Have you ever trained with someone who is very strong but you take them to the gym and they can’t squat, deadlift or bench press any kind of decent weight? Or have you ever fought someone who is as strong as an ox in the gym but as weak as a kitten in the cage? As fighters, it’s important that the drills and routines you do in the gym carry over into your fighting game; anything less and you’re wasting your time. This type of strength is commonly known as “functional strength.”

Functional strength simply means being strong in a useful way. For example, a guy who can bench press 400 pounds is functionally strong for weightlifting, but not as useful for attacking with the kind of techniques needed in Judo, BJJ, or MMA. These sports require you to be strong in a variety of moves including kicks, punches, grabs, flicks, and swoops to defend a double-legged takedown attempt.

One of the best ways people try to build functional strength is to implement a variety of functional training tools, like kettlebells or Indian clubs. Although these tools are good, many people can’t access them or don’t have the funds to buy some in different weights. This is why sandbags are so useful. Weights can be easily added to make your workout harder or easier and can be done at home for as little as $30. All you need is:

1 heavy-duty canvas bag
20-30kgs of sand
20-30 small zip lock bags
3 heavy duty garbage bags

Simply put the sand filled zip lock bags into the heavy duty bin bags and then place these bin bags in your duffel bag. Be sure to cut the bag straps and you’re ready to go.

Sandbags are great because they take up little space, are cheap, and are just so much fun to use. When you start using a sandbag, you will soon start to notice that the weight is constantly changing, just like your opponent, who is constantly on the move. I always use the example of the fact that many believe that a bench press is the best exercise you need to escape lateral control, even though when you bench your opponent, they simply shift their hips and continue to hold onto the mat. This is because a barbell is a dead weight while the punching bag is constantly moving. This makes it a great way to train to adapt to a moving opponent. Other benefits of sandbag training include an increase in:

grip strength
explosive power
Core stability and strength.
Cardio workout
anabolic threshold

I typically include sandbag lifts as part of my athletes’ conditioning programs using lifts such as power cleans, bench presses, Turkish lifts, overhead presses, sprints, and sandbag punches.

A beginner’s training may include:
Sandbag race 1 minute
Clean and press 20 reps
Squats 20 reps
Expansion and cleaning 20
repeat 2 rounds

An intermediate workout includes:
Alternate Strikes 30
Clean and press 30
run 30 seconds
turkish uprisings 50
repeat 2 rounds

Advanced training may consist of:
The wrestler walks 50 repetitions
Sprawl and clean 50 reps
turkish uprisings 20
Alternate Strikes 50
The wrestler walks 25 repetitions
Expansion and cleaning 25
turkish uprisings 10
record your best time

Alternative exercise which may include:

Burpees, box jumps, skipping, heavy bag, pad work, kipping chin-ups or takedowns.