24 Ways to Use a SandBell in Your Workout

SandBells add variability to any type of core, power or traditional strength-type workout and are a fantastic way to work on your grip and functional strength.

The sand in the equipment shifts constantly as you move, forcing your core muscles to dynamically stabilize you throughout the range of a movement and challenging your body to move under different loading patterns. The soft malleable texture adds some safety to a workout because there is no metal or rubber to dent or damage surfaces, and changing your grip patterns also will reduce repetitive stress found from gripping traditional dumbbells or barbells.

You don’t need too many SandBells to add variety to your workout. A light, medium and heavy SandBell will do the trick to challenge the dynamics of your workout. Try these different SandBell movements to change up your workouts.

Core

Plank With SandBell Drag

• Get into a plank position.
• Place a SandBell underneath your left armpit.
• Grab the SandBell with your right hand. Drag the SandBell across the floor so that it is underneath your right armpit.
• Alternate by grabbing the SandBell with your left hand. Drag the SandBell across the floor so that it is underneath your left armpit.
• Repeat the process, alternating hands. Do 10 to 16 reps, alternating hands.

Side Plank With Rotating SandBell Drag

• Get into a side-plank position on your left elbow (left knee down for regression).
• Place a SandBell underneath your left armpit.
• Grab the SandBell with your right hand.
• Drag the SandBell toward the right so that it is in front of you.
• Rotate onto your right elbow. (The SandBell should be underneath your right armpit.)
• Grab the SandBell with your left hand.
• Drag the SandBell toward the left so that it is in front of you.
• Repeat, alternating sides for 10 to 16 reps.

Single-Leg Glute Bridge With Single-Arm Press

• Lie flat on your back on the ground.
• Grab a SandBell with your left hand.
• Bend your right knee, keeping your heel as close to your right glute as possible.
• Straighten out your left leg (foot is dorsiflexed).
• Push through your right heel into a single-leg glute bridge while pushing the SandBell with your left hand toward the ceiling.
• Repeat for eight to 10 reps.
• Repeat on the other side.

Power

Frisbee Throw

• Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders.
• Place a SandBell in your right hand.
• Rotate toward your left, bringing the SandBell toward your left hip and pivoting on your right foot.
• Extend your right hand diagonally toward the ceiling, “throwing” (do not let go of the SandBell) the SandBell like a Frisbee.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat for eight to 12 reps with your right hand.
• Repeat with your left hand.

Modified Shot-Put Throw

• Stand in a staggered stance, left foot forward, right foot back.
• Place a SandBell in your right hand close to your right shoulder.
• Load your right leg by bending your right knee into a one-third single-leg squat.
• Rotating toward your right side, shot-put throw the SandBell away from you.
• Repeat on the left side.
• Repeat, alternating sides for 10 to 12 reps.

Squat to Slam

• Stand with your feet wider than your hips.
• Place a SandBell in between your feet.
• Squat and pick up the SandBell with both hands.
• Raise the SandBell to forehead height.
• Slam the SandBell down toward the ground in a pulling motion.
• Repeat for 10 repetitions.

SandBell Snatch

• Stand with your feet wider than your hips.
• Place a heavy SandBell in between your feet.
• Squat down and grab the SandBell with your right hand, extending your right hand up toward the ceiling while lunging backward with your left leg.
• Repeat for eight to 10 reps, then switch sides.

Curtsy Lunge Push Press

• Stand with your feet wider than your hips. Hold a heavy SandBell with both hands at chest height.
• Bend your left knee as you place your right leg behind you to come into a curtsy lunge.
• Return to stand in the middle and press the SandBell up toward the ceiling overhead.
• Bend your right knee as you place your left leg behind you to come into a curtsy lunge, then come back to start and press the SandBell up toward the ceiling.
• Repeat, alternating sides for 10 reps.

