Arts and Crafts (Spartan Chicked Style): Build Your Own Sandbag

by Carrie Adams

You didn’t think we were going to crochet, did you?  You can thank the one and only Spartan Chick Katy McCabe aka Katya (She's a Russian linguist, Marine, and one of my best friends for this project.  She’s amazing… and not just because of her one arm handstands!  (Those are rad though)  She’s taken on the Death Race, the Beast, and she’s just a super rad chick.  Her Blog Unnatural Born Athlete is something that I think a lot of us can relate to… http://katymccabe.blogspot.com/. 

My two sandbags – Angelina (the bitch) and T-Rex (The gentler giant) are my two sandbags.  T-Rex was made with these instructions from Katy.  For about $25 and with two of my friends, this made for a REALLY fun afternoon! 

Here are Katya’s instructions:

Materials:

1. Go to any military surplus and get:

• Standard issue 21 x 36 sea bag (surplus shouldn't be selling them for more than $16).

2. Go to any tractor supply or farming place (some Lowes or Home Depot carry it) and pick up:

• 2 x 40# bags of wood pellets (about $5 each) used either for horse stalls or wood burning stoves.  I have found after the suggestion was made that wood pellets are a better substance than sand.  Sand gets really compacted and the weight is localized for a bag this size and the woodchips are bulkier.
• Two BIG zip ties (package of 8 is like 4 bucks at Home Depot)
• Duct tape...who doesn't have duct tape...

Instructions:

1. Fill the sea bag with the two bags of wood chips (Make it a manageable weight) and use the clips on the bag to close up the top.

2. Pick it up by the top (this is easier with two people) and spin the bag to twist the "neck."  Use two zip ties around the neck cinched down as tight as possible.

3. Cut the ends off and duct tape around the ties so that they aren't poking you.  I cut the shoulder straps off of the side of the bag and tape them around the zip ties to really cover the plastic.  Otherwise you have to really cover them with tape or they are going bother you after 10 minutes of Turkish get ups.

Soundtrack:

• Boom, P.O.D.
• God’s Gonna Cut you Down, Johnny Cash
• Bawitdaba, Kid Rock

GET SOME!  Get your sandbags made and get your pictures posted!!! 

We’ll have a sandbag WOD for you Monday!