Sandbags, Maces, and all the Rest

Clip from Episode 16 of The Dan John Podcast
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Dan John has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.
Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. Dan is also a Senior Lecturer for St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.
His books, on weightlifting, include Intervention, Never Let Go, Mass Made Simple and Easy Strength, written with Pavel Tsatsouline as well as From Dad, To Grad. He and Josh Hillis co-authored “Fat Loss Happens on Monday.”
In 2015, Dan wrote Can You Go? on his approach to assessments and basic training. In addition, Before We Go, another compilation akin to Never Let Go became an Amazon Bestseller.
In early 2017, Dan’s book, Now What?, his approach to Performance and dealing with “life,” became a Bestseller on Amazon. Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge became available in September 2017, too.

[@DM-jt4rh]

I like the saying ‘if you can lift a 300lb sandbag you can lift a 300lb anything’ The trouble with them is that it’s generally hard to microload them with progressive overload compared to barbells. In terms of wrestling, judo and other grappling sports I would say sandbags give you a sense of ‘real world’ strength and grip strength/endurance that you’re just not going to get with barbells due to the constant shifting mass, similar to what you with a real life opponent. In conclusion, I would much rather grapple someone who can clean and jerk a 250lb barbell then someone who can clean and jerk a 250 lb sandbag!! ..the latter would be a beast in my opinion!

[@georglehner407]

I live in a different country from my family, but I visit them for a week or two every two to three months. I ordered a cheap bag from amazon, started at around 30kg and kept adding sand every few months (I'm at 44kg now). The bag sits in my parents shed when I'm not there. The movements are simple: Cleans, Sandbag over shoulder, Overhead press, Bearhug Front Squats, Carries and I usually do them in complexes similar to how I train with kettlebells at home. It's great, the workouts are tough and it costed me next to nothing.

[@robindavis7023]

Thanks Mr. John, Listening to this clip I was reminded of this quote - “Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

[@DanJohnStrengthCoach]

We've all been there.

[@jkeips78]

Dan I know this is an older video but with regards to leaking sandbags consider rubber mulch instead of sand. Gives some volume, doesn’t leak, and does not soak up water from rain , wet grass, etc. To add real weight to the rubber mulch, old wheel weights will get you to a usable weight.

[@DanJohnStrengthCoach]

I still like playground sand the best. When you sweep it into the lawn, it becomes part of the lawn.

[@jvm-tv]

People want the coaches they like approve everything they like. It doesn't work like that. Coaches are different and each has his own wisdom and knowledge. e.g. if you like Olympic lifting listen to Dan but not to Steve Maxwell because Steve thinks it's too risky to throw a lift in the air and get under it.

[@matthewhooyenga3432]

Barbell and Bodyweight for the majority of your training. Throw in some machine work for isolating smaller muscles that are not hit very well with compound movements.

[@DanJohnStrengthCoach]

There are lots of ways to go about it. I'm not a huge fan of machines for most people either. They have their place in some instances, but I think you can get plenty of balance from the other tools I mentioned.

[@johngutierrez2687]

Have you ever considered taking a sandbag and filling it with chains from Home Depot

[@DanJohnStrengthCoach]

I learned something every day.

[@johngutierrez2687]

@@DanJohnStrengthCoach it wouldn’t spill. It might chew up the bag a bit. But chains are cheap. So is gravel for the garden come to think of it. Less likely to rip unless the bag breaks