Hi all My lovely husband got me a punch bag for xmas. I bust my knuckle just after I got it, so I've only just started to use it, but I'm not quite sure how. I intend to use it mainly for punching, to strengthen my upper body and arms (I do use it to practice kick techniques a bit but it is in a fairly space-restricted place). I'd be interested to hear from any karatekas that use a punch-bag at home. What things do you do (yeah I know punches of course, but what kind, how many, how hard, what sequence)? I guess I'm after pointers on how to put together a short punch bag 'workout, or web links to same. I have wraps and gloves to get me started. Any pointers would be much appreciated.
OSu, Hey, that's great. You can start with simple combinations; to make it easier, there is a usually accepted code for the punches: 1=jab, 2=cross, 3=left hook, 4=right uppercut (change right to left if you are a southpaw) Basic combos to work: 1 1-2 1-1-2 1-2-3 1-1-2-3 1-3-2 1-2-3-4 1-1-2-4 1-2-1-2 ...etc... (you can add kicks into hand combos too... you can change hooks to hooks to the body; same with uppercuts) Once you have this down on autopilot, you can record 2 min long tapes with a succession of combinations, and strike when you hear them. Start slowly, don't hurt yourself. You can also use your bag to build power. Strike as hard as you can a technique for 5 times, then take ample rest; repear 5 or 6 times. Or for conditioning. All out punches intervals (1 min all out, 1 min or 30 sec jump rope for instance), or tabata all out kicks or punches (look up the tabata protocol.) Hope that helps a bit. Osu!
I would use a "maikawara" for punches. The bag i would use for keri-waza(kick techniques) and Kaisho-waza (open hand techniques) which is excellent for that. Also put some protecting on your fist in the begining. When you hit the bag wrong and not dead center it will cause it to spin and you get a "bust knuckle" as you said. When you are getting better and more advanced in hitting the poor bag. You could fill the bag with peas to make it a bit more realistic on impact or as Mike Tyson did, fill it with water. It emulates more of an hit to the body. As you know our bodies contain a lot H2O. Give the bag an real workout!:evil: GL.
... I'm having a bad feeling about this ... Hope this doesn't turn out like the thread in the TKD subforum ... xD
GRR or ARGHH Few questions. Are you punching the bag bear knuckle? What weight is the bag? What is the bag made of and whats inside at the moment? I assume foam and PU outer skin? Are you hitting the bag on the swing towards or away from you? Or both? *** If you really want a work out just jab the bag with a single jab nothing else within 2min, break 45s then double jab within 2min (so tap, tap -- tap, tap) not (tap,tap,tap,tap,tap), break 45seconds, tripple jab within 2min all the way upto 5 jabs 45 second break. Switch sides and start over. After that break 2min then same with jab cross
Thanks for the all the pointers I've got so far. They're really useful. In response to dOugbug's questions: The bag is reasonably heavy - at least for my feeble punches (I am a 43 yr old woman BTW) - It is made by Everlast. I weighed it it is 45lb (20kg), some kind of heavy-duty synthetic outer with squished up fabric&foam inside as far as I can make out. I use it with wraps or gloves as I don't want to bust my knuckle again (which I did last time doing impact work at Karate without wraps). I'm a bit wary of makiwara for the same reason - it looks like it would be easy to injure myself on one If I hit (tap?) it with lots of punches (eg for working my arms rather than trying to exert maximum force) it doesn't swing about too much so the patterns people have suggested should work pretty well. If I use it to work on technique - eg trying to kick or punch it hard it does swing a bit and I may try to clip an elastic tether to the base to reduce that. I haven't really tried to keep hitting it when it is swinging around a lot. Mainly I just stop it between each go and use the swing of the bag to judge how effectively I delivered force into it.
Osu, If your bag swings on impact, you are likely pushing more than hitting. You should try to make it jerk, not swing... Osu!
Aye don't tap the bag though hit it lol! If it swings you should use that in your training to mimic your opponents movements, if you can move around it attack at the right time and look to guard when you need to (swings at and away like an attacker would come at you etc) think of it as shadow boxing but with a target in front of you!
Funny, that's exatly the same what we did in class yesterday... but on pads for we do not have serveral heavy bags there.
Its a good work out on the old focus / thai pads if the pad holder works you enough he / she should move around a bit and keep your feet moving as you strike etc just how a bag would
That dynamic you had when working on the pads is exactly what you need to transfer to the bag. The heavy bag can make you slow and ponderous, too many people try to wind up the power and work from a static base. Remember that you need to see the bag as an opponent, so keep your own movement in check, move with the bag just as you did when working with a partner on the pads. I have a piece of tape on the floor 6 inches out of range of hitting distance. This is the point I return to after each strke or combination. This stops me being to static, hit and away.
As I took up Karate just recently and therefore have to join the beginners class the movement was limited unfortunately. But I see what you mean, even though I like hitting a bag much better than hitting pads simply because of the feeling on impact.
^ this. As karate people we're all guilty of being too linear and just going back and forth. start side stepping. start coming in and out at diagonal angles so that your path makes a v shape. if you do this one you should be able to get round the bag in a handful of techniques and it will help your timing
Hit the pads harder and the bag not so hard your not looking to punish it yet. Once you got your timing and movement sorted (while working with the bag) you can start looking at introducing some combinations. I always used to do a jab >cross >jab and as the bag moved away low kick it (or to start get in the habit of placing the kick) keep the attack going at another range, the kick will set the bag in another direction to get you moving to set it all back up again. If you want to strike the bag for power (punching) get someone to hold it
