Do you want to throw sharp, powerful punches like a pro? If yes, you need to learn how to hit the heavy bag!
Training on the heavy bag is an essential way to learn how to control and balance your punches.
Keep reading to learn how to hit the heavy bag!
How To Hit The Heavy Bag
To hit the heavy bag:
- Throw Balanced Punches
- Focus On Good Breathing
- Don’t Push The Bag
- Get Physical With The Bag
- Focus On Defense
Throw Balanced Punches
First, throw balanced punches with good technique when hitting the heavy bag.
- When you throw a jab, snap it and make sure to not overextend. Throw double or triple jabs, while changing their power and rhythm.
- When you throw a cross, sit on the punch and use the rotation of your hips for power, not your arm.
- When you throw a hook, use the rotation of your hips for power, making sure not to wind up and overextend.
Focus on the flow of your punches, rather than power.
If you put all of your power into one punch and miss, you will be off balance and lose control of the heavy bag.
Focus on good technique and balance first; power can come later.
Focus On Good Breathing
Next, focus on good breathing when hitting the heavy bag.
Many beginners think that they will get more power by clenching their body and holding their breath.
If you hold your breath, you won’t last two rounds in the ring and you’ll have a bad sparring session.
Instead, breathe out with every punch.
This will make your punches sharper and force you to breathe in.
By breathing in your rhythm, you’ll increase your endurance and feel more relaxed.
Don’t Push The Bag
Next, hit the heavy bag, don’t push it.
Many beginners think that they need to hit the heavy bag so it swings wildly back and forth.
If the bag is swinging out of control, you’re using the heavy bag wrong.
Instead, hit the bag as it swings back towards you.
Get Physical With The Bag
Next, get physical with the heavy bag.
You should think of the heavy bag as a real opponent.
While you throw jabs and crosses from a distance, sometimes you have to fight close distance.
Put your arms in a high guard, push back the heavy bag, and try these:
- Release and with each step back, throw an uppercut to the body.
- Release and throw a check hook to either side as you step out of the way.
- Shift the heavy bag from shoulder to shoulder as you roll under its weight.
All of these punches should be balanced. Take control of the heavy bag at all times.
Focus On Defense
Lastly, focus on defense when hitting the heavy bag.
Even though the heavy bag doesn’t hit back, you should still practice good habits.
After a few hard rounds on the heavy bag, you’ll want to get lazy and drop your hands.
Make sure your hands come back to your head with each jab and cross.
When you throw a hook, keep it tight and throw it from your guard.
You should work on your defensive footwork too.
As the bag swings towards you, practice stepping back to control the range or stepping to the side to change the angle.
Benefits Of Using The Heavy Bag
Some of the benefits of using the heavy bag include:
- The Heavy Bag Improves Your Power
- The Heavy Bag Teaches You To Fight On The Inside
- The Heavy Bag Improves Your Accuracy
The Heavy Bag Improves Your Power
First, the heavy bag improves your power.
It gives you the perfect opportunity to train your power shots, since the heavy bag’s weight will keep it in place.
The Heavy Bag Teaches You To Fight On The Inside
Next, the heavy bag teaches you to fight on the inside.
You can practice:
- Clinching
- Rolling the bag from shoulder to shoulder
- Using your forearms to push the bag back
We’ve seen that many beginners are afraid to grab their opponents, even though it’s an essential technique.
Using the heavy bag will help you get used to fighting in this range.
The Heavy Bag Improves Your Accuracy
Lastly, the heavy bag improves your accuracy.
You should be hitting the bag as it swings back to you; after playing around with it for a bit, you’ll notice that there’s a sweet spot.
One drill we like to do is to put duct tape on a heavy bag to create targets.
When the bag is swinging around and the targets are on the other side of the bag, we’re focused on defense and footwork.
Once we see a target come around, we start our combination.
Conclusion
Now you know to focus on good technique and control first when hitting the heavy bag.
You’ll feel and look better with sharper punches and a relaxed body.
Once you get the basics down, mix up the punches and angles! See how many different combinations you can come up with.
Combine it with the other bags: hit the double-end bag to increase your accuracy and reflexes, use the speed bag to improve your timing and rhythm, and hit the aqua bag to improve your uppercuts and rolls.
For inspiration, watch the video to see how Floyd Mayweather works the heavy bag!
He flows; never off balance or out of breath.
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