Strength

Lunge to SandBell Rotation

• Stand in a lunge position with your right foot forward, left leg behind you.
• Hold a SandBell with your left hand.
• Lunge down on your right leg. Bring the SandBell behind you and grab it with your right hand.
• Drive up on your right leg. Lunge down again.
• Bring the SandBell behind you and grab it with your left hand.
• Repeat, alternating rotations for eight to 10 lunges on your right leg.
• Repeat with your left leg, rotating the SandBell between both hands on the downward motion of the lunge.

Weighted Staggered Push-Up

• Get in a staggered push-up position. Keep your right hand close to your right shoulder and your left hand in a side push-up position.
• Place a heavy SandBell on your upper back.
• Perform a staggered push-up. Your right arm will do a triceps push-up, and your left arm will do a regular push-up. (Keep the SandBell from sliding off your upper back during the push-up.)
• Switch hands. Keep your left hand close to your left shoulder and your right hand in a side push-up position.
• Perform a staggered push-up. Your left arm will do a triceps push-up, and your right arm will do a regular push-up. (Keep the SandBell from sliding off your upper back during the push-up.)
• Repeat for eight to 10 push-ups, alternating placement of hands.

Shifting Rainbow Pull

• Stand with your feet as wide as comfortable.
• Place a heavy SandBell in front of your right foot.
• Shift your weight onto your right leg so that you’re in a transverse lunge position (right knee bent, left leg straight).
• Grab the SandBell with both hands and make a rainbow pattern above your forehead, bringing the SandBell to your left side.
• Place the SandBell on the ground on your left side.
• Shift your weight onto your left leg so that you’re in a transverse lunge position (left knee bent, right leg straight).
• Grab the SandBell with both hands and make a rainbow pattern above your forehead, bringing the SandBell to your right side.
• Place the SandBell on the ground on your right side.
• Repeat, alternating sides for 10 reps.

Transverse Lunge to Single-Arm Diagonal Pull

• Stand with your feet underneath your hips.
• Hold a heavy SandBell in your left hand.
• Step with your right foot into a transverse lunge position (right knee bent, left leg straight) while bringing your left hand in front of your left knee.
• Pull the SandBell diagonally across your body toward the ceiling, simultaneously stepping your right foot back to the starting position.
• Repeat for eight to 10 repetitions.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

Renegade Row

• Get in a plank position (knees for regression).
• Place a SandBell outside your right shoulder.
• Grab the SandBell with your right hand.
• Row the SandBell to armpit level.
• Return the SandBell to the ground.
• Repeat for eight to 10 reps.
• Repeat with your left hand for eight to 10 reps.

Kick-Through Pull

• Get in a bear-crawl position.
• Place a SandBell underneath your right hand.
• Kick your left leg through toward your right side (leg on or off the ground) simultaneously pulling the SandBell up toward the ceiling.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat for five to six reps.
• Repeat with your left hand and right leg kicking through.

Cardio

Lateral Shuffle to SandBell Slam

• Stand in an athletic stance holding a SandBell with both hands.
• Shuffle toward the right three times.
• Slam the SandBell from forehead height to the ground.
• Squat and pick up the SandBell with both hands.
• Shuffle toward the left three times.
• Slam the SandBell from forehead height to the ground.
• Repeat, shuffling from right to left and slamming the SandBell to the ground.
• Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds.

Piggyback Half-Burpee

• Stand in an athletic-ready stance.
• Hold a SandBell with both hands.
• Place the SandBell on your upper back.
• Squat to place your hands on the ground, keeping the SandBell on your upper back.
• Place your hands underneath your shoulders.
• Walk or jump your feet back (in a plank position).
• Walk or jump your feet forward outside your hips in a low-squat position.
• Grab the SandBell with both hands before standing up to the starting position.
• Repeat for 30 seconds.

Throw and Catch

• Stand in an athletic-ready stance.
• Hold a SandBell with both hands.
• Throw the SandBell up toward the ceiling with both hands.
• Catch with both hands in a squat position.
• Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds.

