"Sandbag Construction"
(an exerpt from "Singles & Doubles - How the Ordinary Become Extraordinary")

Traditionally, Sandbags have been considered “odd” objects or implements for lifting when the subject of strength and conditioning training is discussed. Like barrels, stones, kettlebells, and the like, they are great for strength training. However, they are seldom (compared to barbells and dumbbells) used because, although they’re effective, they’re fairly impractical.

Sandbags have had two main criticisms: 1. They are a fixed weight (once you build a 100 lb. bag, you have a 100 lb. bag and that’s it – you can’t alter the weight, at least not easily) and 2. Very high quality materials (which can’t always be found) must be used so that the bag won’t burst – causing a pretty big mess. These two drawbacks have kept people from utilizing Sandbags in their strength and conditioning training for quite some time, however, I’ve figured out how to solve those problems. By constructing a bag the Singles and Doubles way, you can have a bag that not only is less likely to cause mess, but is, more importantly, adjustable.

Constructing a Sandbag the Singles and Doubles way takes a little more time, and costs a tad bit more, but I think you’ll find it worth it. You’ll need the following materials to construct your bag: a heavy duty canvas duffel bag (old military issue from army surplus stores work well), sand, duct tape, zipper-type sandwich baggies, and zipper-type food storage baggies (you’ll need the same number of sandwich baggies as number of pound you plan on making your Sandbag). You can use any type or brand of baggies you want (as long as they are the “zipper” type) – just remember – the better, stronger baggies you get, the better, stronger your Sandbag will be.

1. In each sandwich baggie, using a measuring cup, put one and one third cups of sand. One and one third cups weighs one pound. *NOTE: Be sure that your sand is completely dry. Wet sand is heavier than dry sand, and will skew your bag weight. After putting the sand in the sandwich baggie, try and squeeze as much excess air out of the bag as possible before you zip it shut.

2. Wrap the baggie in one or two layers of duct tape.

3. Put three sandwich baggies in a food storage baggie. Again, squeeze as much excess air as possible out of the food storage baggie and zip it shut.

4. Proceed to put your baggies into your canvas duffel bag. Close your duffel bag (cinch it, zip it, whatever). Just be sure that however you seal the bag, that it’s not permanently sealed (e.g. – sewing it shut).

Now you have virtually the perfect Sandbags. By putting the sand in the sandwich and food storage baggies, you now have a Sandbag that consists of four layers (sandwich baggie, duct tape, food storage baggie, canvas duffel bag) instead of just one layer (canvas duffel bag). This makes the bag inherently stronger. For there to be a mess, a sandwich baggie, duct tape, and a food storage baggie would have to break – and then the mess is still in the Bag itself. Even if mess does get out of the Sandbag, it will only be the mess of the baggie’s contents – rather than that of the entire Sandbag. By filling the sandwich baggies in the one pound increments, you also not only eliminate the need for permanent sealing of the bag (e.g. – sewing), but you make your bag infinitely adjustable! If you’re getting stronger, simply unzip/un-cinch the Sandbag, and toss in a few more sandwich baggies.

Feeling tired one day? Unzip/un-cinch the Sandbag and take a few baggies out. Is your bag just not heavy enough anymore? Instead of having to construct a whole new Sandbag, go buy some more sand and baggies, and you’ve got more weight you can add to the bag you’ve already got. Because your extra sand is already in the baggies (sandwich and food storage), they can easily be stored in the corner of a closet or even a drawer or cabinet. Also, because your Sandbag is now as adjustable as any barbell, you never have to construct multiple Sandbags (as was the case in the past) to have Bags of different weights. Finally, by putting the sand in small, one-pound increment baggies, it doesn’t create large “blocks” (so-to-speak) in your Sandbag, so that your Sandbag still has the same “instability factor” that a regular Sandbag has. This method creates virtually the perfect Sandbag.

TIP – Depending on you wants or needs, before you fill your canvas duffel bag with baggies, you may want to consider sewing various sets of handles onto your bag. You may want a narrow-grip set, a wide-grip set, a parallel-grip set, etc. The handles don’t have to be pretty, just make sure you’ve sewn the hell out of them to keep them from tearing off.

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.