Tips on Training with a Heavy Bag
If you train with a heavy bag, there are some tips that you may not have learned yet or considered that could give you an extra boost in your striking power. Heavy bag training is one of the most important factors in improving the power of your strikes and improving your conditioning levels for general fitness or competition. Before you start you will want to search for the best punching bags for a home gym.
Kickboxing is a great workout because it works your full body and cardiovascular system. By simulating three minute rounds and one minute rest in between, this can be a great way to work in some HIIT training. This burns a lot of calories and improves the conditioning of your body. You’ll also be able to defend yourself in a bad situation if you’re ever being attacked.
Here are a few things to remember when you use the heavy bag.
Strike Through the Bag
Martial arts instructors teach kids to imagine hitting through a wooden board rather than hitting the board itself or it’s surface. Visualization is a key factor in the effectiveness of your actions. That’s what the metaphor teaches with the wooden board.
It’s the same when hitting the bag. You don’t want to look at the bag and imagine hitting it. You want to visualize that you’re trying to hit through the bag or trying to hit a target that’s further than you see it. When you follow through your punches, you generate much more power.
Don’t Just Punch It
Unless you’re a boxer, don’t just punch the heavy bag when training. It’s just natural for people to want to punch because boxing has been so popular. Take some lessons from MMA and also work in some kicks, knees, and elbows.
When you strike the bag with your legs it takes even more energy so you get a better workout. As you train your kicks, they’ll be much stronger than punches. Make sure to learn how to properly kick though.
Hitting the heavy bag is the best way to work on roundhouse kicks, wheel kicks, and spinning kicks. That’ll help you generate and build the most power.
Buy a Quality Bag
When you’re training with a heavy bag, don’t use a low quality bag. You want it to last a while for you and you want it to be filled with the proper stuff. The best brands to buy from are Everlast, Ringside, Outslayer, Century, Fairtex, and Title. The punching bags start at $70 and up to a few hundred dollars. With a good investment, one of these can last you years. Before you buy one, search for reviews of the best heavy bags. Different people have different preferences so reading these can help you find which one works for you
Work on Your Defense
It’s good practice to work on your defense along with your offense when heavy bag training. You don’t want to leave your head exposed for a counter strike. Think about what you would do before, during, and after you land strikes. Also, work feinting your shots, and use some good footwork and head movement too.
Don’t Sacrifice Your Form
Make sure to always use proper technique for your punches. That’ll help you in your progress and it’ll also help you avoid injuries. You could break your wrists or your hands if you slack off and aren’t paying close attention.
You could also jam a toe pretty badly if you’re not focusing when you’re kicking. Protect your ankles too by striking the bag with your shins. If you’re not used to it, then it’s going to hurt your shins when you kick the bag, but your shins will become conditioned over time as you practice.
Conclusion
Training with punching bags is a great way to work on your punches, kicks, and just get an overall great workout. If you don’t have a sparring partner, all you can do is shadowbox if you don’t have a bag. Shadowboxing has its place, but it doesn’t help you with your power.
Even if you do have a sparring partner, then you still want to hit a bag, because you don’t want to punish your partner by hitting as hard as you can. You’ll hurt them unnecessarily and it won’t be productive training. The bag allows you to go all out and hit as hard as you can.
