9
HOW TO USE A PUNCHING BAG
A punching bag is for building upper-body strength and
power as well as for learning proper technique. There
are many important things to remember when using a
punching bag. In the beginning, combining all aspects
will be a challenge. Try to master one aspect at a time.
Hang your punching bag so that the top is slightly
higher than the top of your head. This will allow you to
practice your punches from a crouch and practice
punching a target that is taller than you.
When throwing a punch, keep your muscles loose and
“snap” your punches out. Do not tighten your muscles;
doing so will tire you and decrease your speed. Keep
your power at the ends of your punches—when your
fist strikes the bag, your arm should be fully extended.
Doing this will give your punches more leverage and
therefore more power.
Hit the bag with your top knuckles rather than your fin-
ger knuckles. This will make your punches more solid
and will decrease the chances of injury. Many boxers
make the mistake of slapping their punches, hitting
with the knuckles of their fingers. Their fingers then act
as shock absorbers, and their punches are not solid.
Stay on the balls of your feet to maintain balance.
Never rest on your heels, because if you receive a
solid blow, you will be knocked backwards or even
down.
Always vary your combinations of punches. If a boxer
throws the same combination of punches every time,
an opponent could anticipate this and form a counter
combination. Try to be unpredictable.
When you are starting out, two useful methods of
punching are gut-level punching and using technique,
or snapping your punches. Alternate between these
methods.
Gut-level punching is one of the best ways to access
your power. Keep your wrists absolutely straight, and
punch the bag as hard as you can, without thinking
about technique. Try to punch through the bag, instead
of punching at it or pushing it with punches. Use gut-
level punching to find out how much power you have
and how it feels to use power.
Learning to snap your punches teaches you to control
your power and allows you to get greater fitness
rewards from your workout. Focus on technique and
form. Make sure that your feet are in the correct
stance, that your shoulders are back and down, and
that your hips are underneath your shoulders. Do not
lean forward from your waist to punch. Instead, con-
sciously bring your shoulder blades together. This will
help you learn to punch from your back, thus strength-
ening those muscles. Maintain conscious contact with
the floor through your feet. Snap your punches at the
bag, trying to get power from your body, hips, and legs
rather than from just your shoulders. Practice punching
as fast as you can without compromising technique.
Do a set number of rounds when working out with a
punching bag. Each round can be one, two, or three
minutes long. Play music that is about the length of a
round or use a timer. Do not look at a clock because
doing so will distract you. To get the most out of each
workout, focus on a different skill during each round.
Remember to use the whole bag—punch high, punch
low, throw hooks to the side, and, if the bag is a small-
er one, deliver uppercuts. Give the punching bag
everything you have—hit it with quick punches, move
around it, push it, slip it, let it hit you, release stored
emotion with hard punches—there are endless possi-
bilities.
There are many drills that can be done with a punch-
ing bag. For example, move around the bag with your
jab. When you move left, step first with your left foot;
when you move right, step first with your right foot. Jab
every time you take a step, or every other time. Jab
low and high. Or, move around the bag with a one-two
combination. Move in on the bag with your jab, and
then move away from the bag with your jab. While you
are inside, keep your hands up, guarding your head
and face. Do a series of hooks and short, powerful
straight punches, keeping your hands up between
punches.
Another drill is to deliver rapid-fire punches for 15 to
30 seconds, rest for the same length of time, and then
repeat. Or, make the bag swing back and forth or side
to side. Either stop its momentum with your punches
or slip its impact and catch it from the side with well-
timed hooks. Practice shifting your weight correctly
between punches.
