The good news is that working out on a heavy bag can help you burn calories, which will in turn help you lose fat from your belly. The bad news is that it won't specifically target your belly to lose fat, but no other exercise will, either. However, if you work your heavy bag for long enough in each session, and perform your heavy bag sessions regularly, you will burn enough calories to burn fat. This will include fat on your belly, although it won't necessarily burn it as fast as you were hoping for.
Heavy Bags
A heavy bag consists of a canvas, leather or vinyl bag stuffed with batting. You hang it from a ceiling and punch or kick it to burn calories and build technique with your striking tools. If you live in a situation where you can't realistically hang an 80- to 100-lb. bag from the ceiling, you can buy free-standing heavy bags. These work on a counterweight filled with water or sand, and you can use them without installing hardware in your walls or ceiling.
Losing Fat
You lose fat by burning calories. When you burn more calories than you take in, your body finds the excess in energy it stored as fat cells. When it accesses that energy, the fat cells burn up and you lose fat. No matter what part of your body you exercise, that fat loss comes from specific fat cells essentially at random. The notion that working out your torso, for example, will burn belly fat is a fitness myth called "spot reduction." Your heavy bag workout can stimulate fat loss, but it will come off your body as a whole.
Safety
Striking a heavy bag can involve forces stronger than the bones in your hands and feet. When you work out with your heavy bag, wear gloves and wraps for your hands. Although not as important, many coaches advise wearing shin and instep pads for your feet. You can find all of this equipment at most sporting goods stores, and all online martial arts supply houses.
Strike Choices
When training for the ring, you'll practice all of your strikes on a heavy bag and you'll throw them with lots of weight behind them. If you use the punching bag for weight loss, you'll want to focus instead on continued motion and your ability to keep throwing one strike after another. Punches, punching combinations and front or wheel kicks are good choices for this kind of workout. Knees, elbows and spinning kicks are less suitable.
Workout Structure
A round-by-round structure is one of the best ways to make sure your heavy bag workout lasts the 20 to 30 minutes you need to achieve a reasonable amount of calorie burn. Simply set a timer for two to three minutes and hit the bag in a steady rhythm until the timer rings. Rest for one minute, then go again. Continue until your total time is 20 to 30 minutes. Even with the rest period, your heart rate will remain elevated for long enough to burn the calories you want to burn.
References
- "You: Losing Weight"; Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet C. Oz; 2011
- Truestar Health: Spot Reduction — Myth or Truth?
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