I n the full-contact arena, athletes contend with an ever-shifting set of challenges: sudden changes in velocity, power, force, weight, and energy-demand. The athlete needs to withstand powerful blows directed at any part of the body, to accelerate and decelerate at a moment’s notice, to strike back with blinding power and to remain stable in a highly unstable environment. The athlete needs to be this dynamic—while simultaneously minimizing the risk of personal injury. He needs a cat’s agile movement skills, a bull’s rock-like strength and a stallion’s enduring power.

The rest of us are “everyday athletes”. Yet—while the level of physical challenge may be less intense—we can still strive to cultivate the same foundational movement skills, the same foundational strength and the same foundational power. Because we want to be in the best shape we can be—to be truly fit for anything life throws at us…high-energy, less prone to injury, more capable, more self-reliant, vigorous and physically appealing.

After years of frustration and years of diligent applied-research, Josh designed a very specific type of sandbag device—and formulated a remarkably thorough training system—which has proven to meet exactly those functional athletic needs. As the name implies, Dynamic Variable Resistance Training (DVRT™) prepares ANY athlete to handle whatever challenge comes their way—with a far greater likelihood of success and with a much-reduced chance of injury.

Why the Ultimate Sandbag—Properly Used—Has a HUGE Athletic ROI

What You’ll Get When You Invest in DVRT The Ultimate Training System…

• Why the DVRT system can get you moving better within a matter of minutes—1
• Combine variety, purpose and controlled development in your training—thanks to an almost infinite array of progressional exercises—1
• Why the right tool for the right job does matter and why the Ultimate Sandbag can so very often be that right tool—2
• Why use variable resistance tools/odd object lifting?—5
• The difference between lifting static/predictable weights and real life energetics—5
• How "active fluid resistance" will enhance your stability and control—5
• How DVRT reduces the chance of injury because of improved joint stability—6
• Why odd object training develops rugged power more effectively than barbells—6
• Understanding the role of the stabilizers in the athletic process—6
• The primary system for creating strength is not the muscles, it is THIS—6
• The two forms of neural coordination—and what most matters—6
• How improving stabilizer strength improves overall strength and health—7
• How to develop a physically "smarter" body—8
• How incorrect odd-object training can lead to overtraining and injury—9

• Odd Object Training—11
• The significance of changing dimension as a strength enhancer—11
• How to employ "strategic dimension change" to your full athletic advantage—12
• The discovery that rocked the very foundations of sandbag training—12
• How rotational strength drills results in a far more dynamic grip—14
• How the correct system sparks creativity and leads to greater progress—17
• Why focusing on load only leads to more, frustrating plateaus—18
• How old time strongmen used the secret of "micro-incremental loading" to explode their strength gains—19
• How to effectively employ speed for greater strength gains—20-22
• What exercise tempo creates the greatest energy expenditure? The answer may shock you!—22
• How to increase your TUT, or time under tension and why you’d want to—22
• Dr. Yessis and the extreme secret of "dynamic isometrics"—23
• How to give an exercise the feeling of an increased load—24
• 11 different holding positions for more effective strength gains—25
• How to use progressively more challenging positions to stimulate more of the body’s athletic potential—26

• The DVRT Movements—29
• Foundational Hip Hinging—29
• Could THIS be one of the worst-ever inventions in the modern fitness era?—29
• The 3 measures of a true strongman—30
• Why the hip hinge is so crucial to master—30
• How the deadlift is used as a movement pattern in the DVRT system—32
• The integral role of tempo in sandbag deadlifts—35
• How to decelerate in the lowering phase of the deadlift—35
• Slow lowering and compensation patterns in the hip hinge—36
• Staggered Stances—38
• How strongmen use the staggered stance to more quickly strengthen the legs—38
• THE perfect, subtle position change that optimizes the benefits of the staggered stance—39
• Key compensations to watch for—41
• Rear Step Deadlift—42
• How to enhance your movement skill by NOT doing these sterile, yet popular gym-based exercises—43
• The DVRT Deadlift checklist—44
• Why DVRT provides challenges to your movement skills that are as incremental as possible—45
• How to change load position to increase the challenge—45

• Front Loaded Good Morning—46
• How to reduce the negatives and minimize low back stress in Good Mornings—46
• The positive difference in benefits between the Sandbag Front Load and the barbell Zercher squat—48
• THIS is fantastic for upper back and trunk strength—49
• The DVRT Front Hold Good Morning checklist—52
• How to accelerate off the ground with the USB—52
• Cautions about training accelerative lifts—52

• The Bear Hug Clean—53
• Why the Bear Hug Clean is the most stable of all lower body dominant positions—56
• The optimal methods for lifting—56
• How the Bear Hug Clean improves speed and the manipulation of speed (a hallmark of great athletes)—57
• How to be more efficient and purposeful in your movements—57
• The DVRT Bear Hug Clean checklist—58
• The Power Clean—58
• The 4 great goals you accomplish with the Bear Hug Clean—58
• How to progressively create and absorb more force—58
• The difference between creating and absorbing force—59

• The High Pull—69
• The primary goal of the High Pull—61
• Key mistakes to avoid with the High Pull—61
• For athletes—how best to stimulate triple extension—62
• Why it is crucial to train for eccentric forces—64
• How to create more efficient movement through deceleration training—65
• The 3 major reasons people experience injuries during fast deceleration—and how to avoid them—65
• The DVRT High Pull checklist—67
• Why you need to precede the Power Clean with quality work on your High Pull—68
• The 6 major performance keys for the Power Clean—68
• The difference between the Power Clean and Clean—72
• For sports: the all important RED or Rate of Force Development—72
• How to use your strength faster—72
• How to be strong AND fast—72
• The role of asymmetrical loading—75
• The primary goal of all asymmetrical patterns is THIS—75
• Why most coaches and athletes mistakenly shy away from ASM loading—75
• The DVRT Shouldering checklist—76
  

