People think there’s nothing to heavy bag workout. You can just stand in front of a heavy bag and just keep on punching. But that’s not efficient at all, you won’t be going anywhere by doing that. It’s a pure waste of time and energy.
Routined and well planned heavy bag workout will get you power, stamina, speed, accuracy, enhanced footwork and a lot of advantages. And if you’re into any sort of martial arts especially boxing and MMA you can’t go a day without heavy bag workout.
So, here are some tips and tricks, techniques and routine to give you the perfect routine for heavy bag workout.
Benefits of Heavy Bag Workout
Many folks aren’t much of a believer in the impact and all the goods heavy bag workout can bring. So, here’s all the reasons that’ll make you inclined towards heavy bag workout.
Enhances Cardio-Respiratory System
Effect of heavy bag workout depends a lot on how much time you’re giving it. You’ll be starting slowly to get yourself warmed up and be moving all around the bag while you’re at it. This’ll take a lot of energy from your body.
Even if you’re going at it for 90 secs straight, you’ll be in dire need for aerobic energy. That’ll push your cardiorespiratory system to the limit. This way you’ll exercise your body to supply more and more energy every time.
Getting in Shape
Heavy bag workout is a very effective cardio, you’ll be losing a lot of calories and a lot of fat. If you’re doing it properly not only will you be learning some self-defense skill and an improved upper body strength but also you’ll get in shape quite faster.
Balance
Another thing that heavy bag workout will get you is extreme balance in the midst of constant weight shifting. You can’t get this by just punching the bag. What you have to do is, you’ll have to throw combos and circle around the bag.
I am emphasizing on the combos because if you change your punches one after the another it’ll require shifting your body weight from one leg to another, from legs to toes. And this’ll get you to keep your posture and stance perfect during a fight and everything. You can’t become like Spiderman but you’ll do great.
Power
Do I even need to tell you how much stronger you’ll get by heavy bag workout day in and day out? You’ll be punching at it straight for all the time you’re at it.
But let’s give you a proper explanation of how and why it’ll make you stronger. When you’re punching you’re constantly exerting stress on your muscle. It’ll take a toll on shoulders, waist, chest, back and obviously the arms. Yeah, it’ll damage those muscle but that’s the point. It’ll heal and become stronger and beefier than ever before.
When you’re doing your hooks and uppercuts, you’ll be exerting a pressure and stress on your arms and back. And while doing straight punches you’ll even take a toll on your chest and shoulder muscle. So, if you’re changing between types of punches you’ll be doing a full body workout by heavy bag workout.
Stamina
A heavy bag workout is a form of hardcore exercise. It’s supposed to be done for a long time not five minutes a day. So, while you’re at it your heart and lungs are pressured to give a huge and heavy supply of oxygen in order to give your much-needed energy. When you’re doing this every day, you’re body will get used to and good at supplying you energy at a higher rate than yesterday.
This way you’ll be taking your stamina and endurance through the roof.
Upper Body Strength
Upper body strength symbolizes masculinity. And since you’re punching at a solid bag straight for minutes and hours you’ll definitely push your muscles to get stronger and stronger than ever before. Your chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders will beef up to give a solid punch and even start absorbing punches without budging.
Cheap
Heavy bag workout is one of the most cost-effective forms of full body exercise. You wanna get into a gym, it’s MONEY. Hire a personal trainer, MONEY. Make a home gym, even more MONEY.
But you can get a whole set of everything that you’ll need in around 250 bucks. Now that’s cheap.
Things to Have to Begin With
Well, before you want to start working out with your heavy bag you need to have a couple things to get you started.
Bag Gloves
You’re basically using only your hands during heavy bag workouts. So, you’ll have to take measures to keep it safe. Even though a lot of newer heavy punching bags have a smooth surface that’s advertised to not make bruises on your hands but they’re not all that good either.
You WILL end up with painful bruises on your hand if you start punching heavy punching bags bare knuckles. So, like everyone, pros and noobs you’ll have to be wearing a pair of bag gloves if you want to be on the safe side.
A bag glove in the range of 12 oz to 16 oz is enough to get the job done. You know the bag gloves and the boxing gloves have some differences.
Hand Wraps
Heavy bag workout puts a lot more toll on your body than it does on your body. If you workout seriously with heavy bags you might even end up with bruises on your hands. And that’s why to give your hands an extra layer of protection, hand wraps are to be used. It’s cause sometimes just boxing gloves aren’t enough.
