Sandbag Shouldering

If I were on uninhabited island and I were doomed to do only one exercise it definitely would be the deadlift. Its results are proven by centuries and it has the most impact on muscle building and overall strength gains. And of course it's one of my favorite exercises (: But there is one little problem. There is no barbell and no plates on this island. There's only sand and your thick-cloth bag around. No big deal. Shoulder it!

Shouldering is as old as sandbags are. Oldtime strongmen used to shoulder great poundages in order to build tremendous strength. The strongest of them could shoulder 100 kg (225 lbs) sandbag with one arm! I doubt that there are any men today who could replicate this feat of strength. Sandbag shouldering is lost feat of strength but it is definitely worth of returning. And I'm here to make it happen (:

Sandbag Shouldered (:

Sandbag shouldering is a simple exercise. Literally, you lift the sandbag off the floor and to the shoulder. No hidden context. But let me warn you, don't be fooled by its simplicity. It's hard as hell when done with decent poundages. It's a test of willpower when done for high reps. Those who say that sandbag shouldering is easy definitely haven't done it heavy and/or for high reps. Save whining for those pussies. Real men choose sandbag shouldering as one of the main tools in their arsenal for transformation in rough beasts.

Shouldering is a full-body exercise. The main muscle groups that perform the action are lower back, hips, hamstrings, forearms, biceps, upper back, shoulders, pectorals, calves and quads. As you can see sandbag shouldering covers almost every area of the body. The only muscle group that stays not fully involved is triceps. More on that later. The exercise mechanics are similar to the deadlift and the power clean. But shouldering requires less weight than the deadlift and it involves all muscle groups in less static and more active manner (which is excellent for MMA fighters by the way) and it is less technically-demanding than the power clean. The whole movement is performed like this:

1. Deadlift the weight off the floor, high pull it and bear hug it under.

2. Jump with it and clean it to the shoulder.

Better than thousand words (:

This variation is the most powerful. It will allow you to use the heaviest weight with good form. You can watch some videos on YouTube where guys do shouldering another way (with the bag too far from the body and in one movement). But believe me, those guys are not even close to using heavy poundages. I mean HEAVY! And as we all know the heavier the bag the more muscle you can build.

If you are serious about getting as strong as possible it's imperative that you should incorporate sandbag shouldering in your routine. It should be in place of the row/lower body pull. For example, you can incorporate shouldering in your full-body routine like this:

A1) Front Squat 5x5

A2) Floor Press 5x5

A3) Shouldering 5x2

Perform all the exercises in circuit fashion (one-by-one). Rest as much as needed between exercises but not more than 2 minutes. Feel free to add some core or arm work after all the circuits are done if you dare (: But no more than one exercise and no more than 2 sets of 5 reps.

Here you go. Now you got everything you need to start reaping the benefits of heavy sandbag shouldering. And now there is a little bonus for you.

Everybody knows 20-rep squat routine, some know 20-rep deadlift routine. There is no doubt that these routines packed a lot of muscles and ordinary guys became extraordinary walls of muscle as a result of using of these routines. Routines advocated by Peary Rader, John McCallum, Randall J. Strossen, Joseph Curtis Hise and many more. Routines proven by time. For real men only. Exclusive Rough Strength Solution for those of you who accept the challenge.

20-Rep Sandbag Shouldering Routine. All Rights Reserved (:

It's bloody mess. I dare those of you who are brave enough to try this routine. You will have the most brutal experience in your life. This routine is not for the faint of heart. It's only for those of you who are 100% serious about their transformation. So here's the routine.

A) Upper-Body Push 3x5

B1) Sandbag Shouldering 1x20

B2) Light Pullovers (or Rader Chest Pull) 1x20

Keep rest periods between sets short. No need to bother with rep speed. Progressions will be conventional. Once you get all the reps put more sand inside the bag and/or increase the weight in upper-body push movement. You can choose any upper-body push you want. Military Press, Floor Press, Bench Press, Weighted Dips - pick one or a couple. You can even pick three and rotate them every training session. It can look something like this:

Monday - Military Press

Wednesday - Floor Press

Friday - Weighted Dips

To say that the shouldering will be brutal is to say nothing. Choose HEAVY weight (of course if the technique is down). Rep five will be heavy. Rep ten will seem like the end of the set. But your goal is twenty. Remember that and make it to that point. Then immediately perform the set of breathing pullovers or Rader chest pulls. If you have done everything as outlined here you won't have desire to do any isolation work. Guaranteed. If not than you probably wasn't shouldering heavy enough. The next point is workout frequency. Try 3 full-body workouts per week. If you feel not recovered then try 2 full-body workouts per week. Your nutrition and rest should be in check also. Consume enough calories. Drink a gallon of milk a day as oldtimers said. It's mandatory to sleep at least 8 hours at night (the more the better) and to have a 20-30 minute nap during the day. That's all the tips. Don't overcomplicate things. Keep it simple and it WILL be effective. And be ready to purchase new clothes (:

Don't forget to post your results on this program in comments on e-mail me at roughstrength@yahoo.com

Stay tuned for more rough training.

Play Rough!

Alex Zinchenko

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