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31 Intense Sandbag WODs: Tough Crossfit Sandbag workouts you can do at home with minimal equipment

Sandbags are one of the simplest, most versatile, and most effective pieces of workout equipment, all while being insanely cheap. If you’re stuck at home or want to skip the gym, then going for a high intensity sandbag WOD makes sense for building muscle and strength or burning fat, without the crowds and gym fees.

In this post, I’ll share 31 great sandbag workouts Crossfit inspired, detailed instructions on how to do each workout, and how to adapt your Crossfit, powerlifting, and traditional weightlifting moves to get an intense sandbag HIIT workout.

Read on to discovery 31 intense sandbag WODs and Crossfit workouts designed to be completed with a single sandbag as your only tool and resistance.

(Click here to jump right into our Sandbag WOD List)

CONTENTS OF THIS SANDBAG WOD LIST

WHY SANDBAG WORKOUTS

Sandbags are cheap, functional, and extremely portable allowing you to get a great resistance workout with a minimum of equipment. Combine a sandbag with a pull up bar and suspension trainer, and you’ll never have to go to the gym again if you don’t want to.

WHY CROSSFIT AND HIIT INSPIRED WORKOUTS

Crossfit workouts are specifically designed to build strength and stamina specifically via high intensity interval training. The result of these high intensity workout structures is we can accomplish a lot more in our workouts with a lot less weight than traditional weightlifting workouts.

That is why sandbags are perfect for Crossfit WODs

WHAT WEIGHT TO USE

The beauty of sandbags is the weight can easily be adjusted. I can easily switch my current sandbag from 60lbs to 120.

For men, a 50lbs to 60lbs sandbag will get the job done, and have a ~50lbs and a ~100lbs option will be perfect.

For women, a 25lb to 40lb sandbag is a good range, and having an option to double the weight sets you up for heavier workouts.

However, any weight of sandbag will work fine. Part of Crossfit is building work capacity and stamina, which we develop through maintaining intensity in our workouts. If at any point you feel like your sandbag is too light, simply speed up or skip a rest period. If you complete the workout quickly with time leftover and don’t feel smoked, do the workout again, or do half of a different workout. This hack will ensure you get a worthwhile workout despite the weight of the bag you’re using.

WHAT KIND OF SAND BAG TO USE

I recommend going for a heavily stitched 1000 denier Cordura nylon bag. The GORUCK Sandbag is top of my list, but I’ve had great experiences with the Rogue Fitness Sandbag as well.

WHAT ELSE WILL YOU NEED FOR THIS WORKOUT?

A pull up bar or a suspension trainer will be perfect for recreating pull up movements if you don’t have a pull up bar available. With a sandbag and an option for pull ups you’ll have everything you need for these 31 sandbag workouts with a Crossfit twist.

OUR SANDBAG EXERCISE LIST

  • Clean: Performed as a normal clean. Start at the beginning of a deadlift, powerfully pull the sandbag up, catch in the front rack at the bottom of a squat
  • Snatch: Similar to a clean, except catch the sandbag overhead with arms extended
  • Thruster: With the sandbag in the front rack position, squat and press at the top with and overhead press
  • Push press: With the sandbag in the front rack position, dip the hips slightly and drive while pressing overhead
  • Split Squat: With one leg forward, one leg back, shoulder width apart, squat
  • Side split Squat: With feet twice shoulder with apart, keep one leg extended and squat bending the opposite letg.
  • Sandbag Manmaker: With the sandbag at your feet, perform a bend and thrust + push up, hop back to the bottom of a squat, then perform one sanbag clean and press.
  • Sandbag Good Mornings: With the sandbag high on your back and with a straigh back, bend at the as you would with a normal good morning
  • Sandbag Swings: Perform as you would a kettlebell swing, but with the sandbag
  • Sandbag Sumo Deadlift high Pulls: Performed the same as barbell sumo deadlift high pulls
  • Sandbag overhead squats: With the arms extended overhead supporting the sandbag, perform a squat
  • Sandbag Back Squats: With the sandbag draped over the shoulders along the upper back, squat

31 TOUGH SANDBAG WODS

1. Sandbag Andy

Complete the entire circuit for time (as fast as possible)

– 25 Sandbag Thrusters

– 50 jump tucks (clear 24 inches)

– 75 Sandbag Deadlifts

– 1.5 Mile run (or 11 minute run)

– 75 Sandbag Deadlifts

– 50 jump tucks (clear 24 inches)

– 25 Sandbag Thrusters

2. Complete All Exercises For Time:

20 Lunges Holding the sandbag overhead (each leg)

60 Overhead Presses

60 Burpees

20 Lunges Holding the sandbag overhead

3. Complete all reps as fast as possible

150 sandbag manmakers for time

4. 6 Rounds for Time

Every 6 minutes for 6 rounds

200 Meter Run

20 Sandbag Push Presses

20 Bent Over Sandbag Rows

20 Sandbag Thrusters

5. Sandbag Fran

For Time

21-15-9

Pull Ups

Sandbag Thrusters

6. 4 Rounds for Time

400 Meter Run

72 Double Unders

21 Sandbag Swings

15 Goblet Lunges Per Leg (Sandbag Held on Chest in Front Rack)

9 Burpee Broad Jumps (Burpee + Long Jump for Distance)

Rest 2:00

7. Hero WOD Michael with a sandbag

Run 800 meters

50 Sandbag Good Mornings

50 Sit Ups

8. Every Minute on the Minute for 20 Minutes

8 Lateral Burpees over the sandbag

10 Sandbag Sumo Deadlift High Pulls

9. Hero WOD Daniel

For Time:

50 Pull ups

400 Meter Run

21 Sandbag Thrusters

800 Meter Run

21 Thrusters

50 Pull Ups

10. Complete each part before proceeding to the next

Part 1.

