Ultimate Sandbag Training for Better Backs & Strength!

DVRT Master, Ian Vaughn (Creator of DVRT Strength and Muscle Program) 

Fitness is full of fun memes, right? We say a lot of things that unfortunately don’t always mean a lot or point us in better directions with our training. A great example is the idea of training “movement, not muscles”. It is a great rallying cry, but what does it really mean and does it actually change what we do in our workouts. One thing we have tried to really do with DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training is put greater purpose and direction with such ideas.

One of the biggest things I’ve noticed in fitness is coaches not knowing the difference between hip hinging and squatting. Not knowing can lead to major set backs in your strength goals. Why? When you try to squat a hip hinge movement or vice versa this is where injury can quickly occur and that is definitely the fastest way to derail your fitness program.

It is also teaching the body to move more efficiently. A big part of a good functional fitness program and what we do in DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training, is to unleash better strength through people learning to use their bodies smarter. Great strength, after all, isn’t so much a function of just how big your muscles are, but how wisely you use your body!

I like to view coaching as saying ONE cue that can be translated into a thousand different ways. One cue may not work for one person, as does the other. Over the years I’ve learned a lot of mistakes on what not to do and making learning experience better for the athlete and get them stronger.

Not understanding the hip hinge was something I first went through, over a decade ago at fitness summit, when my partner told me to hinge while I was performing the exercise. I had no idea what a hip hinge was, and only got more confused. That is one of the things that I love most about DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training that we use cues and the use of the Ultimate Sandbag itself to teach people about better movement without making it unnecessarily complicated. In fact, one of the most missed benefits of using the Ultimate Sandbag is that it can give us so much valuable feedback when we train.

Now finally, what are the differences between the hinge and squat?
Hip Hinge: Minimal knee flexion – Maximal Hip flexion
Squat: Maximal knee flexion – Maximal Hip flexion

That is what so many people will tell you, but we can make it so that your mom and dad could understand too. A hip hinge has our torso becoming more parallel to the ground with some knee bend but more vertical shins. A squat motion will have our torso as upright as possible with a lot of knee bend and probably will have some forward motion of the shins.

To give more clear concise example of the two, here a USB inside clean (hip hinge) to Front Squat. Notice in the start I hip hinge to load my hips athletically clean the USB into the rack position and then pull my torso down in between my hips into the squat (going knee to hip level).

The hip hinge represents a strong athletic position translating to jumping, shuffling, and lifting for example. So what are some good coaching cues that get people into the right hip hinge:

-“Get in a baseball short stop position” or “Get in a golf putting position”
-“Pretend you’re about to jump as high as you can”
-“Act you’re gonna take a Insta selfie of your butt in the mirror”
-“Pretend you have both hands full of groceries and have to close the car door with your butt”
-“ PRETEND (note the pretend) to take your off pants, now pick up pants and put then back on”

Now where does DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training come in to play all this? Once understanding theses simple difference we now can apply loads, apply different speeds, and go in different planes of motion to challenge all this. Movements as such the deadlift are very linear and can be greatly enhanced simply adding new pathways with Ultimate Sandbag.

How does this build BETTER strength? Most people will want to believe just the standard up and down movements we perform in the gym transfer to ALL the ways we move in life and sport, but that just isn’t the case. If you don’t believe me try and see how you do with some of these Ultimate Sandbag Training hip hinge progressions and YES, add load. Guys, see if you can work with at least a 100 pound Burly and ladies a 60 pound Strength.

Sadly, the one of the most important ways we can learn to be strong is in rotation. Not only strong, but injury resilient because so many injuries occur when people don’t move correctly in rotation. It doesn’t matter if you want to punch or throw with great power or not throw out your back unloading the dishwasher, these DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training variations are SO important!

The great part is that these concepts allow you to build real world strength with any functional fitness tool. A great example is how these DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training concepts will transfer to great kettlebell drills.

All of these ideas are to get you performing, living, and feeling your best. That is why I was really excited to put this ALL in a program that you could learn these strategies but put the pieces together for you too. Great fitness should be something we can all strive to achieve!

All these movements are featured in my second new program : DVRT Real World Strength & Muscle Program. It features 50 workouts with over 200 exercises with strengthening Ultimate Sandbag complexes, kettlebell  variations, bodyweight movements with gymnastic rings, and three bonus workouts with the new DVRT ARES Sled. Best part save 25% with coupon code “strong” HERE