Are you getting bored of doing the same old workouts? Are you looking for new equipment to help you stay motivated? Then you might want to consider getting a punching bag.
Punch bags are ideal for a workout as you can use them either indoors or outdoors. The only problem is that punching bags aren’t cheap, which is why you need to be prepared so you know how to hang and fill it correctly, and to purchase the right type of punch bag to suit your needs.
In this article, we share some tips for when filling and hanging your punching bag.
How To Fill A Punching Bag
What Are Punch Bags Filled With?
When purchasing a heavy bag, they can either come pre-filled or unfilled. Filled punch bags usually cost more because the hard work has been done for you. If your punch bag comes unfilled, you can use shredded fabric to fill and pad it out. Some people also like to use foam.
Whenever filling a punch bag with shredded rags, you usually need to top it up as the fabric becomes compressed and settles during use. Although it may appear fully filled at first, after taking a few hits, you’ll start to see indentations of where your strikes landed. This is a sign you’ll need to add more cloth to fill it further. Using a broom handle or something similar will help you to push the fabric through the bag and compress it properly.
How To Add Weight To Punching Bag
Bags of sand or sawdust can also be used to fill a heavy bag in combination with material cut into finer strips to help increase the weight of the punch bag to prevent it from swaying too much when punched or kicked. Otherwise, you may find the punch bag too lightweight for your usage, especially if you’re a powerful or heavy hitter. insert layers of fabric into the empty bag and every now and then add sand bangs between the layers to help add weight to the punching bag until you have your preferred weight and resistance.
How To Hang A Punching Bag From Garage Ceiling
To ensure your punch bag is supported properly, we prefer to hang a punching bag from the garage ceiling by attaching the bag straps and chains from an RSJ. Rolled steel joists, also known as I Beams, are sturdy enough to support a tremendous amount of weight far exceeding that of a punch bag which makes it the perfect solution to hang the bag from. However, you must always check your own garage space and specifications as what is suitable for us may not be suitable for you. As alternatives, you may want to fix a bracket to the wall in which to hang the punch bag or there are freestanding frames you can purchase which provide the bracket without drilling and can be easily moved wherever you desire should you need to.
Some stockists do sell ceiling mounts to drill and affix to your ceiling directly but be very careful with this as your ceiling may not be able to support the weight and swing of your bag. Always do your research first before affixing a heavy bag from any type of mount or beam.
How To Hang A Punching Bag In An Apartment
Hanging up a punch bag in an apartment isn’t a great idea, especially if you only rent the apartment. With neighbours often above and below, you don’t want to annoy them with the swinging of the bag plus the landlord may not be impressed by you hanging such a weight from the wall, especially as it may not be able to support it. The best type of punch bag to purchase for an apartment would be a freestanding one which you intend to use lightly saving the heavy bag work for the gym. A Spar Bar would be ideal but there are inflatable options, as well as the Bob and Wavemaster type freestanding bags, that are more suitable for general punching and kicking.
How To Put a Punch Bag Bracket Up
If you’re looking to affix a wall bracket to hang a bag off it, you first need to ensure the wall you choose to hang it from is free from cables and is actually made from brick, concrete or other masonry and isn’t just a drywall or plasterboard otherwise it won’t be able to support it.
Once you’ve found the right wall to fix the punch bag bracket to, you’ll want to position it at a height that will allow the punch bag to sit in the position you prefer, allowing for the extra length the chains and straps will increase it by. Using a stepladder and an assistant will help with this job. When you’re happy with the height, put the bracket against the wall and make a mark where the bolts will be affixed. This can be used to drill holes at these spots so that the bracket can be fixed to the wall.
Once the wall has been drilled and the bracket attached, simply attach the punch bag to the S hooks, chains and spring, with one person affixing them to the bracket whilst another person holds the bag underneath to keep it steady. The spring coil is recommended as this will be able to absorb shock, taking pressure from the mount, and also reduces the swing of the bag when hit.
How To Stop A Punching Bag From Moving
If you’re not keen on the swing of the punch bag or haven’t the space for it to move properly, then there’s a couple of things you can do. Most punch bags feature a ring on the bottom of the bag. This allows you to tether the punch bag to the floor, which you can further improve by adding weights to prevent the bag from moving and swinging. Alternatively, if you hang a bag lower, by having the bottom of the bag drag along the floor, this will limit the bag from moving when punching or kicking it whilst still putting in those power shots. This is especially suited to banana punch bags which are 6ft in length.
If you haven’t already, you can use a spring when fitting the bag to the bracket which will help to absorb the shock and prevent excessive movement.
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