Gaming
sandbagging
What does sandbagging mean?
Intentionally underperforming. Could be a pro messing about in casuals, a smurf hiding their rank, or someone tanking a match for seeding reasons. Either way they're not playing their A-game on purpose.
"That guy was clearly sandbagging in pools then turned on the jets in top 8."
Origin
General competition slang adopted across fighting games and gaming broadly.
Frequently asked questions
What does sandbagging mean in lifting?
It means deliberately holding back — training below your real capability, such as using lighter weights than you could actually handle.
Why do people sandbag their workouts?
Reasons range from taking it easy, avoiding failure or fatigue, to psyching out training partners about how strong they really are.
Where does the term sandbagging come from?
It's general slang for intentionally underperforming, borrowed into gym talk to describe lifting under your ability.
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