heavy bag | Boxing Life

To start off this review I wanted to give you some background and advice on how a hanging heavy bag can actually benefit you. The heavy bag is probably one of the most common pieces of equipment every great boxing or mma champion has used which does show there must be some benefit to them. My aim will be to show how heavy bags help you, the pros and cons, the weight of bag you should consider and my 10 best heavy bag options further below to guide you to make the best decision on which bag to go for. What is a hanging heavy bag? The hanging heavy bags is piece of boxing equipment which hangs either usually from the ceiling or from a boxing bag stand. They can in fact come in a whole variety of different shapes and sizes. For example, boxing bags are generally shorter and chunky to withstand more powerful punches, while MMA bags are a lot thinner and longer to complement leg kicking. What are boxing bags filled with? Most boxing bags or heavy bags a generally filled with sand, grains, material fabrics (rags, cloth etc) or water. If you are complete beginner it is probably best to go with a soft filled bag which is usually made with fabric materials. Hard filled bags usually contain grains and sand, which usually have much better durability and will last you long term. Most of the bags in list further below I have provided have been filled with materials fabrics which still makes them compact when striking them. Makes sure look at the table for further detail on eahc How does a hanging heavy bag help you? The hanging heavy bag is probably one of the first pieces of equipment you will consider using and is extremely important and effective for boxing and mma training. The heavy bag is particularly good for developing strength, stamina and punch/kicking technique. Using the heavy bag is very much an aerobic exercise which means you can get a full body workout from using it, this can see you lose a lot of calories from one good session with it. (Check out my heavy bag workout for beginners article to get you started.) Mayweather Jr using the heavy bag Heavy Bag Pros and Cons Like with everything, there are pros and cons to using and setting up a hanging heavy bag which will be important for you to consider. Pros Cost A good and solid heavy bag are usually in fact a lot cheaper to purchase over a decent standing punch bag. If your budget is more limited and you have the space definitely go for a hanging heavy bag in my opinion. Durable Generally hanging heavy bags are in fact very durable and depending on what one you buy, it can last you a good few years. Most are made for vinyl or synthetic leather which means they are more likely to last long and withstand from splitting. You can also get some bags with gel or foam linings to make them slightly softer when you punch/kick them. They are also able to withstand very powerful shots a lot better than your average standing punch bags. If you are planning on using a bag for kicking as well a bulkier bag this will help you to improve your overall strength due to firmer resistance from them. Training Variation As the bag is hanging from the ceiling (ideally) you are able to have the freedom to move around the bag as you use it. You can also get up close to the bag and practice fighting on the inside without your feet hitting anything. The other great thing about hanging bags is that they can swing, which means it forces you react, move and position yourself correctly for your next attack. This will really improve your offensive skills a lot, unlike standing punch bags which are always stationary. Cons Set up The hanging heavy bag can be a bit of a nuisance when it comes to setting up as you will need a space for it to hang and you preferable have a robust wooden or metal beam on the ceiling. Here is a great article on a way to set up a hanging heavy bag on wiki how. Another option to set up this is to purchase a hanging heavy bag is to get stand. You find some reasonably priced stands to complement you bag choice on Amazon here. Space This is something many don’t consider at first as you need to have your heavy bag in a location where you have the space for it to hang and most importantly enough for you to move around the bag so you can train properly with it. Swing Now this is a very minor con for me, but hanging heavy bags will swing the harder your punch or kick them. If you are a beginner this can be something hard to get use to a first, but I try to turn this con into a positive by making myself move around the bag. Check out World Middleweight champion Gennedy Golovkin using the heavy bag in his training session below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY5P0vlg9L0&list=LL&index=1 What weight of heavy bag should you buy? This can very much vary depending on the bag you get overall I would recommend bag 70lbs - 120lbs if you are buying this for a home gym. If you plan on doing leg kicks consider using a lighter bag or you could cause some serious injury. Always remember to use hand wrap with your boxing gloves if you plan on going for a hard filled or 100lbs + bag. What are the best heavy bags? With so many heavy bag options out there to choose from, I have compiled a list of 10 fantastic options for you to consider for your training and get you started in your home or gym in 2021. Check out the table below for heavy bag spec while I have put more information and visuals of each further below. Heavy BagBag CoverBag FillerWeight & Size1.Title Boxing Greatest Heavy Bag EverTerpoline triple-ply synthetic leather coverShredded and blended poly-micro fibre filling80 lbs (14" x 44"), 110 lbs (16" x 48"), 150 lbs (18” x 60”)2. RDX Training Heavy Bag Non-tear Maya hide leatherRDX exclusive G-Core Technology4ft - Approx. 18 - 20 KG (Maximum Filling Capacity 40-50 KG) 5ft - Approx. 