# Hanging a heavy bag in a garage



## FearlessFreep

I'm trying to keep  a heavy bag hung in my garage and I just ripped it out of the ceiling... again.

It's fairly light at 70lbs (got it used, cheap) and I have it hung with a single eye screw, but it keep ripping out if the wood.  Since it is so light, when I kick it, it moves a lot.  I can see the screw kinda eating through the wood.  

I wonder if I need a much heavier bag so it doesn't travel as much when I kick?  Or a different hanging mechanism?  There is sheet rock across the ceiling covering the beams so I'd prefer not to do a lot of major surgery to the beas


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## Ceicei

Well, you will need some type of a hanging mechanism that will wrap around the board.  A swivel ball or screw to connect the bag to your hanging mechanism would help a lot.  I guess your best bet is to talk to the school instructors who may have such hanging bags in their schools.  Boxing schools may offer some suggestions as well since many of these places have hanging bags.

- Ceicei


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## Kacey

I suspect that either the eyebolt is too small, or one screw in the beam is not sufficient.  I would suggest a product like this (see picture, below, of a heavy bag ceiling mount), so that you have more than one point of support - the type of strain that twisting can put on a single point of support, especially under pressure, is probably too much for the eye bolt.







Once you have a support such as the above, hang the bag from a swivel, which will also help reduce the strain on any particular point when you hit it.


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## jks9199

FearlessFreep said:


> I'm trying to keep  a heavy bag hung in my garage and I just ripped it out of the ceiling... again.
> 
> It's fairly light at 70lbs (got it used, cheap) and I have it hung with a single eye screw, but it keep ripping out if the wood.  Since it is so light, when I kick it, it moves a lot.  I can see the screw kinda eating through the wood.
> 
> I wonder if I need a much heavier bag so it doesn't travel as much when I kick?  Or a different hanging mechanism?  There is sheet rock across the ceiling covering the beams so I'd prefer not to do a lot of major surgery to the beas


I'm going to make some guesses...

I'm going to assume that the roof trusses are 16 inches on center.

Buy some 3/4 inch plywood, like 4' square.  Screw it into the trusses.  This is mostly going to just protect the ceiling.

Go to Ringside.com, or or any other boxing/martial arts supply company that sells heavy bags, and look for a hanger.  (http://www.ringside.com/DETAIL.ASPX?ID=24691 is one of the ones that Ringside sells.)

Follow the directions -- but be sure to use good, heavy lag bolts or similar screws to attach it to the joist through the plywood.  

The idea is two-fold: you want the plywood to take any immediate pulling stress that would otherwise go to the drywall, and to distribute the force across several of the joists, not just one, and then you also want to be sure that the mount is solidly attached to the joist.  You may find you need to use some sort of anchor.  

Another alternative would be to run a 2x4 across several rafters, so that the wide surface is against the roof, and then mount the hanger into that.  Again -- you're trying to be sure you've got a solid physical connection for the mount, distributed across several joists or rafters.

And you probably want to get one of the heavy-duty springs that are available to reduce the shock on the mount.

Oh... and one other thing.  If any of this isn't making sense -- you're probably in over your head on mounting it.  Find a buddy who understands what I'm talking about, buy him some beer, and get him to help you.


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## Big Don

We just hung 4 bags at my dojo, we found a spring contraption that works great.
I'm sorry but I have no idea what the actual name of this thing is, what it is is a 6 inch coil spring with two "U" shaped pieces of round stock inside it. They overlap each other. One end hooks to the gallows we built to hang the bags from the other to a swivel. These things take probably 50% of the motion out of the bag and lessen the amount of force transferred to the gallows by a fair amount.


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## still learning

Hello, Better to use Bolts if possible better than lag screws over time! 1/2" is good for the longer periods.

Century had some metel frames/devices that hold bags....get a welder friend to build something for you?  (like a giant horse stand)

Many of the bags have a strap on the bottom of the bag...to strap to the ground for more stable use.

Great suggestion above about the 4 foot 3/4 plywood! ..just make sure you bolt to the beams?

Aloha,  (knot your plastic bags before throwing away)


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## jks9199

While a true bolt/washer set up would be ideal -- in reality, it's not always possible.  The OP would rather not cut up his ceiling in order to access the rafters in a way that would allow a bolt; lag screws are a reasonable compromise, especially if the force is mediated by springs and by an indirect linkage between the bag and the mount (like in the commercial mounts).


