Heavy bag preference?

[Gerry Seymour]

Based upon some discussion in another thread (and not wanting to swerve the thread), I'm wondering about folks' preferences in heavy bags. I'm not really looking for a specific brand, but for preferences (and the reasons for them) regarding bag weight, material, fill, etc.

I don't find a really heavy bag (someone mentioned a 350 lb. bag) is very true to punching a person, unless that person is a giant who is a world-class athlete. Most people that weight are softer than a 350-lb bag. Even a 70-lb bag (once it has settled) is pretty firm when you hit low, compared to most people.

So, what's your preference when you are working on a heavy bag? Why do you like what you like? What do you think makes it better for your training than the alternatives (lighter/heavier, etc.)?

 

[jobo]

a 350 lb bag will offer much the same resistance as a 250 lb guy who is,well rooted

It's common with lighter bags to have a big guy stand there holding the bag to stop it swinging when you hit it

 

[ST1Doppelganger]

Based upon some discussion in another thread (and not wanting to swerve the thread), I'm wondering about folks' preferences in heavy bags. I'm not really looking for a specific brand, but for preferences (and the reasons for them) regarding bag weight, material, fill, etc.

I don't find a really heavy bag (someone mentioned a 350 lb. bag) is very true to punching a person, unless that person is a giant who is a world-class athlete. Most people that weight are softer than a 350-lb bag. Even a 70-lb bag (once it has settled) is pretty firm when you hit low, compared to most people.

So, what's your preference when you are working on a heavy bag? Why do you like what you like? What do you think makes it better for your training than the alternatives (lighter/heavier, etc.)?

When I buy my new home and set up my personal training area I'll have one 6 or 7 foot heavy bag and a 3 to 4 foot heavy bag filled with that rubber mulch you see used on play grounds. My requirements for the bag is to make sure that they have nicely reinforced areas where the chain or straps connect so it doesn't tear at that point and the reason I'd go with mulch is because it's a good weight and provides good feed back when struck.

A 60 & a 150 pound bag are good enough for me to train with since there's other training devices and partners with kick shields if you want to have more resistance.

I'll have wall bags, wooden dummies and a kicking board for other training purposes as well.



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[Gerry Seymour]

When I buy my new home and set up my personal training area I'll have one 6 or 7 foot heavy bag and a 3 to 4 foot heavy bag filled with that rubber mulch you see used on play grounds. My requirements for the bag is to make sure that they have nicely reinforced areas where the chain or straps connect so it doesn't tear at that point and the reason I'd go with mulch is because it's a good weight and provides good feed back when struck.

A 60 & a 150 pound bag are good enough for me to train with since there's other training devices and partners with kick shields if you want to have more resistance.

I'll have wall bags, wooden dummies and a kicking board for other training purposes as well.



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What's the advantage of the rubber mulch as fill? Is it that it won't compress to the bottom?

 

[JowGaWolf]

So, what's your preference when you are working on a heavy bag? Why do you like what you like? What do you think makes it better for your training than the alternatives (lighter/heavier, etc.)?

My preference for a heavy bag is simple. It has to be heavy enough for impact training. That means I want something that will stand still but move just enough so that it doesn't feel like I'm punching a brick wall each time. I'm ole school and I prefer the woven canvas bags. I used to have a 30lb one that I would use to train my punching technique.

I never used heavy bag gloves because I like having the physical feedback of when I scrape my punches instead of driving the punches in. Unfortunately, it's really difficult to find bags like that now.

 

[Headhunter]

A bags a bag all this talk about this kind of thing makes no impact as I never notice any difference in things like bags or gloves or a gi or anything like that

 

[jobo]

My preference for a heavy bag is simple. It has to be heavy enough for impact training. That means I want something that will stand still but move just enough so that it doesn't feel like I'm punching a brick wall each time. I'm ole school and I prefer the woven canvas bags. I used to have a 30lb one that I would use to train my punching technique.

I never used heavy bag gloves because I like having the physical feedback of when I scrape my punches instead of driving the punches in. Unfortunately, it's really difficult to find bags like that now.

30lbs? That's more like a speed bag!

 

[DanT]

At my club we have:

-A 300 lbs floor to ceiling bag
-A 150 lbs sand filled traditional punching bag
-A couple of those freestanding bags

The 300 lbs one is good for nice hard kicking combinations, especially lots of power side and low roundhouse kicks.

The sand filled one is like a rock, and is for advanced conditioning. It is literally like a concrete wall, only it swings.

The free standing ones are good for quick combinations. The problem is that the weight is all at the bottom. I think they should have a 50-60 lbs weight in the middle to offset the balance. But then they would tip over easier so IDK. I think these way at the most 200 lbs.

We always hit the bags bareknuckle.

 

[jobo]

A bags a bag all this talk about this kind of thing makes no impact as I never notice any difference in things like bags or gloves or a gi or anything like that

well no not really, if you want to develop the strength to move / hurt a 200 lb guy with you kick, you need to practise powering though a 300 lb bag.
the same way that if you wanted to pick the same guy up over your head you need to practise lifting a big weight over your head. Practising with a 100lbs won't help you much on either case

 

[ST1Doppelganger]

What's the advantage of the rubber mulch as fill? Is it that it won't compress to the bottom?

It's a trick I learned from another CLF guy.

Main advantages are you can order a quality empty bag and not pay an arm and leg for shipping.

The other main reason is the feel is more consistent since the bag is filled with the same material unlike sand bag filled ones.

Also I hate sand bags In striking bags since my right hands middle knuckle got shattered while doing a cork screw shovel hook. I hit a sand bag thru the cloth filling on a neverlast bag and pop went the knuckle. Yes I call everlast bags neverlast bags.

