These simple tips will change the way you train on the heavy bag. In this video lesson I give you six top tips, and even if you only use one or two of them you will notice a big difference. The first and last tips are probably the most important.

It is for anyone who uses a heavy bag: boxers, kickboxers, martial artists and people training at home who want more from their bag sessions.

Why Most Bag Work Is Wasted

The heavy bag is one of the best training tools there is. It is also one of the most misused. Plenty of people hit it hard for three minutes, get tired, and call it training. They work hard, but they do not get better.

The bag should help you build power, timing, technique and fitness all at once. That only happens when you use it with a purpose.

What Good Bag Work Looks Like

Good bag work treats the bag as an opponent, not a target. That means:

  • Moving. Use your feet and work at angles, not standing square in front of it.
  • Defending. Keep your guard up and move your head after you throw.
  • Varying your shots. Head height and body height, single shots and combinations.
  • Controlling your power. Not every shot needs to be thrown at full force.
  • Working on something. Every round should have a goal.

Common Mistakes

  • Pushing the bag. A punch should hit and come back, not shove the bag away.
  • Admiring your work. Standing and watching the bag swing is how you get hit in a real fight.
  • Dropping the hands. Bad habits on the bag become bad habits in sparring.
  • Going too hard, too soon. Technique first, then speed, then power.
  • Poor wrist alignment. Wrap your hands and hit with the wrist straight.

How To Practise It

Plan your bag rounds before you start. For example, one round focusing on footwork, one on the jab, one on body shots, one on combinations, and one where you put it all together. Rest properly between rounds, and keep your technique sharp even when you get tired. That is when the habits really get built.

Try the tips one at a time. Do not change everything at once. Pick one or two, use them for a few sessions, and notice the difference.

Take It Further

If you want to hit harder on the bag and in a fight, take a look at Power Black. To learn the punches and combinations properly, try the Learn To Box Online Course.