Punching Bag Strength Workout

The punching bag is one of the best strength buildings tools out there.  This workout is not just for hardcore boxers but for anyone who wants a good anaerobic workout.  Many have turned to boxing and working the bag over weight training because it’s not as monotonous and because if done properly, results in less pressure on joints.

One of the most important things to remember is to warm up to avoid injury.  I prefer a minute of jumping jacks followed by general calf/quad/arm stretching.  Please, please, please, do not skip this step.  It is better to take an extra 5 minutes a day warming up than an hour sitting at home missing your workouts wishing you weren’t injured.

When working for strength, the way in which your hand contacts the bag is very important.  Ensure that the flat part of your middle and pointer fingers make contact with the bag (not your knuckles) and that your wrist stays straight.  A very common mistake is hitting the bag with your knuckles and not aiming for your middle and pointer fingers.  If you strike a bag hard enough and make contact with your middle and ring knuckles, you are very likely to fracture or break your hand.

The key to strong punches isn’t arm strength; its throwing your whole body weight behind each punch.  Try to step in three inches to a foot following up every punch you throw, trailing the left hand with the left foot and the right hand with the right foot.  Additionally, the left foot should pivot for a right cross and the right foot shoot pivot for a left jab.  Pivoting will help transfer weight from your hips into your punch.  Along the same lines, imagine a target about a foot behind the bag or your opponent.  By punching through your bag/opponent, you will achieve a much greater force, especially when following with a step to throw your body weight behind it.

The most important aspect to strength training with a heavy bag in my opinion is variability.  Don’t just throw jabs or crosses or preset combos all day.  Mix it up and keep in mind the tips discussed above and apply them to all of your moves.  Try for four short sessions of about 3 minutes with one minute rest in between.  Remember to wrap your hands, avoid punching with your knuckles, and drink plenty of water in between sessions.