Frequently Asked Questions

It comes down to personal preference and how you like to train, since both are versatile enough to build a complete full-body program. The Strongman Sandbag has no handles, so you grip the bag itself. That builds grip, core, and full-body strength, and it's the classic choice for carries, cleans, shouldering, squats, and strongman events. It's our best-selling sandbag and the one our founder, JB, personally trains with most. The Training Sandbag has 10 neoprene-padded handles, so you can grab it from different angles for rows, presses, swings, and conditioning work, much like a dumbbell or kettlebell. If you want the raw odd-object challenge, go Strongman. If you prefer handles and more grip options, go Training. Some customers end up with both.

It depends on your current strength and what you plan to do with the bag, so there's no single right answer. As a starting point, most men new to sandbag training do well with a Strongman Sandbag around 100 lbs, and most women with a 50 or 75 lb bag. If you want one bag that does it all, men tend to get the most use from 150–175 lbs and women from 100–125 lbs. Go heavier if you mainly plan to carry, squat, and load, and lighter if you want to press overhead or do high-rep conditioning. See the full size guide, or email info@freedomstrength.us with your current strength level and goals and we'll help you choose.

A good starting gauge is 40–50% of your barbell deadlift. If you deadlift 300 lbs, a 125–150 lb sandbag is a reasonable place to start. Because a sandbag is awkward and has no bar to grip, it will feel heavier than the same weight on a barbell, so if you're new to sandbags, start toward the lower end of that range.

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and find the dry play sand, which you'll need to fill your bag anyway. Stack two 50 lb bags on top of each other and try to pick them up together. That's 100 lbs of sand, and it gives you a real feel for what a 100 lb sandbag will be like.

No. An underfilled sandbag is floppy and unstable, which makes it harder to control and harder to learn good technique. Buy a bag you can fill close to its full weight and train with now. A properly filled 150 lb bag will give you better workouts than a half-full 250 lb bag.

Beginners should start with the Small (40–60 lbs). Intermediate athletes training for CrossFit or general strength do well with the Medium or Large (60–100 lbs). Advanced athletes and strongman competitors should look at X-Large through Monster (125–250 lbs). For kids and youth athletes, the Kids size (15–25 lbs) is built for smaller frames. See the size chart on the Training Sandbag page for dimensions.

Yes. The Training Sandbag Kids size holds 15–25 lbs and is built for smaller frames, and the Small (40–60 lbs) works well for teens. Start light and focus on good technique before adding weight.

No. One sandbag is enough for a complete full-body workout. Many athletes eventually add a second or third bag in a different weight, so they can use a lighter bag for presses and conditioning and a heavier bag for carries and loading, the same way you'd own a few dumbbells instead of one.

No. All Freedom Strength sandbags ship empty to keep shipping costs down. You fill them yourself with dry sand from any hardware store.

We recommend dry play sand. It's what we used to size every Freedom Strength sandbag, so each bag holds its rated weight when filled with it. General-purpose sand works too. Whichever you choose, use dry sand if possible. Play sand is sold at Home Depot and Lowe's for about $5–$8 per 50 lb bag.

Dry sand pours easily, so filling is much quicker. It also keeps the bag dry. Wet sand can make the fabric feel damp, which makes the bag harder to grip, and it can leave a wet spot wherever the bag sits.

Divide your target weight by 50 and round up. A 150 lb sandbag takes three 50 lb bags of play sand, and a 200 lb sandbag takes four. Save any leftover sand in case you want to top off the bag later.

Not in our experience. Every sandbag we personally train with is filled with play sand, and we haven't had a dust problem. Our bags use a built-in filler bag sealed with double Velcro and a YKK zipper, plus reinforced seams, so the sand stays inside.

You can, but the weight won't match. Our bags are sized for dry play sand, so materials like rubber mulch or gravel won't reach the bag's rated weight. Rubber mulch is handy in one situation: because it's much lighter than sand, you can add it to take up extra space in a bag that has stretched, without adding much weight.

Pull out the built-in funnel and pour in dry sand while the bag sits on a bathroom or postal scale. Once you hit your target weight, seal the filler bag's Velcro, roll it down, tuck it inside, close the zipper, and seal the top Velcro. It takes about 15 minutes. See the step-by-step instructions or watch the filling video.

