Should I tie down my punching bag?

[Tallguy5292]

Hello!

I'm looking to start taking MMA classes, and got a 100 lb punching bag from RDX, and a nice big stand from Everlast.

It sways a lot, so I'm thinking I got a bag that's too light for my size (6'7", 250 lbs). I tried putting weights on the pegs of the stand, but it was already solid and never moved. But the bag itself still goes haywire.

I noticed it has a loop on the bottom end, and my stand has loops to the left and right sides.

Would it make sense to tie my bag to those loops with some paracord, to hold it in place better? Or is that a bad idea?

Any help would be great!

 

[JowGaWolf]

You can always punch without gloves lol That will make you back off on the power. lol.

Do you have a picture of it?

 

[Alan0354]

If the bag swing a lot when you punch, you are PUSHING the bag instead of punching the bag. A good punch penetrate, not push. Actually my instructor taught us how to judge how the person punch by looking and listening to the sound of the punch. A good punch make a loud sound kind of deep echoie sound, the punch should penetrate into the bag and the bag shake more than moving back.

JowGaWolf posted a video long time ago on someone punching, I cannot find it, that was quite good. We talked about punching, JowGaWolf talked about too much penetration on the bag he used. Maybe he can do a demo.

 

[Jared Traveler]

Is it a hanging bag, or one on a stand?

 

[Gyakuto]

Hello!

I'm looking to start taking MMA classes, and got a 100 lb punching bag from RDX, and a nice big stand from Everlast.

It sways a lot, so I'm thinking I got a bag that's too light for my size (6'7", 250 lbs). I tried putting weights on the pegs of the stand, but it was already solid and never moved. But the bag itself still goes haywire.

I noticed it has a loop on the bottom end, and my stand has loops to the left and right sides.

Would it make sense to tie my bag to those loops with some paracord, to hold it in place better? Or is that a bad idea?

Any help would be great!

Firstly, 6’7” and 250lb?! You don’t need to learn MMA

I used to use the swing-back of my bag to practise body evasion, swerves and dodges and throwing kicks at awkward angles. Otherwise, yes, try tying it still and see how it goes.

 

[Oily Dragon]

If the bag swing a lot when you punch, you are PUSHING the bag instead of punching the bag. A good punch penetrate, not push. Actually my instructor taught us how to judge how the person punch by looking and listening to the sound of the punch. A good punch make a loud sound kind of deep echoie sound, the punch should penetrate into the bag and the bag shake more than moving back.

 

[Alan0354]

Notice he swing the bag before punching, when he punch, the bag did not follow his punch, but instead the punch penetrated into the bag.

Some people like to swing the bag before punching. You have to look at how the bag moves AFTER punching. Big difference.

When I practice, I intentionally kick the bag to make it moves to make it harder to punch. Or else it's too easy. A good punch is you focus all the force at ONE point for penetration. It's a lot harder when the bag is moving and one has to adjust the focusing point.

I found punching is not so easy as it seems. Everyone can throw a punch, takes months of practice to get good.

 

[punisher73]

I've done both, depends on what I am working on at the time.

But, I agree if it is really swinging away from you at the time, you are getting more of a pushing action as you make contact. Which, depending on what you are working on, that might be it. Using a pushing strike to create distance or move an opponent. Just be aware that is what you are doing though.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Notice he swing the bag before punching, when he punch, the bag did not follow his punch, but instead the punch penetrated into the bag.

Some people like to swing the bag before punching. You have to look at how the bag moves AFTER punching. Big difference.

When I practice, I intentionally kick the bag to make it moves to make it harder to punch. Or else it's too easy. A good punch is you focus all the force at ONE point for penetration. It's a lot harder when the bag is moving and one has to adjust the focusing point.

I found punching is not so easy as it seems. Everyone can throw a punch, takes months of practice to get good.

Some people will say that it's better to swing the bag and then punch into the bag as it comes towards you. I'm not so sure about punching a swinging heavy bag without gloves. The angles that a swinging heavy bag would create would be murder on the knuckles.

 

[Alan0354]

I've done both, depends on what I am working on at the time.

But, I agree if it is really swinging away from you at the time, you are getting more of a pushing action as you make contact. Which, depending on what you are working on, that might be it. Using a pushing strike to create distance or move an opponent. Just be aware that is what you are doing though.

100lbs bag is very heavy, it should not move that much when punching. Particular those boxing long bags, they are very soft, you can easily penetrate 4 to 5 inches with a bare knuckle punch. JowGaWolf had a thread on that. I hate those bags, it's like punching air. We had one in the gym at the time on a stand(not to the roof). It doen't move much, just punching air.

To make it hard, do it on a 50lbs or even 70lbs bag, they swing much easier. Good punches should make it SLOWLY back away when one do multiple punches. Each punch doesn't particular more the bag, you just see the bag slowly move away from you as you keep punching. At the same time, you see the penetration into the bag.

You can see when Ali punching the bag, the bag was not interrupted from the original movement, you just see the penetration into the bag.

