The sandbag is the secret tool in every grappler’s training arsenal. There is no better piece of equipment for building the bear-hugging, soul-crushing strength needed to dominate opponents on the mat.
I’ve used sandbags for jiu-jitsu training throughout my career. Sandbags have helped me develop strength for competing in BJJ all over the world. Building my body for elite competitions like Quintet, Polaris and ADCC has always involved the sandbag. There’s many reasons for that.
It’s in the name – a sandbag is simply a bag of sand which can come in various sizes and weights. It’s not more complicated than that. In a fitness industry with new, flashy products being released every week, the sandbag still stands firm. It’s one of the simplest and most effective pieces of workout equipment for BJJ, MMA and strength training.
There are many reasons why sandbags are the best tool for the job when it comes to building a body for combat sports.
An essential skill for BJJ, MMA and grappling is to be able to hold on to our opponent and control them effectively. Just as important is the ability to break the hold they have on us. Both are essential for advancing position. If we can’t keep hold of our opponent or get them off us, we lose. When we train with sandbags, we are either pulling them into us or pushing them away from our bodies in ways that directly imitate grappling scenarios.
Also, sandbags aren’t fixed in shape. The sand inside constantly shifts and turns them into a malleable object that needs to be manipulated differently to other pieces of strength equipment like the barbell. The weight inside a sandbag shifts as we use it. This mimics the human body much more than a fixed lump of metal.
Sandbags also strengthen our posterior chain, expecially through performing exercises like squats and pick ups. It’s essential that BJJ and MMA athletes develop a full body strength throughout their posterior chain. This results in us being strong, functional and deadly in combat, hence why the sandbag is the tool of choice for many fighters.
There are various sandbag movements that develop full body strength for BJJ, MMA and grappling. Some of those include pick-ups, shouldering, squatting, rows, get ups and floor presses. I go into lots of detail on these techniques, and how to perform them safely, in my Sandbag Masterclass online course.
Many people see sandbag lifting and assume it is bad for your back. This couldn't be further from the truth. Using sandbags helps to train your back in positions many people are weak in, and that are very common in BJJ, MMA and grappling.
I have personal experience to prove it. 11 years ago I broke my back, and my road to recovery took many years. I tried many different rehabilitation methods. To my own surprise, it was only when I started taking sandbag training seriously that I saw a dramatic improvement. I credit sandbag training for allowing me to get back to almost 100% functionality.
BJJ will allow you to build a baseline strength and fitness, but that’s where it’ll end. If you want to become more dominant, you need to invest in yourself and work on your strength off the mats.
All the best BJJ competitors started as students who were hungry to grow at every opportunity. If your learning and growth stops when you leave your regular classes, you’re not becoming as good as you could be and that’s just a fact. Invest in your game, and you won’t believe the results.
My Sandbag Masterclass online course is an over 2-hour, in-depth look into heavy sandbag training, specifically for grapplers. It features all the info I wish I knew when I started out, teaching you everything you need to know about training with sandbags.
You will learn how to safely perform the most valuable sandbag exercises and how to program them into your workout, either alongside traditional lifts or with exclusively sandbags. The lessons are designed to take you through every detail to guarantee you’ll finish this course as a stronger athlete.
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I’ve used sandbags for jiu-jitsu training throughout my career. Sandbags have helped me develop strength for competing in BJJ all over the world. Building my body for elite competitions like Quintet, Polaris and ADCC has always involved the sandbag. Here's why I think sandbags are the ultimate tool for BJJ & MMA strength.
Sandbag training has helped me build my body to fight all over the world on elite competitions like Quintet, Polaris and ADCC. There is no better piece of equipment for creating functional, full-body strength to dominate opponents on the mat. Here are my top 3 Sandbag exercises for BJJ & MMA.
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