Working the heavy bag is either the most useful time a boxer spends in the gym (other than sparring), or the greatest waste of time. It is meant to simulate one’s opponent in the ring and, like any other tool, is most effective when used properly.
Don’t Wear Yourself Out
Many beginning boxers make the mistake of wearing themselves out in the first round or two of bag work. This accomplishes nothing. More punching power and stamina will come in time, but it is imperative that the beginner keep proper technique in mind so that when he/she has developed that power and stamina, they can be applied when it counts–in the ring.
Emphasize Technique
The heavy bag won’t scream, cry, bleed, or beg for mercy when you punch it, so there’s no point trying to kill it. That’s not to say that you should never punch hard, quite the contrary, but technique must take precedence.
Respect Your Neighbors
Maybe you’ve been impressed by watching other guys/gals make the bag swing around like a drunk on a mechanical bull, but that doesn’t translate to success in the ring. Besides, all that bag swinging usually means that they are pushing their punches through the bag instead of snapping them, and that they aren’t punching when the bag is in its return arc, which is proper. Having your heavy bag swinging wildly into your neighbor’s spot in a crowded gym is irritating to them, not to mention rude.
Think of the Heavy Bag as an Opponent
As a beginning boxer, one must think of the heavy bag as they would a live body. Imagine that it is your opponent in front of you, an not an inanimate object. This means that you keep punches short, straight (for jabs and straight rights), and snapping. Throw hooks with precise technique (article upcoming). And, most of all, keep your mind on defense.
Because there are no punches coming back, it’s easy to forget about defense, but be disciplined. Keep your guard up. Use proper head movement. Make sure there are no lapses in your footwork; remain balanced at all times and use quick feet to step in and out of your “opponents” range.
In truth, only 20-40% of the punches thrown in a boxing match actually land; most are blocked by gloves, arms, and shoulders, and many miss altogether. Missing punches causes fatigue faster than landing them. Much faster. Spending round after round landing solid punches on a bag can be misleading, even terrifying the first time you enter a serious sparring session and it seems impossible to land a solid punch, except for the ones your sparring partner is landing on you. Here’s a trick to help get used to that feeling.
A (Heavy) Bag of Tricks
Take two or three old pairs of gloves and evenly attach the laces (or Velcro closures) to the chain around the top of the bag, so that the gloves hang at chin level. Now, when you hit the bag, the gloves will bounce around quite a bit, forcing you to pinpoint your punches more, and when in close, keep your gloves high to avoid getting smacked in the face. The added benefit is that you will often hit gloves, not the heavy bag. The gloves offer much less resistance to punches, thereby simulating blocked punches. It’s a feeling you might as well get used to.
what is the best way to get your speed and stamuna up and how or what would help toy to get confidence in your punchs??
Hi Jay,
Great question. The key to developing speed is being relaxed when you throw punches. You work against yourself by trying to throw as hard as you can. Check out YouTube.com for videos of a prime Muhammad Ali, Pernell Whitaker, or more recently, Kelly Pavlik, for examples of relaxed punching. Another benefit of keeping your punches relaxed is the increased stamina you are looking for.
The only other way to increase stamina is to work. Work the bag till your lungs are on fire. (If you don’t have one, get a ring timer. Set the rounds to three minutes and the breaks to 30 seconds). Get busy with the jump rope–it’s the best bang-for-the-buck there is when it comes to building stamina. Running is great too, but if you can get some buddies into a soccer game two or three times a week, even better.
Learn to change speeds on your punches the way a Major League pitcher changes speed from the mound to keep the batter off balance. That way, when you do throw hard (with proper technique, of course) you’ll be that much more likely to land. Remember, it’s the punches your opponent doesn’t see that do the most damage. Keep your straight punches straight by practicing them slowly and gradually building speed. Uppercuts and hooks are more complicated, mechanically, and a good subject for another article.
Grace and peace,
Bill
Here’s a budget punching/kicking bag:
http://martialarts.fighttube.tv/2008/05/17/too-cheap-for-a-kicking-bag/