Punching bag training is one of the most effective ways to burn fat, build muscles, and of course improve your fitness.
There are gyms all over the Netherlands where you can follow specific punching bag training. The training on the punching bag is suitable for everyone who wants to enjoy exercising: young and old, men and women.
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Requirements for punching bag training at home
If you want to start punching bag training at home, the first step is of course to buy a punching bag. Punching bags are available in different lengths. So carefully consider which length punching bag is most suitable for your home situation.
A punching bag can be hung from the ceiling or mounted on the wall with a bracket. Keep in mind that punching bags are quite heavy and that you need to install everything securely.
Also make sure the punching bag hangs at the right height so you can properly perform all aspects of punching bag training (high and low punches and high and low kicks) and possibly sit-ups using the punching bag.
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Boxing gloves and handwraps
For punching bag training, you naturally need boxing or bag gloves. Suitable for this are the standard Boxing gloves (especially if you want to train with heavier gloves), specific bag gloves, or MMA gloves used for punching bag training. You also use handwraps (also called wraps or bandages) under your boxing gloves.
Regarding sizing of the chosen boxing gloves, there is a simple guideline. The size is determined by the weight of the boxing gloves. This is expressed in ounces (oz). One ounce is 28.35 grams.
For children, there are 6 oz or 8 oz kids boxing gloves. 10 oz boxing gloves are suitable for older youth and teenagers, and 12 oz for light men or women.
Adult men usually wear 14 oz or 16 oz boxing gloves. By the way, professional level matches are also fought with only 10 oz boxing gloves.
Helpful tips for a fun training on the punching bag
- Do punching bag training with two people. While one person is punching and kicking, the other can hold the bag. You will also notice that you train much more effectively if you alternate exercises with another person and take your rest moments in between. You can also motivate each other and point out possible adjustments in technique.
- Make sure to have energizing music. This will help you push through when you might otherwise have given up.
- Just like with any sport, warming up is very important in punching bag training. Start, for example, with shadowboxing. Think of jabs, forward punches, and high punches to the rhythm of the music. This can be followed by alternating left and right forward kicks while staying on the ball of your other foot, moving/jumping. Then you can do knee raises, lifting your knees high. Follow this with a series of sit-ups. Don’t forget to finish by stretching and loosening all your muscles.
- After the (extensive) warm-up, you are fully ready to start punching bag training.
The following elements could be included in the punching bag training.
- Basics: left jab, followed by right jab
- High hook left/right
- Low hook left/right (liver punch)
- Jab left/right
- Low kick left/right
- Middle kick left/right
- High kick left/right
Do exercises of about 2 minutes (followed by one minute rest) combining various of the above elements. You can gradually build this up to longer rounds and possibly shorter rest.
Tips for punching
- When punching, keep your other hand high (near your chin).
- For a low hook, bend your knees, do not bend your back.
- For a hook, stand closer to the bag than for a jab.
Tips for kicking
- Turn the foot you are not kicking with outward; your kicking leg will then almost automatically follow.
- Hit the bag with your shin and for higher kicks with your instep, but not with your toes! You can optionally use shin guards.
To vary the punching bag training, you can for example do sit-ups in between where you clamp the punching bag between your knees and give a left and right hook to the punching bag when coming up.
After punching bag training, a good cool down is very important. Shake out all your muscles well and stretch your arm, leg, and abdominal muscles.
With 2 to 3 times a week of intensive punching bag training, you will quickly notice your fitness improves, you burn fat, and you develop more muscle mass.
What else do I need?
You can best train in comfortable fitting boxing trunks or kickboxing shorts. You can also vary the training with jump rope. Of course, we also have jump ropes in our store.
We also offer care products such as cooling gel (against injuries) in our webshop.
