Selecting a punching bag is easy. Ask yourself a couple questions. What am I practicing for? And where do I practice? If I'm practicing to improve my combinations, or to increase power, or speed then that will determine which bag I select. Where I practice is also important, because there are limitations that can restrict or allow movement.
If you're practicing to develop fast combinations a light punching bag is perfect. The light bag feels great every time you hit it. After a jab or cross it absorbs the impact completely and flies in the direction delivered. Several consecutive punches can be delivered on a light bag, where if a heavy bag was used it probably wouldn't budge. I consider a good light bag to be about 40lbs or less.
If you're practicing for power, then the heavy bag will be your friend. Practicing on a heavy bag can develop great shoulder and waist power. But too much practice on a heavy bag will make you slower and create "preparatory" habits when you get ready to deliver a blow. So I recommend rotating a couple bags around to ensure your muscle memory is ready for anything. A heavy bag requires a little more room and a special punching bag stand to be effective. They are typically over 80lbs, I use a 100lb bag and have had a lot of success strengthening my waist and shoulders when delivering hooks and cross overs.
If you're practicing for speed, the speed bag would be perfect. I've also found hanging a piece of paper or cardboard to be useful as well. A speed bag would provide enough weight to handle a strong punch and absorb enough of the energy to ensure elbow and shoulder safety. They are great tools for developing targeting, distancing, and timing. The second tool I use is a piece of paper, you can train your distance and power at the same time. The depth of your punch only has to be a couple centimeters to really be effective. So focusing on jabbing a piece of paper will help you deliver the punch on an extremely shallow surface, mimicking the shallow nerves of the jaw (or any nerve bearing target). Be careful to stay balanced, since over throwing the punch could damage your elbow and shoulder.
Bruce Lee once warned in his "Art of the Human Body" that the power of a punch was determined by the weight of the object being punched, in other words, a 10lb head can only absorb 10lbs of force. Remember, a paper is very thin and can break easily, so hitting hard (or with too much force) defeats the purpose of this type of training. Hit it softly, precisely, and quickly. Once the paper "pops" as you retract the punch; you will get a feeling for the concept Bruce explains above. Its simple, not rocket science, but intuitive none-the-less. Practice it and you'll see, you only reap benefits from this training if done as a short drill. Too much focus on this will dull your punches and decrease power. Do any practice in moderation and at the discretion of your physician or health care professional. Take care of yourself first.
Location can limit your selection as well, but with a proper punching bag stand you can maximize your practice area to get the most out of your workout.
If you're practicing to develop fast combinations a light punching bag is perfect. The light bag feels great every time you hit it. After a jab or cross it absorbs the impact completely and flies in the direction delivered. Several consecutive punches can be delivered on a light bag, where if a heavy bag was used it probably wouldn't budge. I consider a good light bag to be about 40lbs or less.
If you're practicing for power, then the heavy bag will be your friend. Practicing on a heavy bag can develop great shoulder and waist power. But too much practice on a heavy bag will make you slower and create "preparatory" habits when you get ready to deliver a blow. So I recommend rotating a couple bags around to ensure your muscle memory is ready for anything. A heavy bag requires a little more room and a special punching bag stand to be effective. They are typically over 80lbs, I use a 100lb bag and have had a lot of success strengthening my waist and shoulders when delivering hooks and cross overs.
If you're practicing for speed, the speed bag would be perfect. I've also found hanging a piece of paper or cardboard to be useful as well. A speed bag would provide enough weight to handle a strong punch and absorb enough of the energy to ensure elbow and shoulder safety. They are great tools for developing targeting, distancing, and timing. The second tool I use is a piece of paper, you can train your distance and power at the same time. The depth of your punch only has to be a couple centimeters to really be effective. So focusing on jabbing a piece of paper will help you deliver the punch on an extremely shallow surface, mimicking the shallow nerves of the jaw (or any nerve bearing target). Be careful to stay balanced, since over throwing the punch could damage your elbow and shoulder.
Bruce Lee once warned in his "Art of the Human Body" that the power of a punch was determined by the weight of the object being punched, in other words, a 10lb head can only absorb 10lbs of force. Remember, a paper is very thin and can break easily, so hitting hard (or with too much force) defeats the purpose of this type of training. Hit it softly, precisely, and quickly. Once the paper "pops" as you retract the punch; you will get a feeling for the concept Bruce explains above. Its simple, not rocket science, but intuitive none-the-less. Practice it and you'll see, you only reap benefits from this training if done as a short drill. Too much focus on this will dull your punches and decrease power. Do any practice in moderation and at the discretion of your physician or health care professional. Take care of yourself first.
Location can limit your selection as well, but with a proper punching bag stand you can maximize your practice area to get the most out of your workout.