Join Us for a Twitter Chat with Ultimate Sandbag Creator Josh Henkin!

Twitter Chat with Josh Henkin – Tuesday, December 10 at 11:00am PST (2:00pm EST)

On Tuesday, December 10, don’t miss the chance to chat with Josh Henkin, founder of the Dynamic Variable Resistance Training (DVRT) system and creator of the Ultimate Sandbag. We’ll be taking audience questions for our #RealKnowledge chat starting at 11am PST (2pm EST), and the floor will be open for questions for one hour.

Here’s a video of just one of many ways you can use the sandbag – as a companion for the kettlebell:

We asked Josh to tell us a bit about his own background and how he came to discover the benefits of training with sandbags. Here’s what he had to say:

1. Tell us a bit about your own athletic background.

I grew up playing basketball for most of my youth. I got the amazing opportunity to walk on to the Arizona State University Men’s Basketball team, but a severe low back injury that was re-aggravated kept me from going all the way and achieving a scholarship. Using principles in our DVRT system, I was able to return to competing in Olympic lifting and Strongman.

2. How did you first get into sandbags and what are their benefits as a training tool?

I got into sandbags because I was frustrated with how other corrective programs and training methods just didn’t get my low back to the point where I was consistently without pain. I investigated old time strongman methods and was highly intrigued by their use of “odd objects,” and the most interesting and unique one seemed to be sandbags. Their instability and unpredictability seemed to be something that would have great carryover to my goals.

I initially achieved some great results with my homemade sandbags, but those benefits were short-lived and my value of sandbags for a foundation of training began to drop very quickly. In fact, I almost gave up on the whole idea completely because of the lack of versatility and progression that sandbags offered.

Once we were able to create something specific for fitness and performance training, not only did the experience get so much better, but the results did as well. From instantly getting people to move better, to reports of crazy fat loss, to having literally hundreds of exercises available to avoid boredom, it’s as if the advantages of Ultimate Sandbag Training have become infinite.

3. What are three tips you have to offer for people getting started with sandbag training?

1. It isn’t “sandbag training.” While sandbag exercises have existed for centuries, there has never been a specific system of implementing what we call variable resistance tools. The system of using such implements must be understood in order to maximize the potential and understand how to progress training because it is very different from other fitness programs.
2. Details, details, details. Understanding the details of how to perform our DVRT exercises is critical. You want to know why each progression is right for you. Often people see a cool exercise and immediately want to perform it. However, it is important to understand what went into being able to perform that level of exercise and determine whether or not it is right for you. The techniques play an important role in making sure you load the body correctly. Since this is a unique training tool, the movement of the weight and the dimension need to be taken into consideration.
3. A sandbag isn’t a sandbag. The only thing that our Ultimate Sandbag has somewhat in common with the old time homemade duffel bag is its namesake. Our Ultimate Sandbag was designed with a specific system in mind and with how the body is structured. We often say that both hammers and saws are tools. Try to use them for the wrong job and you won’t get the desired result. Ultimate Sandbags are just like that. They are designed to match movements, not just to be a bag of sand, and are engineered for our exercises and how the body naturally moves.

Thanks Josh! Got questions of your own? Join us for a live Twitter chat!

Join us on Tuesday, December 10th for a Twitter chat where you can ask all your questions.

Here’s how to get in on the conversation:

1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday, December 10th at 11am PST/2pm EST.
2. Follow the hashtag #RealKnowledge and direct questions to @JoshHenkin.
3. Ask away! The floor will be open for questions until Noon PST/2:00pm EST. Be sure to end your question with the hashtag #RealKnowledge to lock into the chat.

Be sure to stay tuned for future Twitter chats with coaches from every discipline!