Workouts & Exercises
6 Exercises With GRIPR and Suspension Trainers
From the FASTER syllabus: this article is taught in full in The Movement Trainer (AFT) course →
In short: This full-body session pairs an unstable sandbag with a suspension trainer across six exercises — 60 seconds work, 20 seconds rest, repeated four times — to train core strength, stability and power together.
This session pairs two training tools — a sandbag and a suspension trainer — for a full-body workout that hits core and strength in the same breath. Bodyweight movements do the stabilising work; the sandbag and straps add load, tension and a genuine challenge to control.
The tools
Sandbags
The unstable load is the point. As the weight shifts, the stabilising muscles fire across the whole body to keep you in control, so a sandbag makes people work harder than a fixed weight of the same size.
- Tough and versatile. Double-stitched, reinforced grab handles let the bag be lifted, thrown and caught with one or two hands. Multiple handle positions open up new variations on the fundamental lifting patterns.
- User-friendly load. Steel sand granules create a smooth shift of weight rather than a sudden thud.
- Ready to go. It comes pre-filled and the robust build handles indoor and outdoor bootcamps alike. Rack it across the shoulders or chest for tougher squats and jumps.
Suspension trainers
Suspension work encourages a natural tension through the client's core, and that tension carries over into everything from sports performance to plain core strength. Each exercise can be aimed at the core, whole body, legs or upper body, and can bias strength, power, stability or flexibility depending on how you set it up.
The workout
Protocol: 60 seconds' work, 20 seconds' rest between exercises. Repeat the circuit four times.
- Sandbag transverse jump, big curl — ankle-to-overhead transverse clean.
- Suspended squat, pelvis wide.
- Sandbag transverse jump, slam and high pull — frontal-plane clean.
- Suspended squat thrust — feet suspended, two legs together, forward and back.
- Sandbag sagittal jump, bent-over row — high to chest, transverse.
- Suspended push press, travelling forward.
Scale every movement to the client in front of you. If jumping or rotation isn't controlled yet, slow it down and build the pattern before you add speed and load.
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Frequently asked
What do I need for this workout?
A sandbag and a suspension trainer, plus enough space to jump and travel. Both suit indoor and outdoor bootcamps.
How is it structured?
Six exercises, each for 60 seconds with 20 seconds' rest between them, repeated four times.
Why a sandbag instead of a fixed weight?
The load shifts as you move, so the stabilising muscles work harder through the whole body.
Who is this session for?
Clients with a reasonable training base who can control jumping and rotational movements safely.
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