Hitting a heavy bag or a speed bag is essential for any boxer. Hitting a speed bag helps develop timing, quickness, agility and aggressiveness. Hitting a heavy bag helps develop strength, endurance, explosive power and punching technique. It is an outstanding tool for those who want to fight effectively at the amateur or professional level, and it also helps individuals who want to get in better condition.
Speed Bag: Timing
The speed bag is a tool that boxers use to develop their fighting rhythm and their left jab. In order to develop a good eye for the speed bag, you must punch it rapidly with your left jab. As you hit it, it will hit the back ring of the standard holding it and bounce back to you. Your job is to develop a rhythm and continuosly hit the bag as it rebounds to you with your left hand. This is done by starting above the bag and then coming down and hitting the bag with a descending blow. Make a small circle with your hand so you are in a position to hit it on the downward stroke again. As you get your rhythm, introduce your right hand after a left hand punch. This will build your speed bag timing.
Heavy Bag: Power
The heavy bag is a 60-to-90-pound bag that hangs from an S-hook. Start off by punching with your left hand so you can develop a stiff jab. You are going to make sure your shoulder provides most of the force behind this blow. Hit the bag with two or three jabs and then throw a right cross, stepping towards the bag with your left foot and follow through with your punch. Add in a left hook, making sure to drive with your left shoulder and then follow with a right uppercut.
Heavy Bag: Endurance
You can use the heavy bag to build endurance. As your work on your technique, use a stopwatch or an alarm to help you train for 60 seconds. As you get used to this exercise, build up to two minutes and eventually to three minutes--the same amount of time as a round of boxing. Once you can hit the heavy bag for three minutes of power punching without a break, your level of endurance will improve.
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