Touching the bag.

[Chthon]

I notice that frequently when people are hitting on the heavy bag, between shots and combinations they tend to touch the bag. Not without purpose; it seems mainly to stop the bag from swinging around.

I suppose early on that's troublesome, and it's good to have a partner sometimes to minimize the swing. But eventually I really think people should stop that stuff. When you're in the ring with an opponent, they certainly will be moving; it helps to get used to that. If your footwork is good, then you should have no trouble adjusting yourself to the bag.

The nice thing about a bag moving as opposed to a person also is that you can predict where the bag will go because it is tethered. This is just a small thing that always got me, i'll see a guy throw a nice combination, reset, and then hold the bag so it stops moving.

 

[jiujitsujayhawk]

Admittedly, part of it is to stop the bag. But there are speed jabs and power jabs. You just want to keep that hand out there. So stopping the bag isn't necessarily a bad habit. For me, it's basically a less powerful speed punch to remind the guy my jab will always be there.

 

[Brando]

You can get alot out of the heavy bag, but yeah, alot of fighters will plant their feet and throw a combination before stopping the bag, reseting and firing again. This approach doesn't do much for footwork, and footwork is such a huge part of any striking art that it really shouldn't be neglected. You can practice circling, jabbing your way in/out, firing combination with lateral movement, etc.

I think that unless you're doing punch-out drills, working on clinching the bag or just learning a strike, you should always be moving as it moves to simulate an opponent as much as possible.

If for some reason you need the bag to be somewhat stationary, you can partener up with someone and hit the bag together from opposite sides. There will still be a bit of movement (which I don't see being a bad thing!), but the swaying won't be AS significant.

 

[Gregster]

I agree with you mostly, CHthon. I think it depends on what you're working on.

Sometimes, stopping the bag (or having a partner hold it) is good is you're working on power and stamina and want to wail away for a prolonged period.

Otherwise, it's better to let it swing. I'm a disciple of the "train how you fight" school, and since a real opponent will move, and move in unpredictable ways, your heavybag should too. Hell, my instructor would have us do bag drills where if the bag wasn't swinging, he'd push it and make it swing, especially if we were working on kicks like back kicks and lead-leg sidekicks where gauging distance and movement were essential to delivering it with maximum effect.

Right now the only bag I have access to is a Century Wave Bag which will move around and/or even bob and weave when hit hard. Some people gripe about this, I welcome it. I'd rather it was in motion when I hit it, since it more realistically simulates hitting an opponent. The ability to adjust spontaneously to the dynamic environment of fighting is absolutely critical to being a better fighter.

 

[SmashiusClay]

When you're in the ring with an opponent, they certainly will be moving

I have yet to see any fighter swing backwards and forwards in a fight as if suspended by his head. Find me an opponent who obey ssimple harmonic motion and I'll be very happy to train on a swinging bag all the time. The reason I like to sometimes stop the swing of my bag when training is that If I'm working on the timing of a combination having a bag mving into me will throw me off and make it much harder to really get a feel for the rhythym of the combo. a swinging bag helps to get your distancing and footwork sorted when throwing single hits or short combos but when your trying to link up punches and kicks I find it infuriating.

It's also worth mentioning that if you want to work on striking a movinmg target while moving and repositioning yourself you'd be much better served to work with a partner on the pads than use a bag.

 

[Hamit Aktas]

Well depends on WHY you are hitting the bag in the first place. Stamina, or just training your right cross, or throwing just jabs. There is a reason why people sometimes let the bag swing, and other times have someone hold the bag.

 

[Chthon]

I have yet to see any fighter swing backwards and forwards in a fight as if suspended by his head. Find me an opponent who obey ssimple harmonic motion and I'll be very happy to train on a swinging bag all the time. The reason I like to sometimes stop the swing of my bag when training is that If I'm working on the timing of a combination having a bag mving into me will throw me off and make it much harder to really get a feel for the rhythym of the combo. a swinging bag helps to get your distancing and footwork sorted when throwing single hits or short combos but when your trying to link up punches and kicks I find it infuriating.

It's also worth mentioning that if you want to work on striking a movinmg target while moving and repositioning yourself you'd be much better served to work with a partner on the pads than use a bag.

I know you can predict where it moves, that's why I don't understand why someone would have a hard time with a bag. As many have said, sometimes you just want to work on stamina or are starting out a combo. Other than that, I don't see much of a reason to stop the swing. A moving target you can predict is also a good stepping stone for moving on to a real opponent, which you can't predict.

 

[SmashiusClay]

I know you can predict where it moves, that's why I don't understand why someone would have a hard time with a bag. As many have said, sometimes you just want to work on stamina or are starting out a combo. Other than that, I don't see much of a reason to stop the swing. A moving target you can predict is also a good stepping stone for moving on to a real opponent, which you can't predict.

Good, so you seem to agree with me then. Its just your original post said:

This is just a small thing that always got me, i'll see a guy throw a nice combination, reset, and then hold the bag so it stops moving.

Which is why I pointed out that a swinging bag is very unhelpful when trying to throw a long combo and work on your timing and rhythym. I agree, and already said, that using a swinging bag will help develop some footwork but I feel that its wrong to complain about people stopping the bag from swinging when it can really mess up your timing if you're training a specific part of your skills.

 

[Moonsprochet]

Where i train if were workin a new combo they teach us to circle right sometimes left dependin if were fightin a southy after we finish the combo and if the swing is that bad we throw stiff jab to stop swing circle combo etc but if were trainin power punchin we get somone to hold bag if their available or we just throw power shot then stiff jab to stop again.

 

[Chthon]

I agree, and already said, that using a swinging bag will help develop some footwork but I feel that its wrong to complain about people stopping the bag from swinging when it can really mess up your timing if you're training a specific part of your skills.

I can see what you're saying if you're new to something, but all the time? I just don't understand how someone who has trained for a year or more would still need a still target to get their timing right.