Many people start in their quest to get in shape with a punching bag workout for beginners. After all, it is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment around. In addition to providing great cardio, it is also great to build upper body strength and endurance, as well as speed and flexibility. Learning how to use a punching bag properly, however, can take some practice.
Within this guide, I’ll show you how to get started.
Learn the basics of boxing ⚠️
Whether you’re a total beginner or just getting back into boxing training after a long break, we all have to start somewhere. If you’re new to boxing, a new workout routine can be daunting. Where is what you should pay attention to.
Proper boxing stance
Boxing is a complex sport, with a wide variety of skills to master before you can consider yourself an expert in it. One of the most important is the proper boxing stance, which provides you with the foundation for everything you do in the ring or during the training.
The way you hold your hands and feet determines how well you will react to attacks from your opponent and how you throw the punches.
If your feet are too close together, you will lose your balance. If your feet are too far apart, you will be too spread out to defend yourself effectively.
Your stance should allow you to move quickly from side to side while keeping your hands up to protect your face and chin, as well as to block and land punches on your opponent’s body.
Shopping guide: Best punching bags for beginners
Footwork ❗️
Boxing footwork is an essential part of boxing for me, and it is a skill as important as punching and blocking. Good footwork will help you avoid punches while landing your own, and it will make you a harder target to hit. Good footwork is also vital to keep your opponent guessing, and it will help you get in position for punches.
If you’re looking for boxing footwork tips or just want to see a few examples of different boxing footwork styles in action, then this video will help you.
Basic boxing punches 🥊
The most basic punches are the jab, cross, hook (left or right), and uppercut (left or right). The jab and cross are the simplest to learn, whereas the left hook is usually the hardest to acquire.
The most basic punches are the jab, cross, hook (left or right), and uppercut (left or right). The jab and cross are the simplest to learn, whereas the left hook is usually the hardest to acquire.
Proper punching technique is a necessary part of boxing. So, you need to practice a lot to throw those punches the right way, no matter how tired you are. A heavy bag is an excellent tool for practicing, but it’s better to start shadow boxing first.
Watch the following video and read our detailed guide about the basic punches here.
Warm-Up before you start 🦵️
Boxing is a brutal sport. After all, you have a heavy bag that gives you no mercy. So to ensure that you don’t have to face that mercy on your own, you have to be ready to give it yourself before you start your heavy bag training. And that means you need to warm up.
If you don’t do your heavy bag workout warm-up, you’ll be able to get away with it once in a while. Eventually, you’ll see the consequences, and they won’t be pleasant. Your joints will ache, your wrists will be sore, and you’ll have to take time off from your heavy bag workouts.
Warm all your muscles, particularly your shoulders, arms, and legs. Have light cardio to pump blood to your body and make light stretches as well. Don’t punch the bag with full power, but make fast and light punches instead.
How to choose a heavy bag? ⚠️
Overall, you’re going to spend some serious cash on a heavy punching bag, so make sure you choose one that’s suitable for your needs and will last for years.
If you prefer a hanging bag, you should pick one about half of your body weight. Such a heavy bag will give you enough resistance for power punches and swings enough so you can improve your footwork, timing, accuracy, and other skills.
If you want a freestanding punching bag, be sure to think about your power and body weight. But I always suggest more oversized bags since they’re less likely to fall over.
If you haven’t decided yet, read our freestanding vs. hanging bag comparison here.
How to hit the heavy bag correctly ❗️
Most beginners strike the bag with power punches, like right hooks. You should treat the bag like a human opponent. Play around with it like you’re fighting someone. So use all the other punches, like jabs and crosses and uppercuts.
Learn how to punch correctly, and your strikes will be stronger and more accurate. Moreover, you will not get tired so quickly.
People like to throw strong punches on heavy bags. Analyzing a boxing match, we can see that a lot of the shots are light to medium. That’s something you should keep in mind when training with a punching bag.
Additionally, you should try to practice the footwork to not always hit it from exactly the same position.
Learn more: Typical heavy bag mistakes
Note: Always wrap your hands and wear heavy bag gloves to protect your hands! To protect the hands and wrists during impact, beginners should always wear boxing gloves and wraps when hitting the bag.