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## ArmorOfGod

http://store.titleboxing.com/heavy-bags-heavy-bag-accessories.html

That is a list of some good bag-hanging accessories.  Still, after you pick out what you need, drive to your local hardware store to buy it cheaper.

AoG


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## KempoGuy06

I hung mine from the garage door tracks. They are bolted pretty good to the ceiling. I put my 100lbs bag up there and got it moving pretty good, no troubles.

B


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## Drac

FearlessFreep said:


> I'm trying to keep a heavy bag hung in my garage and I just ripped it out of the ceiling... again.
> 
> It's fairly light at 70lbs (got it used, cheap) and I have it hung with a single eye screw, but it keep ripping out if the wood. Since it is so light, when I kick it, it moves a lot. I can see the screw kinda eating through the wood.
> 
> I wonder if I need a much heavier bag so it doesn't travel as much when I kick? Or a different hanging mechanism? There is sheet rock across the ceiling covering the beams so I'd prefer not to do a lot of major surgery to the beas


 
The use to make this heavy metal sleeve that you affixed to a 2x4 before you attached the swivel and chain...


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## Xue Sheng

Everlast
http://store.everlastboxing.com/everlast-heavybag-heavy-bag-accessories.html

I use the Wood Beam Training Bag Holder and so far no worries


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## jks9199

KempoGuy06 said:


> I hung mine from the garage door tracks. They are bolted pretty good to the ceiling. I put my 100lbs bag up there and got it moving pretty good, no troubles.
> 
> B


You're liable to regret that...  While the garage door tracks are well supported (that door is a lot heavier than you realize), they're not designed to support something from underneath.  What you'll end up doing is distorting that track, and your door won't open properly.

Really -- take the time to mount the bag properly or get a free-standing bag holder.  You'll be happier, and your house will, too!


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## DavidCC

at most big box stores you can go to the "ceilin fans" department and they make the perfect device for hanging bags.

It is a stabilizer for ceiling fans, but how it works is, it is built from two metal plates with a bar between them  ]--[ with small spikes facing outward.  The middle bar is threaded so as you twist it, it gets shorter or longer.  You cut a 4-6" hole in the drywall of your ceiling BETWEEN THE BEAMS. Then twist the brace short, slip it up through the hole and then unscrew (longer) it until the plate spikes are jammed into the beams on either side.  Loop a chain over the middle bar to hang the bag from.  You might want to put some brackets on the beam to stop the chain from sliding back and forth and eating the drywall around the hole.  

I've had my bag hanging for over 3 years with no problems.


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## SensibleManiac

Guys, get the proper hanging equipment, yes, but most importantly I would say, if you want to spare your house being damaged get an  independent bag freestanding bag holder.
With time even a properly supported bag will shake the support beams of your house and will damage the walls and support beams.
You'll start to notice more small cracks on the surrounding walls. Then what will happen is you'll find more cracks around the support beams.
Trust me don't hang it from the wooden support beams they aren't intended for that.


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## jks9199

SensibleManiac said:


> Guys, get the proper hanging equipment, yes, but most importantly I would say, if you want to spare your house being damaged get an  independent bag freestanding bag holder.
> With time even a properly supported bag will shake the support beams of your house and will damage the walls and support beams.
> You'll start to notice more small cracks on the surrounding walls. Then what will happen is you'll find more cracks around the support beams.
> Trust me don't hang it from the wooden support beams they aren't intended for that.



Best idea yet...  The fact is that the ceiling joists (which may be floor joists, too) aren't really designed to take the stress of a bag.  A freestanding bag holder is much less likely to damage your house, and can be had for less than $200.  (Lots cheaper than the repairs to your ceiling trusses...)


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## 14 Kempo

SensibleManiac said:


> Guys, get the proper hanging equipment, yes, but most importantly I would say, if you want to spare your house being damaged get an independent bag freestanding bag holder.
> With time even a properly supported bag will shake the support beams of your house and will damage the walls and support beams.
> You'll start to notice more small cracks on the surrounding walls. Then what will happen is you'll find more cracks around the support beams.
> Trust me don't hang it from the wooden support beams they aren't intended for that.


 
He speaketh the truth ... 

I had hung a heavybag from the wooden support beams in my house, and although I wasn't there long enough to sustain visible damage, the whole house shook when I was working out. Even my next door neighbors said they could tell if I was just working out or upset ... LOL ... it shook that much.

I must agree with 'SensibleManiac', get a freestanding bag holder.


