by James Newman, DVRT Chief Instructor

ultimate sandbag training
I’m really loving all the awesome DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training Flows that have been posted recently. As a “movement” guy, I can’t think of a better way to train and challenge movement than with Flows. The problem is most people don’t know what a DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training Flow is, or why they would want to use one. Even those familiar with DVRT might have a hard time figuring out how to start putting their own flows together, let alone how to include them in their programming. Flows can seem super complicated, but they’re really pretty easy to create, and can be a great way to introduce movement based training to your clients. Flows can be a powerful tool in your training arsenal, but you have to know what they are and where to begin.

What is a DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training Flow?

First off, a DVRT Flow is a type of complex. Now complexes have been around forever, and have typically been associated with Barbells, Dumbbells and Kettlebells. DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training Complexes however, allow for some truly unique progressions and variations not typically seen with more traditional complexes and a great example is the DVRT Flow.
A traditional complex is when one exercise contains several exercises, and the rules for creating them are pretty simple.
Choose two or more movements/exercises
Pick one implement (Choose your load according to your goals and weakest movement/exercise)
Perform the same number of reps for each movement/exercise (generally a 5-10 rep range)
Don’t put it down until your set is finished
All the exercises should transition easily from one to another
For example: 5 Deadlifts followed immediately by 5 Bent Over Rows followed by 5 Power Cleans…..That’s one set. Perform a specified number of sets or do As Many Rounds/ Sets as Possible for a given time. Complexes are famous for their ability to do a tremendous amount of work in a short time, build strength, conditioning and torch body fat.
A DVRT Flow is only slightly different from a traditional complex. During a Flow you perform just one repetition of an exercise followed immediately by one repetition of another exercise. For example, one Clean to the Fist followed by one Squat and one Overhead Press, these three movements combined equals one rep. Now this is a relatively easy (depending on the load) three movement flow performed in just one plane of motion, but Flows can have nearly unlimited movements and travel through multiple planes of motion, and as the complexity increases so does the intensity.
ultimate sandbag training
Why should I Flow?
A DVRT Flow complex is designed to allow us to transition quickly from one exercise to another, giving us the opportunity to create some truly incredible movement oriented drills that can best be likened to the training seen in Martial Arts, Yoga, Gymnastics and even Dance. Flows can be a fantastic way to challenge and creatively express yourself with movement while still allowing us to perform a tremendous amount of work.
When you first start performing Flows the feeling is of a flowing athletic strength that uniquely challenges not just our functional movement patterns but also our ability to transition from one movement pattern to the next.......and this is what makes DVRT Flows so incredibly powerful and unique.
In a typical complex the transition from one exercise to the next might be where one would grab a quick breath as you reset and get ready to groove the next exercise…..
in a DVRT Flow it is during the transitions that the real work starts to happen......as we try to manage the shifting load of the USB while transitioning from one movement pattern to the next. Being able to put on the brakes, accelerate and decelerate while changing movements and directions is truly what being functional in sports and in life is all about. Being able to maintain postural control and alignment while moving and transitioning between functional movement patterns while under load.

Transitions train the reflexive nature of the core muscles .....ALL THE CORE MUSCLES….they turn on and off the way they are designed and needed to so that we can perform athletically, and not like a robot.
ultimate sandbag training
As coaches and trainers the concern and the question is always, how well do our exercises and programming carry over to the field and to our everyday lives and activities. Truly "functional Fitness is about how well we can move from one pattern to the next. The DVRT system teaches us that it isn't enough to just teach someone to hinge or squat, push or pull. To be truly functional we have to be able to do so while moving and resisting in varying planes, body positions, holding positions, tempos and loads. DVRT Flows allow us to train all of these variables almost simultaneously.
With a bit of planning and done correctly DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Flows can be one of the most fun and effective means to building truly functional strength, getting in shape, building flexibility, increasing strength and getting lean.
Today I am giving you a few simple flows that will demonstrate some ways to start building your DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training Flows and increasing the natural strength of your body.