Practicing lifting weights is a great activity to get stronger, but it may have little to do with your ability to successfully defend yourself in the boxing ring. Functional strength is quite a bit different than weightroom strength. In order to learn how to hit harder and get stronger by hitting a boxing heavy bag, you have to prepare yourself for an intense and grueling workout.
Olympic Punchout Drill
One of the top drills used by U.S. Olympic boxing coaches is the punchout drill. In this drill, you put on a pair of boxing gloves and hit the heavy bag as hard as you can for 30 seconds. This is a grueling exercise because after the 30 seconds is over, you rest for 10 to 15 seconds and then go back at the heavy bag for 30 more seconds. After another 15-second break, do two more 30-second bursts on the heavy bag. Typically, your arms will feel like lead after doing this four times, but it will build functional strength and punching strength and will give you more endurance.
Power Punching Drill
Another way to build strength on the heavy bag is with the power punching drill. The key is to throw punches in combination. All of them have to be power shots and none of them should be jabs. Throw as many three- or four-punch combination power punches as you can in 90 seconds. Take a 30-second break and then repeat the set.
Four-Minute Round
In pro boxing, rounds last three minutes. In amateur boxing, rounds are two minutes. In order to work on your strength, hit the heavy bag for four minutes straight. This is different than the punchout drill and the power punching drill because you are pacing yourself. Concentrate on throwing rhythmic punches that include a left jab to start the sequence, a right cross and a left hook. If you want to add a fourth punch, throw another right cross. Your arms will start to feel heavy at the two-minute mark and the final minute may be excruciating as the lactic acid builds. However, completing this drill will give you more punching power and help you become considerably stronger.
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