No. Overfilling puts extra stress on the seams and zipper, and it isn't covered by the warranty. Use a scale as you fill and stop at the bag's maximum weight.

No, they're built not to. Each bag has a built-in filler bag sealed with double Velcro and a YKK zipper, and the Strongman Sandbag's Giant Flap Free Design removes the large top flap that puts stress on the top seams of other bags. Seams are reinforced at key stress points to keep sand inside through drops, carries, and loading.

It can stretch slightly with use, which may make the bag feel a little floppy. There are two easy fixes: add more sand, which makes the bag heavier, or add rubber mulch, which fills the extra space without adding much weight.

Dropping is fine. Slamming is not. You can drop your sandbag from your shoulder or from overhead. What you shouldn't do is forcefully slam it into the ground. Sandbags aren't slam balls, and repeated slamming puts unnecessary stress on the seams and zipper, which can cause them to fail early.

All sandbags are wear items, and stitching will eventually break down after enough heavy training. We build ours to be the strongest sandbags on the market, and you can get the most life out of yours by filling it to the correct weight, avoiding slams, training on rubber flooring, and storing it indoors.

Every Freedom Strength sandbag has a 1-year warranty covering manufacturer defects and bursting when the bag is filled and used properly. Normal wear over time, misuse, overfilling past the maximum weight, and slamming are not covered. If you have an issue, email info@freedomstrength.us with your order number.

Because the weight is so compact and hard to get leverage on. With no bar or plates to grip, you have to hug and squeeze the bag close to your body, and the sand shifts as you move, so your grip, core, and stabilizer muscles work much harder. Expect to handle noticeably less weight than you would on a barbell, especially at first.

Start with rows, carries, and shouldering, the three most popular sandbag movements. Once you're comfortable, add squats, overhead presses, and floor presses. Our Sandbag Training Guides walk through the technique for every exercise, with example workouts.

Yes. A single sandbag covers deadlifts, rows, squats, presses, lunges, carries, and shouldering, which trains every major muscle group. A simple full-body session: ground-to-shoulder, bear hug squats, bent-over rows, floor press, and bear hug carries. See the training guides for sets, reps, and more workouts.

Yes, we recommend training on a thick rubber mat, at least ¾ inch. Dropping or dragging a heavy sandbag on hardwood, tile, or bare concrete can damage the floor and wear the bag faster.

Yes. Train in the yard, at the park, or on the beach. Just bring it back inside afterward. A bag left outdoors can absorb rain and moisture, and wet sand makes the bag damp, harder to grip, and prone to mildew.

Wipe the shell with a damp cloth after training and let it air dry. Store it indoors in a cool, dry spot out of direct sunlight.

Yes. Empty it, pack the bag, and refill it with sand wherever you're going. That's one of the biggest advantages of a sandbag over dumbbells or a barbell.

Most orders ship the same or next business day from Pennsylvania, though busy periods can take 2–3 business days. You'll get a tracking email once your order ships, and domestic delivery usually takes 2–5 business days after that. Delivery estimates aren't guaranteed, since carrier delays are outside our control.

Yes, on US orders over $150. Free shipping goes out via USPS, and UPS is available at checkout for an additional fee. See our Shipping Policy for details.

Yes. International options are shown at checkout, and transit times vary by destination. Some international options include duties and taxes in the price shown; others don't, in which case your country's customs office collects them on delivery. Check the option details at checkout before placing your order.

We accept returns within 30 days of delivery for items in new, unused condition in the original packaging. A sandbag that has been filled with sand or any other material can't be returned. To start a return, email info@freedomstrength.us with your order number and reason, and wait for approval before sending anything back. Approved refunds go to your original payment method. See our Return & Refund Policy for full terms.

Inspect your order as soon as it arrives. If anything is damaged, defective, or wrong, email info@freedomstrength.us right away with your order number and we'll make it right.

Yes. See our Military and First Responders Discount page for details.

Email info@freedomstrength.us. We're happy to help with order questions, choosing a size, or anything else. If you're unsure which bag to get, send your current strength level and what exercises you plan to do, and we'll point you in the right direction.