The Best Ultimate Sandbag Training Low Back Exercise

Jessica Bento, Physical Therapist (Creator of DVRT Restoration & Pelvic Control) 

Sometimes it isn’t creating new exercises, but seeing an exercise in a different perspective. A great example is something as simple as a bent-over row. Something that you have seen in gyms forever and probably feel like you know.

What if we put a little spin on the importance of such an exercise. Many times in our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training we challenge people not to learn just new exercises, but to be more thoughtful about the ones they may already be using.

So, why is the bent-over row something we address in our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training system? Especially as a physical therapist, I think it teaches and exposes some really important functional fitness concepts. Like what?

First and foremost we have a plank in a hip hinge position. As we have written a lot in our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training posts, the point of a plank isn’t just to be good at planking but to use the bracing and core stability that planks teach in more dynamic environments. A lot of people have a problem with their core endurance and end up “creeping” or coming out of the good plank position that the bent-over row requires.

The bent-over row also gives us an opportunity for people to learn how to use their lats in stabilizing the shoulder joint. So much of what we do in teaching people proper pushing and pulling in all positions at our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training courses comes down to one’s ability to use the lats to help the shoulder.

If you look at the lats they are HUGE muscles that impact our pelvis, low backs, and shoulders to a great degree. NOT using the lats actually makes you weaker and more prone to injury!

We have all these benefits of this great DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training exercise but that doesn’t help with the problem that most people have, performing it correctly!

One of the biggest issues people have is using their core correctly so they can be strong in the bent-over row position and not feel their low backs. A lot of this goes to using the feet! All too often we only focus on the hip hinge, the pulling of the weight, and so forth. In reality, the FIRST thing we have to do is establish a strong foundation and that beings with the feet!

Trying to “grab the ground” with the feet creates a chain reaction up the body that makes the low back and core feel so much better! The hamstrings and glutes become more active as well as the deep core stabilizers.

Secondly, try slowing everything down, many people try to rush through these Ultimate Sandbag Training variations because they don’t feel strong. Slowing things down makes a lift more effective and allows us to identify our weaknesses so much better!

How can you be using some of these DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training progressions into your own training? Pick one of these variations for each workout as the different body and gripping positions allow you to easily change the intensity and work on different muscles each time. You can also follow this great DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training complex that Victor Reyes used for an awesome total body workout!

Want to know how to gain an edge in the fitness industry? Check out our upcoming DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training programs in New York HERE

Try to get 25-30 reps each side in 25 minutes with this DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training complex.