Improve your Core Training with the Ultimate Resistance Water Bag

   In order to challenge your muscles and increase the intensity of your weight training and strength, waterbags, or aquabags, have become increasingly popular, and it’s understandable why. The benefits of using a waterbag range from being physically beneficial, cost effective, mobile and an effective supplementary exercise. It might sound too good to be true, but it isn’t!

Waterbag training has been introduced to the sport market recently and has had great success because of its effective use for athletes and sportsmens training needs. The primary focus of the waterbag is to accentuate and strengthen a variety of muscles more intensely than the use of dumbbells or heavybags, which makes it more efficient when training. A waterbag contains pressured air and normally 2/3rds water which is an unstable load for any sportsmen to work with. The constantly changing centre of mass creates stronger and more intense muscle contractions that exercises a number of different muscles as you use different muscle areas on your back, shoulders, arms, chest, legs, etc. This is similar to the effect of training with sandbags, as the sand shifts whilst it’s handled and manoeuvred it makes it harder to work with. Surveys have shown that people can lift up to 50% less weight in a moving weight bag, like a sandbag, compared to using stationary weights, proving the increased intensity a waterbag would add. 

Alongside increased muscular strength to carry and lift a waterbag, hand muscle strength is accentuated due to the strained muscles that hold onto the waterbag to resist its direction of force and to attempt to keep it stationary. This is added alongside the weight of the waterbag itself, rewarding you with a vice-like grip.
   Unlike sandbags, waterbags can also be used for overhead exercises because of its tort properties. Being pumped with air after water is added means that it doesn’t sag and restrict movements so that exercises like shoulder-to-shoulder presses are effective. This is a sandbag limitation unless they are packed fully which could make them incredibly heavy depending on the bag size.

   On the whole, the use of a waterbag also improves athletes core stability through the stress of maintaining balance throughout a training session, as well as increased endurance because of the high intensity workout. This is great for body conditioning as it uses a whole range of muscles that athletes don’t expect, which helps trim fat, tone muscles and prepare your body for harder and more intense exercise regimes. This coordinates with popular crossfit training, a ‘strength and conditioning programme’ used to test your strength and physical abilities involving a diverse range of workouts and exercises. The waterbag is a popular piece of equipment used in crossfit programmes that body conditions and tests strength in vigorous and highly intense sessions. This outlines the physical success and effectiveness off a waterbag, that alongside its physical weight, is doubled in difficulty due to the added strength required to combat its resistance. 

  The added efficiency of the waterbag over a sandbag, heavy bag or darbell, is that it’s easily transported. The ability to empty the water out and collapse the waterbag to take with you on trips, holidays or journeys where exercise machines and workout spots wont be easily available, makes the waterbag far more accessible. The only requirements for a waterbag is the waterbag, pump and a nearby tap to fill it up; the perfect mobile weight training equipment.

The ability to transport the waterbag also makes it much more cost effective. Rather than sportsmen spending money on occasional gym classes and training sessions to maintain their strength and fitness, the ability to bring the waterbag with you wherever means that workouts are easy and free without time constraints or facility considerations to factor in.

   Similarly, crossfit programmes, although effective and motivating, can also be costly and athletes have to work to the crossfit programme times. By possessing a waterbag there are no restrictions to your workout intensity, duration or regularity, it is freely available to use whenever an athlete feels. This can save money in the long-term and potentially increase strength if it more accessible and therefore used more regularly.

Try out these beginner techniques below to exercise your muscles and challenge them to combat the movement in the waterbag whilst you workout. You will be able to feel the benefits and your muscles strain all over your body in order to maintain balance, composure and the weight. This is a great tool to tone, trim and improve specific or multiple groups of muscles for any sportsman or athlete any day and anywhere; give it a go!

Try these beginner exercise techniques

Here are videos to direct your technique

Or try out these other beginner techniques below to exercise your muscles and challenge them to combat the movement in the waterbag whilst you workout. You will be able to feel the benefits and your muscles strain all over your body in order to maintain balance, composure and the weight. This is a great tool to tone, trim and improve specific or multiple groups of muscles for any sportsman or athlete any day and anywhere; give it a go!

Single deadlift (glute exercise)

    To carry out the basic single leg deadlift stand on one leg with a slightly bent knee. Then bend over at your hips, raising your other leg up backwards towards the wall behind you while lowering the waterbag down toward the ground. Stretch out your leg as if to reach a wall behind you maintaining your composure. 

Overhead press (back and shoulder exercise)

    This exercise will enhance shoulder strength and back muscle toning, as well as increase your endurance as your progress to heavier weights.
   For this exercise begin by placing the waterbag between your legs on the floor. Holding the padded handles with your wrists facing out position your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your legs. In a strong position with a good posture raise the waterbag unpto your chest, and then use your body and arms to swing the bag up to rotate and land in the crux of your bent arms. Your wrists should now be facing in and the waterbag should be sat between your chest and hands. 
Keep your core strong and body controlled and when you’re prepared raise the waterbag above your head. This will use your lats (latissimus dorsi muscles) and strengthen your back as well as our arms muscles.
Hold the waterbag above your head before lowering it gently to your chest. Ensure your shoulders are tight and your posture is sturdy in order to avoid any injury, and repeat to build strength and tone.