Over-the-Shoulder Throw

• Stand in an athletic-ready staggered stance, right foot forward, left foot back.
• Hold a heavy SandBell in both hands.
• Bend your knees slightly and throw the SandBell over your left shoulder.
• Turn around and squat to pick up the SandBell.
• Switch the athletic-ready staggered stance, left foot forward, right foot back.
• Bend your knees slightly and throw the SandBell over your right shoulder.
• Turn around and squat to pick up the SandBell.
• Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds.

Skater Single-Hand Catch

• Stand in an athletic-ready stance.
• Hold a SandBell with your right hand.
• Perform a skater to the right.
• Let go of the SandBell. Catch the SandBell quickly, switching the SandBell to your left hand when you’re on the right side.
• Let go of the SandBell. Catch the SandBell quickly, switching the SandBell to your right hand when you’re on the left side.
• Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds.

Shift and Catch

• Stand with your feet as wide as comfortable.
• Hold a SandBell with your right hand.
• Shift your weight onto your right leg so that you’re in a transverse lunge position (right knee bent, left leg straight).
• Let go of the SandBell. Catch the SandBell quickly, switching the SandBell to your left hand when you’re shifting on the right side.
• Shift your weight onto your left leg so that you’re in a transverse lunge position (left knee bent, right leg straight).
• Let go of the SandBell. Catch the SandBell quickly, switching the SandBell to your right hand when you’re shifting on the left side.
• Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds.

SandBell Throw to Crawl

• Stand in an athletic-ready stance. Hold a SandBell with both hands.
• Throw the SandBell forward with both hands.
• Bear-crawl forward toward the SandBell.
• Squat to pick up the SandBell.
• Stand in an athletic-ready stance.
• Hold the SandBell with both hands.
• Throw the SandBell backward with both hands.
• Bear-crawl backward toward the SandBell.
• Repeat for 30 seconds.

Loaded Bear-Hug Lateral Leap

• Stand in an athletic-ready wide stance.
• Bear-hug a heavy SandBell close to your chest.
• Squat down about a third of the way and leap to your right.
• Continue leaping to your right for four reps.
• Change directions and leap to your left for four reps.
• Continue for 30 seconds.

Cool-Down

Supine Belly Breathing

• Lie flat on the ground and place a SandBell on your belly.
• Take a four-second inhale through your nose. (The SandBell will sink into your stomach.)
• Take four seconds to forcefully exhale through your mouth. (The SandBell will distend out with your stomach.)
• Repeat for three to four breaths.

Prone Breathing

• Lie on your stomach on the ground.
• Place a SandBell on your upper back.
• Place your left palm on the ground.
• Turn your head to the right so your left temple is resting on the back of your left hand.
• Take four seconds to inhale through your nose.
• Take four seconds to forcefully exhale through your mouth.
• Repeat for two to three breaths.
• Perform on the other side.

Photo credit: Mark Kuroda, kurodastudios.com
Model: Brian Anzalone, 24 Hour Fitness

MEET THE MODEL

Brian Anzalone is a personal trainer at 24 Hour Fitness in Northern California. He took time out of his busy day to answer some burning questions for 24Life.

24Life: Why did you become a personal trainer?

BA: Because exercise and health made me the person I am today. I feel that without health, you cannot live your life to the fullest. By becoming a personal trainer, I can help people live their life to the fullest each and every day.

24Life: Favorite and least favorite workout move?

BA: Least favorite is leg extensions; most favorite is TRX triceps extensions.

24Life: Finish the sentence: When I’m not working out, I am …

BA: I am spending time with my wonderful wife, Cindy, and my two beautiful daughters Peyton and Quinn.

24Life: Your favorite fit tip?

BA: Don’t stop when you are tired, stop when you are done.

24Life: Your power/pump-up song?

BA: “Down With the Sickness” by Disturbed.

24Life: Favorite memory as a trainer, so far?

BA: Receiving my Olympic weightlifting certification from the United States Olympic Committee.

24Life: Finish this sentence: I love 24 Hour Fitness because …

BA: They have given me the opportunity to do what I love each and every day.