I need to punch and kick something?

[Bob_Defly]

I'm looking to get some sort of punch/kick bag to improve my fitness. I do other training but always used to enjoy the punch-bag at my old gym, new one doesn't have one. I think there are basically four options:

Normal punch-bag (hanging)
Longer one for kicking too (hanging)
Some sort of water filled one (floor standing)
Or electronic thing like Slam-Man, might be more entertaining.

Any thoughts? I'd prefer not to make too much noise with it when the kids are asleep so chain hanging is probably out of the question (it will be in the garage attached to house). Has anyone used the Slam Man?

http://www.slam-man.com/

[Tiggsy]

slam man sounds cool but youtube some clips - looks like a huge pile of cack.

[Shinobi]

Slam man is good, very tiring and make sure you have some good gloves. Also don't go on it when drunk without gloves..

[RemainAllHoof]

Bob_Defly said:

Some sort of water filled one (floor standing)

I prefer this one. I have a Slam Man and he takes everything I can throw at him. I don't use the lights as I'm not trying to do boxercise. The problem with it is that only the green area is padded and I don't use gloves. The rest is hard plastic. Kicking him in the ribs will break your foot.

I ended up buying some camping/yoga mat and covering Bob. The advantage is that now I can do neck strikes and eye strikes without wearing gloves and not injure my fingers. When I am a Grand Master Ninja (is this a Six Sigma grade?), I will practice finger strikes into brick walls but until then Slam Man needs to be padded for me.

Oh, I bought mine for about £100 used. I am sure you can find it for that price if you look hard enough.

[kelk]

I've used a slam man once or twice but i genuinely think a good qaulity, long bag will do you more good in the long run and be more fun. Slam man is abit of a novelty and yes, it can help with accuracy, but the novelty will soon wear off.

Just my 2p worth.

[LordGrover]

Plenty to choose from here: click.

[RemainAllHoof]

[Shinobi]

kelk said:

I've used a slam man once or twice but i genuinely think a good qaulity, long bag will do you more good in the long run and be more fun. Slam man is abit of a novelty and yes, it can help with accuracy, but the novelty will soon wear off.

Just my 2p worth.

Had mine years now, hasn't worn off. Works me alot harder then a standard bag as you can't slow your tempo down as the lights keep coming. Fantastic cardio, I see alot of people in the gym on a big bag who just randomly do a combination they have been taught or something they have seen on tv or thinks looks good but the Slam Man will make you do combinations you hadn't thought about or you can have the programs off and do your own thing. Best of both worlds really, only downside is the cost.

[shouldbworking]

It doesn't look very stable if you can actually punch properly (most of the videos on youtube of people using it look absolutely incompetent)

[RemainAllHoof]

shouldbworking said:

It doesn't look very stable if you can actually punch properly (most of the videos on youtube of people using it look absolutely incompetent)

Fill it with sand and it's pretty solid. Takes a good hefty kick to move it.

[Shinobi]

RemainAllHoof said:

shouldbworking said:

It doesn't look very stable if you can actually punch properly (most of the videos on youtube of people using it look absolutely incompetent)

Fill it with sand and it's pretty solid. Takes a good hefty kick to move it.

Fill it with sand and them pour in some water. That thing won't move.

[Lost_BMW]

No experience of a Slam Man but did have a Century XL 'BOB' stand up version. Novelty value and the usefulness of being able to strike a more realistic looking target wore off as it moved all over the place. A few punches, a couple of kicks and stop, re-position. V. frustrating - it was filled with 5 bags of sand btw so over 250lbs.

BUT I later learnt that you can buy non-slip mats designed for using underneath them (rubber house/ car mats, and sticky pads didn't work) so if you do get one and it shifts might be worth looking out for.

Overall though I prefer a punch bag - like my Ringside bag or the RYO kick bag I used to have as they are long enough for punches and kicks, elbows etc. You do get what you pay for though and cheaper ones I've had were a false economy and not so nice to use + two water ones including Everlast (ha ha!) and BBE, I think, burst after a couple of sessions; useless.

[RemainAllHoof]

Shinobi said:

Fill it with sand and them pour in some water. That thing won't move.

Even better!