20 - 22 KG (Maximum Filling Capacity 50 - 60 KG)3. Outslayer Filled Punching BagSuper heavy duty vinyl leatherCompressed fabric, no sand. 130-150lbs (6ft tall, diameter apx. 14". Straps 12") 4. Ringside Filled Leather Heavy BagPowerhide LeatherIMF Tech Injected Molded Foam100lbs (14" x 42") 5. Everlast C3 Foam Heavy Punch BagPolycanvas shell Cloth and sand100 lbs (4ft length)6. RDX MMA Uppercut Angled Heavy Punch BagNon-tear Maya hide leather2" inner Polyethylene foam jacket with shredded textile filled23.13kg - (20 x 20 x 15 cm)7. Everlast Powercore Nevatear Heavy BagPremium synthetic leather Blended filler mix of sanitized synthetic and natural fibers80lbs (13" x 42") 100lbs (13" x 46")8. Ringside 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy BagPowerhide LeatherIMF Tech Injected Molded Foam100lbs (13" x 72")9. Title Boxing Soft Strike Heavy Punching BagTough triple-ply synthetic leather coverBlended poly-fiber filler70lbs (14" x 42"), 100lbs (14” x 48”)10. Everlast Hydro StrikePlasticWater once filled100-150lbs once filled (14" x 37") 1. Title Boxing Greatest Heavy Bag Ever Title have created an outstanding hanging heavy bag and their claim is very much in the name ‘greatest heavy bag ever”. This is a real tough bag that has been packed with poly-micro fiber fillings which will stop the bag from sagging overtime which makes it a great investment if you want a bag that will last a long time. Title boxing have designed this to give an ‘ideal impact and life-like striking surface feel’. A great longer term bag to consider for a gym or home gym. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 2. RDX Training Heavy Bag Kit RDX have come up with an excellent heavy bag punch package combination which includes a 4ft-5ft heavy bag with 5 different design options to choose from. To help you out further they have included a swivel chain and ceiling hook for you to hang the bag when you install it - and no it doesn’t end there, they also throw in a pair for RDX boxing training bag gloves and hand wraps so you can get training straight away. They also have included a grip strength tool and skipping rope and mini boxing gloves to hang for your car dashboard. A really decent package for any beginner looking to get started in training or this could also make a great gift for someone. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 3. Outslayer Filled Punching Bag Outslayer Punching Bag is a 100 pound professional heavy bag made in USA. The Outslayer heavy bags are known worldwide for outstanding quality and durability which they are incredibly confident about it withstanding the test of time with a 10 year warranty. This boxing bag is filled only with fabric which means you won’t experience excess sinking and hard / hollow spots as with other brands it will happen to over a short period of time. This is without a doubt one of the best heavy bags that will have you punching in years to come. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 4. Ringside Filled Leather Heavy Bag If you are just looking for a very traditional old school leather bag, this Ringside bag might just be the one for you. This is an extremely durable bag due to the powerhide material it is made from which makes it ideal for long term usage. The bag also handily comes with a bag swivel and chain for which will make it a lot easier for you when installing. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 5. Everlast C3 Foam Heavy Punch Bag Similar to the Omni strike bag above, this bag has a C3 foam panel which covers the vast majority of the bag, Everlast state this is too ‘increased cushioning, support, and force dispersion that serious hitters need during heavy workouts.’ The bag comes in around 4ft and weigh at 32kg which means it’s ideally suited for those just practicing boxing. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 6. RDX MMA Uppercut Angled Heavy Punch Bag Now if you have done any type of boxing training on a heavy bag before you will now that it is quite difficult to practice your uppercuts on traditional bags. RDX have created a great option for those of you who like to throw these punches which help you perfect this punch combination. They have also thrown in a pair of sparring and bag gloves to get you started with this bag. You can also check out my top 10 uppercut bags review for more options here. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 7. Everlast Powercore Nevatear Heavy Bag Another really solid traditional standard bag created by Everlast is the Powercore Nevatear. This is a brilliant beginner which can come either 80lbs (best suited MMA) or 100lbs (boxing/striking users). This punch bag is filled with a specially blended filler mix and natural fibers which give you brilliant shock absorption whilst striking. It also has a strong outer layer of synthetic leather helping to increase durability to last you. If you are setting up a home gym you can also get this with a bag stand on Amazon or Everlast depending on your set up. Rating: Check price on Amazon here Lean more on Everlast.com 8. Ringside 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag If you want a lighter bag to punch and also kick, Ringside have created an adapted bag of the above (number 4 punch bag) into a Muay Thai/MMA heavy punch bag. This comes with all the same features as the above - created with powerhide leather, bag swivel and chain. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 9. Title Boxing Soft Strike Heavy Punching Bag Title have come up with another very efficient heavy bag which was designed so boxers have a ‘less dense, more lenient hitting surface to help alleviate sore knuckles, wrists, elbows and shoulders’ The bag can come in either 70lbs or 100lbs pound and has a synthetic leather finish to it. Rating: Learn more on Amazon here 10. Everlast Hydro Strike Everlast have created their own interpretation of a water based filled punch bag that provides a life-like feel when punching. In the case of these bags being different, the Everlast Hydro Strike punch bag is slightly longer than the original Aqua punch bag, so it gives you a more even punching area to throw different combinations. The Hydro Strike weighs in around 100lbs once filled, make sure when purchasing the bag you buy a heavy duty chain to hang with it. Rating: Learn more on Everlast.com Check price on Amazon here Hope you enjoyed this review and hopefully this will help you make the best decision. Make sure to check out more of boxing reviews here or why not check out my top 10 free standing punch bags if none of the above pick your fancy. See some more top article below on boxing punch bags. Best Century Free Standing Punching Bags | ReviewAmazing Home Gym Boxing Equipment And IdeasCentury BOB Punch Bag Review | Features And Set UpTop 10 Everlast Punch BagsCobra 'Reflex' Bag vs Double End BagAmazing Home Gym Boxing Equipment And Ideas Also let me know in the comments below which option you might like to go for? Thanks for reading!