Why Ultimate Sandbag Training Exercises Don’t Suck!

There are two REALLY important stories I share with people every time I teach. They are so important because they really demonstrate the issues that our current training models have. We think programs and workouts are a product of exercises, they aren’t, they SHOULD be a result of proper systems. That is really what DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training is all about.

Okay, but what are the stories and how do they relate to my point above? Years ago I’ll never forget training in a Gold’s Gym by my house. While I was working out I caught out of the corner of my eye a heavy set woman working with her trainer. I’m sure most people as heavy as her are self-conscious in a gym, but man, I was really proud of her for trying to make a difference in her life. Anyways, she was doing walking lunges with dumbbells. You could see the general disinterest in the trainer as he followed her behind while she wobbled side to side.

The whole time I couldn’t help but think to myself, oh my god, she is going to fall! Guess what, about three steps later she did! More embarrassed than hurt, the trainer helped her up (looking at bit embarrassed himself) and quickly put her on the leg extension machine. You see that was his “alternative” for walking lunges. That’s pretty messed up.

You might think, “well, that’s what she gets for working with a trainer in a commercial gym!” Number one, no, she doesn’t, secondly such situations aren’t just a “commercial gym trainer” issue. When I finally got cleared for exercise after my back surgeries I remember the physical therapist having their assistant start me on Bird Dogs.
Sure, a classic core stability exercise that is used in rehab all the time. So, what’s the problem? Well, I couldn’t do it! Having the front of my abdominal wall opened up left me SO weak that I couldn’t raise my hand off the ground even with my legs firmly planted on the ground. Guess what? They put back on the table to get some stim!

DVRT Australia Master, Cam Ward shows why Ultimate Sandbag Training makes a difference in the smallest ways!

Yep, my physical therapist, like the commercial gym trainer, had an arsenal of exercises, but not systems. Not ways to actually teach me how to use my body more effectively. That is why when people ask us makes DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training SO different, it is the simple fact we are a program of systems, not exercises.

What does that mean? In DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training exercise is no more important than another. What it IS about is meeting people where they are currently at in their fitness journey. Then the system gives them direction to where to go with their training. Can’t do MAX Lunges, no problem, Front Loaded Up Downs might be RIGHT for you! Can’t do Lateral Drags from Plank? Who care? You might be better off with Bird Dog Iso Pulls or even Loaded Dead Bugs.

See, that is the difference with DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training, we find the RIGHT exercises and then help you build better movement from exploring more ways for you to learn to use your body. After all, that is the fastest way to get stronger and more fit. How you ask?

Most people think lifting weight is about well, lifting a weight. In reality, moving a weight should be an extension of moving your body as efficiently as possible. There is a reason that in the Olympics some lifters can lift well over double their bodyweight even though they aren’t large individuals. Sadly though, that isn’t how most people train.

The point of having a system of progressive exercises is so that you learn something new and different about your body as you layer more sophistication to your exercises. For example, that commercial gym trainer could have used this series of DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training lunge progressions to teach his client how to get to walking lunges!

My physical therapist could have used any of these DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training drills (which I did on my own) to help me learn how to connect to my body better and learn how to regain my strength.

When you have the right systems in place, problem solving for people (yourself included!) isn’t actually difficult. What happens to most fitness professionals is they have a group of exercises and if you don’t “fit” into those exercises they are very limited in how they can help you.

Sometimes we have the other end of the spectrum. We have fitness professionals with TONS of tools and exercises, but they don’t know how they all fit together and when to use them. While people love to use the “more tools in the toolbox” analogy, I actually hate it. Why? Well, having more tools means NOTHING if you aren’t a great craftsman/woman in the first place.

Knowing how, when, and much more about your tools (in our case exercises) is what allows you to be successful. So, when people ask us what is different about DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training we talk about the “software” of DVRT first and foremost. How the system helps us answer, what tool, what exercise, and so many of the questions we should be asking ourselves in creating more effective and efficient workouts.

This is what makes one a great coach, not the number of tools in your toolbox, but your ability to use them at a high level at the right time!

Find  out more how we use different functional fitness tools to enhance your training with our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training and Kettlebell programs HERE