Some Heavy Bag Techniques – To Help You Avoid Beginner Mistakes

Heavy bag training is a great warmup for a real game. It can prepare you like nothing else out there, provided you don’t side-line important techniques that go with the heavy bag training. If you are not sure what they are, pay heed to the pointers given below:

Footwork: As they say, “Use the footwork to your advantage. Move your feet when you are not throwing a punch.” On the other hand, keep your feet planted on the ground when you punch. This will provide you with the much-needed balance, power, and control to deliver an effective punch. Also, start moving your feet once you finish your punch.

Never Stop Punching: To be point-blank over here, once you stop throwing punches, your challenger will start throwing punches at you. When the pros work with a heavy bag, they hardly take any breaks. At best, they will rest for 2-3 seconds. This is what separates the elite guys from the herd. So, don’t take 10-15 seconds break to catch your breath. You will be doing yourself a great disservice by taking long breaks.

Think About Your Hands: It’s easy to drop your guard when you are training with a heavy bag. Most trainees develop a bad habit of dropping their hands. The consequences of this bad defense can prove to be a fatal mistake in a real fight. So, don’t commit yourself to this mistake. If required, have someone spot you so that you are reminded of keeping your hands up for the sake of protection.

Judge Distance: A better sense of safe distance between you and your opponent can be a game changer in a fight. Don’t get too close to the bag while unloading a bunch of punches. Also, don’t go too far away from the bag. As a pro tip: don’t try to get any closer to the punching bag than the distance needed to land a punch. And, if you go too close, be alert enough to pull yourself away from bag quickly.

Don’t Wait: Heavy bags generally do not swing too much. So, you will have to often reach out to the bag. The point here is that you don’t need to wait for the bag to come to you. Such luxuries will come at a high cost in a real bout. So, put the practice of chasing the bag as often as you can. Keep circling the bag to keep up with it to throw a constant barrage of punches.

Take Rest: Heavy bags won’t be as forgiving as the light bags out there. So, your hands will wear down. Of course, your hands will also toughen up over a period of time. But, you should allow some time for recovery for the bones and muscles to harden. Remember, more than anything else; your hands are the most important weapon in the sport of boxing.

Buyers Guide – How to Find the Best Punching Bags

Hopefully, the pointers above along with the heavy bag reviews must have put your mind at ease. But, we highly recommend that you do your homework before getting a heavy punching bag because best punching bags do not come on a shoestring budget. To ease your workload, we have included below a buying guide that will help you get the best punch bag for home use without frying your brain.

Which Brand to Choose? Should I get a Muay Thai Punching Bag for Home?

Top brands such as Everlast, Century, and Outslayer are the obvious choice among the masses for best MMA punching bags or any other boxing bags/gears. Yes, it helps to go with a branded product over here because most brands do everything in their power to introduce a people-pleasing product in the market. Also, reputed companies comply with the laws about the permitted fillings to be used for punching bags.

What Should be the Best Punching bag Weight?

If you are a complete beginner or a dedicated recreational athlete trying your hands at heavy bags boxing, you are better off choosing a punching bag that weighs around 50-70 lbs. If you are a seasoned athlete or a stronger person, then you can go for 100lbs or heavier punching bag because a heavier bag will do a world of good to your power and speed. On a side note, the thumb rule is to choose a weight that’s half of your own body weight. But, this rule can be broken based on your training needs.

What Materials to Choose?

Heavier bags are generally filled with cloth. Some of them may have foam or sands. The good thing about cloth-filling is that you can easily remove or add more cloth to fine-tune the weight of the bag in accordance with your training needs. Plus, a cloth-filled bag won’t screw your hands. Your best bet would be to go for a heavy bag with 70% cloth scrap and 30% leather scrap to suit most training requirements.

What Covering Works Best?

Any covering will do for best boxing bags for home use. The most commonly used materials for punching bag covers are vinyl, leather, and canvas. Most high-brands include a vinyl cover for free because it’s a dependable and affordable option. However, it’s not designed to face outdoor elements. Leather ones will work best in an outdoor environment if there is a need to keep the punching bag outside the house.

Freestanding or Hanging?

Punching bags generally arrive in two types—standing and hanging. As the name hints, hanging punching bags are hanged from the ceiling, while the standing punching bags stand on top of a base/stand. Between the two, hanging bags are better equipped to withstand more punishment. Plus, they offer more scope for improved training. On the flip side, standing punching bags are more of a space saver and portable too. Plus, they don’t require any installation work. So, you can choose whatever suits you based on the merits and demerits of these punching bags.

Where and How to Hang the Heavy Bag?

As you might expect, you will require a secure spot to hang the heavy bag because it weighs upwards of 100+ pounds. A strong architectural structure or a sturdy ceiling can do the trick over here. In either case, the ceiling should be tall so that the bag hangs high from the floor to facilitate proper training. If you don’t have a tall and secure spot to hang the bag, you will have to drop the idea of getting a hanging bag. In such a case, a standing bag should be considered by you. If you are getting a hanging bag, do check if the product comes with the hanging hardware or not. If not, prepare yourself for a trip to a local store to get the appropriate tools and screws for installation.

Other Considerations:

There are a few additional things to be considered while shopping for best heavy bags. For instance, you need to decide whether you need a stitched or a zipper closure on the bag. The zippered opening will allow you to refill the bag with the material of your choice without the hassle of cutting open the stitches. Other than this, do check what warranty is being offered on the shortlisted product to deal with potential issues that you may encounter down the road. Finally, do consider your physical condition and training goals before ordering the bag.

Best Punching Bags: The Verdict

Whether you are young or old, it’s never too late to lay your hands on a punching bag. After all, this fitness tool can do a world of good to your health, and of course, improve your boxing skills as well. We have already compiled a list of best heavy bags for your convenience. So, feel free to steal a punching bag from our recommendations given above, and start punching your way to personal greatness.

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