• The Snatch—77
• What the Snatch is in the DVRT system—77
• How to perform the Sandbag Snatch—78
• How the Sandbag Snatch differs from—and can be better than—the barbell Snatch—78
• The single biggest mistake in the SS—79
• The DVRT Snatch checklist—80

• Squatting Progressions—82
• Why is the squat NOT the king of all lower body exercises?—82
• How to optimize the many benefits of squatting—83
• How poor squat-ability negatively impacts our health and performance—and what to do about it—83
• The Bear Hug Squat—83
• Why the BHS is especially important—83
• Do you make these mistakes with your bodyweight squats?—84
• How to safely trick the body into being more flexible—85
• Why the BHS can dramatically improve correct squat posture—86
• How to pick the perfect weight to optimize the BHS—87
• How to pick the perfect dimension to optimize the BHS—88
• The DVRT BHS checklist—91
• Front Loaded Squat—92
• How the FLS truly makes the squat a full body exercise—92
• How to optimize the benefits of the FLS—94-96
• THIS simple strategy will immediately strengthen you—and save your knees!—95
• The crucial, correct elbow position for FLS—95
• Using "Time Under Tension" correctly to maximally challenge in the FLS—96
• The DVRT FLS checklist—97
  

• How to perform the Shoulder Squat—98-102
• How combining the benefits of both the Shoulder Squat and the Squat creates a "super hero" exercise—98
• Do you make these mistakes with the Shoulder Squat?—100
• How to spot and fix compensations and deviations in the Shoulder Squat—101
• How to use a kettlebell to progress people from bilateral loading into more asymmetrical positions—102
• Why the Shoulder Squat can reduce lower back pain—103
• The DVRT Shoulder Squat checklist—103

• The lost secret of Staggered Squatting—for greater, more realistic athleticism—104
• How to satisfy both load and stability requirements—104
• Don’t make THIS fatal mistake with your SS—you are setting yourself up for lower back pain—106
• The DVRT SS checklist—106
• Is there ever a good time to back squat a USB or odd object?—107
• Can I overhead squat in DVRT?—108
• Could THIS be the most underrated exercise in the world?—109
• The great mistake that many of the best fitness pros and coaches make all the time—110
• Why unilateral exercises are crucial for effective athletic function—112
• How single-leg squatting will up your numbers for the bi-lateral squat—112
• Why the Lunge is a primal movement most of us no longer properly perform—113
• Why hunger can be a lifter’s and coach’s best asset—113
• How to overcome the Fear Factor in the Lunge—113
• How to unlock the hip flexor brakes—a huge sticking point in many lifts—115
• The DVRT Split Squat and Lunge checklist—116
• How to establish correct loading positions for the Split Squat—117

• How to perform the Ipsilateral and Contralateral Shoulder Split Squat—121
• Don’t make these mistakes with your Split Squats—122
• The DVRT Asymmetrical Loading Lunge Pattern checklist—123
• DVRT Loading Position Progressions—123
• How to transition from static to dynamic loading—125
• Why direction is so important in Lunge stepping—125
• THIS is what most people struggle with—and why you don’t have to—125

• How to perform the Drop Step Lunge—126
• Why the DSL is one of the biggest-bang-for-the-buck exercises for your back—126
• The 10 DVRT Drop Step Lunge Progressions—127
• How to master the Drop Step power movement—130
• How to fix two common errors in the Power Clean—132
• How mastering the Drop Lunge explosive movements can make a massive difference to your functional power—134

• The New Functional Fitness—135
• The Rotational Lunge—the #1 exercise for expressing the concepts of the DVRT—136
• Use THIS 3-step progression to master the RL—140-141
• Why the RL is the most pronounced multi-planar drill—141
• Why the RL is in the top 5 movements for training athletes—142
• The DVRT RL checklist—142
  
  
• Upper Body DVRT Drills—143
• The key relationship between the Front Plank and the Overhead Press—144
  
• The DVRT Overhead Press checklist—147
• How to alleviate lower back problems by proper movement of the hips and thoracic spine—149
• How Tall Kneeling Around the World can wake up dormant muscles and improve overall movement function—150
• The 3 major benefits of TKAW—150
• Try this 3-step super-efficient warm-up to waste less time—152
• Fine-tuning the Press—153
• Performance keys that will make all the difference—153
• 3 common mistakes that can hinder your success in the USB Press to fists—154-155
• The 5 major keys to a powerful Press—157
• How to program ratios of clean to fists and overhead presses—158

• How to enhance strength by making your nervous system smarter—159
• How to use the Military Press position to challenge the body more—163
• Why kneeling and half-kneeling lifting postures are key to safe and consistent strength gains—165
• How to optimize kneeling and half-kneeling for supreme functioning—165-168
• How Josh pressed a 97 lb kettlebell 5 times, 6 weeks after neck fusion—168
• How to use the off-set grip to transform the USB into a one-arm press—169
• 5 reasons why the off-set grip should be added to your arsenal—171
• Discover the Arc Press—another powerful Press variation that builds optimal body integration—172-175
• The Many Ways to Overhead Press—178-186