Clean Squat Press

Written by Rob Harvey on . Posted in Exercises, FULL BODY COMPLEX, HINGE, PUSH, Squat

Summary

As the name states, the Sandbag Clean and Press is a combination of the 2 exercises, the clean and the press. This exercise involves moving the sandbag from the floor to overhead, which requires every muscle in the body to be working as one.

The clean movement is classified as a power movement, whilst the press is a grind. When combining both of these exercises together and doing multiple repetitions the result will be Power Endurance which has huge crossover benefits for many sports.

The sandbag is one of the best tools to safely learn this complex movement and is the perfect tool to prepare anyone wanting to progress to a barbell. Having said that, there is no need to progress to a barbell if you have a large sandbag at your disposal. Try this:

Heavy Sandbag x 50 reps of clean and press. (30 to 50kg). Aim to do 10 reps every minute on the minute for 5 minutes.

Exercise Steps

Starting from the deadlift position.

  • Stand with feet hip width apart
  • Deadlift with powerful hip drive
  • Simultaneously doing a shoulder hitch and upright row
  • Dip in slight squat position to catch the bag
  • Lockout with full hip extension
  • Activate muscles of the core and create tension to avoid leaning back
  • Press the sandbag directly over the crown of your head into a lockout position.
  • Pull the sandbag back down to chest, subsequently dropping back to floor in deadlift position.

Key points

  • Initiate the upward drive of the bag through the hip drive
  • Bag should be caught right at the moment it is weightless
  • In rack position elbows are down and out while bag is right against your chest.
  • In lockout have a proud chest but keep your ribs down and tuck your pelvis in to avoid hyper extension of the lower back
  • You can use legs for extra assistance if required; turning it into a Sandbag Push Press.
Sandbag Squat Press

Thruster – Squat Press

Written by Rob Harvey on . Posted in Exercises, FULL BODY COMPLEX, PUSH, Squat

Summary

The Sandbag squat press puts the bag through a large range of motion from down low to up high. Combining a squat with a press provides the benefits of two awesome exercises. An easy to perform complex that will get the heart rate up in no time, burning fat and building muscle.

Exercise Steps

Start in sandbag standing rack position:

  1. Feet slightly wider than hip distance apart
  2. Use hamstrings to pull down into squat
  3. Come straight up and simultaneously into overhead press
  4. Lockout, pull bag back into rack position and simultaneously head back down for next repetition.