Sandbag Carry Workout: Build Strength, Endurance, and Grit

Quick answer: a sandbag carry means picking up a sandbag and walking with it for a set distance or time. The four carries worth learning are the bear hug carry (bag hugged to the chest), the shoulder carry (bag on one shoulder), the Zercher carry (bag cradled in the crooks of the elbows) and the overhead carry (bag pressed and locked out overhead). Most people should start the bear hug and shoulder carries with roughly 25 to 40 lb, use about half that overhead, and add weight only when they can cover 40 meters without stopping or losing posture.

Sandbag carries build grip, trunk stability, conditioning and the kind of toughness that comes from holding something awkward that keeps shifting. This guide covers the four carries, what weight to use, three workouts, how to progress, and where carries show up in the Army Fitness Test, the Army Combat Field Test and HYROX.

Why the Sandbag Carry Works

Unlike machines or isolated lifts, a sandbag carry makes your whole body work together while it challenges your grip, your trunk and your engine at the same time. Sand moves inside the bag, so the load never sits still the way a dumbbell or barbell does. Your body has to keep correcting, which is exactly what real-world lifting and carrying looks like.

Sandbag carries build:

• Grip and forearm strength: vital for lifting, climbing and carrying anything without handles.
• Trunk stability: the shifting load forces your abs, obliques and lower back to brace on every step.
• Conditioning: walking under load drives your heart rate up quickly, so carries double as cardio.
• Muscular endurance: legs, upper back and shoulders all fire to hold your posture.
• Mental toughness: a heavy, awkward bag tests your willingness to keep moving when you want to drop it.

The 4 Sandbag Carry Variations

1. Bear Hug Carry

Squat down, wrap both arms around the middle of the bag and hug it tight to your chest, hands grabbing fabric or your opposite forearms. Stand up with your legs, keep your chest tall and walk with short, controlled steps. This is the best carry to start with and the one you can load the heaviest. It hammers the upper back, biceps and trunk.

2. Shoulder Carry

Lift the bag to your chest, then drive it up onto one shoulder and hold it there with both hands or the hand on the same side. The load is offset, so your trunk has to fight being pulled sideways. Switch shoulders every length so both sides get equal work. It is the most "real world" carry, the way you would move a bag of feed, concrete or sand.

3. Zercher Carry

Rest the bag in the crooks of your elbows with your forearms pointing up and your hands together or holding the bag. The front-loaded position punishes a rounded back, so it teaches you to stay tall and braced. Expect your biceps and upper back to burn. Use a little less weight than your bear hug.

4. Overhead Carry

Clean the bag to your chest, press it overhead and lock your elbows, with the bag directly over your midfoot. Ribs down, glutes tight, walk slowly. This is the hardest carry by far and needs the lightest bag. It builds shoulder stability and shows any weakness in your overhead position immediately. If you cannot lock out without arching your lower back, go lighter or stick to the other three.

How to Do a Sandbag Carry Safely

1. Setup: stand over the bag with your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Lift: squat down, get a firm grip, brace your trunk and lift with your legs, keeping your back neutral.
3. Carry position: pick one of the four positions above and lock it in before your first step.
4. Walk: stay upright, keep your trunk braced and breathe in a steady rhythm. Short steps beat long strides under an awkward load.
5. Set down: lower the bag with your legs, not your back. Dropping it is fine on a safe surface; just get your feet out of the way.

What Weight Sandbag to Use for Carries

There is no single right weight, because a 40 lb bag hugged to your chest feels nothing like 40 lb locked out overhead. Use these as starting points, then adjust by feel. The right weight lets you cover your full distance with good posture and no more than one or two short breaks.

These are honest ranges, not rules. Bodyweight, grip strength and how full the bag is all change how a weight feels. A half-full bag shifts more and feels heavier than its number; a tightly packed bag feels lighter. When in doubt, start at the low end of your row and earn the next jump.

Which Battle Bunker bag fits? If you are in the first two rows, the Skirmish Training Sandbag adjusts from 20 to 40 lb with two filler bags, which covers every overhead carry and most beginner and intermediate bear hug, shoulder and Zercher work. If you are carrying 60 lb or more, the Raider Training Sandbag Kit has a recommended range of 60 to 80 lb with three heavy-duty filler bags. Both are made in the USA from 1000D Cordura and ship unfilled, so you fill them with play sand from a hardware store. Many people run both: the Skirmish for overhead and conditioning work, the Raider for heavy bear hug and shoulder carries. For more on sizing, see our sandbag weight guide.

3 Sandbag Carry Workouts

Workout 1: Carry Ladder (beginner)

• Warm up with 5 minutes of easy movement and two light carries.
• 4 rounds: 40 m bear hug carry, 20 m shoulder carry each side.
• Rest 90 seconds to 2 minutes between rounds.

Workout 2: Four-Carry Medley (intermediate)

• 4 rounds, moving straight from one carry to the next:
• 40 m bear hug carry
• 30 m shoulder carry each side
• 30 m Zercher carry
• 20 m overhead carry with a lighter bag
• Rest 1 to 2 minutes between rounds.

