I'm considering getting a bag to do some stuff at home, but I don't know the difference between a thai bag and a traditional heavy bag. I'm not a boxer, don't do full contact fighting, I just want something I can improve cardio on, maybe get the Bas CD's to train on, introduce my girlfriend to some stuff for fitness. So this isn't for serious training, I just wanted to understand the basic differences so I can know which one to get. Thanks in advance.
Thai bag is generally 6' long and 15" wide, weighing 100lbs standard filled. That is the minimum weight worth buying. Traditional heavy bag is about 4' long and twice as wide, with a good long-term bag filled at around 100-130lbs. For pure boxing, the heavy bag is great, and a Thai bag isn't awful. For throwing low kicks and working off the clinch the Thai bag is standard. For fitness and general training (provided you have a basic foundation of knowledge for striking) I would recommend a good quality Thai bag. KO fightgear makes a good canvas bag. Ringside/CSI sell a few good bags. Leather is generally a plus, but Powerhide and canvas are good. The cheaper bags are generally filled poorly to cut cost, and may suck. I would only look at bags starting at $100 and up to $300 for your purposes.
I knew the shape differences as I've seen both at stores like Dicks Sporting Goods. I don't know the functional differences though, like why you'd want one over the other. Yeah, that's the stuff I was looking for. I just want to do a little mix of stuff, kick, punch, whatever. I actually don't have a basic foundation for knowledge :redface: but based on what I want to do I think a Thai bag might be best. So I guess those bags at Dick's might not be worth the money? They can start around $100 or so, but I don't want to buy a junk bag. Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it. Other comments are definitely welcome.
Be careful with your money (investment). If you buy a low end Title bag from Dick's, and the filling material is improperly seated inside the bag, it can ruin your experience with striking. At the least, if you do buy a bag from Dick's, check to see that the filling material is evenly distributed and that there are no rock hard spots. Make sure the bag is not unusually bottom loaded, ie all the filling is at the bottom, and the lower 3 feet are rock hard while the top 3 are totally empty. In gear, you generally get what you pay for. For example, cheapskates buy Title or Top Contender gear when repeatedly proven IMF and Ultimate Classic gloves cost only $70. Just an example of a short-term cost saver that isn't worth the long term consequences. It really depends on your budget. A 130-lb canvas Thai bag costs under $200 before shipping from KO fightgear. Bags by Windy and Fairtex cost around $300, with similar product put out by CSI/Ringside at around $100-200. If you are in the $100 spending range, picking a bag up from Dick's could save you $30 in shipping, and what you see is what you get. If you shop smart in the store, you could have a serviceable bag for a decent period of time.
You can find used heavy bags on craigslist for as cheap as $50. I have been in Muay Thai for 15 years. I really don't like banana bags. They don't move right and you don't really see them in the Thai camps anyways...
