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 By: David Robson With the advent of sophisticated training devices, and methods to achieve amazing results in minimal time, the fitness industry is increasingly veering away from many tried and tested ways to improve health and fitness. One piece of equipment that has become almost legendary in its shaping of champions, and the results in physical fitness it has achieved for many an average person, is the heavy bag. The heavy bag is a stuffed bag made of leather or vinyl, which weighs between 40 and 100 pounds, and is used primarily among boxers for building punching power and improving boxing technique. Hitting the heavy bag is physically demanding and a true test of strength and stamina. For a relatively simple piece of equipment, it delivers many amazing benefits. Whether it be a full-body workout, sharpened self defense skills, or a defined, muscular body, the heavy bag is a valuable addition to any home, or commercial gym setting. How does one use the heavy bag and what are its benefits? Why might the heavy bag be a useful addition to your training plan? Read on to find out.
1. Improve Aerobic Fitness.
Throwing punches with bad intentions will add an anaerobic (higher intensity) dimension while adding to the aerobic workload. Most bag sessions last for a minimum of two-minutes. Professionals typically sustain their high intensity punching and moving for three-minutes. Occasionally, I will box the heavy bag for a five minute round. This saves time due to the need for fewer rest periods, and provides a greater workout overall. However, the ability to do this must be developed over time, so there should be no rushing into this type of training. To realize any aerobic benefit, it is important to build up to at least two minutes, and increase this to three, as aerobic capacity increases. 2. Improve Power.
Main muscles worked on the heavy bag include the shoulders, arms, back, chest and waist. Legs are also used in the process of punching the bag, to generate power through the upper body. Straight punches, such as the right cross and jab, will help to develop power through the shoulders and chest, while uppercuts and hooks will utilize the back and arms to a greater extent.
3. Improve Coordination, & Core Stability.
Coordination has obvious implications for how one moves, and performs, on a daily basis. Boxers, with a large degree of experience on the heavy bag, tend to exhibit excellent posture and move with a certain grace. 4. Improve Boxing Technique.
Elbows in and hands up, while continually moving, is the basic approach to hitting the heavy bag. Of course, the punches will be all the more sharper and powerful if one is relaxed, and in the correct stance.
5. Develop Self Defense Skills.
In other words, use lateral movement, and bobbing and weaving, to set up a punch, or series of punches, on the premise that the bag is a living breathing opponent throwing its own combination of punches. Try swinging the bag to make it a moving target. This will make it harder to hit, and improve the workouts real-life application. Hitting the heavy bag will also build confidence translatable to a real life situation. Building power and developing ones technique on the heavy bag, will better prepare one to respond when it is needed (in the boxing ring or on the street). 6. Improve Body Shape.
Adding detail in the form of greater cuts and a certain hardness, and stripping body-fat to reveal the underlying muscles, will enhance anyone's physique. For the amount of work many boxers do - particularly in the pro ranks - many of these athletes do seem to hold an impressive degree of muscle size. For those wanting to improve general health, while preserving their muscle gains, I would suggest following program one at the end of this article. 7. Decrease Stress.
This striking out aspect is thought to allow a channeling of the aggressive tendencies, that we all have, into something of benefit to mind and body. Due to our increasingly hectic lifestyles, we are continually faced with an inherent urge to act in a physical manner, on various stressors. Unfortunately, the position we are in often precludes us from physically confronting, or running from, a particular stressor. Hitting the heavy bag, like any intense activity, allows one to act in a very physical manner, to vent the build up of toxins that form as a result of the inherent stressfulness of their lives. This aside, hitting the heavy bag also provides great aerobic/anaerobic benefits, which have conclusively been proven to help lower stress levels.
8. A Low Cost Activity, Requiring Minimal Equipment.
A good set of shoes and a flat surface, with enough surrounding room to move at least three-feet in either direction of the bag, are to be considered also. With its many benefits, hitting the heavy bag is an ideal addition to ones regular exercise program.
1. Prepare Properly.
Wraps:
These are specifically designed to provide support for entire hand and wrist area. Training without wraps could, over time, lead to hand and wrist damage, so wearing them is the first crucial step to longevity in the sport. Hand-wrapping to absorb impact, will also help to lessen the likelihood of osteoarthritis in later years.
