My New Sandbag!

I had big plans to make my own Sandbag, but bit the bullet and bought one. I figured a bag manufactured especially for Weight Training would be a safer option.

My new Sandbag contains 2 x inner bags which can be filled with sand or whatever you want. Instead of sand (which can be very messy) I went to the local Supermarket and sussed out kitty litter, rice and bird seed. Kitty litter was the winner. I bought 2 x 5 kg bags for $4.99 each.

So I've divided the kitty litter into 1 kg bags, I used zip lock bags. I then taped these zip lock bags for added protection and inserted them into the inner bags. I can fit 3 kg into each bag, plus 2 x extra 1 kg bags, so 8 kg in total. I still have 2 x 1 kg bags I can add if need be.

I've been religiously following Zuzana's workouts on Bodyrock.tv for almost two years now and her workouts incorporating a Sandbag are damn brutal!

Sandbag exercises can include Clean and Press, Snatch, Push Press, Get Ups, Lunges, Deadlifts, Squats and Rows (And they are just some examples)

Today I performed 100 x Lunges with Kick on each leg with my Sandbag on my shoulder. Wow, my legs are going to KILL tomorrow!

I have to say that since I've started using my Sandbag, I've noticed a marked increase in my stamina, instead of doing the 8 -12 reps x 3 sets at the gym (Boring!!) I'm performing 50 - 100 reps and really sweating my arse off! I'm basically working out to failure and LOVING it! Yeah I hurt the next day, but it's a satisfying, good pain! I can see my Thighs and Hamstrings finally!

I haven't performed any upper body moves yet with my Sandbag but that is on my agenda.

:)

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January H2O - The Half Way Mark!

So where am I at with my January H2O Challenge? Not bad, Not bad!

Let me just say that my resolve is much stronger than I expected. Out of the 8 or so people involved, only 3 of us remain. The first one dropped out after 4 days! He couldn't handle the head-ouches he was getting from the lack of caffeine from his coffee and diet coke!

I honestly thought I would cave and have coffee within the first week, but 20 days in, I can walk past a coffee chop and smell that yummy coffee and not think about grabbing one. I had head-ouches after a few days, but not as severe as I expected.

Last week I attended the cricket (Australia vs England) with the group I am doing the challenge with. Needless to say, all the guys decided it was a boozing day. (It was generally agreed that the cricket was one day where we COULD have a drink) I know, I could have refused, but I did end up having a few drinks that day. And you know what? I felt sooo bad. I felt guilty, I also ended up with the worst head-ouch I've had in a while. The next 2 days were hugely difficult to get any kind of motivation.

But I am back on track and determined to make it to the end of January with nothing but H2O coursing through my veins (along with that necessary red stuff of course!)