Takes practice. Not just raw power. Actually the arms are relax most of the time, mainly driven by the leg, waist, shoulder. The arm and fist just tighten at the focusing point and snap.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I've done both, depends on what I am working on at the time.

But, I agree if it is really swinging away from you at the time, you are getting more of a pushing action as you make contact. Which, depending on what you are working on, that might be it. Using a pushing strike to create distance or move an opponent. Just be aware that is what you are doing though.

Ironically double fist punches work the opposite. If done correctly then the bag will jump off the fist. A good way to tell if these punches are pushing is if the arms extend beyond impact. All of the double punches that I do are bent elbow punches. If my elbows extend then I know that I'm pushing. The extension part makes the punch unstable for me.

 

[Alan0354]

Some people will say that it's better to swing the bag and then punch into the bag as it comes towards you. I'm not so sure about punching a swinging heavy bag without gloves. The angles that a swinging heavy bag would create would be murder on the knuckles.

It is better to swing the bag a little. I mix in kicks to move the bag then punch.

Ha ha, I always punch heavy bag moving without gloves. Never bother me at all. Remember, I punch wood pole. Only thing is the skin during winter.

You want to talk hard, punching above your forehead is so much harder than at jaw level. It's so hard to move moving the bag when punching high. But I am short, so I have to punch high for tall guys.

 

[Alan0354]

Ironically double fist punches work the opposite. If done correctly then the bag will jump off the fist. A good way to tell if these punches are pushing is if the arms extend beyond impact. All of the double punches that I do are bent elbow punches. If my elbows extend then I know that I'm pushing. The extension part makes the punch unstable for me.

I think the good way is to "pop" at the focusing point, then pull back. My teacher said when practice, think about pulling back faster than punching out. You just want to penetrate, then pull back fast. You recover faster that way anyway.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Particular those boxing long bags, they are very soft, you can easily penetrate 4 to 5 inches with a bare knuckle punch. JowGaWolf had a thread on that. I hate those bags, it's like punching air. We had one in the gym at the time on a stand(not to the roof). It doen't move much, just punching air.

The gym set up some new boxing bags. They keep their shape better. I use those bags for when I want to punch harder, My fists don't sink into the bag much which is what I need in order to keep the skill from being rubbed off by the friction.

 

[JowGaWolf]

You want to talk hard, punching above your forehead is so much harder than at jaw level. It's so hard to move moving the bag when punching high. But I am short, so I have to punch high for tall guys.

I use circular punches, so theoretically I can punch someone who is as tall as my raised arm.

 

[Gyakuto]

 

[JowGaWolf]

I think the good way is to "pop" at the focusing point, then pull back. My teacher said when practice, think about pulling back faster than punching out. You just want to penetrate, then pull back fast. You recover faster that way anyway.

The double punches don't pull back like jabs, It's more like they stop, they don't punch through. Straight punches are like bullets, but the double punches are like a car that suddenly hits a another care and everything inside the car smashes against the wind shield continues forward. It's short range power.

 

[punisher73]

100lbs bag is very heavy, it should not move that much when punching. Particular those boxing long bags, they are very soft, you can easily penetrate 4 to 5 inches with a bare knuckle punch. JowGaWolf had a thread on that. I hate those bags, it's like punching air. We had one in the gym at the time on a stand(not to the roof). It doen't move much, just punching air.

To make it hard, do it on a 50lbs or even 70lbs bag, they swing much easier. Good punches should make it SLOWLY back away when one do multiple punches. Each punch doesn't particular more the bag, you just see the bag slowly move away from you as you keep punching. At the same time, you see the penetration into the bag.

You can see when Ali punching the bag, the bag was not interrupted from the original movement, you just see the penetration into the bag.

Takes practice. Not just raw power. Actually the arms are relax most of the time, mainly driven by the leg, waist, shoulder. The arm and fist just tighten at the focusing point and snap.

No disagreement at all with this.

At my old house, I was blessed with a nice basement and could put two heavy bags up fairly close to each other if I chose to and work moving back and forth between the two like multiple attackers. One was a 100lb and the other was a 70lb.

I could hit the 100lb bag with a snapping punch and make it "jump" on the chain and the top/bottom would wiggle back and forth, but it wouldn't move away.

 

[drop bear]

By the way you will probably break your bag tying it down.

There is too much force.

 

[Alan0354]

No disagreement at all with this.

At my old house, I was blessed with a nice basement and could put two heavy bags up fairly close to each other if I chose to and work moving back and forth between the two like multiple attackers. One was a 100lb and the other was a 70lb.

I could hit the 100lb bag with a snapping punch and make it "jump" on the chain and the top/bottom would wiggle back and forth, but it wouldn't move away.

Yes, I have two bags, one 70 one 100.

I like EverLast, they are made cheap, they are quite hard particular at the bottom, it's like a rock, good to practice low round kick to knee level and toughen up the foot and shin.

It's hard to buy the canvas one, I just keep taping them up when they crack. Surprisingly, those duck tape do hold up. I just keep taping. I wish they make the canvas again.