As we start gearing up for a busy and productive fall (only a few days away), it’s important that we start planning a fitness routine to build energy, increase stamina and improve health.

Getting into a solid health and wellness routine is tough after months of pool parties, beach trips and lazy summer days. It helps to shock the system by diving in headfirst, dedicating 20 to 30 minutes a day to a training regimen, for five straight days.

The SandBell uses live, shifting sand weight to engage your core and work all the stabilizers that support your larger muscles while also building strength and muscular endurance. Adding this safe and functional training tool to a fast-paced series of compound movements will pump up your heart rate, challenge your muscles and keep your mind engaged.

Try this five-day workout program, designed to kick-start your fall fitness routine.

Day 1: Upper Body

Five days of SandBell workouts begin with an upper-body workout incorporating push and pull movement patterns. Be sure to engage your core throughout this workout for good form and balance.

Instructions: Perform five reps per exercise (each side). Complete six rounds with one minute of rest between rounds.

Movements

SandBell Alternating Press

  • Begin standing with your feet wider than your hips, holding a SandBell in each hand at shoulder height.
  • Press the SandBell in your right hand toward the ceiling, following it with your eyes.
  • As you bring it back down to shoulder height, press the SandBell in your left hand to the sky, rotating your head to follow it with your eyes.
  • Continue pressing the SandBells straight toward the ceiling, alternating sides.

SandBell Alternating High Pull

  • Begin standing with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, a SandBell on the ground between them.
  • Squat down to grab the SandBell with your right hand and pull it straight up in front of your body as you press through your heels to stand. Pull the SandBell to shoulder height, leading with your elbow.
  • Bring the SandBell back to the floor as you squat back down, dropping it and grabbing it with your left hand.
  • Pull the SandBell up with your left hand as you stand, stopping it at shoulder height.
  • Repeat, alternating hands.

SandBell Shoulder-to-Shoulder Press

  • Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a SandBell in both hands at your right shoulder.
  • Bend your knees slightly as you raise the SandBell up and over your head in an arc, to your left shoulder.
  • Repeat, pressing the SandBell back over to your right shoulder.

SandBell Single Row

  • Stand to the left of a bench, holding a SandBell in your right hand.
  • Bring your left knee up onto the bench, and lean forward to place your left hand on the bench. Let the SandBell hang in your right hand.
  • Pull your right elbow toward the ceiling to row the SandBell up next to your ribs.
  • Continue rowing, then switch sides.

SandBell Plank Open Slam

  • Begin in an extended plank position, with your toes on the floor, feet wider than your shoulders for stability, hands under your shoulders and your right hand resting on a SandBell.
  • Grab the SandBell in your right hand, then pull it straight up, rotating through your trunk to bring the SandBell up over your right shoulder.
  • Drive the SandBell back down and slam it into the ground. Repeat, then switch sides.

Day 2: Core Focus

Day Two focuses on SandBell core training for a fat-burning and muscle-building session. Plain old sit-ups are boring, but this workout gives new variety to your core routine.

Instructions: Perform five reps per exercise (each side). Complete 10 rounds with one minute of  rest between rounds.

Movements

SandBell Seated Around the World

  • Begin seated, with your knees bent, feet together hovering off the ground, and lean back slightly, holding a SandBell in your right hand.
  • In one fluid motion, bring the SandBell up and around your head, passing it behind your head to your left hand.
  • Bring the SandBell down and under your legs, passing it back to your right hand. Continue this circle, keeping your feet off the ground. Reverse the direction.

SandBell Good Morning

  • Begin standing with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a SandBell in both hands behind your head, resting it on your upper back.
  • Hinge at your hips and keep your back flat as you lower your chest toward the ground, knees soft.
  • Stop when your torso is parallel to the floor, then squeeze your glutes to stand back up.

SandBell Plank Up Down

  • Begin in a low plank position, resting on your forearms, toes on the floor and feet wide. Place a SandBell on your upper back/shoulders.
  • Press up onto your right hand, then to your left to come into an extended plank position, keeping your hips as square to the floor as you can.
  • Come back down onto your left forearm, then your right, then repeat, alternating which hand you come up onto and down from. Don’t let the SandBell slip off your back.

SandBell Extended Cross Crunch

  • Begin lying on your back, feet out straight and arms straight overhead, holding a SandBell in your hands.
  • Hover your feet off the ground. Drive the SandBell up and crunch toward your right as you drive your right knee in toward your chest, keeping your left foot hovering.
  • Release your right foot back down and the SandBell back over your head, then crunch to your left as you drive your left knee to your chest.
  • Repeat, alternating legs.

Day 3: Lower Body

Choose a heavier weight for this lower-body core workout designed to build strength, tighten the midsection and round out your glutes and hamstrings.

