Hitting a punching bag is an excellent way to exercise. It improves strength, speed, stamina, and concentration. It also helps you get out pent up frustrations that build up with stress. It is important to hit a punching bag the right way to avoid injury. Start slow then build up speed and intensity as you get more comfortable.
Step 1
Put on bag gloves that fit. When you make a fist in them, your hand should not be pinched or wiggle around. Using poorly fitting gloves or no gloves at all will damage your hands. You will not be able to hit the punching bag correctly or hit as hard as you would like. This leads to a shorter and less effective workout.
Step 2
Stand in a proper fighting stance. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart with one foot a step ahead of the other. Right-handed people should have their left foot one step ahead, while left handed people lead with the right foot. Raise both hands to chin level.
Step 3
Jab the punching bag with your non-dominant hand. That is your left hand if you are right handed. Fling your hand out and hit the bag as fast as you can. The object of a jab is speed, not power. Bounce lightly on the balls of your feet as you do this. Always keep your fists clenched tightly and strike the bag with the first two knuckles of your hand. Keep your wrist, elbow and shoulder in a straight line when you punch.
Step 4
Throw a straight punch with your dominant hand. Immediately following a jab, punch the bag with the other hand. As you do this, twist your body at the hip and drive your fist into the punching bag. This is a power punch, so hit hard.
Step 5
Combine the jab and the punch to perform combinations. Move around the punching bag in a circular motion, throwing out fast jabs. Every two or three jabs throw in a hard punch with the other hand. Mix it up so that your punching combinations are unpredictable.
Step 6
Add more advanced punches. Body shots involve dropping lower by bending your knees then swinging around the side to hit the punching bag at rib level. Imagine trying to knock the wind out of someone. An uppercut also requires you to drop down. The punch is then launched from underneath, striking an opponent under the chin.
Step 7
Get your legs into the workout. Make an effort to move around the bag and constantly change your level by bending and straightening your knees. Martial artists can get an even more intense workout by kicking the bag. All the same principles involved in punching the bag apply to kicks as well. You can jab, kick, uppercut and throw body shots with your feet.
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