1 Mile Sandbag Carry

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Last night after I finished training my last client, I took my one hundred pound sandbag and carried it for a mile. I did not regrip it as a personal challenge, nor set it down at any moment, during the course of the carry. The pain in my all my fingers and both thumbs was incredible over the 14:38 it took me to finish the course. Great work can be done in many ways and the eating thereafter is legendary.

How many other people here have actually done this type of work. I have been doing it for year and it builds real world strength.

[Chris Rice]

A friend and I (also an old codger) had just come down off off a 3 day big wall climb in Zion, Utah. We were kinda beat up and a bit the worse for wear, limping down the road with a couple huge haul bags on. A couple of cute college girls came up and asked us why we do it it? My buddy says "it's kind of like having fun - only different". That sounds sort of like your sandbag carry Dave - like having fun - only different. A tremendous accomplishment - well done!

About halfway thru this kind of thing I always start saying - never again. But then when it's over I always start planning the next trip - so what's your next plan hehe?

[Andrew Durniat]

I have done similar in the past, 214# field stone for 1/2 mile, and am currently doing some as a finisher to my training days. 100-150-200# sandbag for a 1/4 mile, 105# per hand farmers walk -1/4 mile, 300# yoke walk - 1/4 mile, 300-600# tire flips -1/4 mile. The weight varies on how I feel, but i have a nice 1/4 mile out and back course set. I've found this type of work really hardens my body and makes me resilient. Not very quantifiable, but sometimes the feeling of strong lends itself to being strong.

[Mike Corlett]

The pain in my all my fingers and both thumbs was incredible over the 14:38 it took me to finish the course.

14:38 is moving. I suspect the effort to hold it caused you to be really cranking to get done with it.

[Dave Lemanczyk]

14:38 is moving. I suspect the effort to hold it caused you to be really cranking to get done with it.

Absolutely, the overall increasing pain in my fingers, thumbs, thumb pads, wrists, and forearms was very intense. At several points jogging crossed my mind but it would have defeated what I was doing. I set out for a quick walk. Having a basketball beat-up body running with heavier sandbags sets off knee tendonitis. In short, it sucked but it got done.

@ David Horne - You are absolutely right. Stuff like this makes me tougher and that's what my own training reflects. I look to break myself down mentally and physically at the same time doing things that take time to complete. In doing so, I grow from each individual session much more than I would short term stuff.

@ Chris Rice - I can't honestly say anything about the experience is fun however the results of the it are fun. Awesome that you are still kicking it like that at your age. Keep on!

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Dave,
Training is not just about muscles, or bigger weights lifted, it's also about the ability to do things, about coming through the other side with the feeling of passing that personal test. I've done a few things like this; that look like crazy circuits, tasks, treks. Afterwards I felt great, alive, exhilerated!
I love throwing this kind of stuff in every so often. Big congrats on the 1 mile!

You're right David, perfect summary. I can definitely tell you have done the work for sure. Respect.

Guys that know me personally know I have been doing long distance marathon brutality like this for years. People who do this type of work have body's that reflect it. You cannot be out of shape and do this work, it's too dangerous for the cardiopulmonary system as you know.

Some other things that I am really into includes one mile or more pushing a car/truck, pulling a sled over pavement (interesting how you really get to know the groove of the road then as you pulverize all rocks/twigs/leaves in your way), farmers walks, long stride diagonal lunges, sandbag/stone/keg carries, yoke walks, etc. Nothing is out of bounds.

When I am looking for the toughest workout around, I go to 5K keg road work. It beats the living snot out of everything I have to offer. An empty keg is all it takes. Different kind of stuff but that's what I am into.

[Steve Friedrich]

Could you elaborate on the keg carry a bit? And congrats on the mile, that's quite an accomplishment!

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Could you elaborate on the keg carry a bit? And congrats on the mile, that's quite an accomplishment!

Sure can and thank you, just another day in Long Island. For the keg road work, throw an empty keg on top of your back and start jogging. When you decide to begin mixing in exercises over the course of whatever distance you choose. I personally favor 5K because that's the distance to the beach and back to my house. Seeing the water at the halfway point does a lot for my own sanity.

I go into specific detail in the KEG CONDITIONING book I wrote however, that's the jist of it. Hope it makes sense and helps you have fun beating yourself into endurance submission.

[Steve Friedrich]

Cool ,thanks Dave! Where can one score your book and Long Island, isn't that where Dr. Ken resides?

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Cool ,thanks Dave! Where can one score your book and Long Island, isn't that where Dr. Ken resides?

Your welcome Steve and thanks for asking. The book/dvd is available on my kegconditioning.com web site.

Dr. Ken lives about 25 miles away in western nassau county. I'm smack in the middle of Long Island in suffolk county. I first met him when I certified on the COC#3 in 2005 (which feels like yesterday but is clearly not). Does that mean I am getting close to reaching old man status like my elderly pal Steve Weiner? jk Weiner lol Since Ken's name has been brought up, he has been working hard for longer than I have been alive.

[Zach Kasukonis]

Was thinking about training to attempt the Inman Mile as I am climbing Denali in about 5 weeks I figured I could train for both at the same time productively. 2 weeks ago I put 160# in my expedition pack and took it for a 1 mile trip...one of the hardest things Ive ever done, and it convinced me that this may not be possible.

Obviously doing this with a pack is quite a bit different than doing it farmers walk style, but I thought if i could get up to a 1.5BW carry with a pack then I would just have to develop the pain tolerance to do it with a bar across the shoulders...after my mile with slightly more than half of the Inman mile weight, I rethought the thing. Might give it another try after I return from Denali depending on how it goes.