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[Danny T]

The heavy bag is a excellent training tool that can have different uses and therefore there are different weights, fill, and sizes.
If you are going to have one heavy bag what is the primary goal for using it?
That will be a determining factor on what type you use.
We have
two 300 lbs pole bags for advance power striking. It has a medium density fill to allow some give.
four 150 lbs bags with hard fill for low rounds of heavy striking
six 120-130 pound long bags with a medium fill for high rounds of heavy striking
two long bags with soft fill for beginners, for warming up.
Then we have several specialty bags: Speed bags, double end bags, wrecking ball, horizontal bags, tear drop, wall bags...all have different purposes.

 

[Headhunter]

well no not really, if you want to develop the strength to move / hurt a 200 lb guy with you kick, you need to practise powering though a 300 lb bag.
the same way that if you wanted to pick the same guy up over your head you need to practise lifting a big weight over your head. Practising with a 100lbs won't help you much on either case

Well like I said I've never noticed a single difference

 

[jobo]

Well like I said I've never noticed a single difference

you cant tell the difference between kicking a 100lb bag and a 300lb bag? Your kicks are either very strong or very very weak

 

[JowGaWolf]

30lbs? That's more like a speed bag!

It was 30lbs so I could carry it with me. I used to teach self-defense classes to teens so I needed something that I could easily carry around. If you think of having to lift a heavy bag weighing 100lbs in and out of a trunk everyday then the 30lbs is just more manageable. Whenever I needed to create resistance I would place it against a steel beam in the indoor parking lot at the police station. The lower part of the beam was covered in concrete while the rest of the steel beam was exposed. It created a good ledge to place the bag on. I would use the ledge to support the bag and the concrete bottom to train low kicks.

 

[Headhunter]

you cant tell the difference between kicking a 100lb bag and a 300lb bag? Your kicks are either very strong or very very weak

Whatever you say

 

[Gerry Seymour]

My preference for a heavy bag is simple. It has to be heavy enough for impact training. That means I want something that will stand still but move just enough so that it doesn't feel like I'm punching a brick wall each time. I'm ole school and I prefer the woven canvas bags. I used to have a 30lb one that I would use to train my punching technique.

I never used heavy bag gloves because I like having the physical feedback of when I scrape my punches instead of driving the punches in. Unfortunately, it's really difficult to find bags like that now.

I don't like using gloves, either. I have to remind myself about the scraping when I have a relatively new student working on the bag. They will make more mistakes, and will likely have softer knuckles. If I want them to work for very long (more than a few minutes), I probably need to give them gloves after a while.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

A bags a bag all this talk about this kind of thing makes no impact as I never notice any difference in things like bags or gloves or a gi or anything like that

If you notice no difference between a soft, heavy bag and a hard, very heavy bag, either something's wrong, or you use a bag very differently from everyone I've seen - can't tell which. There can be very drastic differences in feel between bags. Within and without gloves can give very different feedback.

I'm not sure where the gi comment comes in - kinda from left field.

 

[jobo]

It was 30lbs so I could carry it with me. I used to teach self-defense classes to teens so I needed something that I could easily carry around. If you think of having to lift a heavy bag weighing 100lbs in and out of a trunk everyday then the 30lbs is just more manageable. Whenever I needed to create resistance I would place it against a steel beam in the indoor parking lot at the police station. The lower part of the beam was covered in concrete while the rest of the steel beam was exposed. It created a good ledge to place the bag on. I would use the ledge to support the bag and the concrete bottom to train low kicks.

I thought it was for your use, you didn't say it was for children

 

[Gerry Seymour]

The heavy bag is a excellent training tool that can have different uses and therefore there are different weights, fill, and sizes.
If you are going to have one heavy bag what is the primary goal for using it?
That will be a determining factor on what type you use.
We have
two 300 lbs pole bags for advance power striking. It has a medium density fill to allow some give.
four 150 lbs bags with hard fill for low rounds of heavy striking
six 120-130 pound long bags with a medium fill for high rounds of heavy striking
two long bags with soft fill for beginners, for warming up.
Then we have several specialty bags: Speed bags, double end bags, wrecking ball, horizontal bags, tear drop, wall bags...all have different purposes.

This is some of what I'm looking for. If I put one in, it will be only one. And I've only used a few different ones. It sounds like you guys have really worked out some specialization in bags. Do you know what any of them are filled with?

 

[hoshin1600]

my list of things i dont like....
water bags. i dont like the feel or the give.
corner stands or any kind of bag stand. i much prefer bolting it right to a beam, with 360 access.
bags with all sand at the bottom. its like concrete and i have seen many karate guys come in and without knowing kick the bottom and break their foot.

for a martial arts school i prefer an 80 or 100 pounds maybe 120. this is for punching so it has to be hung at the correct height. many MA schools do not hang their heavy bags 24/7 they put them up and take them down all the time due to use of the space. when you start talking these extra long and weights over 200 those need to be a permanent fixture. what happens is they get taken down so you can use the space then they never go back up because they are such a pain to hang. it ends up being a waste of money.
for non permanent bags i also prefer a hanging system that allows height adjustments from floor to ceiling (standard 9" ). this way you can hang it low for round kicks and people can adjust for their own height when punching. i also used to spend hours every day swinging the bag like a pendulum and side kicking it, so it needed to be hung at the correct height for that as well.
as far as gloves, i have no idea whats on the market now but i always found leather boxing bag gloves just as abrasive inside as the bag itself so i got in the habit of wrapping my hands and always had students use wraps as well.

i like the idea of the rubber scrap inside. i live about a 2 min walk away from Vibram rubber sole company.i might see if i can get a 55 gal drum of the stuff. i have been thinking about what i can use inside some of my punch and kick pads that is really solid like a heavy bag. thanks for the insight.