Heavy bag questions, all replies appreciated!

[el_guitarrista]

After some careful negotiating, my landlady has agreed to let me use her garage to stick a heavy bag in (score one for keeping a tidy flat on inspection day...!) But I have a few questions.

 

Firstly, any recomended bag makes\brands available in the UK would be gratefully recieved, also any ideas of what to look for in a good bag.

 

Secondly, what are the limitations of bag work? What won't it train, and what should I work on to compliment my bag time?

 

Finally (thanks for bearing with me...), what are the advantages, what drills will improve my stamina for karate sparring. (A little more specific than 'hit it lots for long periods of time') How long should I work out for? Should I work out every day? Every other day? In 3 minute (round) lengths, or longer. Maybe for a continuous half hour at low intensity?

 

Thanks

[NineTailedFox]

I'm no heavy bag expert, but I just bought an Everlast 70 pound bag. It is really nice. After just a few days my strength in my punches increased dramatically. Now I can punch the bag all around, while before it wasn't too easy to move. I do feet work while punching and working round and creasent kicks. Side kicks don't work too well, unless you hit the higher end of the bag. I found that for point sparring, it really just increases your stamina, because power is not the forte of point sparing. For street fighting and application use, the heavy bag is great. I am already thinking about upgrading to a 100 pound or 150 pound bag. Using the bag also increases the speed of your punches. Mainly, the hanging bag doesn't work as well for kicks, as the floor mounted bags. A bag that sits on the ground has a similar center of gravity that a person does, however, a hanging bag had an opposite center which is found in the ceiling. Still very useful though.

 

Work: straight punch, back fist, hook, uppercut, inside and outside chop, along with an assortment of kicks that you feel confortable with... elbow strikes too... be aware of the positioning of your shoulders as well.

[Rock-fght]

I have had a heavy bag and have trained vigorosly with it for more than 4 years now.

 

NineTailedFox, if your going to upgrade to a 100 lbs bag make sure your hands and feet are up to it. and also I do side kicks on my heavy bag, which is around 140lbs and half filled with sand, and I dont have a problem. It seems you just need more practice. I know, from experience, that the side kick is hard to get the dinamics and technique right, but once you get the hang of it youll see that its not the heavy bag its YOU.

 

also DO NOT GET a 150lbs bag that few extra pounds are Allot and youll definitly notice. youll also probobly hurt yourself and be frustrated because the bag seems like its winning because it dosent even give or wobble when you hit it thus your doing your power harm because you wont be able to "Dirll through" your target thus leaving out resistance part of the workout getting a stinky workout.

 

id say, work up to it like I did. (I stared with 100lbs bag)