Starting Strength training & Heavy Bag

[Dubster]

I have just found a gym that has free weights and a heavy bag and plan to start lifting and using the bag (no kicking allowed) a couple of times a week.

I have never had call to use or been trained on how to best use the heavy bag and would appreciate any suggestions (I have hand wraps, gloves and have sparred etc).

I also will be starting to do deadlifts and squats on alternate visits (3x5) but would appreciate any suggestions on a training programme/ exercises for the gym and how to optimise my time.

TIA

D

[neijia_boxer]

There are many things you can do on a heavy bag. i suggest watching some youtubes

my workout involves a mini timer: 12 rounds- 2 min. each 30 sec rest.

It is something like this-

round 1- jab with slip left or right
round 2- jab and double jab, slip left and right
round 3- jab/double jab, level change/duck (jab to head or body) slipping
round 4- jab/d.jab and cross, ducking, punch to head and body
round 5- jab, cross, hook, add bob/weave
round 6- add upper cut to previous
round 7- add speed- going freestyle with everything (hooks to head and body)
round 8- add power- going freestyle
round 9- jab cross continually non-stop an entire round
round 10- circle left and punch 4 times, duck, circle right punch 4 times duck for entire round.
round 11- freestyle w/everything with speed
rpund 12- freestyle w/everything with power

[Juan]

What I like to do is start off with simple comos first. Start off just throwing the jab, then jab/cross, jab/cross/hook , jab/cross/body hook/high hook, etc

look up different combos and try them out. And like Neija said, add bobbing and weaving along with footwork. Alternate between throwing combos with speed and then with power.

[neijia_boxer]

I have been watch the video of Pacquios trainer Freddie roach on Youtube past few days . alot of instructional vids out on youtube...its amazing

[Juan]

Dude if you're in LA next month his gym is on Vine and Santa Monica I believe. I've been meaning to go check it out but just haven't had the time. It may be worh your while to go check it out. I'm going to have to make time one of these days to go out there.

[Sprint]

I have never had call to use or been trained on how to best use the heavy bag and would appreciate any suggestions (I have hand wraps, gloves and have sparred etc).

D

You want to go easy on the heavy bag to begin with because you can cause no end of damage to your shoulders if you don't hit it right. This is especially true if you are not used to hitting a moving target. I would start on the lightest bag I could find and stick with it until I felt I was wasting my time. The problem is you can knock the crap out of a heavy bag and not know you've hurt yourself until hours later.

[johnwang]

I like to hit on my heavy bag none stop as fast I can, and as powerful as I can like a "mad man" until I'm complete exhausted (between 100 to 150 punches). I then rest for 1 minute and repeat that again.

[Chris Fleming]

For the strength training, dead lifts and squats are the way to go. I'd add some kind of overhead pressing like the clean and press. Good programs are Pavel's book Power to the People! which is 2X5, with the second set being 90% of the first, or some kind of variation such as 3X5 like you mentioned or 3X3.

[Waterway]

I have never had call to use or been trained on how to best use the heavy bag and would appreciate any suggestions (I have hand wraps, gloves and have sparred etc).

D

You want to go easy on the heavy bag to begin with because you can cause no end of damage to your shoulders if you don't hit it right. This is especially true if you are not used to hitting a moving target. I would start on the lightest bag I could find and stick with it until I felt I was wasting my time. The problem is you can knock the crap out of a heavy bag and not know you've hurt yourself until hours later.

That is the best advice on here. If you can find someone at the gym who can teach you or if you were to attend a boxing class for a few weeks to learn the basics of bagwork, it will help you no end.

I trained in boxing for quite a while many moons ago and the most common injury to noobs (pre-sparring) were guys on heavy bags who had poor alignment and didn't know how to punch. They usually ended up with wrist or shoulder damage.

Find someone to teach you. No point in trying to find a routine until you can use a bag safely.

[neijia_boxer]

No point in trying to find a routine until you can use a bag safely.

scaredy cats! its a bag for christ sake, it not going to hit you back. We have girls at our school hitting it for an hour no problem. htfu!

[Dubster]

For the strength training, dead lifts and squats are the way to go. I'd add some kind of overhead pressing like the clean and press. Good programs are Pavel's book Power to the People! which is 2X5, with the second set being 90% of the first, or some kind of variation such as 3X5 like you mentioned or 3X3.

Cool, thanks. I do Turkish get ups - would that cover the press?

Thanks, for the comments RE the heavy bag - didn't make myself clear but I can jab cross hook fine just never used a heavy bag. Will check the youtube clips and try the rounds you posted neijia (well maybe not 12 just yet... ) before I work up to Mr Wangs 'madman'.

Great help.

D

[Waterway]

No point in trying to find a routine until you can use a bag safely.

scaredy cats! its a bag for christ sake, it not going to hit you back. We have girls at our school hitting it for an hour no problem. htfu!

Go headbutt an oak tree. You'll be ok, it won't hit back lol!

Seriously though, I have seen a lot of injuries through bad punching technique especially on a heavy bag and in sparring. In this case Dubster knows what to do, so it is a moot point.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

stay loose, use your whole body, keep your elbows down, don't slap sideways at the bag.

[kenneth fish]

Find a trainer, preferably one who has trained "golden gloves" competitors - don't just go into a gym and start hitting the bag. First, it will be obvious that you do not know what you are doing (and you will be lucky if anyone corrects you). Second, as noted above, there is a real issue of sprain and compression injury to your wrist, radial head joint, and shoulder. Like anything else in boxing, training is paramount.

[Chris Fleming]

For the strength training, dead lifts and squats are the way to go. I'd add some kind of overhead pressing like the clean and press. Good programs are Pavel's book Power to the People! which is 2X5, with the second set being 90% of the first, or some kind of variation such as 3X5 like you mentioned or 3X3.

Cool, thanks. I do Turkish get ups - would that cover the press?



D

That could be considered a static press. I would still try to go for something like the clean and press or side/bent press. But it's all good.