6 Important Bagwork Fundamentals Tips For Hitting The Bag

The heavy bag or the punching bag is a classic and basic training tool for combat sports like boxing and MMA. Hitting the punching bag is referred to as bag work. It has been an effective tool in shaping many boxing champions and continues to be the most predominant workout for boxing tournaments. The main purpose of a heavy bag is to practice your kicks and punches. Other than this, it carries various other benefits, too, like it is used to improve punching techniques, enhance force, build a balanced stance, and lower stress. Using a punching bag is not just about hitting it randomly; there are appropriate skills and techniques for launching punches to nourish your hitting power and strength. Some useful tips to get constructive outcomes from bag work practice are discussed.

Busting Punches

While working on the punching bag, most of the newbies push their punches onto the bag, which is a terrible mistake. Inexperienced boxers result in low performance while sparring with opponent due to this mistake. Pushing your punches causes:

Untrained boxers usually launch huge and heavy blows, which reduces the speed and results in their downfall. When you blow a punch, do not inculcate 100% of your power into the punch; you need to focus on the technique and the right time to launch the attack for knocking out your opponent. So, only the punch's power does not matter; you need to have a keen watch on the guard of your opponent and attacks him at a vulnerable spot while concentrating on your speed.

Practicing tips for bag work

Try to hit the bag in a snapping fashion rather than hitting the heavy bag from left to right or vice versa. Try to practice snapping the bag like a whip and return to your starting stance relaxed.

Simultaneous Footwork With Bag Work

Footwork is a fundamental feature of boxing. Involve your foot while doing a hitting drill; your foot should move and respond like you are in a real fight.

Practicing tips for bag work

Keep an average distance from the bag, do not lean forward too much, and stay active on your feet. Turn around, step in a while, hitting and step out when you are not. Keep your feet grounded while punching to maintain your balance. These techniques are beneficial in sparring.

Paying Attention

One mistake an inexperienced fighter tends to make is developing bad eye habits while hitting a bag. Either they stare too much at a point on the punching bag or do not look at the bag at all. Keep your attention alert by focusing on your opponent, and be aware of your location and distance from the opponent. Retain your gaze forward and watch your punches hit the target. Do not stare too much at the opponent at a particular spot that your eyes cannot see anything else. You need to monitor the head and body movements of your rival. On the other hand, avoid lazy eyes such that you are not even looking at the bag while punching. Keep your gaze on the entire heavy bag; practice your watch to be cautious of every movement. It would be best to have a general awareness of the whole opponent’s body movements while in the ring.

Don’t Let Your Guard Down

You get exhausted during your bag work training and lose your guard; dropping guard in training is not a major issue as the heavy bag would not hit you back, but it is a major issue during a tournament. You need to keep your guard up all the time in a match, so; you must practice it while training. As the patterns you adopt in your bag work, training would be produced in a real fight too.

After Punching, Move back

Practice withdrawing yourself after hitting the target, as, during a fight, when you launch an attack, you need to step back immediately to avoid the counter-attack from the opponent. As your training would be translated into a real fight instinctively, you need to practice it in your drills. Be alert on your feet and maintain a proper distance from the target. Move forward with the bag while hitting and step back after a quick snap. It would be best if you were swift while retreating to avoid a hit from the heavy bag. If you cannot step back as swiftly as the bag swings, use a heavier bag or punch lighter. Manage a distance of one arm length at all times with the heavy bag. Keep stepping in and out continuously to avoid laziness.

Throw Flurries

During your bag work drills practice multiple shots at a time without any pause; this would maximize the outcome of bag work training. In a real battle, an opponent would attack when you pause, giving him the chance to dominate you. Throw combinations of 3-6 punches in a rhythm; these are enough to destroy the target. In a match, target the opponent's head; for this purpose, you must practice your bag work with a high punch. You can launch light punches but constantly, if you get too exhausted, move around the bag. Managing a good distance and hands constantly raised in front of you would provide you marvelous outcome of heavy bag training. To train for such a situation, keep hitting the bag continuously, so you do not allow a counter-punch from your rival. Launching flurries at the heavy bag also builds your cardio tolerance, which is very beneficial while in the ring and helps you last longer in the fight.

Keynote: All the training and hard work are translated during the fighting tournament. Knowing the appropriate way to practice your bag work drills is necessary to perform those moves accurately in a real fight. The best way to victory is to practice the right technique and train like you are in a real fight.