9 x Sandbag Clean + Front Squat + Push Press (for form, warmup)

Part 2.

“Grace” Wod for time

30 Clean and Presses

Part 3.

50 Burpees

11. The Seven (HERO WOD)

Complete reps of all exercises in order

7 Rounds for Time:

7 Handstand Push Ups

7 Sandbag Thrusters

7 Knees to Elbows (or V-Ups)

7 Deadlifts

7 Burpees

7 Sandbag Swings

7 Pull-Ups

(If you don’t have a pull up bar handy, use a suspension trainer)

12. Complete 4 Rounds For Time:

400 Meter Run

15 V-Ups

15 Sandbag Thrusters

15 Burpees

25 Sandbag Sumo Deadlift High Pulls

13. “Kalsu”

For Time:

100 Thrusters, as quickly as possible

Perform 5 burpees at the start of every minute until the 100 thrusters are complete

14. Complete each part before proceeding to the next

Part 1.

4 sets of 6 Sandbag Deadlifts, maximum 1:30 rest between

Part 2.

15 minutes and As Many Rounds As Possible:

20 Russian Twists

15 Sandbag Swings

10 Sandbag overhead presses

5 Pull Ups or Pull Ups Weight with Sandbag

15. Lumberjack 20

Complete all reps of each exercise before proceeding

20 Sandbag Deadlifts

400 Meter Run

20 Sandbag Swings

400 Meter Run

20 Overhead Squats with Sandbag

400 Meter Run

20 Burpees

400 Meter Run

20 Pull Ups (can use a suspension trainer)

16. 5 Rounds for Time:

400 meter run

30 Sandbag Front Squats

50 feet overhead walking lunge (Hold arms straight and sandbag overhead)

20 Sandbag Clean and Presses

10 Burpees, hopping over sandbag between reps

17. Complete all reps in any order or mix

150 Sandbag Thrusters

150 Sandbag Cleans

18. Alternate exercises chipping away at reps gradually, finish as quickly as possible

100 ft handstand walk

150 sandbag Thrusters

19. Holleyman

30 Rounds for time

5 Sandbag Thrusters

3 Handstand Push Ups

1 Sandbag Power Clean

20. Every minute on the minute for 15 minutes

Minute 1: 15 jump tucks

Minute 2: 6 sandbag clean and press

Minute 3: 9 Burpees

21. The Don Workout

Complete all reps in order for Time:

66 Deadlifts

66 Tuck Jumps

66 Sandbag Swings

66 V-Ups

66 Russian Twists

66 Pull Ups (can use a suspension trainer

66 Sandbag Thrusters

66 Burpees

66 Side Lunges (33 each side)

22. For 20 minutes, alternate sets permorming each every minute on the minute

7x Side lunges to each side (sandbag in front)

4x Burpee + sandbag clean + overhead press

23. Sandbag Zeus

3 Rounds for Time:

30 Thrusters

30 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls

30 Tuck Jumps

30 Overhead Sandbag Presses

30 Bent Over Sandbag Rows

30 Push Ups

10 Sandbag Back Squats

24. For time: Rotate exercises until completion

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 – Sandbag Power Cleans

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 – Wall Walks

25. Filthy Fifty (Sandbag Version)

Complete all reps, in order

50 Tuck Jumps

50 Pull Ups

50 Kettlebell Swings

50 Forward Walking Lunges

50 V-Ups

50 Sandbag Push Presses

50 Sandbag Good Mornings

50 Sandbag Thrusters

50 Burpees

50 Tuck Jumps

26. Complete all exercises in order as quickly as possible

600 meter run

60 hand release push ups

60 sandbag power snatches

60 burpees

60 sandbag power snatches

60 hand release push ups

600 meter run

27. Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes

4 Sandbag Clean and Press

2 Burpees

5 Lunges each leg

6 Sandbag getups

Run 200 meters

28. For 20 minutes, alternate between part 1 and part 2 every 2 minutes.

Part 1: 15 tuck Jumps + sandbag shoulder presses

Part 2: 15 sandbag sumo deadlift high pulls

29. The Chief Hero WOD

Perform 5 rounds of this circuit performed as many rounds as possible for 3 minutes, then rest 1 minute, and repeat:

AMRAP 3 Mins:

– 3 Sandbag Power Cleans

– 6 Push Ups

– 9 Sandbag Squats (front or Back

Rest 1 minute

Repeat 5 times in total

30. As Many Rounds as possible in 15 minutes – but aim for quality

8 alternating Sandbag split squats (front)

8 side alternating sandbag split squats

30 second wall sit with left leg extended

30 second wall sit with right leg extended

100 foot sandbag carry (front rack or back rack)

1 minute weighted plank

31. Incredible Hulk – Sandbag Version

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes

5 Sandbag Deadlifts

5 Sandbag Hang Power Cleans

5 Front Squats with Sandbag

5 Sandbag Push Presses

5 Back Squats with Sandbag

You have your sandbag training workouts…what next?

Use your sandbag to take on the 100 kettlebell swings a day challenge

Learn the Sandbag Clean to add more exercises to your sandbag training arsenal

Learn the Sandbag Deadlift to add more exercises to your sandbag training arsenal

Check out the GORUCK Sandbag, my favorite sandbag for training in the coming year to properly equip your home gym.

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