For a professional boxer, fighter, or mixed martial artist, there’s no piece of kit or gear more important than the punching bag. Punching bags are built to be hit repeatedly by trainers to perfect their punching and kicking methods.
Tips for Choosing the Right Punching Bag
Similar to other sports equipment, a man punching bag should fit with its specific athletic goals.
Selecting the right style, material, and size of the punching bag is crucial to their training. Here are our tips for choosing the right punching bag for your workout.
Selecting the Right Size and Weight of Punching Bag
The key factors for choosing the right size of a punching bag lies in the fighter’s age and physique. Like a real bout, a fighter’s height and weight should mesh with the punching bag they choose.
Punching bags are 2.5 feet to 6 feet tall and weigh around 60 pounds to more than 150 pounds, but this is not a hard and fast rule.
You’ll find bags online in different heights, weights, and widths. Few of them even have integrated mechanisms, allowing you to adjust the weight as per your requirements.
It’s important to note that kids’ punching bags weigh considerably less than standard, adult-sized punching bags. Since the hits are less powerful, youth punching bags do not require the same amount of impact absorption. The main aim of these bags is not on power training but on building different techniques.
In the case of adult-sized bags, they should be larger and heavier. However, you need to choose the right bag for yourself.
In the case of adult-sized bags, they should be larger and heavier. However, you need to choose the right bag for yourself. The primary consideration for sizing your adult punching bag is that it should be half your weight. For instance, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should select a 90-pound punching bag.
Heavy bags that are 4 to 5 feet long are appropriate for adults. As long as the punching bag doesn’t constantly flap in every direction each time you hit it, you should be in great shape in terms of your size.
Surface Material
Generally, punching bags are made up of leather or synthetic materials, including plastic or vinyl. Leather bags are conventional and are most commonly used by people because they’re extremely durable and comfortable. Plus, they also add extraordinary aesthetics to the table.
However, punching bags made of leather are more expensive compared to synthetic bags. This is one of the major reasons many punching bags use synthetic leather that gives them a similar feel as leather without spending much on it.
Moreover, synthetic punching bags provide several advantages, particularly in some environments.
For instance, nylon and vinyl work the best in humid spaces as they’re more resistant to developing mildew and mold. Besides, they are cheap and are much suited in low-use scenarios.
Punching Bag Fillers
The last thing to consider while selecting a punching bag is the filler, that is, what’s inside the bag.
The filler determines the weight, firmness, convenience, and even the expense of your punching bag. In most cases, it comes pre-filled, but you may need to purchase the filler for a bag that comes empty. The most well-known punching bags fillers include:
- Air – Air, being a convenient and cheap filler, is often used in speed bags and double end bags. It is a good filler for those who need a lighter-weight option. However, you need to remember that air-filled bags are more likely to deflate with regular use, so you will need to refill them every couple of days.
- Sand – Sand is the best option for fighters who want maximum weight in their punching bag. It is easy to fill and, unlike water, won’t cause a huge mess in case it leaks. Moreover, sand tends to change its rigidity on exposure to moisture and has a high possibility of leaking out into other areas.
- Water – Punching bags filled with water are more convenient since it is accessible to us at all times. Modern water bags are more durable, safer, and dependable to hit.
Wrap-Up
Once you’ve purchased a pre-filled punching bag, you can hang it up and start practicing and developing your skills. These bags are convenient, affordable, and the guesswork is entirely removed.
It is worth noting that some bags come empty and if you are more serious about your training and want it as per your needs, unfilled bags are more suitable.
Although they may cause you a little more uneasiness, you need to find the right kind of filler. Moreover, you have to know how much filler to include in the bag. But you will have much more control over the end result.
If you want to make the most out of your new punching bag, it is best to buy an unfilled bag.
This way, you’ll be able to customize the feel and firmness of the punching bag. Last but not least, they are much easier to adjust once the filler has settled at the bottom and has toughened.
