Heavy Bag Workout Tips

[KnifeHand]

I just got a heavy bag for Christmas. I've worked out on it nearly everyday for half an hour, but I run out of things to do. I know there are endless possibilities, it's a matter of figuring those out and forming some sort of structure for my workouts. The bag is a Wavemaster, and I have room 360 degrees around it. I have a pair of weighted bag gloves and some ankle weights, too. Thanks for any help.

[cross]

There are a number of different ways you can go about bag training. A few things you can do include:

 

1. Try and improve your techniques mechanicals and power etc. by focusing on one or 2 techniques.

 

2. You can work on your cardio by hitting the bag hard and fast until you cant hit it will good technique anymore.

 

3. You can work on footwork by moving round the bag alot throwing a few techniques.

 

4. You can adapt and practice striking techniques from your forms/katas.

 

5. You can practice your weapons striking on the bag lightly.

 

The list is almost endless, but these few things should keep you busy for a long while if your creative.

[SloMo]

Something we do in class on the Wavemasters is "1 minute of anything goes!"

 

For 1 minute, do not stop attacking the bag. Hit it from all sides, use kicks, elbows, knees, head, anything! But do not stop for a full minute. You'll be amazed how tired it will get you!

 

It's also a good way of releasing some tension and getting some excess energy out.

[battousai16]

^that's what i do^. warm up of basic techniques, and then the above in interval training. i suppose i should probably deviate a bit, but y'know... if it aint broke...

[KnifeHand]

Thanks everyone. I never really thought of kata application, but now I'm excited to try it. The free for all thing sounds good, too. I guess I just need to get more imaginative.

[cross]

I never really thought of kata application, but now I'm excited to try it.

 

Its good to practice your striking applications from your fighting stance on the bag so the techniques will translate almost directly to sparring and self defence.

[G95champ]

We use them for power development. Bottom line kicking and punching air don't get the job done. You need to know what its like to hit something.

 

When I train with a bag we do roundhouse kicks, side thrust kicks, and spinning thrust kicks. Other kicks are hard to hit a bag with and or could hurt your knee.

 

As far as hands I usually focus on things like backfists, hammerfist, knifehands, palm, and elbows. Again hitting a bag without wraps and gloves could hurt your wrist.

 

When we do it in class we will do like 30 seconds all hands, 30 seconds all feet, 30 seconds both.

 

Another drill is ti put you back to the bag and walk backwards into it and then let it swing. Allow yourslef to dodge it a few times then counter. Works shifting and body movement.

 

Good lucks bags are a lot of fun just keep it differant because it is eaisy to burn out on.

[battousai16]

the champ makes a good point: remember to always kick the bag with the joint, as adversed to against it. no sense injuring that knee. so, um, yeah, hook kicks and the like... i wouldn't use those.

[fangshi]

Heavy bags are great for activity specific strength training . It will build stronger technique in delivering strikes . I have also used it in cross training . As I have added it to weight training. When doing sets of leg strengthening exercises finish each set with a flurry of kicks that enficize (sp?) that muscle group. ie leg extenions - front thrust kick. I find that it works well. Almost like a super set type exercise.