Anyone use a punchbag
Discussion
I have a heavy bag in my home gym but don't use it anymore as it didn't feel particularly tiring or effective, what do you think I'm doing wrong?
I basically dance around it a bit whilst jabbing and throwing the odd big punch ....... imagine Graham Norton in a fight and you won't be too far off
I basically dance around it a bit whilst jabbing and throwing the odd big punch ....... imagine Graham Norton in a fight and you won't be too far off
Well most professional fighters use them extensively so I think it's you not the bag 
When you say heavy, how heavy exactly do you mean? It's real easy to injure yourself with a proper heavy bag if your technique isn't correct or your hands adequately protected etc.
Are you planning to use it for boxing or kickboxing or what?
When you say heavy, how heavy exactly do you mean? It's real easy to injure yourself with a proper heavy bag if your technique isn't correct or your hands adequately protected etc.
Are you planning to use it for boxing or kickboxing or what?
evo4a said:
I have a heavy bag in my home gym but don't use it anymore as it didn't feel particularly tiring or effective, what do you think I'm doing wrong?
I basically dance around it a bit whilst jabbing and throwing the odd big punch ....... imagine Graham Norton in a fight and you won't be too far off
Probably everything! (HTH)I basically dance around it a bit whilst jabbing and throwing the odd big punch ....... imagine Graham Norton in a fight and you won't be too far off
The fittest boxers/fighters in the world can make a session on a bag absolutely draining so I can't see how if you're putting any kind of effort in isn't tiring you. I've been doing this more than half my life and it's still dauntingly hard; I actually get nervous before some sessions knowing what is coming and worrying if I'll have the drive to force myself through and not fail (targets).
Maybe look up some routines/patterns on the web or try the Freddie Roach and/or Jeff Fenech training videos plus a Gymboss timer or similar and set yourself goals?
evo4a said:
I have a heavy bag in my home gym but don't use it anymore as it didn't feel particularly tiring or effective, what do you think I'm doing wrong?
I basically dance around it a bit whilst jabbing and throwing the odd big punch ....... imagine Graham Norton in a fight and you won't be too far off
Do you have any boxing, Muay Thai or kick boxing experience? If you are a complete novice, I can see how it would be easy to not push yourself, as you won't know many techniques or combinations, nor will you have felt yourself becoming exhausted on the bag and knowing to push towards that limit in solo training. Join a proper club for one of these sports and work a heavy bag with an instructor shouting out combos and movements, if you aren't already at a good level of fitness you'll be knackered in 10 minutes.I basically dance around it a bit whilst jabbing and throwing the odd big punch ....... imagine Graham Norton in a fight and you won't be too far off
As said by the others, the bag is very tough if you use it the right way.
I suggest looking at some combinations, throw together a routine and concentrate on your form. Throwing a punch is easy, throwing an effective combination is difficult without practice.
For instance; try doing something like jab, jab, reverse, left hook, then step across and backfist right. A simple combo, but can take some practice to get right using correct form. Things like stance, offhand position, movement, speed and accuracy should all be taken into account, as well as throwing the punches in the right way.
Thirty minutes of bag work can wipe you out if you do it correctly.
I suggest looking at some combinations, throw together a routine and concentrate on your form. Throwing a punch is easy, throwing an effective combination is difficult without practice.
For instance; try doing something like jab, jab, reverse, left hook, then step across and backfist right. A simple combo, but can take some practice to get right using correct form. Things like stance, offhand position, movement, speed and accuracy should all be taken into account, as well as throwing the punches in the right way.
Thirty minutes of bag work can wipe you out if you do it correctly.
To me the bag can be as hard or as easy as you want to make it like most exercise.Somebody with reasonable fitness could do a couple of rounds on the bag ok.
If throwing a few soft jabs here and there and the odd right hand left hook.Now if you had to throw as many left and right hands at that bag in 1 min with full power I promise you your breathing will be shot and the acid will make your arms burn great way of building fitness though
If throwing a few soft jabs here and there and the odd right hand left hook.Now if you had to throw as many left and right hands at that bag in 1 min with full power I promise you your breathing will be shot and the acid will make your arms burn great way of building fitness though
in terms of punches thrown, a hook done properly i tend to find more energy sapping
lots of power generated from the legs, and with the twist of the body
jabs are just that, tend to be light and snappy, so dont take to much energy
cross, is the big puch, but generally you throw these less
when i use bags, i use kicks as well, and a good bag session can and should be tireing
i alos tend to grab the bag and use kness etc
legs take more put of you than punchs
mine is full of plastic granules, a by product of injection moulding
so its relativley heavy
use youtube to see how others use bags, and add moves to make your session more intresting and harder
its like the 100m, even the fittest should be knackered after running it, if they give it everything
lots of power generated from the legs, and with the twist of the body
jabs are just that, tend to be light and snappy, so dont take to much energy
cross, is the big puch, but generally you throw these less
when i use bags, i use kicks as well, and a good bag session can and should be tireing
i alos tend to grab the bag and use kness etc
legs take more put of you than punchs
mine is full of plastic granules, a by product of injection moulding
so its relativley heavy
use youtube to see how others use bags, and add moves to make your session more intresting and harder
its like the 100m, even the fittest should be knackered after running it, if they give it everything
Treat yourself to a few rounds of skipping to warm up and a round of shadow boxing then try
All are 3 minute rounds, with 1 minute rest
Round 1: Footwork - push the bag and move around it, get the feel for moving in a proper stance. Move with the bag, around it and against it (this gets me on its own, bag fights back!)
