Combining Barbells, Kettlebells and Sandbags

Sticking to just one type of training equipment is a surefire way to get bored in your routine. By combining different forms of training, you obtain a variety of benefits and keep your sessions fun, challenging and interesting. Barbells, kettlebells and sandbags are all forms of free weights. Each device has its own advantages, and together they can be used to build functional strength and muscle mass, and to improve your fitness levels and conditioning.

  1. Benefits

    • Look at barbells, kettlebells and sandbags as complimentary tools rather than putting them in an "either or" scenario, advises coach Josh Henkin of Ultimate Sandbag Training. You'll be able to lift more weight on barbell exercises than you can with a kettlebell or sandbag, which can be beneficial for building pure strength, but kettlebells and sandbags work your core stability muscles to a higher degree as they're much less stable than a fixed barbell. Sandbags are difficult to grip, so work to strengthen your forearms and gripping muscles, while the design of a kettlebell allows you to perform swinging and explosive movements more easily.

    Split Sessions

    • One way to break up your workouts is to dedicate at least one day per week to each training implement, Henkin notes. Perform a barbell-focused workout on Monday, a sandbag session on Wednesday, take a rest day on Thursday, then opt for a kettlebell session on Friday. Rest over the weekend and repeat this schedule. If you're looking to improve one form of lifting over the other, add in a fourth session with your chosen training tool over the weekend.

    Combined Sessions

    • Barbells are the best tool for developing pure strength, writes weightlifting coach Mark Rippetoe in "Starting Strength." The squat, deadlift and bench press are the three moves that boost your strength more than any other. Dedicate one session per week to one of these moves, performed for three to five sets of five to eight reps. After this main exercise, perform your accessory lifts with kettlebells. Perform kettlebell swings and snatches on your deadlift day, goblet squats and get-ups on your squat day and overhead presses and rows after bench presses. Finish your workout with a sandbag circuit that includes carries, overhead lifts, squats and lunges.

    Considerations

    • Vary the workouts depending on your goals. For strength-based goals, or if you compete in powerlifting or weightlifting, make barbell training your top priority, and add in sandbags and kettlebells afterwards. If you're an athlete or training for general fitness, give bells and bags the limelight, and perform mainly circuit-based routines that work your whole body. Keep your rest periods low and the intensity high to burn maximum calories and increase your work capacity. While highly effective tools, barbells, kettlebells and sandbags can be dangerous if used incorrectly, so ask a qualified trainer to check your form before you start a full routine.