how hard do you hit a heavybag

cfr

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Ive got a few injuries now from heavy bags. Nothing serious, but certainly nagging. Ive heard that not everyone hits them with full force for this very reason. What about you? Im starting to think my training would be better off for the long haul with more speed/ constant and less power training? What about you guys? Im just certainly tired of being injured.
 
I usually hit the heavy bag pretty much as hard as i can. It does hurt sometimes though. This is usually when i will tone it down a bit for a while. Then i go back to hitting it hard. I usually only hurt my wrists when i get to relaxed and do not keep my wrists locked straight.
 
How hard I hit depends on my workout. sometimes for speed sometines for power so 1/2 speed and full power or full speed and half power or both full speed and full power.
I think your injuries are do to prep.

Do you wrap your hands?

Do you ear good quality bag gloves?

Is your heavy bag a good one. By good meaning is it a well stuffed bag that makes it feel like hitting a body, or one of those macho bags full of sand that will kill your body?

These are things you must do to aviod injury.
 
When I trained on my bag, I would hit it with all my strength as if I were actually fighting a real person.
 
cfr said:
Ive got a few injuries now from heavy bags. Nothing serious, but certainly nagging. Ive heard that not everyone hits them with full force for this very reason. What about you? Im starting to think my training would be better off for the long haul with more speed/ constant and less power training? What about you guys? Im just certainly tired of being injured.

What kind of injuries are you getting??? If its a hand related injury, it could be that you're not using proper form during the punch. Try wrapping your hands and/or using bag gloves.

But, to answer your question. I take advantage of the heavy bag time to use some good power. Its one thing to throw punches in the air, but you cant really go all out. Again, still keep in mind, that its very important to use good form. I've seen people "hitting' the bag, and they look like they have no idea as to what they're doing.

Mike
 
cfr said:
Ive got a few injuries now from heavy bags. Nothing serious, but certainly nagging. Ive heard that not everyone hits them with full force for this very reason. What about you? Im starting to think my training would be better off for the long haul with more speed/ constant and less power training? What about you guys? Im just certainly tired of being injured.
What kind of injuries are you getting one thing that might help you out is punching with 3/4 turn puch it is the strongest punch that you can have (by strongest I mean the mechanichs) it will give you a stronger wrist and allow you to punch longer.

Best Regards
PPKO :EG: :mad: :waah:
 
Joe Lewis has a good video out on bag work, actually it is 2 videos. They might help you.,
 
you have to allow time for your wrist to get conditioned. Within time you will have that bag flying all over the place
 
if your hurting yourself then you should probably ease up a bit on that certain punch. there are times that i get sore or banged up and i will just focus on other things till i feel up to doing those techniques again. defenitly try and heal completely before tearing up the bag again. even if you wrap your wrist now you still will have internal impact that will never heal right if you don't let it. try kicking awhile. i know my advise is pretty simplistic but its what i do and it seems to work.
 
In the boxing gym, we usually hit the bag at about half power. During the last 30 seconds of a three minutes round, we would pick up the pace and the power. If you always hit a bag full power, you will definitely acquire some type of 'over-use' injury to your wrists and/or shoulders. Also, if you are planning to do heavy bag work, make sure to wrap your hands to protect your knuckles and your wrists, and of course, wear bag gloves.

Peace & health,
 
Zujitsuka said:
Also, if you are planning to do heavy bag work, make sure to wrap your hands to protect your knuckles and your wrists, and of course, wear bag gloves.

Peace & health,
Good advice right there. I tore the skin off of my knuckles the first few times I used a canvas heavy bag. As far as ankle and shoulder injuries go I am not sure how you would prevent that unless maybe you are going too hard too quickly, a warmup sort of thing like the others have been saying might be all you need.
 
