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| Ali putting in work! |
types of heavy bags, what they offer and swinging bag VS free standing so you know what to get.
Heavy bags are a irreplaceable tool in many martial arts and gyms for many reasons. The heavy bag offers benefits such as increasing strength, endurance, striking skills and bone density. The heavy bag comes in many forms and can be great for certain situations. The heavy bag offers a work out that no weights can compare to when it comes to practicing strikes.
Swinging bags:
The swinging bag comes in various types and is generally hooked up to a wooden or metal beam with chains and bolts. The swinging bag is generally the most widely used bag because the swinging offers the opportunity to dodge, counter and attack it while its moving.
Another added benefit of anchoring it to your ceiling is that you do not ruin the floors and you can easily put it up and take it down in any gym, tree branch, metal poles, rafters,wall anchors or bag stands. anything that is strong enough to wrap a chain around and hang it off. there are also many new types of anchors, a simple eye bolt might last for a while till metal fatigue strikes. i have gone trough 5 eye bolts and a large spring because the constant bobbing an dead weight induces metal fatigue. (i have a 120 pound bag sand bags)
Type A. boxing bags.
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| rocky marciano 100 and 200 pound bags |
This bag is mainly used for boxing and thus in some cases greatly influences the design of the bag. The classic boxing bag's first half is filled with sand bags the first half and then mostly filled with less compact softer materials. In boxing there is no "hitting under the belt" so the top half is mainly used. There is a zipper on the top so you can easily adjust the weight.
Some people might not like this type of sand bag filled technique because the bottom part of the bag ends up getting very hard. this means for people who do not know or if you accidental strike the lower half (technically striking bellow the belt in boxing) then you could get hurt if you aren't use to it.
On the flip side the benefit of having compact sand on the bottom of the bag is a blessing to some. Martial artists like Kyokushin karate or shaolin practitioners regularly strike sand bags,wood and other hard surfaces. The strikes create small breaks in the effected bones struck at a extremely small level. however your body does adapt and heals the small fractures creating denser stronger bonds in the struck bone. this concept works for muscles you must "rip" them so they can heal and improve. "no pain, no gain."
Of course you can still get softer bags and i strongly recommend getting both. the softer bag can be used to practice strikes at full power. another use is using them as dead weight toss it around, take a jog with one on your shoulders, use it for ground and pound, sit on it and strike the "hard spot" for bone density fists and elbows.
Type B. kick boxing bags.
Kick boxing bags designed different to cater to a different style of martial arts. since in boxing there is no reason to strike under the belt a kick boxing bag is generally longer and thinner. The reason for this is that in kick boxing and other martial arts you can kick/knee the legs, solar plexus, floating ribs and the head. For this reason the bag has to be longer to be able to strike all targets.
These bags are generally pretty awkward when it comes to using it as ground and pound. some may be too thin or soft but of course there are tons of new types of bags coming out and already out. generally you can use it for the same uses as a boxing bag besides the compact sand part is harder to find if at all.
Type C: Wrecking balls.
The wrecking ball is a unique punching bag with its own unique uses. one of the main reasons people like to have it in the gyms is because it offers all angles to strike. Unlike a boxing or kick boxing bag one of their downfalls is how its hard to practice upper cuts and shovel hooks on a bag that is a vertical cylinder.
I love this type of bag and i also seriously recommend it to any serious boxer or anyone wanting to get killer hooks/shovel hooks/ upper cuts in all directions. it can also be used for kicks in all directions even that ladies favorite move the groin strike with the shin.
Anchors:
there are many new inventions for anchors sold. they are hard to find localy but easy to find online, ive gone trough about 5 eye bolts just from metal fatigue. i was also forced to remove my 120 pound bag due to excessive vibrations on the ceiling using just an eye bolt. springs can also be used to reduce the dead weight tugging.
Free standing bags:
Free standing bags are a newer version of the punching bag and offer its own unique attributes for certain situations. The free bag is basically a bag on a stick supported at the base by weight. the stick or stem in the middle usually is adjustable. the containers surrounding the stem can be filled with water, sand or rocks.
The free standing bag is generally frowned upon because once filled its extremely hard to move huge containers filled with water, sand or rocks. the plastic containers rock back and forth scratching and scuffing any surface under them. I have my free stander tucked in a corner.... there is a perfect circle worn out of the floating floor i will replace someday.
further more many, people consider them "weak" that they break easily. although it may be true since ive had one for well over 6 years and breaking it ended up being a blessing in disguise. One day i was practicing my thai clinch holding the bag with with arms and kneeing it as hard as i can. I ended up snapping the stem so anytime i hit one side it flopped over... then i had a good idea.
How to break a free stand bag and make it better then new:
If you ever purchase a free standing bag pull out the stem and cut it right in half sine its going to happen someday anyway.
STEP 1. find an arm full of scrap 2x4's and cut them so they fit perfectly inside the stem. find some smaller pieces to totally stuff the stem so no wood moves inside.
STEP 2. take the other half of the stem and put it back on lining it up to its other half.
STEP 3. secure the the top by using box tape and wraping it around the cut. you may choose to add a few nails trough it but i did not.
now you have a virtually unbreakable stem via human strikes.