If you get a hand wrap that’s about 180 inches or so, it’ll get the job done perfectly.
Watch
Yeah, a watch. You’ll feel its need once you get started. Since you’ll have to keep a track of how long you are spending on one round. Otherwise, your workout will be less efficient.
Pair of Training Shoes
Very important part of heavy bag workout is moving around the heavy punching bag. And since it’ll be intense or otherwise the whole of that fatigue will be a futile waste of time.
So, you’ll have to invest in a good pair of training shoes to take the toll and prevent those bruises.
Heavy Punching Bag
It’s quite funny that I am mentioning it but you gotta have a heavy punching bag before you want to start working out with it.
Workout Tips & Well Planned Routine
Here I’ll give you a thoroughly thought out heavy bag workout regime. It’s not just me saying it. A lot of coaches are using it and I’ll be explaining the logic for every step of the way.
So, let’s get started.
Warm Up
Like every workout, you’ll have to warm yourself up, relax your muscles to avoid any unwanted accidents. Here’s how you’re gonna do it using a heavy punching bag.
Start with slow jabs then slowly get faster. And once you’re doing jabs and starting to feel like you’re relaxed, move to straight punches. While you’re at it move at different angles all around the bag to get yourself warmed up.
Keep continuing this round a couple of times with half a minute of break and then you’ll be moving on to the next round.
Practicing Jabs
Jabs are very basic of boxing, you’ll be in need to use it all throughout your boxing match are a career. Since it helps to check out the opponent’s reaction and go to a defensive position under attack. Besides, it helps a lot in bouts.
So, keep on doing your jabs but make sure that it’s done perfectly every single time. That’s the goal, perfection. But while you’re at it practice your southpaw stance. Pros and coaches are recommended to do that because of the stats. Nowadays players with southpaw stance are having more scores than those with an orthodox stance.
Going All Out: Intensity
You’ve been doing jabs ever since the warm up. Now, you go freestyle for a while. Practice any sort of punches you want to, cross hook, straight punch, superman punches anything you want to.
But while you’re at it keep in mind the primary focus of this round is “INTENSITY”. In order to become a pro in boxing, you need to be able to be going all out with all the strength when you find an opening in the defense of the opponent.
Feint
It is what the title says, feint. This round is all about learning to make your opponent believe you’re gonna do something and then do something else. So, technically you’ll be practicing, switching positions real fast.
So, stand in front of the heavy bag, do some moving, feel normal. Get into position to throw a specific punch and then switch to something else entirely. You can even almost throw a specific punch then retract and throw back another punch.
There’re a lot of suggestions out there, many coaches tell you to do this and then do that, that might be good, that might even work but not the best way to learn and get good at it real fast. Once you start practicing and keep on practicing different permutations, you’ll figure out what to do when to do. And that’s the best way.
This is an age-old trick in the book and is still very popular and I can’t just stress it’s importance. A lot of fights, K.O.s are achieved this way. Everybody uses it, has become a part of the boxing trend and tactics, so there’s nothing dirty or hypocritic about it.
Going All Out: Speed & Accuracy
You’re back to freestyle, again. But this time around it’s about speed and accuracy. Keep on throwing punches, anything that comes to mind.
The thing that’s gonna stay constant throughout this round is the location. Set a target location you can change it once in a while. It’s suggested to do that because it won’t matter if you’re throwing at random places. But once you choose a target you can use that efficient speed and accuracy in a real match.
Power
By now you’re almost out of juice. But moments like these are the deciding factor for a boxing match. You need to be able to give that knockout punch even at the very last moment.
So, punch as hard as you can and as much as you can. But don’t blank out.
Stamina Build Up
If you’re still standing, that’s absolutely great. Now’s the time to enhance your stamina.
So, whatever you like punching, kicking but keep your body moving. Don’t move the stop. This way you’ll build a lot of stamina, which is a must-have for any sort of sport let alone boxing.
Conclusion
Not all but a lot of people are lost in heavy bag work out they just keep doing this and then that, without giving it all much thought.
But once it’s all planned to give fully of your body a great workout and that you go through everything starting from something as simple as jabs to feint. It’ll be the perfect heavy bag workout to boost you in every possible way.
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