Burn calories and lose weight by hitting the heavy bag. Fighters have used heavy bag training, or bag work, for years to develop cardiovascular fitness, endurance and punching power. Boxing training for fitness has grown in popularity in recent years as a higher number of non-fighters utilize fighters' fitness techniques. Use the heavy bag as a supplement to your current routine, as a change of pace workout or combine it with other exercises to achieve a higher level of health and fitness.
Aerobic Training
Boxers, martial artists and mixed martial artists use the heavy bag to practice technique, increase speed and improve striking power. An added benefit is the aerobic or cardiovascular health they receive from bag work. Aerobic training, or endurance training, means that the muscles require oxygen from the blood stream for energy. This forces the lungs to work harder to bring oxygen into the body and the heart to work harder to pump oxygen to the muscles.
Anaerobic Training
Anaerobic exercise, or strength training, will be done for a short duration. Hitting a heavy bag develops power from head to toe. Throwing a punch or kick requires an entire body commitment, working the spine, core, upper body and lower body muscles. It also provides balance, stability, coordination and sports-specific training. Combining aerobic and anaerobic training is ideal for developing overall fitness and health.
Preparation
Always execute a thorough warm-up that includes light cardio exercise to slightly elevate your heart rate and dynamic and static stretches to loosen the muscles. Wear appropriate sized gloves and always breathe properly. According to personal trainer, martial arts expert and fitness author David Robson, "Exhaling as a punch is thrown will help ensure a continual supply of oxygen to the body, to feed the working muscles."
Beginning Routine
The simple idea behind losing weight is to burn more calories through exercise than you consume. Burn calories, strengthen the cardiovascular system and tone and strengthen the musculoskeletal system by performing a heavy bag routine that consists of a series of "rounds." Begin with three, one-minute rounds and gradually progress to longer and more numerous rounds. Move around the heavy bag throwing punches and kicks for one minute, rest for a minute and take a sip of water. Then perform two more rounds of identical fashion.
Advanced Routine
Combine bag work with strength-building or stamina-building exercises. Hit the bag for one round then ride an exercise bike for five minutes. Strike the bag for a second round then jump rope for five minutes. Execute a third round of heavy bag work immediately followed by a series of abdominal exercises. Continue alternating hitting the heavy bag with other exercises for 20 to 45 minutes to achieve a tremendous cardiovascular workout and to burn a large number of calories. Be creative and use your your imagination for your exercise choices, include kettlebell exercises, sprinting or calisthenics like lunges, squats, pull-ups or push-ups.
Change of Pace
Heavy bag exercise is a great change of pace workout. Apply the muscle confusion principle to reinvigorate your workouts by training differently for two or three weeks. Substitute the heavy bag twice a week and other exercises, such as yoga, pilates or plyometrics, that your body isn't used to performing in place of your regular workouts. These exercises target the body differently and provide new mental and physical challenges to increase your fitness levels.
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