Instructions: Perform each exercise for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest. Complete five total rounds with one minute of rest between rounds.

Movements

SandBell Seated Figure-8

  • Begin seated, with your knees bent, feet together hovering off the ground, and lean back, holding a SandBell in your right hand.
  • In one fluid motion, bring the SandBell under your left thigh, grabbing it with your left hand. Then bring it under your right thigh, passing it to your right hand.
  • Continue, alternating legs and hands.

SandBell Reverse Lunge and Rotate

  • Begin standing with your feet under your hips, holding a SandBell in front of your chest.
  • Step back with your right leg into a lunge. At the bottom of the lunge, rotate through your trunk to your left, bringing the SandBell over your left leg.
  • Rotate back to center, then press through your front left heel to stand.
  • Repeat on right side, alternating legs.

SandBell Turkish Get-Up

  • Begin lying on the ground, holding a SandBell in your right hand, extended over your right shoulder.
  • Prop yourself up on your left arm and come up to stand, never taking your eyes off the SandBell.
  • Reverse the move to come back down. Repeat and then switch hands.

SandBell Walking Lunge and Raise

  • Begin standing with your feet under your hips, holding a SandBell in both hands.
  • Step forward into a lunge, raising the SandBell directly above your head.
  • Bring it back down as you step forward to stand.
  • Continue walking forward in and out of lunges, alternating legs and raising the SandBell above your head at the bottom of the lunge.

Day 4: Chest and Shoulders

Day four highlights your shoulder and chest muscles, encouraging better posture and well-defined pecs, delts, lats and traps.

Instructions: Complete 10 reps of each exercise (per side) for five total rounds, with one minute of rest between rounds.

Movements

SandBell Triceps Dip

  • Begin with your palms on a bench behind you, a SandBell in your lap, knees bent and heels on the floor.
  • Bend your elbows toward the back wall to lower yourself down in front of the bench. Keep your butt close to the bench.
  • Press through your palms to extend back up. Repeat.

SandBell Chest Press

  • Begin lying on a bench, with your feet flat on the floor, holding a SandBell in both hands at your chest.
  • Press the SandBell up toward the ceiling, extending your arms fully. Bring it back down to chest height and repeat.

SandBell Reverse Bear Crawl

  • Begin on all fours, knees hovering off the ground and a SandBell under your right hand.
  • Begin to crawl backward, flipping the SandBell back with you as you crawl your right hand back.
  • Repeat, with the SandBell under your opposite hand.

SandBell Plank Pull Through

  • Begin in an extended plank position, with your toes on the ground, feet shoulder-width apart and hands under your shoulders. Place a SandBell under you on your right side.
  • Reach through with your left hand to grab the SandBell and slide it to your right.
  • Grab the SandBell with your right hand and slide it left. Repeat.

SandBell Double Press

  • Begin standing with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a SandBell in each hand at your shoulders.
  • Press the SandBells up and together above your head, keeping your knees soft. Release them back toward your shoulders and repeat.

Day 5: Strength HIIT

Endurance combines with strength in this high-intensity interval training workout, sure to develop your ability to train harder for longer periods.

Instructions: Perform each exercise for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest. Complete five total rounds with one minute of rest between rounds.

Movements

SandBell Glute-Bridge Walkout

  • Begin on your back, with a SandBell resting on your hips. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor, heels near your bottom.
  • Press through your heels to come up into a glute bridge. Walk your feet out on your heels until your legs are straight, keeping your butt off the ground.
  • Walk your feet back in and repeat, never letting your butt touch the ground.

SandBell Jack

  • Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding a SandBell in both hands at your chest.
  • Jump your feet out to perform a jumping jack as you press the SandBell straight up.
  • Pull the SandBell back down as you jump your feet back in, and repeat.

SandBell Alternating Offset Squat

  • Begin standing with your feet wider than your shoulders, a SandBell on the ground between your feet.
  • Squat down to grab the SandBell, then stand up, placing it on your right shoulder.
  • Squat down, and as you drive up to stand, arc the SandBell over your head to land on your left shoulder.
  • Squat down again, and as you stand, rainbow the SandBell over your head to land on your right shoulder. Repeat.

SandBell High Knees

  • Begin standing with feet hip-width apart, holding a SandBell in both hands at your chest.
  • Run in place, driving your knees up to hip height.

SandBell Slam and Squat Thrust

  • Begin standing with feet hip-width apart, holding a SandBell in both hands at your chest.
  • Bring the SandBell up over your head, then slam it on the ground.
  • Drop down into a squat, placing your hands on either side of the SandBell, and jump your feet back into plank.
  • Jump your feet back into a squat, grabbing the SandBell and stand. Repeat.

Photo credit: AYAimages, Adobe Stock
Video credit: Courtesy of Hyperwear