Are Sandbags Better Than Kettlebells?

We definitely live in a "better than" society. Like most other things kettlebells have long been compared to dumbbells. As a kettlebell enthusiast I can say I do prefer kettlebells to dumbbells for many of the reasons that have been outlined in the past. However, how do kettlebells stand up to sandbags?

There is a great crossover of kettlebell lifters to sandbag training. Many of the foundational concepts have an obvious crossover. However, there are some areas that these two implements greatly differ.

Stable vs. Unstable

Many times kettlebells are said to be far more awkward than dumbbells. While this is true in the intial phase of learning kettlebells, eventually many kettlebell lifters become very "grooved" into the basic kettlebell lifts.

This means one becomes very efficient and the question of the effectiveness of the movement can come into play. Don't believe me? The whole basis of Girevoy Sport (kettlebell sport) is a strength-endurance contest that is founded on finding the most efficient groove to lift a high number of repetitions. Try cleaning and jerking a 140 sandbag (equal to two 32kg bells) or better yet snatch it for repetitions of 30-40.

A sandbag constantly shift and moves while you lift. It is impossible to get a "groove" for a sandbag unless you cheat and stuff the bag into a log form (some companies have done this for you!). Keeping movement of the interior bags makes the shifting sandbag a constant challenge to lift and makes every repetition different. This is why so many combative sports have made sandbags a staple of their training.

Core Training

Do kettlebells work the core? Of course! Try double kettlebell front squats or military presses. It won't take long to realize if you don't have a strong core you will fail on these lifts.

Yet, there is a difference between where a kettlebell sits on the body versus where a sandbag is often loaded, especially during the shouldering movements.

Shouldering a sandbag is very similiar to the axial loading found in many traditional barbell lifts. This axial loading is what researchers have found to greatly increase spinal strength and bone density in the most crucial areas.

The best part is that you don't have to use heavy loads to appreciate these differences. Because a sandbag is typically loaded on one side of the body you can use a fraction of the weight that you would normally use in barbell lifts to get the desired benefits. This means all the good side without the stiff and sore back.

Variation in Loading

Many people have initially looked at our "Ultimate Sandbags" and thought they were pricey. This is far from the case, especially when you compare them to kettlebells.

It is not unusual to find a 70 pound kettlebell costing you $80. Add in the shipping and you are talking a product well over $120 for a single weight. To compare look at our Strength Package. For $113 you can have a high quality sandbag that can be loaded from 40 pounds up to 80 pounds. This allows for far more versatility at cheaper cost, not a bad deal.

For less than $400 you could have a complete strength training set that would allow you to do everything from high level strength training to regenerative mobility work.

The Final Conclusion

In the end the truth is that these are both great training tools. It is too bad that we even get into these discussions because combining sandbags and kettlebells might be a devastating combination for achieving high levels of fitness and performance. Judge for yourself!