Workout 3: Carry and Run Conditioning (advanced)

• 5 rounds for time:
• 400 m run
• 50 m bear hug carry
• 10 sandbag-to-shoulder lifts, alternating sides
• 50 m shoulder carry, switching shoulders halfway
• Rest as needed, but track your total time and try to beat it next session.

Progressing Your Sandbag Carries

• Extend distance first: add meters to each carry before you add weight.
• Then add load: once a distance feels manageable, add 5 to 10 lb and rebuild from there.
• Cut rest: as your conditioning improves, shorten the rest between rounds.
• Add complexity: chain carries in one round, for example a bear hug into a shoulder carry, finishing with a short overhead lockout.

Track every session: weight, distance and how it felt. That record tells you when to push and when to back off.

Common Sandbag Carry Mistakes

• Rounding the back: compromises spinal safety and costs power. Keep a neutral spine, especially in the Zercher.
• Using too much weight too soon: start light to nail position before adding load.
• Holding your breath: brace, but keep breathing in a controlled rhythm through the whole carry.
• Neglecting grip: a weak grip makes you drop the bag early and cuts sessions short.
• Long, sloppy strides: short, deliberate steps keep the shifting load under control.

Sandbag Carries for the AFT, CFT and HYROX

Army Fitness Test (AFT)

The AFT does not use a sandbag. Its Sprint-Drag-Carry is 5 x 50 meter shuttles for time: a sprint, a drag of a 90-pound sled, a lateral shuffle, a carry of two 40-pound kettlebells, and a final sprint, per the Army's official AFT page. The carry leg is a farmers carry with kettlebells. Sandbag carries still help, because they build the grip, upper back and trunk strength that keep you fast on the drag and the kettlebell carry. For event technique, see our Sprint-Drag-Carry guide and our farmers carry guide.

Army Combat Field Test (CFT)

The Combat Field Test, the Army's second test for soldiers in 24 combat specialties, does use sandbags: soldiers lift sixteen 40 lb sandbags onto a 65-inch platform, then carry two 40 lb water cans 50 meters, per the Army's CFT testing guidance. Bear hug and shoulder carries build the hug-and-drive strength the lift takes and the grip the water can carry demands. To practice the exact weight, fill a Skirmish to 40 lb. More in our CFT sandbag lift guide.

HYROX

HYROX uses a sandbag at Station 7, the 100 m Sandbag Lunges, with the bag carried on your shoulders while you lunge. The official HYROX weights are 10 kg (22 lb) for Open Women, 20 kg (44 lb) for Open Men and Pro Women, and 30 kg (66 lb) for Pro Men. In Doubles, Women's pairs use 10 kg and Men's and Mixed pairs use 20 kg. The HYROX farmers carry uses kettlebells, not a sandbag.

Carries are a smart way to prepare, because holding the bag steady while your legs are tired is half the battle in the lunges. The Skirmish covers the 10 kg bag exactly. The 20 kg (44 lb) and 30 kg (66 lb) bags are a job for the Raider, whose filler bags load to any weight up to 80 lb. For the full station breakdown, read our guide to HYROX stations, weights and rules.

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Commit to the program, track your progress and your strength will climb steadily. Sandbag carries are simple, hard and effective. That is the point.

Sources: U.S. Army, Army Fitness Test events (Sprint-Drag-Carry); U.S. Army, Combat Field Test announcement; HYROX, The Fitness Race (division weights). Product details are from the Skirmish and Raider product pages. Weight ranges in this guide are coaching starting points, not official standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What weight sandbag should I use for carries?

Most beginners should start bear hug and shoulder carries at roughly 25 to 40 lb and overhead carries at 15 to 25 lb. Regular trainees typically use 40 to 60 lb for bear hug and shoulder carries, and strong, experienced lifters work at 60 to 80 lb and up. Pick a weight that lets you cover 40 meters with good posture.

What are the main sandbag carry variations?

The four main carries are the bear hug carry, the shoulder carry, the Zercher carry with the bag in the crooks of your elbows, and the overhead carry. The bear hug takes the most weight and the overhead carry takes the least.

Is a sandbag carry better than a farmers carry?

They train different things. A farmers carry with handles loads your grip and traps evenly, while a sandbag carry adds a shifting load that your trunk has to fight, plus a hug or shoulder position that hits the upper back. Most programs benefit from both.

Does the Army Fitness Test use a sandbag carry?

No. The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry uses a 90-pound sled for the drag and two 40-pound kettlebells for the carry. Sandbag carries are still useful training because they build the grip and trunk strength that event demands.

Does the Army Combat Field Test use sandbags?

Yes, as a lift rather than a carry. The CFT sandbag lift puts sixteen 40 lb sandbags onto a 65-inch platform, and the CFT carry event uses two 40 lb water cans for 50 meters.

How heavy is the HYROX sandbag?

According to HYROX, the sandbag for the 100 m Sandbag Lunges is 10 kg for Open Women, 20 kg for Open Men and Pro Women, and 30 kg for Pro Men.

How often should I do sandbag carries?

Two sessions a week is plenty for most people, either as a short finisher after lifting or as a standalone conditioning workout. Leave at least a day between hard carry sessions so your grip and lower back can recover.