Gloves:
The heavier gloves typically are used by stronger, more experienced, athletes, to prepare them for battle, when they will be wearing lighter gloves (heavier gloves will help to develop hand speed).
Shadow Boxing:
2. Begin Light.
This will also serve to form the correct groove, and help to ensure this sharpness remains throughout the session. It is actually better to go light, with perfect form, than to use incorrect technique and become injured. 3. Always Emphasize Correct Technique.
Wading into a heavy bag without consideration for technique will not only increase the likelihood of injury, but result in stifled progress. It is worth remembering that power and speed will come as a result of correct technique, rather than the other way around. 4. Throw All Punches From Fighting Stance.
On the heavy bag, this same rule applies. Telegraphing will encourage sloppy form and unnecessarily result in lessened energy reserves - two things any boxer, whether training for a fight or simply using the bag to get in shape, should avoid at all costs. Extrapolating a heavy bag session to a real life situation involves keeping all fundamental precepts the same. Never sacrifice technique on the heavy bag.
   Click To Enlarge.Proper Stance.
5. Use A Near Full Extension When Hitting The Heavy Bag.
Standing at the right distance will allow for a near full extension as each punch hits the bag. A clean, crisp, sound should result from a near full extension punch. Try to punch through the bag, like it is an opponent. 6. Breathe Correctly.
Thoracic pressure is created when nerves and muscles in the thoracic region - between the first rib and collarbone - become compressed, resulting, in some cases, an eye hemorrhage, high blood pressure and severe headaches. To further underscore the importance of correct breathing for boxing purposes, exhaling with each punch will also add increase power output. 7. Ensure Diet & Rest Needs Are Met.
Again, following training, a protein shake and 150 grams of carbohydrates might be taken. This will help with the recovery process, and ensure regular gains are made. Good sleep - 7-9 hours a night - is also important to facilitate a beneficial training response.
1. Drilling The Techniques.
Drilling techniques can be made very hard, or kept at a lesser intensity, depending on ones fitness level. They provide and excellent opportunity to go all out, and really push heavy bag work to the limit, without risking technical sacrifice. 2. Timed Rounds.
Circle the bag picking punches at regular - closely spaced - intervals, rather than going all out and tiring in the first minute or so. The key here is to keep the intensity high, without pre-maturely exhausting oneself. As one becomes more proficient, the intensity can be increased to where an all out effort can be given. 3. Circuit Training With Weights.
The possibilities are only limited by ones imagination, with a near infinite number of combinations. For example, I would suggest going from one-minute of left-right combinations, directly to front raises with dumbbells, or bent side laterals. The key here is to keep the weights sufficiently light.
Straight (Cross) Right, Or Left:
 Click To Enlarge. Straight Right.
Overhand Right, Or Left:
Right, Or Left, Jab:
 Click To Enlarge. Left Jab.
Left & Right Hook.
 Click To Enlarge. Left Hook.
Left & Right Uppercut:
  Click To Enlarge. Left & Right Uppercut.
Due to the intensity of the following training program, and the additional training required to address muscle size and general health, two days a week is sufficient. This session should take around 50 minutes to complete.
Warm-Up:
Part Two: Combinations.
Complete three sets of each of the following combinations.
Part Three: Five Rounds Of Boxing.
Each round should be two-minutes, with one and a half minutes rest between rounds. Cool Down:
 Program Two
This program is more intense, therefore a very good level of fitness is required before attempting it. Program can be done on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's, so as to accomplish an extreme level of fitness. This session should take about one and a half hours to complete. Warm-Up:
Part One: Drilling The Basic Punches.
Part Two: Combinations.
Part Three: 10 Rounds Of Boxing.
Cool down:
 Conclusion
Heavy bag training is a special, yet traditional, way in which to build supreme cardiovascular stamina and muscle strength. It will also help to develop valuable self-defense skills, and decrease stress. The programs outlined in this article are extremely beneficial whether ones goal is to become a great boxing champion, or simply more fitter and stronger in general. The heavy bag is one piece of equipment that is easy to use and as effective, if not more so, than much of the latest hi-tech machinery. Use it today. Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
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When buying gloves, it is best to stick with a reputable, more expensive brand, as this will help to ensure a better quality of workout and a longer lasting pair of gloves.
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