Most Powerful Ultimate Sandbag Exercises

DVRT Master, Cory Cripe (Fitness Lying Down)

When we look at the “king” of DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises, it is hard to argue that the Power Clean is pretty high on our list. Heck, it’s one of the main DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises you need to show competency for in order to become a DVRT certified instructor so you have to imagine that its priority in the DVRT system would be pretty high.

There is no arguing, it offers a lot and also looks cool when done right … and therein lies the problem … Many people believe they can just put their hands on an Ultimate Sandbag and automatically make the Power Clean magically appear. After all, it isn’t metal, so it must be easier to perform such an exercise right? I’m not sure how I’ve heard this line of thinking before but how odd it is when you think about it.

So, the really stable and balanced object is going to be MORE technically demanding than the really unstable, unbalanced, and unpredictable load? Hmmm, don’t worry, I’ll help you figure this all out.

Well, this argument about DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises doesn’t have to happen when you actually see how many people perform them every day. You start asking yourself…

It may seem that it happened, but did it?

Was it done right?

I see too many people muscle up their Ultimate Sandbag Power Cleans, not generating enough power through their hips and allowing too much of the movement to come from the arms and shoulders. This is a HUGE no-no because this is where many injuries come about from, improper technique DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises!

On the other hand, you may be okay in the short-term performing the Power Cleans this way with the Ultimate Sandbag, but bad technique eventually catches up with you. Whether it is because you get way more reps into your workouts or you try to go heavier, bad form on DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises can limit SO many people in reaching the great benefits!

Enter: The High Pull 

Of our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises, the High Pull drill may not seem as exciting, or as cool looking, as our beloved Power Clean – but trust me when I say it has the potential to surpass the Power Clean. The High Pull will give you an opportunity to focus on creating power through the hips while sensing the timing aspect of the movement, creating a weightless Ultimate Sandbag at the top of your high pull. Less arms, more glutes & lats – there you go, you got it! 

Of course it’s no secret that you can high pull with other implements. BUT those implements probably don’t offer you a neutral grip which helps many people with classically “bad” shoulders and because you can pull the handles of the Ultimate Sandbag apart you can teach how to create proper core tension even more effectively.

Not to mention, as you may know with our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises, learning them in these foundational ways just sets forth the opportunity to really progress movement strength in all new ways. For example, can those implements allow you the ability to move seamlessly in all three planes of motion?

If you are looking at how DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises can benefit other forms of training think about using the High Pull as a pre-requisite for kettlebell swings. The shorter lever arm in the Ultimate Sandbag makes it actually safer to learn the downward motion of catching the High Pull or the Power Clean as DVRT Coach, Ashley Thomas shows below.

Go deeper in your practice and understanding of these DVRT Ultimate Sandbag exercises and watch your enjoyment and results go through the roof!