There is obviously something to keeping to a fitness routine, because what’s most important is to actually do it. Then again if you’re finding things a little too rote, it is always a great idea to try a new individual or team sport or try new kinds of fitness classes such as a bungee cardio class or yoga board water class.
But what if you are looking for something even more off-the-charts to test your fitness mettle? Below are three non-traditional workouts to try this spring.
Bags
Working out with bags offers speed, power, and acceleration results you can’t get from conventional gym tools.
The Bulgarian Bag is an evolution of traditional training methods of carrying small farm animals on the back of the shoulders used by Eastern European wrestlers. Loaded with sand, these lamb-shaped, or u-shaped bags, are used to develop endurance, functional strength, and stability, as well as grip strength. They were developed because traditional metal weight equipment didn’t function practically enough as a complete training tool to build the core rotational strength needed in combat sports.
An evolution of the sand-filled Bulgarian Bag is a water-filled bag. These types of water bags are used by Mixed Martial Arts fighters, the military and celebrities. When the bag is lifted, the water moves in the bag creating water dynamics, making you control the movement of the water in the bag at the same time as making the lift movement. Water bags build stability and balance as you activate your core to maintain control of the bag and your exercise move. They also encourage technique because if you are not in alignment when using one, you will quickly notice and be able to self-correct. The goal with water bags is to move with the water. Water bags are best used with explosive exercises like cleans, snatches and swings. They also can imitate challenges faced in real world wrestling, football, and activities with a live opponent. Plus, they are highly portable.
A third type of bag training you can do is with a traditional sandbag. Sandbag training is ideal for functional strength and conditioning. If you know how to lift properly, you can train with a sandbag without having to master more form or technique. Because the sand, like the water in a water bag, shifts as you lift it, you must also work to stabilize the sand as you make your lift, firing your stabilizing muscles. The weight of your sandbag depends on your training goals, but the upside is that you can adjust it easily based on your aim, unlike a Bulgarian Bag, but similar to a water bag. You can even make your own sandbag at home, which is an added plus.
Wooden Clubs
Wooden clubs are one of the most basic and ancient fitness tools still used today. A lightweight wooden club can allow athletes at all stages to perform circular motions that enhance mobility and strength. They can be used as their own functional workout or as a warmup or cool down for heavier workouts. The swinging motion of the clubs builds rotational strength and power, and with their smaller size, they are ideal for workouts on the go or outside.
Monofin
A monofin is two bi fins, or swimming flippers, that are connected at the feet. It is used in Olympic swim training, freediving, finswimming, snorkeling and SCUBA diving variations.
You can use it for typical swim training in the pool as well for building leg strength and ankle flexibility.
The monofin encourages use of the full-body dolphin kick, also known as the kick used in the butterfly stroke. Using an underwater, full body motion kick with the feet together courtesy of the monofin, a swimmer can use their entire body to create a powerful and undulating movement through the water. A monofin promotes an equal use of down and up kicks for propulsion throughout the entire kick movement, increasing the swimmer’s core and leg strength as well as encouraging breath control for endurance.
For beginners, try starting your monofin training on your side, with your head out of the water. Monofins can also be used while swimming on your back using the two legged dolphin kick underwater. Once you master the first level and feel comfortable, use monofin swimming to up your swimming workouts. You can use it as your main set or integrate it into drills or interval training. You can then venture into the other sports areas of freediving, finswimming, both in a pool first, snorkeling and SCUBA diving variations with your monofin training tool.
Bags and clubs out of the water, and a monofin in the water, will give you three ways to cross train and build strength, endurance, mobility, and flexibility in new, exciting iterations that will keep you going for more, a key indicator in long-term fitness and training success.
For more inspiration on new kinds of sports training, check out my book Go Multisport: Add Fun, Challenge & Exploration to Your World.
Jennifer Strong McConachie is an ultrarunner, mountaineer, marathon swimmer, distance paddler, and multisport athlete. An Outward Bound graduate, she is also a Fellow in the Royal Geographical Society and member of The Explorers Club. She trains for mountain ascents around the world, including several of the Seven Summits. Jennifer has several certifications in fitness teaching including from the American Council on Exercise. As a professional speaker, presenter and trainer, she leads groups and workshops on business goal setting and leadership. She is the author of GO FAR: How Endurance Sports Help You Win At Life and GO MULTISPORT: Fun, Challenge & Exploration to Your World.
