How useful are the sandbags for leg and wrist?

[xinyidizi]

I usually spend 20~30 minutes everyday on weight training but since I have a tight schedule I am thinking about buying some sandbags that can be wrapped around the leg/wrist and just practice my forms with them but before I buy them online I would like to know if this method actually works and if it can replace normal weight training.

[sanjuro_ronin]

What do you think?

[xinyidizi]

I don't know as I haven't tried them before and I don't know what weight I should order but theoretically I guess that it might be better than normal weight training as it can be more focused on the muscles that I need more. On the other hand I am worried that having the around my wrists might mess up my form.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I don't know as I haven't tried them before and I don't know what weight I should order but theoretically I guess that it might be better than normal weight training as it can be more focused on the muscles that I need more.

Well, that would depend on WHAT you are trying to do, right?
Weighting down your limbs will make it harder to do moves, of course, but since the moves you typically do in MA are not "against" gravity per say ( outside of jumping of course),then that really isn't a "direct" resistance against the correct range of motion, is it?
Ex:
Weights around your wrist will make you arm heavier BUT when you strike it isn't about overcoming the weight of your arm, is it?

Weight training is about make your muscles stronger in the IDEAL range that they typically work, and example is making the bicep stronger by curling a weight.
The bicep is used in doing an uppercut ( for example), but doing an uppercut with weight on your wrist will NOT develop the strength of that bicep as well as doing curls.
In short, for MA and pretty much any other physcial activity, you want to STRENGTH the muscles in a "general way" ( typically the best move to make the muscle the strongest) and DEVELOP the USE of that strength in a "task specific" movement, IE:
Build your chest and arm muscles with weight training
Develop the use of that strength by punching the Heavy bag, mitts, etc, etc.

You want to combine them in one, right?
Well, you can BUT you will never develop EITHER attribute as well as if you do them separately.
Your muscles will get stronger, just not as strong or as quick as with weight training.
Your techniques will get better BUT because you are doing them with artifically enhanced resistance in the wrong "range/plane of motion" then they will not be developed in the best way possible.

[xinyidizi]

thanks, it makes sense.

[sanjuro_ronin]

May I ask why you train weights "every day" as you put it?

[SimonM]

I usually spend 20~30 minutes everyday on weight training but since I have a tight schedule I am thinking about buying some sandbags that can be wrapped around the leg/wrist and just practice my forms with them but before I buy them online I would like to know if this method actually works and if it can replace normal weight training.

I use wrist weights in addition to weight lifting. They CAN be quite effective but they don't substitute for weights.

The wrist weights are substantially lighter than conventional bar bells / bars / kettlebells / etc. They are also used in a really different manner from how you use weights. They'll make your forms more tiring and will help develop your striking speed - but do be careful of your joints; using the wrist weights wrong can be very harmful to them.

Just my $0.02