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One of the most common forms of boxing training is hitting the punch bags.  Training on the punchbags can improve your technique, fitness, strength and conditioning but on the flip slide it can’t create bad technical habits and injuries.  

Nowadays there are many different types of punch bags with different weights, sizes, angles and speed responses, all allowing the boxer to hone their boxing skills.  From beginners to a professional boxer’s perspective using the punch bag strengthens your cardiovascular system, tones and strengthens your muscles and helps burns fat.   

By repeatedly hitting the punchbag, you activate all of the major muscles groups in your body. The arms, shoulders, waist, and leg muscles must be coordinated and conditioned. This training also builds athletic qualities such as speed, power, balance, timing, and coordination.

As you become fitter and more experienced on the punchbags you can step up your training with speed drills and more technique based bag workouts.  

Hitting the punchbags is only one aspect of boxing training and can create bad habits.  Remember the punchbags don’t hit back!  Someone can look a million dollars on the bag but can’t replicate that in the ring because his footwork and defence is poor.  

Some bad habits on the punchbags include

• Trying to hit too hard

• Telegraphing your punches,

• Not protecting yourself

• Footwork becomes to static

• Staying in range to much.

• Not punching cleanly pushing with your punches instead of clean snapping shots.

Never start your boxing training on the punchbags, check out our boxing routine article and also ensure you’re fully warmed up to prevent injury.  One of the major problems we encounter is people trying to use too much power therefore forsaking the technique causing poor punch quality and possible injury. 

Always decide prior to your boxing workout the amount of rounds or time you plan to spend on the punchbags and how you are going to mix it up with bag sprints, etc.  By knowing the number of rounds you can pace yourself correctly. 

To main aspects of bag work is speed and power.  Check out our punchbag speed drills and punchbag power sessions. 

Required Boxing Equipment for Punch Bag

If you’re looking to purchase a punchbag for your home or garage then we recommend a leather punchbag for quality and durability.  PU or plastic punchbags are cheaper but disfigure and split easily and in the long term will cost you more money in replacing.  

As regards hanging the punch bag there are various ways to do it depending on your location, if you have a beam or solid wall.  We have wall brackets, heavy duty chains, ceiling hooks with swivels. 

We recommend all persons to wear boxing hand wraps and either a leather bag glove or training sparring glove.  We recommend leather boxing gloves that may in the short term cost a little more but buying a cheap pair of boxing gloves will only cause injury to your hands and more money replacing them once they rip.