If you’re lucky enough to have the space to put up a heavy bag, such as in your garage or basement, or you have access to one at a gym, then you should really take full advantage and use it regularly. Working out on a heavy bag can do wonders for your muscular and cardiovascular endurance, confidence and overall health. It’s also a great way to relieve stress; after all, it’s better to turn negative energy into positive exercise on a bag than smash up your house!
You don’t have to be a boxer to enjoy the benefits of a heavy bag workout; almost anyone physically capable can do it. This article, however, assumes the reader has a basic knowledge of boxing. The work-out has been written based on how I used to train to supplement my Thai-Boxing training. I’ve left out uppercuts as they’re difficult to execute properly on a normal heavy bag.
Before you begin, make sure you have the right equipment. You can buy bag gloves (small and light gloves used for pad and bag work) from most sports shops and it’s essential that you use handwraps (also easily available) to avoid injury. Wear clothes that give you plenty of room to move, as well as a decent, preferably light, pair of trainers.
Warm up by shadowboxing for three minutes and then stretch all your major muscles, focusing particular attention on your arms and back. Warm up your wrists by bending them back and forth as well as interlocking your fingers and rolling your hands (a la pre-fight UFC/Pride veteran Wanderlei Silva).
Once you’re warmed up then it’s time to give the bag a good hiding! Start off with:
Three minutes light work on the bag. Try to keep a constant work-rate going but don’t over exert yourself. Use fast, accurate punches rather than power shots.
One minute rest then throw the following with accuracy and power whilst maintaining your guard:
25 jabs from each stance
5 jab/cross combos
5 jab/right hook combos
5 jab/right body hook combos
5 cross/left hook combos
If you want to develop your alternate stance you can throw the above combos from that stance also. After a short rest throw the following combos:
5 double jab/cross
5 jab/cross/left hook/right cross
5 jab/cross/jab/cross
5 jab/right hook/left body hook/cross
One minute rest then utilise some defensive techniques as well as punching:
5 jab/cross – step back (avoiding a jab) – power cross
5 jab/cross – duck/roll (avoid hook) – cross/jab/cross
5 double jab whilst stepping to the left – straight right body-shot/left hook
5 cross/jab/cross – cover up/block – jab/right hook
2 minute rest
The next exercise will develop your punching power and endurance. Hitting the bag as it swings toward you will increase the force of your punches, but, depending on the weight of the bag, can take some getting used to.
Try to cycle through all your main shots, as well as building up the repetitions over time (for the left hook, start with a cross).
Jab/cross
Jab/x2 crosses
Jab/x3 crosses
Jab/x4 crosses
Jab/x5 crosses
Jab/x4 crosses
Jab/x3 crosses
Jab/x2 crosses
Jab/cross
Two minute rest. Now do x4 three minute rounds on the bag, with a minute rest in between each round. During each round, make sure you maintain a tight guard, never just allow your hands to drop thinking that you aren’t going to get hit. If you’re lazy with your guard and head movement whilst training on the bag, this will have a negative effect when you spar (I learned this the hard way!). Move your head and use your footwork to move around the bag (circling, changing distance etc). Don’t straighten the bag as it swings around, let its movement represent a moving opponent. Imagine there are punches coming at you from the bag, bob and weave, then return fire. If you’re sparring regularly at a club, you could also train with your mouth-guard in and use 16oz gloves so you get used to the different breathing and the extra weight on your hands.
Once you get comfortable throwing combos and your endurance seems to be at its peak, try increasing the number of rounds on the bag. Before my punch-bag frame finally collapsed, I was going for x12 rounds with a minute break in between, it was a hard work-out but my fitness level was awesome.
This is just a rough guide, obviously customise it to your own needs and preferences and please contact me with any feedback or questions you may have.
