How to work the Heavy Bag – Drills and workouts

Working the heavy-bag is arguably the most well-known aspects of boxing training. It is also one of the most popular methods of getting fit, in most boxing regimes. It’s popularity is rightly earned, seeing as it’s one of the most sports-specific boxing exercises you can do, meaning it is one of the most effective ways to build up your cardiovascular and muscular endurance. It is also a great way of enhancing punching power and speed.

Just as important, it also can be useful in developing your skills, giving you the opportunity to practice certain punches and combinations, better your balance and footwork, and build awareness of range. The only other activity you could use that gets more sports-specific than using the heavy-bag, is sparring and possibly working the mitts.

Christ Eubank is intense with his bag drills

Bag drills:

Sprint punching: This means throwing constant punches at full speed with no rest at all. At this point, you can compromise a little on technique simply because the purpose of this activity is to build muscular endurance in the arms, shoulders, back and core, as well as cardiovascular endurance. This means you’ll have to stand square on in order to get the full benefits.

When sprint punching: Go 15 seconds at full pace straight, then 15 seconds at regular pace. Repeat this process until the end of the round. Initially, aim to do this for 2-3 rounds with the intention of being able to do this for 6 rounds and increasing the duration of the sprints to 30 seconds.

At some points, practice punching down to the body by sprint punch at the bottom side of the bag. For correct technique, bend the knees and squat down slightly, as to avoid punching at a downward angle.

Angle Punching: Aim to throw punch combinations at the heavy bag for 10 seconds, then change the angle of attack in both directions, by pivoting your feet or side stepping and whilst doing this, throw out your jab for five seconds (with the focus on accuracy, as opposed to power). Do this every 10 seconds until the end of the round. Focus on maintaining stable distance between your feet and not letting one cross in front of the other. The purpose is to improve footwork.

Progressive Punching: Start off by throwing a three punch combination. Then for five seconds move around the bag using the jab and side stepping around the bag. Keep the correct stance, with your guard up and your feet always with the same distance between them. Then throw a four punch combination, and then again for five seconds move around the bag firing your jab. Then add another shot to your previous combination, meaning now throw a five combination. Keep doing this until the end of round, adding another punch each time and then moving. The combinations don’t have to be the same, you can throw different ones each time, as this gives you the chance to practice different shots. The next round, carry on from the amount of your last combination. Do this for at least 3 rounds.

Sitting down: Slightly bend the knees and get into a squatting position. Fire punches in that position for 15 seconds. Then punch in an upright position for 15 seconds. Keep alternating until the 3 minute round is upright. As time goes by, try to graduate to from 15 seconds to 30 seconds.

Key things to be aware of:

– Stay logical: Despite the fact there is no opponent in front of you that’s going to hit back, don’t get reckless. In order to improve your technique, punch the same as you would if you were inside the ring with an actual opponent. This helps build your muscle memory for specific movements and makes it less likely that you will accidentally get careless in the ring as your body is more used to executing in the correct way.

– Stay focused: All too often, I see fighters punching the bag but looking in another direction, possibly at something else going on around them. You’re only focus for a full 3 minutes until the round is finished and you can have a minutes break, you should be looking at the bag, and only the bag. Take it serious if you want to get improve.

-Stay busy: Much like my previous point, one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of fighters tend to punch the heavy bag in short spurts. They may throw a few combinations and then for some reason they take a quick walk around the bag, even putting their guard down and completely looking away from the bag. Personally, I think that act deserves capital punishment. Stay focused, and keep working for the full 3 minutes. If you can’t keep your body active due to fatigue, at least keep your mind busy.  Maintain your mind’s focus at the bag, keep your stance, think about  combinations or work on some defensive manoeuvres around the heavy bag.

Stay engaged: Working differing drills on the bags is one way that you will improve your endurance more than the others, as most other boxers simply do the same thing over and over again. It challenges a different set of muscles and fitness, as well as adding variety to a way of training that can easily become boring.

Being engaged is key, as lack of it will prevent you from increasing your skill. It’s just as important to not waste seconds by losing focus, because it can only be damaging to the learning process. Most people don’t think while working the heavy bag, using it as a time to aimlessly throw punches with no thought or logic. You don’t become a sweet scientist without being able to think.

Note that these drills are aimed at improving endurance and fitness. Time must also be committed to doing more technical sessions on the bag too.

Final Note – Are They Doing It?

Remember, as a champion-in-training, you must add diversity to your boxing training. Quality is more valuable than plain quantity.  This is where the difference is made. Seeing as these are the areas they are lacking in, you must make sure you don’t, because to be a champion means to do what the others are not. – Reemus