Round 2: Jab to the head. Move, stick and jab. Move stick and double jab. Practice your jabs the entire round. its a good shoulder workout and if you know to tense to transmit your power into the bag then it will leave you winded.
Round 3: 1-2 combinations - Move and jab/right cross (straight right). Make sure you move right after you throw. Think in circles and angles. Switch directions, dart out or range and in again quickly.
Round 4: 1-2-3 combination - Move and jab, right cross, left hook combination. The basic combo. For added weirdness jab, cross, feint with the left whilst you chamber the right and hit that hook with the wrong hand.
Round 5: combination work - try 3 jabs then a cross, 3 jabs then 1-2, build it up to 3 jabs then 5 powerful straight punches.
Round 6: Sprints - 1 minute of continuous punching to the head. Think speed, not power - let your hands fly as fast as you can.
If you want, add another Round but this time focus on power punches rather than speed. You should feel pretty spent by now though.
All are 3 minute rounds, with 1 minute rest
Round 1: Footwork - push the bag and move around it, get the feel for moving in a proper stance. Move with the bag, around it and against it (this gets me on its own, bag fights back!)
Round 2: Jab to the head. Move, stick and jab. Move stick and double jab. Practice your jabs the entire round. its a good shoulder workout and if you know to tense to transmit your power into the bag then it will leave you winded.
Round 3: 1-2 combinations - Move and jab/right cross (straight right). Make sure you move right after you throw. Think in circles and angles. Switch directions, dart out or range and in again quickly.
Round 4: 1-2-3 combination - Move and jab, right cross, left hook combination. The basic combo. For added weirdness jab, cross, feint with the left whilst you chamber the right and hit that hook with the wrong hand.
Round 5: combination work - try 3 jabs then a cross, 3 jabs then 1-2, build it up to 3 jabs then 5 powerful straight punches.
Round 6: Sprints - 1 minute of continuous punching to the head. Think speed, not power - let your hands fly as fast as you can.
If you want, add another Round but this time focus on power punches rather than speed. You should feel pretty spent by now though.
Elise18S said:
Out of interest, what do you folks wear on your hands? I'm using gel wraps for convenience and 14oz gloves, but I'm starting to get sore hands after a good session on the maize bag. Don't know whether to go for 'proper' wraps and/or 16oz gloves...
I use 'proper' wraps.I've got four sets, but I prefer the heavy cotton ones over the thin, stretchy type. I find the cotton ones give a snugger fit, although I've never tried gel wraps.
If you decide to go with standard wraps, then it's worth checking out a few YouTube videos on wrapping techniques. I use a 'figure 8' style which works quite well.
Where on your hands is it hurting?
D1ngd0ng said:
Hoofy said:
Bare knuckles.
Knuckle pressups to build and maintain the calluses and then keep my fist nice and tight. My opponent in the street ain't gonna wait for me to lace up when he wants to have a go (never happened so all hypothetical)Plus cotton wraps...
D1ngd0ng said:
Hoofy said:
Pah. Knuckle clap press ups is where it's at.
You sir are a king among men. I can do either/or but never the two shall meet.On a serious note, I have done knuckle clap press ups. It's not a pretty site afterwards. Don't do it on rough concrete. Trying to show off to hot chicks. While drunk.
Elise18S said:
Out of interest, what do you folks wear on your hands? I'm using gel wraps for convenience and 14oz gloves, but I'm starting to get sore hands after a good session on the maize bag. Don't know whether to go for 'proper' wraps and/or 16oz gloves...
I have a recurrent problem with the knuckle on my right hand, esp. after layoffs though it sometimes settles down after a few weeks training. Caused by being lazy and hurrying, or randomly hitting bags when in the gym for other things, without wraps.Might also be down to karate instructors getting us to hit into buckets of sand and wooden blocks + then me also showing off hitting trees and walls (the madness of youth!). Look at how carefully boxers - and MMA fighters with a karate etc. background - look after their hands; trainers use gauze, wraps and tape even before pad work. Says it all, no need to try to make your knuckles concrete if it ruins your hands for life for minimal benefit.
I now wrap my hands every session and use bag mitts or a pair of good but pricey Rival D3 Gel Impact Bag Gloves.
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