Skip to main content

ClapMove · clapmove.com

Exercise handout — move better, feel better.

Back

Sandbag Thruster

AdvancedStrengthTier T4

You hold a sandbag in the front rack with feet hip-width apart. You squat until your thighs are level, then stand and push the bag overhead.

Targets: Knee
Muscles: Quadriceps, Gluteus Maximus, Deltoids

Stop if

Choose an easier exercise if pain reaches 6 out of 10 or becomes sharp. Stop and rest if pain reaches 8 out of 10.

This is the general ClapMove rule. This exercise has no extra stop rule of its own.

  • Pain 6 out of 10 or more: choose an easier exercise.
  • Pain 8 out of 10 or more: stop and rest.

Equipment needed

  • Works at home
  • Works at the gym

Home Options

  • sandbag

Dosage

3

Sets

6

Reps / Time

90 sec

Rest

controlled

Tempo

Step-by-Step Guide

Set up

  • Never let the sandbag leave your hands during the squat and the press.
  1. A man standing with a sandbag held across the front of his shoulders with both hands, feet hip-width apart.

    Step 1 of 4

    Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding the sandbag in the front rack across the front of your shoulders.

  2. The same man in a squat with his thighs about level with the floor, still holding the sandbag across the front of his shoulders.

    Step 2 of 4

    Brace your core and bend at the knees and hips into a squat, until your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping the bag racked and your chest lifted.

  3. The same man standing tall with both arms straight overhead, holding the sandbag above his head, his head slightly forward between his arms.

    Step 3 of 4

    Push the ground away to stand, press the sandbag straight up until your arms are straight, and put your head through the window.

  4. A man standing with a sandbag held across the front of his shoulders with both hands, feet hip-width apart.

    Step 4 of 4

    Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding the sandbag in the front rack across the front of your shoulders.

Safety Information

Keep both hands on the bag throughout, including overhead, and lower it to the front rack under control, because a sandbag dropped or thrown from overhead is a hazard. Keep the chest lifted and the back straight, keep clear space around the head and the bag overhead, and use a sandbag light enough to hold overhead with the arms fully extended. Stop if you feel pain in the knees, hips, shoulders or lower back, or if you cannot hold the sandbag steadily overhead, and ask a clinician first if you have a joint, back or shoulder condition. Stop if the exercise causes pain or you become unwell. Seek appropriate professional advice about symptoms or suitability.

Get your free personalized program at clapmove.com/register

Printed from clapmove.com. ClapMove is not a replacement for professional medical advice — always consult a healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.