Hard but not often. Repetitive overuse syndrome. Train differently. Somedays upperbody, somedays both light-med., somedays lower, somedays cardiovascular. Give body parts a break and time to rebuild stronger not tear down from repetitive use. TW
 
Firona said:
Good advice right there. I tore the skin off of my knuckles the first few times I used a canvas heavy bag. As far as ankle and shoulder injuries go I am not sure how you would prevent that unless maybe you are going too hard too quickly, a warmup sort of thing like the others have been saying might be all you need.
A heavy bag workout is just like any other workout. Theoretically, you should have a warm-up, hard workout, then a cool-down. I do 4X3 min rounds on the bag and jump rope for 1 min in-between each round. I wear wraps on my hands, and, for 2 rounds, 18oz. gloves. I go as hard and as fast as I can for 2 rounds, doing 25 round kicks and elbows on each side after the timer goes. If you keep doing it, your body will become conditioned. I went out to the lake yesterday and, after two months of jumping rope in the street, barefoot, I noticed that I had no problem walking on the rocks. Same thing with the bag. My bag and my thai pads are the best conditioning tools I have, and the scrapes and bruises are well worth the outcome.

AJ
 
Zujitsuka said:
In the boxing gym, we usually hit the bag at about half power. During the last 30 seconds of a three minutes round, we would pick up the pace and the power. If you always hit a bag full power, you will definitely acquire some type of 'over-use' injury to your wrists and/or shoulders. Also, if you are planning to do heavy bag work, make sure to wrap your hands to protect your knuckles and your wrists, and of course, wear bag gloves.

Peace & health,
I agree. I might also add that you should ask someone who knows how to wrap their hands to show you the correct way to do it.

I realize this thread addresses just heavy bag, but --
- do you alternate punching with kicking to give your hands a rest, as TigerWoman suggests?
- do you practice your punches on other bags - i.e., speed bag - so that the workout isn't always the same?

You also don't have to wale away at the bag the entire time, as the quote above states. (must be a guy thing:) , although I DO love how empowering it feels to hit hard.) KT:asian:
 
kenpo tiger said:
I agree. I might also add that you should ask someone who knows how to wrap their hands to show you the correct way to do it.

I realize this thread addresses just heavy bag, but --
- do you alternate punching with kicking to give your hands a rest, as TigerWoman suggests?
- do you practice your punches on other bags - i.e., speed bag - so that the workout isn't always the same?

You also don't have to wale away at the bag the entire time, as the quote above states. (must be a guy thing:) , although I DO love how empowering it feels to hit hard.) KT:asian:
KT, as always, you give good advise. However, I think this question should be geared more to what it is this person expects to accomplish. I work the heavy bag hard and fast because that is the type of conditioning I will need for ring fighting. How hard to hit the bag. . .no harder than it takes to accomplish what you wish to using that specific tool. For me, the heavy bag is a tool used to simulate fighting another person for multiple 3min rounds (minus the counters, lol). It's not for cardio, it does not substitute pad work, sparring etc. It's sole purpose in my workout is to beat the living poo out of it. ". . .must be a guy thing. . ." lol, I like it! I doubt it, but who am I to argue?

AJ
 
AdrenalineJunky said:
KT, as always, you give good advise. However, I think this question should be geared more to what it is this person expects to accomplish. I work the heavy bag hard and fast because that is the type of conditioning I will need for ring fighting. How hard to hit the bag. . .no harder than it takes to accomplish what you wish to using that specific tool. For me, the heavy bag is a tool used to simulate fighting another person for multiple 3min rounds (minus the counters, lol). It's not for cardio, it does not substitute pad work, sparring etc. It's sole purpose in my workout is to beat the living poo out of it. ". . .must be a guy thing. . ." lol, I like it! I doubt it, but who am I to argue?

AJ
True, forgot that people DO use the heavy bag for more than conditioning. Thanks for keeping me honest AJ (and for the compliment:asian:.) KT
 
kenpo tiger said:
True, forgot that people DO use the heavy bag for more than conditioning. Thanks for keeping me honest AJ (and for the compliment:asian:.) KT
No problem, KT. Just returning the favor, as so many of your posts keep many of US honest, lol! :asian:

AJ
 
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