Men: 50-65#
Women: 25-45#
Score: Total Time
Goal: 25 Min or Less
This workout will flow like this: The clock starts and you do 10 sandbag hop overs. Then you get started on the 75 push-up drags. When the next minute hits, you stop where you are and perform another 10 hop overs before starting back where you left off. You will continue in this way, stopping to do 10 hop overs every minute, until you’ve completed all 75 sandbag burpees.
This will be a long one and it’s just good old-fashioned work. Set a manageable target of push up drags and burpees that you can get in each minute and commit to it!
For the hop overs, you will stand next to your bag and hop laterally over the narrow side. You may also do a sideway shuffles. Think fast toe taps on the bag as you step laterally on and over to the other side.
For the push-up and lateral drag, you will start in the top of a push-up with your bag just to the outside of your right hand. You’ll complete a push-up then with your left hand, you will reach under and across your chest and drag the bag to the left side of your body. Keep your belly tight and butt down. Do another push up then reach under and across your chest with your right hand and drag the back back to the right side of your body. If you can’t quite get the bag all the way across, do a little plan side step so you can start the next pull from a good position. Just to be clear one rep is one push up and one drag.
For the sandbag burpees, the bag will start right in front of your feet. Plant your hands on the bag a bit wider than the width of your shoulders. Step or jump your feet back to a plank position then lower your knees and hips to the floor, finally touching your chest to the bag. Press your chest back up until your arms are straight and step or jump your feet back toward your hands. Grab hold of the sandbag handles, bend your knees and lift your chest up. With your heels down, back flat, and belly tight, stand up with the sandbag by driving through your heels and lifting your torso. Explode up with your legs and hips. Shrug your shoulders as you pull your elbows high and wide. Then punch the sandbag overhead until your elbows lock out and your biceps are by your ears!
Sandbag Workout 6
For Time
50 Back Squats
50 Push Up & Lateral Drag
50 Back Squats
EVERY 2 MIN: RUN 200 M
Rx Men 50-65#
Rx Women 25-45#
Score: Total Time
Goal: Under 30 min
DON'T DO THE RUN IN THE FIRST MINUTE! -- Start on the back squats at 0:00.
The way this workout works is when the clock starts, you’ll begin chipping away at the 50 back squats until the 2 minutes are up. At this point, you’ll stop where you are and run 200 meters. When you get back from the run, pick up where you left off until the next two minutes hits when you’ll head out for another run. You’ll continue in this pattern until you’ve completed 50 back squats, 50 push up and lateral drags, and another 50 back squats.
When you do the 200 meter run, try to keep it to 60 seconds. If it’s taking too much longer, shorten the distance so that you have at least a minute to do the movements and don’t end up just running the whole time!
If you are unable to run due to space or weather purposes, move for 1 minute by jumping rope, stepping up to something low, or tapping your toes to a low target.
For the sandbag back squats, you will get the back to your shoulders, press it over your head, then lower it to your back across both shoulders. Your feet should be set as wide as your shoulders. Keep your heels down, raise your chest, and tighten your belly. Reach your butt back and down as you drive your knees out. Get your butt lower than the top of your knees. This position is the bottom of the squat. Don’t collapse or round your back here! Stand up all of the way at the top.
For the push up and lateral drag, you will start in the plank position with your bag just outside of your right hand. First, you will do a push-ups, then with your left hand you will reach under and across to drag the bag to the left side of your body. Keep your belly tight and butt down. To start the next rep, do another push up then reach under and across with your right hand and drag the bag back to the right side of your body. If you can’t quite get the bag all the way across, do a little plank side step so that you can start the next pull from a good position.
Sandbag Workout 7
15 MIN AMRAP
(As Many Reps / Rounds As Possible)
16 Side to Side Shoulder to Overhead
8 Bent Over Slam
100m Suitcase Walk (Switch at 50m)
Ideal Sandbag Loading:
Men: 50-70#
Women: 25-45#
Score: Total Completed Rounds + Any Additional Reps
Goal: 4-5 Rounds +
In order to achieve the goal for this workout, you are shooting for each round to take you less than 3 minutes! A lot of it will come down to how heavy your sandbag is. Just make sure you choose a variation of the movements that allow you to keep moving and rest as little as possible.
For the side to side shoulder to overhead, you will start with your sandbag on one shoulder. Your feet should be between hip and shoulder width apart. Keep your chest up and belly tight. Dip down by allowing the knees to come forward slightly while keeping your heels down. From here, stand up hard and fast. Pop the sandbag off of your shoulder and finish pressing it overhead until your arms lock out. Stand tall then lower the bag down to the opposite shoulder. Each time you press will count as one rep so 16 reps is 8 on each side.
For the bent over slams, set up with your feet as wide as your shoulders. Push your hips back keeping your chest up slightly, belly tight, and back flat. Grab the bag with a neutral or no-handle grip. Maintain the bent over position as you pull the bag to your chest, keeping your elbows moving close to your body. Keep your belly tight at you aggressively lock out your arms and slam the bag back to the ground. The power comes from the speed at which you can push the bag away from you so keep your base tight and think fast arms!
