The complete guide
How to choose, hang and train on a heavy bag
What a heavy bag is for
A heavy bag, also called a punching bag or boxing bag, is a hanging cylinder you strike to build punching, kicking and general striking technique. "Punching bag" and "heavy bag" usually mean the same thing.
It is the piece of kit a boxer or martial artist can train on alone. Where pads teach timing with a partner, a bag lets you repeat a combination fifty times, work on distance, and build power and conditioning at your own pace.
Choosing a bag
Think about what you train, where the bag will hang and who will use it.
Length. This bag is 4ft, which is 120cm. That covers body shots and head-height punches for most adults and still fits under a normal ceiling. It takes low and mid kicks well; for a lot of high kicks, a longer bag is the better choice.
Filling. This one arrives pre-filled. Filling a bag yourself is harder than it sounds, and a badly filled bag ends up hard at the bottom and loose at the top.
Cover. A synthetic PU leather outer takes repeated punches and wipes clean. Inside, a shock-absorbing high-density layer and a compound layer cushion the knuckles on contact.
Weight. The right weight depends on your size, your level and how hard you hit. Heavier bags move less under power punches; lighter bags swing more and suit speed work. It is filled with about 5kg (11 lbs) of elastic sponge, so it moves more than a heavy sand or fabric-filled bag.
Hanging it at home or in a club
The fixing matters as much as the bag. A filled bag is heavy standing still, and a punch or kick pulls on the fixing far harder than that, over and over, from different angles.
Use something structural
Hang it from a ceiling joist, a structural beam, a garage rafter that can take the load, or a wall bracket bolted into masonry. Plasterboard, suspended ceilings and decorative beams will not hold a heavy bag.
Use hardware rated for a swinging load
The bag hangs on a steel chain that resists corrosion. The hook, bracket and bolts you fix it to need to be rated for a moving load, not just the bag's standing weight. If you are unsure, ask a builder to check the fixing point.
Check the space
A bag swings. Allow room to circle it with a clear metre or so all round, more if you kick, and keep it clear of doors, windows and walls.
Think about noise and the floor
Every strike travels into the structure you hang it from. A mat under the bag cuts noise and gives you a better surface to move on.
Training on it properly
Wrap and glove up every time. The cover and inner layers cushion contact, but they do not replace hand wraps and gloves. Bare knuckles on a heavy bag is how hands and wrists get hurt.
Find your distance. Stand where your straight punch lands with a slight bend left in the arm. Most beginners stand too close and end up pushing the bag instead of hitting it.
Snap the shot back. A bag that swings wildly is usually being pushed. Hit through the target, return the hand, and the bag moves less while you learn more.
Move between combinations. The bag comes back to you. Use that: hit, step off at an angle, and hit again from a new position.
Build up gradually. New users should start with lighter work and build intensity over a few weeks. Wrists and shoulders need time to adapt to heavy bag work.
A heavy bag also makes a hard cardio session. Short rounds with a set rest period between them build endurance as well as technique.
Using it with juniors
A heavy bag suits supervised junior sessions with gloves on and light contact. An adult should check the fixing and keep younger children clear of a swinging bag.
Keeping it in good order
Wipe it down. Sweat left on the cover works into the stitching. A damp cloth after each session is enough.
Rotate it. Turn the bag a quarter turn every few weeks so one side does not take every shot.
Check the chain and fixings. Look over the chain, links and bracket bolts once a month. They can work loose slowly on any bag.
Keep it out of the weather. Under cover is fine. Long periods in direct sun or damp air shorten the life of any synthetic cover.
Buying for a club or school
Kitting out a gym, club or school? Ask for a quote on several bags through our /wholesale/ page.