Why I Love the Punch Bag!

When I hit the bag it is the most stress revealing sensation. As I dig my knuckles into the leather I realise that there are so many other benefits that a fighter or even Mr.Average can reap from this brutal fitness attack.

Before working on the punch bag it is worth noting down your body goals. Think about which components of fitness need developing. Do you need to work on your strength or your cardiovascular endurance? Also look at your physique. Do you wish to lower the inches off your waist line or do you want to shred your arms? These questions are important to answer as they will allow you to adapt bag sessions to your needs. 

For participants looking to perform in a combat sport it is obviously beneficial to practice rounds on the punch bag. Make sure that you use techniques that you will use in your sport and more importantly make sure that you hit the bag more times than you would in a normal competitions round. This is essential. I've had so many people in the local TKD class come up to me saying that they have worked on their fitness but still felt heavily out of breath in competition. The intensity should be up in a big way. As the saying goes "the more you sweat in training the less you bleed in battle!" I must also mention that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is also a very useful tool for combat sportsmen and now and then it is worth taking a rest from rounds. To work on strength and power just simply slug away solid technical punches at the bag. See how much you can make it move.

When I take personal training clients to the punch bag it is not to develop competency in sparring competitions. I do it to add fun, variety and a bloody good workout! I enjoy adding the punch bag into supersets with push-ups, medicine ball slams and battling ropes. I keep the intensity high and brakes short and regular. punching in a fantastic workout for the entire upper body and builds considerable muscle tone. 

As a final note I just want to say that good punching technique leads to less injuries. Make sure that you've been instructed by a professional coach before rocking the bag. For information on lowering your chances of injuring your shoulder whilst punching please read the following posts:

Shoulder Injuries and Traditional Tae Kwon-Do Practices:

http://icankeepup.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/shoulder-injuries-and-traditional-tae.html

Correcting an Anterior Tilt Shoulder Alignment:

http://icankeepup.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/correcting-anterior-tilt-shoulder.html

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Eating Healthy On a Budget: 

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