The Heavy Bag…

Hey guys…

I recently picked up a heavy bag (punching bag) on Craigslist for pretty cheap and have been working with it for about 2 weeks (3 times per week). There’s been a definite improvement in my endurance and fluency with many of the punches and combinations. I would highly recommend everyone find a heavy bag to work with as it seems to push the training envelope.

Some tips/details from ROSSBOXING.COM on heavy bag training

Heavy bag drills also make you push through your lactate threshold. They temporarily wipe you out. You feel spent.
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In addition to stress relief, working the heavy bag activates all the major muscle groups in your body…It is a fantastic total body workout that builds functional speed, power, balance, timing and coordination.
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To get the most out of your heavy bag workout, you need a plan. For example, you may want to start out with one minute rounds (work intervals), interspersed with 30 to 60 second rest/recovery periods.
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You may also want to start with basic punching combinations. As your anaerobic stamina increases and your skill improves, you can gradually increase the length of your rounds to 3 minutes and incorporate more complex punching combinations.
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During the round, or work interval, you should strive to punch continuously. Controlled continuous punching is the key to optimizing the benefits of your workout.
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Some Excellent Heavy Bag Drills (for the Arms)…

• Speed Drill - Throw your punches as fast as possible. A minimum of 4 punches per combination. Develops speed and anaerobic endurance.
• Outside Drill – Throw your jab and straight power punch combination. Circle and jab. Throw your combination and move. Circle in both directions. Develops footwork and staying power.
• Inside Drill – Get in close with hooks and uppercuts. Slip, bob and weave. Develops inside power and stamina.
• Change Directions – If you usually circle left, circle right. Throw jabs while mixing in combinations as you move. Develops coordination, endurance and change-up ability.
• Jab – Do an entire round with only the jab. Snap out single, double and triple jabs. Mix in feints. Move in both directions. Develops quickness, stamina and coordination.

I find the best thing to do is do 1-3 minute round of a certain drill (ex. Speed Drill), followed by a rest interval followed by another round of a different drill. Keep moving during the rest period to keep your heart rate up. Work your way through the drills and keep switching the order of the drills to develop skills continuously. Also remember to keep moving your feet, shuffling and paying close attention to technique and speed. Power will follow. And don’t neglect your other weapons. Simply modify the above drills to include the swing kick, the push kick, the knees, the elbows, the forearms, the shins and the blocks.

Remember to wrap your hands properly and use padded/bag/boxing gloves. Working at such an intense activity without equipment may hurt your wrists and fingers. If you need some boxing drills, comment and the Exec. would be pleased to oblige.

Respect,
The Admin

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