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## Em MacIntosh

I removed the swivel, put two ropes through the chains and tied my 70lb bag to the main beam.  The rope broke once from friction in the six years I had it up.


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## Lorak

14 Kempo said:


> He speaketh the truth ...
> 
> I had hung a heavybag from the wooden support beams in my house, and although I wasn't there long enough to sustain visible damage, the whole house shook when I was working out. Even my next door neighbors said they could tell if I was just working out or upset ... LOL ... it shook that much.
> 
> I must agree with 'SensibleManiac', get a freestanding bag holder.


 
Just wanted to add to this. I had a heavy bag hanging in the basment for a long time. And while it was anchored well. I didn't realize that it was shattering the sheetrock in a closet upstairs (above where the bag was).

We went to paint, and when we pulled everything out of the closet the back wall of sheetrock was tore all to pieces. I knew it was shaking the house a bit, but didn't realize it was actualy doing damage.


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## Mark Lynn

I would suggest a free standing bag holder as well as the best possible way to avoid the shaking of your house.

I mounted one in a garage in an old house of mine, even mounted one at my parents house one the back covered porch.  And when I worked out on it, it would really shake the house.

In my current house, I was concerned for the shaking and built a frame out of 2X10's (one laying flat and then two standing on their sides) between the ceiling joists and screwed them all together.  From there I put more of them coming (standing on their sides) out between the other joists to help transfer the load and the shaking.

In the middle of the 2X10 that was laying flat I drill a holed for an eye bolt and bolted it with large washer, lock washer, and then two nuts for Jam nuts.  This set up certianly helped with the shaking issue I had before.

I also used a large spring that I got from a auto junk yard (hood spring) and while it was closed most of the time at times it would stretch (open up some) and it helped cushion the up and down shock.  My instructor had a spring like that and it helped with the load much better than mine (because it was stretched more) so it might have been that I got to strong of a spring in the first place.


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## KempoGuy06

jks9199 said:


> You're liable to regret that...  While the garage door tracks are well supported (that door is a lot heavier than you realize), they're not designed to support something from underneath.  What you'll end up doing is distorting that track, and your door won't open properly.
> 
> Really -- take the time to mount the bag properly or get a free-standing bag holder.  You'll be happier, and your house will, too!


This can be true, but it the tracks are the right ones the will hold the bag with no problems. The doors are heavy but those tracks are sturdy enough. If it can hold me (250lbs) hanging  and swinging from it and 100lb bag will be nothing. Ive done with no problems

B


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## Adept

KempoGuy06 said:


> This can be true, but it the tracks are the right ones the will hold the bag with no problems. The doors are heavy but those tracks are sturdy enough. If it can hold me (250lbs) hanging and swinging from it and 100lb bag will be nothing. Ive done with no problems
> 
> B


 
True enough, but you've got no way to measure the impact you're imparting with the strikes to the bag. Simply hanging and swinging is a very different thing to impacting.


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## KempoGuy06

Adept said:


> True enough, but you've got no way to measure the impact you're imparting with the strikes to the bag. Simply hanging and swinging is a very different thing to impacting.


Again very true. I work for a garage door company that my family owns, ive been able to install garage doors since I was 16 so I have a little experience with them. Ive also been told by our installers that hanging it from the track you not harm it, but again there always is the risk that it could cause damage but thats with anything. So I guess do it at your own risk. If anything buy another track bracket (20-30 bucks) and put on on each track in the middle of the track for added support, should do the trick. 

B


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## chinto

I would sugest you first sister up on the sealing joist and then either wrap it with a hanger and swivel  type of arrangement or plate it in with a steel plate arrangement  having sistered up  two adjoining joists and run a pipe or other steel hanger between them with a swivel again and hang the bag from it. If you do the latter you will want to weld a vertical member that is rigid down to penetrate the sheet rock and put the swivel on that ..


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## FearlessFreep

Picked up a simple free standing bag holder yesterday and it's been awhile but I'm excited to get back on it without fear of ripping my ceiling apart


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## cfr

If you have the $$$, I cannot recommend this enough. One of the best investments I've ever made. I still get two cars in the garage, can circle from side to side, etc.


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## FearlessFreep

cfr said:


> If you have the $$$, I cannot recommend this enough. One of the best investments I've ever made. I still get two cars in the garage, can circle from side to side, etc.



Yeah, a cornerman would be great but is a bit beyond my budget for now...


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