We often get asked, "Why 8 handles?", “What are all the handles for?” or “Why so many handles?”, so listening to your questions, we’ve put together an overview of how each set of handles works, and their best moves to get you started.
One of the reasons the Swell Fit Bag is unique, is it’s 8 handles, supporting its versatility and performance as your All-in-1-Gym.
So, let’s zoom in on the Swell Fit Bag’s 4 pairs of 8 handles, will help you understand how to get maximum versatility out of your Swell Fit Bag.
Top Handles - These hands run over the weight indictors side of the bag. Hold with your thumb running in line with the top of the strap and fingers curled under.
- Great for bicep curls – try breaking them down into top and bottom half at first if you are not used to working with the extra instability challenge.
- These handles are great to hold for the “Swell Static” challenge. Hold the bag straight out in front of you parallel with the floor and in line with your shoulders. From this position, with any fill under 10kg, you will feel the water challenge you to hold it steady and parallel with the floor. Think of your Swell Fit Bag like a giant spirit level – it will reveal your weaker side as this is the side that you will lose the level first, so listen in your body in the Swell Static hold and make sure you train for equilibrium with your ongoing work. Creating body balance helps prevent the injury and protect our joints.
- These are also great handles to do the “Swell Swing and Flow”, showing the versatility of the Swell Fit Bag in place of a kettle bell.
In Line Handles - Under your Swell Fit Bag there are 2 pairs of handles running in line with the length of the Swell Fit Bag.
- Held with an under hand grip this position is great hold for a well-controlled bicep curl as it encourages elbows to keep tight and your forearms in alignment, so this is a great hold to use when progressing to new heavier weights (remember to keep your knees soft and a slight bend in your knees).
- Held with an over hand grip, this position enables you to flip the bag over to hold it on your chest. You can use this position to do an over-head front press, or hold it in position to work on your lower body strength e.g. squat or lunges.
- These straps also enable you to work from the ground putting your feet through the straps to either use the bag weight for stability and grounding in a Sit Up, or for advanced moves such as a weighted reverse curl.
“End Handles” – these 2 handles enable you to use and hold the Swell Fit Bag hanging down vertically. This is it’s “strongest” setting as enables full loading of the weight under gravity with one hand.
- Held with one hand with fist hand curled up it enables you to use the full load with one arm in a bicep curl.
- You can also add an overhead press using one arm and this handle.
- For a real challenge – try a one-handed triceps extension.
- Held with one hand curled down over the strap, it enables you to do a one-sided lateral raise – or borrow your workout buddy’s bag to do the lateral raise with two fit bags.
- These 2 handles, also enable you to hold the bag securely in wide arm postures by flipping the handles over the end, and feeding your hands under them so your palms are flat against either end of the bag, it creates a really secure hold. This is great for working with the bag securely in a horizontal line in line with your pectoral’s muscles, try it with a chest press from the floor.
The Swell Fit Bag’s 8 handles create potential for so many moves and forms of strength and instability training – we like to say that the only limit, is your imagination. So, these are just a guide of some great places to start to work with each handle set. We also love to learn from you and hear the moves you create with your bag, so we’ll be listening out for any new ideas we can share with our community.
Check out You Tube channel here https://youtube.com/shorts/umrq78hJBds for an overview of top moves by handle, and more videos with examples of moves for specific body part training, or full workouts from Power Pilates to full HIIT sessions.
Our swellbeings@swellfitness.co.uk are always here to answer any questions.