What punching bag weight?

[GrooveChampion]

What punching bag weight would be best? I heard that too heavy a bag will give muscle mass and slow you down. I need punching and kicking power. There is a #70 canvas bag at Gart Sports for like, $65. It has real thick canvas and heavy stitching. I can't recall brand. I need something to just go all out on for like 5 minutes non stop without worry of breaking or anything.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Personally, I recommend as heavy a bag as you can get and afford. If you're looking at a canvas bag, I strongly recommend getting some good leather bag gloves, as that canvas will tear up your skin on your knuckles pretty good. I don't worry about the feet so much, but one slight miss (easy to do) with your knuckles on a canvas bag will rip the skin down to the raw real quick, and that hurts and takes time to heal.

[GrooveChampion]

I'm a mechanic and Guitarist in training. My hands are already calloused enough. Thanks for the tip.

 

So it won't make me slow if I hit a heavy bag?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I'm a mechanic and Guitarist in training. My hands are already calloused enough. Thanks for the tip.

 

So it won't make me slow if I hit a heavy bag?

 

No...it won't slow you down, nor will it give you more muscle mass. The advantage of a heavy bag is that it gives you an idea if you're striking correctly...especially with punches. You'll know if you don't, as it will bend your wrist back or down and "smart" a bit possibly.

 

One bag I had years ago...I took a magic marker and drew a face and torso on it. It gave me specificreas to focus on and aim at. It seemed to help me a lot.

[tufrthanu]

Well thats not entirely true Shorinryu. A heavy bag is used for building muscle in a dynamic way. So kicking a heavier bag unless you are hardly moving it will give you more muscle....which in turn could give you more mass. However I agree that you want a heavier bag. I have an 80 lb one that I love that I can't currently use because there is no where to hang it in my house that is safe. I would personally recommend getting a vinyl covered bag instead of a canvas one though Groove. The canvas is only a little stronger than the vinyl but the vinyl will be much less hard on your skin...causing usually only brush burns if you hit it wrong. However, I feel you should use bag gloves anyway.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I agree on the vinyl vs canvas bag. I wasn't aware of the muscle building properties of kicking/punching one...but I guess that makes sense.

[Jussi Häkkinen]

What punching bag weight would be best? I heard that too heavy a bag will give muscle mass and slow you down.

 

Muscle mass - unless it's very excess - won't slow you down. Muscles give you speed. Don't worry about gaining some mass with heavy bag training - it won't give you anything that would be excessive. Your body will just adjust to the task - and you will be faster.

I need punching and kicking power.

 

That's what you need muscles for.

 

Go for a heavy bag, preferably a long one (so you can do low kicks).

[GrooveChampion]

Thanks for all the help guys. This forum is cool

 

 

However, I feel you should use bag gloves anyway.

 

I more than likely will. Or at least some wrist supports.

 

I heard this is a good cardio workout too. Just go all out on it for 5 min. or so. Is this true?

[Jussi Häkkinen]

I heard this is a good cardio workout too. Just go all out on it for 5 min. or so. Is this true?

 

Depends on how you train. If you can keep your pace up for 5 minutes, it is a fine cardio workout. Use music.

[BullsEye]

I weight 168lb and anything below 100lbs feel too light. You don't want to push the bag around like a ragdoll when you are punching - you won't build power that way.

Go with a 90lb+

GOod luck!

BullsEye