Punching Bag Review

If you think that punching bags are all the same and there’s not much to know about them, then you definitely need to read on. From where they originated to why they’re used today, here is an overview that is bound to teach you something you didn’t know.

Origin

The punching bag originated so long ago that we don’t actually know when it was first used. As far back as written history can take us, we have records of bags filled with grain or sand being used for martial arts practice in Asia and swordplay and military training in old Europe.

Filling Materials

What you find inside the bag depends a lot on the size, shape, and structure of the bag, as well as what it will be used for. Small, lightweight bags can be filled with air. Medium sized bags could contain air or something moderate, like rags, or something even heavier, like grains or sand. Large bags almost assuredly are filled with sand, grains, or rags, and may have an inner ‘bladder’ to fill with water, which adds weight without requiring as much purchased fill.

Bag Styles

There are many different punching bag styles in use today, but here is an overview of the basics. Heavy bags are the large, torso sized (or bigger) bags that either hang from the ceiling or are affixed to a floor mounted pedestal. Uppercut bags are medium sized bags, generally floor mounted, with a bulge at the top, creating a ledge comparable in angle to an opponents jaw. Speed bags are small, about the size of a melon, and are filled with air and mounted on a spring to allow very rapid, light punches.

Purpose/Use

There are more reasons to use a punching bag than just to learn how to fight. This is, of course, one major use though, as they help boxers work on technique. Another major reason is that boxing a bag with light hits for a period of time is a great aerobic activity (and a nice change of pace for regular exercisers tired of machines). Others use them to build muscle strength and tone. And still others (probably a minority, but still important!) use them to relieve stress in a healthy outlet.

The short answer to the question “What is on the inside of a punching bag?” is not the one you are probably seeking: “It depends.” Because people use bags for so many different reasons, and there are so many different sizes, shapes, and mounting styles for bags, the substance they are filled with tends to vary. Here are some of the major fillers for punching bags, and what type of bag you are likely to find them inside of. (These are by no means rules; there will always be variations, but these are good guidelines in general.)

• Sand. Sand is a very common substance to fill a bag with because it is heavy and dense, cheap to buy, and it ‘gives’ pretty well when the bag is struck. You wouldn’t want to fill a bag with rocks because they don’t have the capacity to adjust the way grains of sand do. Sand can be found in almost all sizes of bags.
• Grains. Grains are used similarly to sand but are a little lighter weight. There are actually bags called “maize bags” because they are filled with maize (corn).
• Rags. Rags can be even cheaper than sand and are used to fill large and medium sized bags. Rags pack pretty densely and give a bag nice weight, yet they still have some give. And they definitely can absorb the energy of a strike, which is a very important quality for the bag to have so the boxer doesn’t injure his or her hand.
• Water. You wouldn’t fill a bag with water instead of sand, but some bags are made with a special inner portion, called a bladder, which is well-sealed and designed to be filled with water or air. Water adds weight essentially for free, so it’s a clear choice for a bag that needs a lot of weight.
• Air. As mentioned above, some bags have a bladder for air down the center. yet others are intended to be filled with air alone (such as the speed bag, which must stay light). Air, like water, is free, making it a good choices when you don’t need weight.

There are a number of reasons that people choose to occasionally or routinely work with a punching bag. Whether for the physical benefits or the competitive edge, there are several reasons to use punching bags, and even different types of bags to use, depending on what your goals and purposes may be.

1. Overall aerobic fitness

Probably the most generalized and widely appealing reason to use a bag is to improve aerobic fitness. Aerobic exercise is something that involves moderate levels of elevation or intensity that are pursued over a period of time (as opposed to exerting great amounts of energy in short bursts). This helps the body improve how well it circulates and absorbs oxygen throughout the body.
Punching a bag can be used for this if you use a bag that encourages repetitive motion and does not require heavy strikes. A good example would be either a swerve ball or speed bag, which involve small size bags that tend to ‘recover’ or come back at you very quickly. But because they are small they don’t take much force; it is rather the repetitive motion and use of footwork that give the aerobic benefit.

2. Increase muscle tone / physical strength

Because some punching bags give more resistance, working out with them regularly is a good way to build physical strength. Because even smaller sized bags work your muscles (due to repeated motion; this is better for toning than strength), almost all bag styles will have some benefit to muscle tone or strength. For adding bulk to muscle, you’ll want to use the heavy style bag, which requires you to engage more of your arm muscles to deliver a forceful punch that will get the bag to move. (Make sure to have your hands properly wrapped or wear gloves before trying this.)

3. Improve punching technique

Most directly related to the name of the bag, many people incorporate punching bags into their regular exercise routine to improve technique and become better boxers or fighters. From standard boxing to several types of martial arts, there are a number of disciplines that use the bag to work on technique of punching, as well as reflexes of dodging the bag’s return as if it were the opponent’s fist.