Punching Bags for the living room

[aznsparks]

I'm in an apartment, so no where to hang one.
I don't want to drop $400, but I guess I need a free-standing bag.
Any recommendations, I really think the Century Versys is cool, but I'm a poor University Student, however would really like a bag at home.

 

[RTKDCMB]

I would suggest removing all the breakables from the living room.

 

[drop bear]

I would suggest a free standing bag the bobs and the wavezones but the tend not to take big hits well.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=460Zt6BF_qc

As you can see he is flopping it about all over the place.

 

[Transk53]

I would suggest a free standing bag the bobs and the wavezones but the tend not to take big hits well.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=460Zt6BF_qc

As you can see he is flopping it about all over the place.

What would you have drop bear. Like the OP I am wanting a free stander. The bag seem a bit limp biscuit to me.

 

[WaterGal]

If money's a concern, look on the sporting good section of Craiglist. Where I'm at, somebody's always trying to sell a used freestanding bag for around $50-100. They're usually the Century Wavemaster type.

 

[Carol]

There are a few variables with this. A base partly filled with water will move around more than a base fully filled with water. A base fully filled with water will move around more than a base filled with sand. You can also position the bag in a corner and place carpet padding, puzzle mats, or something between the bag and the wall.

 

[rlobrecht]

TA base partly filled with water will move around more than a base fully filled with water. A base fully filled with water will move around more than a base filled with sand.

There are a couple of other things to consider. The bases sometimes leak or crack. That could be an issue for your apartment. But water is easier to get out when you decide to move. Sand is very heavy, and very difficult to get out.

 

[Mark Lynn]

I'm in an apartment, so no where to hang one.
I don't want to drop $400, but I guess I need a free-standing bag.
Any recommendations, I really think the Century Versys is cool, but I'm a poor University Student, however would really like a bag at home.

I've got several of the Century products including the Vs 1, Vs Youth, the Vs 3, XXL WM, a Bob, and the Powerline WM.

The first thing to consider is what you are wanting to use it for, and where are you going to put it, how much room do you have etc. etc.

1) The WMXXLs, Bobs, or any WM type product will rock back on it's base. If it rocks and slams down on the floor in an apartment chances are your going to get a visit from the land lord or an angry neighbor. Trust me, my class is on the 2nd floor of the Rec. Center and believe me it shakes the floor when the WMXXL crashes to the floor. You hear it out in the lobby and I have a dollarmur 1 1/5" cheer mat under it. My adults hit it with punches and it rocks back, my younger students kick it and it rocks back, I have 15 year olds that can kick it over. They are filled with water.

2) Sand vs Water fill the base with sand and it probably won't move or rock back. However you better have it in the place you want it to stay because with sand it is very hard to move. Putting it in the middle of the living might seem like a great idea till your wife or girl friend wants to visit or entertain others. Watching the super bowl with a large WM in the middle of the room would be a pain.

Putting water in it works better, and you can move it around but see point #1, they will rock back. I move my WMs about every class onto the mat and off again for my students to beat on. I tried to move a WM with sand in it at another Rec. center class and it stays right where it is. Way to heavy to be rolling around.

3) The new Vs1, Vs3 , models; first off they are not WMs so don't even think they will work like one. My students were use to working on WMs and I had just got the Vs1 and the Vs1 junior and I didn't test them out, I just brought them into class. I figured I'd give the young beginners something new to hit. Imagine my dismay when these 10 year old Yellow and Gold belts were knocking over the Vs1 and the junior Vs1. What great fun for them, but I was horrified that I just blew a bunch of money for a worthless product.

However I got to thinking that night and rethought the problem. What could the Vs1 do that the WMXXL or any WM product couldn't do? What were it's strengths, I already found the weakness. The Vs1 allow low line leg kicks like stomps or oblique kicks (to the shins), the handles on them help with knee strikes, the width of the Vs1 allows for elbows, I beat on them with my arnis sticks, whack it with my Jo. You can get down on the floor and practice leg kicks for floor defense (as if you were fighting from the floor). Put it on it's side and practice knees (as if kneeing to the body) get on top of it and do the ground and pound. Grab onto a handle and practice back kicks (grabbing onto the handle keeps it from falling over) and so it goes. It takes more creativity to use them but it also increases the variety in the work out.

As I said the down side to the Vs1 are that even punching it with some degree of power will topple it over, all but the fastest flippy type of kicks (Bill Wallace style)(and I'm not saying Bill Wallace had weak kicks, I mean his style of kicking) will knock it over. So make sure the living room is cleared out.

4) The Vs3, I had real high hopes for this bag but it is my most under utilized bag in my class room. Yes it is good for leg kicks, both standing and on the ground, the knee strikes are great as well (although the center piece seems to come undone a lot). We do use it for vertical elbow strikes and some punching to the top part. Even with the wider base area my students can still kick it around the room doing leg kicks (13 yr olds). The draw back is it doesn't do enough of what the others can't do, so in class we don't use it as much since the WMXXLs and the VS1 and the Vs1J are much easier and quicker to move around.

5) The regular WM products I wouldn't bother with unless it is the power line models. I prefer the WMXXL over the original WMs because of the lower base, they are easier to move around, etc. etc. plus a greater striking surface over all. However I sold my WMs to get the Vs1s and the Vs3, but I kept my WMXXLs and I'm glad that I did.

6) The Bob Again I don't use Bob as much, I use to change him out at the Rec. with my WM powerline top occasionally, but didn't like leaving him there since I had one of my WMXXLs get damaged. However two of my top students (and assistant instructors) have one at their house and they use it. They beat on it with their arnis sticks, practice chokes, and pressure points. I prefer to beat on a bag over a Bob, however he was fun to practice strikes, elbows, and chokes on I just hated the base.

Bringing this long post to a close, the questions I asked at the beginning are important to consider. If you want something that is portable easy to move and something that you can take out some frustration on, get some exercise as well as learning/practicing techniques more on the SD side of things the Vs1 might work. If you want to really beat the tar out of a bag then go with the WMXXL, just figure out if you want sand or water in it. If you can't afford much then seek out a Powerline WM (it's better than the regular WM).

I hope this might help