Getting the Most Out Of This Core Exercise

DVRT Master, Raymond Lee

One of the most underestimated yet the brutal DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training core drills is Lateral Bag Drag. It is one of those drills that people will find any excuse NOT to do, or try to sub with something other piece of equipment. Sadly, they are missing out on how incredible of not just core, but total body exercise the Lateral Bag Drag really is for their strength!

The size of the Ultimate Sandbag bag is usually the small ones, and the motion itself looks so simple that most of us would only think of ‘one of those sissy corrective/core drills’. Anything BUT easy is this core exercise. 

However, when I ask the DVRT level one attendees of what was the most brutal drills, but effective drills that they feel many would answer it was the Lateral Bag Drag. Those tiny light weighted core/power bags would just crush any man due to the high level of stability and strength it is required to maintain proper alignment of smooth movement of the bag.

Once you can acquire the skill to generate high tension for this drill, other DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training compound lifts will feel way more lighter as your body will automatically connect the body to produce strength and stability efficiently. In my personal opinion, amongst all Level One drills, mastering Lateral Bag Drag is one of the most important and foundational strength drill that will enable us to move towards high level drills of that are introduced at Level 2.

Here is the problem though. Even those who have started using this drill experienced that it was really hard to grasp the proper feeling of tension being generated through the whole body. For that reason, many people have a hard time to feel the connection between the Lateral Bag Drag and Overhead Press. 

I too had a similar experience when I first learned this drill and took a long time figure out. Nowadays we have been introduced about other regressions for Lateral Bag Drag. However, the main topic for this article isn’t about some new drills to solve this problem. Rather it is going to be a few simple mind-set tips for any other variations of Lateral Bag Drag drill.

Think of it as a ‘Press’ rather than a ‘Drag.

Have an imaginary straight line before initiation

Press it down or diagonally, Make sure the handle moves horizontally straight.

Although it may seem to make no difference by the words we use, the outcome of the movement will change dramatically by letting them think differently. The word ‘Drag’ seemed to unconsciously translate into pulling of flexion motion. For the clients who didn’t have awareness of their body would mostly focus on the dragging the USB by compensating with their traps and elbows flared out. 

However, if we tell them to press it down, the whole movement of this drill changes. We can see them automatically tense all their body and press the bag diagonally to the floor while trying to resist their body being shifted to sideways. 

Although the movement of the bag becomes way slower, their intent to tense their whole body is evident by cueing them to “press the bag to the floor sideways”. The main difference people feel after is the high contraction of their lats without their elbows flaring out.

Changing Levels of Contact

Although the guideline of Lateral Bag Drag is to not let the bag come off the floor, in reality it maybe too challenging for some beginners. However, as long as we have proper intent and execution of our body, adjusting the amount of area between the USB and floor can be another option to adjust the intensity of this drill. 

However the movement of the bag should always be horizontal regardless of the surface contact. 

Below is the picture that we can have in mind while doing so.

Imagine pressing it straight sideways to prevent any compensation.
The height of the handle should be the same from point A to B.

Using these 2 tips will greatly boost up the strength for this drill as well as the ability to control the intensity in a very simple manner. Try it out and get DVRT STRONG!