How often should you work out?
If you can, work out at least twice a week for at least 1 hour. Of course, workout drills for beginners can be shorter at the beginning. Those who really want to progress will need to do 3 or 5 workouts a week. Physical preparation is crucial for this kind of sporting activity.
Why should you hit the bag? Read: Punching bag workout benefits
Other Bags to Consider
Speed bags are a great way to boost reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and increase punching speed. All of these are important boxing techniques. But this boxing equipment isn’t meant to be hit hard. Thus, it won’t help you improve your punching power and strength training.
The double end bag is a very effective piece of equipment to improve such boxing skills as head movement, basic punching combinations, proper body movement, sensory-motor coordination, and perfect form. It also requires more movement so these boxing drills are also useful for developing cardiovascular fitness.
Example heavy bag workouts for beginners 🥵️
You have just learned how to start your punching bag training program safely and effectively. Here are some examples of workouts you can try out.
20 Minute Heavy Bag All Boxing Workout for Beginners
From this boxing routine, you will learn how to effectively throw punches and punch combinations, move around and use the heavy bag with proper footwork, boost energy output, all the while enjoying your working out.
Free Standing Punching Bag Workout For Beginners
This beginner-level boxing bag workout uses just bodyweight and a heavy bag to improve conditioning, burn fat, and add muscle.
Whether or not you’ve ever thrown punches, this workout is perfect for fat burning! Coach Chris shows you how to punch (jab, cross, hook) properly and do bodyweight exercises (pushups, pullups, skips, and movement for the core).
Boxing training is presented with a standing bag. However, we can also use hanging bags.
10-minute punching bag cardio workout with combos
Boxing is a great cardio exercise that anyone can do. A boxing workout routine improves your conditioning while giving you a full-body workout. It’s 10 minutes of cardio training with punches so that beginners will like it. In this workout, you need to move as much as possible. If you don’t have access to a heavy bag, you can do this workout by shadowboxing.
You will practice easy combinations such as jab-cross (1-2). jab-jab (1-1), cross-lead hook (2-3), etc. during the rounds. These are typical beginner heavy bag drills. Getting familiar with these combos is fun and easy.
Use this punching bag workout app 📱
The Precision Boxing Coach App is an excellent boxing app for android and iOS users made by a boxer. The app allows individuals to follow interactive boxing workouts that mimic the exercises that are done in a real-life boxing gym. The app focuses on providing a realistic experience for users and allows them to adjust the fitness level, speed, type of training, rest, etc. It also calls out punches the same way as boxing coaches do. Read the full review here.
The video below is old. Since then, there are a lot of useful options on the app with a huge number of punching bag drills.
FAQ
Will boxing 3 times a week get me in shape?
Fitness professionals recommend boxing exercises and punching bag workouts for muscle building, fat loss, and overall cardiovascular conditioning because of their cardiovascular and strength-building benefits. Prior to starting a workout program (and boxing in particular), you should speak to your doctor. If you do an intense workout 3 times a week, you can see good results.
Is it OK to hit a heavy bag without gloves?
Whether you are having a heavy bag workout routine or fighting an opponent, boxing can easily cause damage to the delicate hands. When delivering a solid punch, hand wraps and gloves can prevent you from breaking the small bones in your hands and tearing the skin on your knuckles. Hand protection during a heavy bag training session is particularly important for beginners who aren’t yet familiar with the proper form and boxing technique.
To sum up
The first step in starting a punching bag workout is knowing why you want to do it. While this sounds like a given, it’s essential to consider what you’re trying to accomplish by starting this new exercise regimen. What do you want to gain from it? Whether it’s to lose weight, build muscle, get in shape, or get healthy, having a goal will help you stay focused and motivated.
The next step is to learn the basics of boxing – the punches, stances, footwork, and some easy combos. Without knowing how to box, your workout won’t be effective. So, be patient and practice as much as you can – even without a punching bag. The more familiar you are with the boxing moves, the more you will enjoy punching workouts, and the more your want to learn. I know this from my experience.
If you still have questions about beginner’s heavy bag workouts, please ask them below or look around punchingbagsguide.com.