A heavy punching bag is a very good piece of training equipment for martial arts. Some would say it is essential. You can practice martial arts without working on a heavy bag, but if you got into a real fight or competed in a tournament, you would quickly understand the importance of practicing on a bag. A heavy punching bag is good for martial arts training because it simulates an opponent and allows you to apply techniques in a realistic way without hurting anyone.
Strengthening the Wrists
One of the best benefits you can gain as a martial artist by training on a heavy bag is building up the strength of your wrists. When you shadow box, you're not encountering any resistance, so there's no chance of your wrist bending or breaking. But when you hit something for real, the resistance upon impact will cause your wrist to bend. If you have weak wrists, the first time you actually punch someone you could easily sprain or break your wrists. Practicing regularly on a heavy punching bag will help you develop the strength of your wrists.
Conditioning Your Bones
One of the reasons it's good to train on a heavy punching bag -- one that is between 60 and 100 lbs. -- is that it conditions your bones to withstand impact. The bones in your hands and wrist are especially fragile. If you've never punched a hard object before and then you punch someone or something at full force, you're likely to fracture or break your hand. By punching and kicking a heavy bag regularly, your bones will gradually become more dense. This process is called Wolff's Law, which states that every time a bone experiences trauma, it heals stronger than it was before.
Increase Speed and Power
You'll never be able to increase the speed and power of your strikes if you're not working against some kind of resistance. Striking a heavy bag is comparable to striking an actual opponent. The average heavy bag is about 80 lbs., which might not sound like much, but it takes a surprising amount of force to move an 80 lb. bag with a single punch. The more you practice punching and kicking a heavy bag, the stronger and faster you arms and legs will become.
Safety
You always should wrap your hands and wrists and wear gloves when you're training on a heavy bag, especially when you're just starting out. Even professional fighters wear wraps and gloves when they're practicing at the gym. You've probably seen videos of Bruce Lee or other popular martial artists hitting a heavy bag without any safety gear, but bear in mind that they are experts and have conditioned their hands and wrists over years of practice. Even an experienced martial artist can seriously injure his hand or wrist if he makes a mistake while punching a heavy bag without wraps or gloves on.
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