Image credit: www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/NKS_Imagery
Are you having a dream of becoming a boxing champion? You see yourself being Mayweather or Pacquiao are your models. For that dream to become a reality, you need the right tools. One of these tools is a punching bag. This bag is essential in enhancing your striking. The punching bag helps you to improve your striking speed and accuracy.
Also, the bag helps you to work on your cardio. So whether you are an upcoming boxer or looking to enhance your cardio, a punching bag is a good idea. But not every bag is fine for you. You need to select one that will work and align with your goals. Here are some tips on choosing the right bag for your boxing training:
Your budget
When shopping for a punching bag, you will find different brands offering varying prices. You will find both cheap and expensive bags. Depending on your budget, you will find a punching bag fitting it. However, you need to understand that cheap bags will only last for some time. Their quality is wanting.
On the other hand, the pricey punching bags are usually of high quality and long-lasting. Nonetheless, do not go for something that is beyond your budget. Buy the cheap one and save for the best quality punching bags.
Material used
No doubt, manufacturers use varying materials to make their punching bags. You will find leather, synthetic, plastic, and canvas bags. The leather punching bags stand out as the most comfortable and durable. They can be an excellent idea for your gym. However, these bags are expensive.
Synthetic bags are also another perfect choice. These punching bags are cheaper than leather ones. If you can afford leather bags, you can consider synthetic ones. Sometimes, you cannot afford the above options.
Here, you can opt for canvas or plastic bags. Canvas punching bags are the cheapest in the market. However, these bags are not a perfect choice as they can hurt your hand and may not deliver the needed strikes.
Your training purpose
Why are you looking for a punching bag? This question should be in your mind before getting out to find a punching bag. Different people need this bag for various purposes. Maybe you want to enhance your striking quickness and accuracy. Or else, your goal is to improve your fitness. Again, you want to train for sport. Identifying your purpose is essential when shopping for a punching bag. Knowing what you want to achieve will help you pick the right bag.
For instance, a punching bag weight 24 to 40 pounds are suitable for people looking to improve their speed and accuracy. If you want to enhance your muscle or trim the excess fat, you can consider the 40 pounds bags.
As well, when your training purpose combines the two aspects, you can opt for the light and heavy punching bags. So, understand what you are looking to achieve before purchasing a punching bag for your home gym.
Weight and size of the bag you need
The bags size is another aspect to consider in your selection process. You need to pick the right size that aligns with the users or purpose. For instance, children will require a smaller and lighter punching bag. Such bags provide them with impacts.
If you are using the punching bag, you need to look for larger and heavier bags that will offer the right impacts for your kicks and punches. Light bags can be a bad idea as they frequently swing whenever you hit them. This means you will need to suspend your sessions to stop their movements. As such, try finding heavy bags to enhance consistent strikes.
Remember to pick bags that will help you work out your elbows and knees as part of your boxing and kicking. Small-sized bags can pose issues in this aspect.
Skills level
Maybe you are a beginner. It is your first time trying punching and boxing fitness. Or else, you have been in the game for some time. You took part in several boxing challenges before. When finding a punching bag, it is essential to review your skills level.
Light bags will be the best choice for novice and beginners. These bags will enable you to kick-off your basic punching training. If you are in the process of gaining boxing fundamentals, you need to go with heavier bags. With this bag as your choice, you will learn the right skills at your pace without being underwhelmed.
Whenever you decide to get a punching bag, you need to consider your fitness and skill levels. The right bag should be in line with these two aspects. Otherwise, ignoring them will make you pick the wrong ones and fail to realize your objective.
Type of bag
The next aspect to consider in the punching bag selection affair is the type. You will find different types of punching bags in fitness stores.
The first option is the free-standing bags. These bags do not require any mounting as they have heavy bases that you attach using sand or water. The bags are a good idea for practicing various techniques. Also, they are easy to install, and you do not require an expert to do it. However, they are likely to tip over with hard hits.
Another type available is the speed bags. These bags are small and suitable for cardio exercises. Also, you have the hanging bags suitable for consistent training and do not tip over. However, you need a professional to fix them, and some are noisy. As such, you need to pick the bag that can serve you better.
Wrapping up
In a word, a punching bag is a good idea. You need one to enhance your fitness and boxing skills. However, making the right choice can be tricky. You need to consider several aspects to ensure your selection matches your purpose and goals. Following the above tips will enable you to select suitable punching bags without any hurdles.
