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Sandbag Shouldering

Lift an unstable sandbag from floor to shoulder to build power and stability.

Setup

  1. Straddle bag; hinge; wrap arms; pull to lap.

Execution

  1. Drive hips; pull bag to one shoulder; stand tall; return with control; alternate.

Coaching cues

  • Hips through.
  • Squeeze the bag.
  • Finish tall.

Common faults & fixes

  • Arm curl → use hip drive. Rounded back → brace/shorten ROM. Dropping bag → control descent.

Regressions

  • Lighter bag; high pick to lap only.

Variations

  • Bear-hug shouldering; to both shoulders; heavier singles.

Programming ideas

  • 4×6–8/side; EMOM 5/side; 100 total for time.

Safety

Neutral spine; avoid twisting under load.

Competition standards

Bag rests on shoulder; hips/knees fully extended to count.

In depth

Sandbag Shouldering develops posterior-chain power, grip, and trunk stability against an unstable implement. Straddle the bag, hinge with a flat back, scoop and lap it, then explosively extend hips to pull the bag to one shoulder; stabilise and stand tall. Alternate sides. The shifting load builds resilience and transfers to carries, cleans, and tackles. Errors: curling with arms, rounded low back, dumping the bag. Cue “hips through,” “hug tight,” “tall finish.” Use 4×6–8/side for strength or 50–100 total reps for brutal conditioning.

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