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Since I see at least 1-2 posts a week about heavy bag training and methods, routines, etc..... I thought I would put together a list of the do's and dont's for training with the heavy bag. Since it is the most common piece of training equiptment people use to self-train or practice at home. Please add your advice!
Do's:
1. Buy a hanging bag, if you can find a place for it.
2. Buy a heavier vs. lighter bag: 70Pds is the minimum i reccomend for a heavy bag.
3. Leather > Synthetic Leather > Canvas. Canvas will chew up gloves fast.
4. Invest in handwraps and wear them every time you hit the bag.
5. Hang your bag in a place that allows you to move 360 degrees around the bag, or as close a possible.
6. Make sure your stepping into your range, rather than just standing there in front of the bag. Work on closing the distance with 2 or more steps before starting combos, then back out and repeat.
7. If your going to train a fair amount at home, Save and make the investment in more than 1 heavy bag and consider alternative equiptment. I.E: round or "wrecking ball" bag, thin bag "thai bag", Uppercut bag. This will help you work different punches at different angles than having just 1 bag. Supplement heavy bag workouts with, speed or double end bag to help with the reflex. Heavy bags dont require you to use reflex punching, and can lead to off-balance, poor timing and stagnant footwork if you dont do some sort of reflex training.
8. Change up your routine often to not get 1 dimensional. Work speed routines, then power routines. Working on starting combos with 1 jab, then 2, 3, etc...., work combos throwing all the punches off the lead, then with the rear hand. Try getting real close to the bag and then throwing combos while moving out or away from the bag.
9. USE THE HEAVY BAG FOR CONDITIONING ROUTINES- personal favorite drill: Stand in front of the bag, stance more square and throw straight left/right/left/right combos, using your hips to throw the punches with your arms semi-rigid. Then slowly back out, extending the arm farther and farther, then back in, shortening up the punch. Move in and out slowly while maintaining a consistent hand speed. I like to do this in 2 min intervals with 30 second rest. 1st 2mins i focus on power, the next 2 mins speed. Then I repeat this drill using a hooking motion, followed by UC motion (palms facing you). That will give you 6 2min rounds (speed & power) and I promise your arms will feel like jello! I do this drill with 20oz gloves. The heavier gloves will improve your overall conditioning.
Dont's:
1. Buy a water filled bag and put it indoors, especially on the second story or in an apt building.
2. Stand in front of the bag, stationary and throw 20 punch combos.... Opponent's move, so should you. Work on coming in and out/circling around, throwing 2-6 punch combos...... repeat.
3. Push the bag with punches, making it swing all over the place. Snap the punch into the bag, bring it back to cover up. If you crowd the bag, shorten the punch instead of pushing the bag. Pushing the bag with your punches will lead you to over-extending or throwing punches that leave you off-balance in sparring.
4. Throw big power shots at the heavy bag with MMA gloves, unless you want a broken wrist! At least get the ones with the bar in the hand to help you from breaking your wrist.
5. See the heavy bag as an opponent, it's purpose is really to help develop speed and power, not to resemble an opponent. Working body combos to the bag, like it was an opponent will cause you to overcommit or throw off balance punches when sparring. Your opponent is rarely going to be as wide and rigid as the bag is.
6. Think the heavy bag is the only piece of training equiptment you should use while practicing at home. Shadowboxing, double end bags, slip bags, speed bags are all available fairly inexpensive. They are great to supplement with the heavy bag during workouts.
Do's:
1. Buy a hanging bag, if you can find a place for it.
2. Buy a heavier vs. lighter bag: 70Pds is the minimum i reccomend for a heavy bag.
3. Leather > Synthetic Leather > Canvas. Canvas will chew up gloves fast.
4. Invest in handwraps and wear them every time you hit the bag.
5. Hang your bag in a place that allows you to move 360 degrees around the bag, or as close a possible.
6. Make sure your stepping into your range, rather than just standing there in front of the bag. Work on closing the distance with 2 or more steps before starting combos, then back out and repeat.
7. If your going to train a fair amount at home, Save and make the investment in more than 1 heavy bag and consider alternative equiptment. I.E: round or "wrecking ball" bag, thin bag "thai bag", Uppercut bag. This will help you work different punches at different angles than having just 1 bag. Supplement heavy bag workouts with, speed or double end bag to help with the reflex. Heavy bags dont require you to use reflex punching, and can lead to off-balance, poor timing and stagnant footwork if you dont do some sort of reflex training.
8. Change up your routine often to not get 1 dimensional. Work speed routines, then power routines. Working on starting combos with 1 jab, then 2, 3, etc...., work combos throwing all the punches off the lead, then with the rear hand. Try getting real close to the bag and then throwing combos while moving out or away from the bag.
9. USE THE HEAVY BAG FOR CONDITIONING ROUTINES- personal favorite drill: Stand in front of the bag, stance more square and throw straight left/right/left/right combos, using your hips to throw the punches with your arms semi-rigid. Then slowly back out, extending the arm farther and farther, then back in, shortening up the punch. Move in and out slowly while maintaining a consistent hand speed. I like to do this in 2 min intervals with 30 second rest. 1st 2mins i focus on power, the next 2 mins speed. Then I repeat this drill using a hooking motion, followed by UC motion (palms facing you). That will give you 6 2min rounds (speed & power) and I promise your arms will feel like jello! I do this drill with 20oz gloves. The heavier gloves will improve your overall conditioning.
Dont's:
1. Buy a water filled bag and put it indoors, especially on the second story or in an apt building.
2. Stand in front of the bag, stationary and throw 20 punch combos.... Opponent's move, so should you. Work on coming in and out/circling around, throwing 2-6 punch combos...... repeat.
3. Push the bag with punches, making it swing all over the place. Snap the punch into the bag, bring it back to cover up. If you crowd the bag, shorten the punch instead of pushing the bag. Pushing the bag with your punches will lead you to over-extending or throwing punches that leave you off-balance in sparring.
4. Throw big power shots at the heavy bag with MMA gloves, unless you want a broken wrist! At least get the ones with the bar in the hand to help you from breaking your wrist.
5. See the heavy bag as an opponent, it's purpose is really to help develop speed and power, not to resemble an opponent. Working body combos to the bag, like it was an opponent will cause you to overcommit or throw off balance punches when sparring. Your opponent is rarely going to be as wide and rigid as the bag is.
6. Think the heavy bag is the only piece of training equiptment you should use while practicing at home. Shadowboxing, double end bags, slip bags, speed bags are all available fairly inexpensive. They are great to supplement with the heavy bag during workouts.
