| I wish I had a dollar for every person who asked | | | | throwing a punch. Because the heavy bag in an |
| me how to improve his or her self-defense skills | | | | inanimate mass, it's easy to forget the |
| and fight-related fitness. They want something | | | | importance of being able to hit your opponent |
| they can do at home, by themselves and on a | | | | without signaling your intentions.* * Not protecting |
| consistent basis.These people range from dedicated | | | | yourself at all times * *To paraphrase the late Bruce |
| martial | | | | Lee, "Bags don't |
| artists, to seminar candidates, to people just looking | | | | hit back!" The heavy bag is a big, unresponsive |
| for | | | | target. Because of this, it's possible to develop |
| a fun and functional way to tone up their body | | | | bad habits that can carry over to sparring or |
| and build their confidence. One of the best solutions | | | | fighting. Keep your hands up and protect yourself |
| I have to offer is heavy bag training.A heavy bag is a | | | | at all times. Move into range, hit the bag and |
| stuffed bag weighing 40 to 100 | | | | then move out again. Imagine the bag is a living, |
| lbs. It is suspended from the ceiling so it can | | | | breathing opponent attempting to hit you.* * Pushing |
| be punched and kicked.Properly conducted, heavy | | | | instead of hitting the Bag * *A common mistake when |
| bag training can | | | | hitting the bag is to |
| improve your self-defense ability, your health, fitness | | | | follow through too deeply and push, rather than |
| and sense of well being. However, if done improperly | | | | hit, it. A punch or kick accelerates from the |
| it can be counter productive and injurious. The | | | | time you initiate it until it's fully extended. |
| goalof this article is to tell you how to use the | | | | The further a limb moves, the faster and the more |
| heavy bag as a safe, effective training tool and how | | | | powerful it will be. Strike the bag at a point |
| to | | | | near full extension. Penetrate the bag no more |
| avoid dangers and pitfalls of training | | | | than a few inches beyond it's surface and try to |
| improperly.BENEFITS OF HEAVY BAG TRAINING | | | | generate a clean "popping" sound on impact. Take |
| Self-defense Qualities Obviously, hitting a heavy bag is | | | | care however, never to lock out or hyper extend |
| nothing like a | | | | your joints on impact or if you miss the bag.* * Holding |
| real fight. However, it does develop fight- | | | | your breath * *When people exert themselves, they |
| related qualities that are indispensable in | | | | tend to hold |
| personal combat. It can hone your strikes and | | | | their breath. This is a bad habit. First of all |
| kicks into devastating self-defense weapons.The | | | | it reduces your endurance by starving your body |
| strikes and kicks most applicable to hitting | | | | of oxygen when it needs it most. Secondly, you |
| the heavy bag are classified as "gross motor | | | | increase thoracic pressure and can injure |
| skills." Gross motor skills are simple, large | | | | yourself. ("blow a nut" in layman's terms) Exhale |
| muscle actions that don't deteriorate under | | | | as you strike or kick. This prevents breath |
| stress. In fact, the jolt of adrenaline from the | | | | holding and enhances power by tensing the muscles |
| fear or anger, likely to accompany a combative | | | | of your torso.DESIGNING A HEAVY BAG ROUTINE |
| situation, will enhance your performance.Impact training | | | | It's difficult to teach physical skills in an |
| contributes to a healthy "Hit | | | | article. Obviously, your best bet to establish a |
| Psychology." I use this term to describe people's | | | | good training program is to seek the guidance of |
| willingness to hit and be hit in order to protect | | | | a qualified coach or instructor. However, many of |
| themselves. Believe it or not, many people are | | | | you reading this article are martial art students |
| reluctant to defend themselves. Those who lack | | | | or have taken self-defense training before.If this is the |
| confidence in their ability to influence the | | | | case, you probably have the basic |
| outcome of their situation, perform poorly under | | | | striking skills you need to workout on a heavy |
| stress.Proper impact training (hitting bags, pads and | | | | bag. If you haven't hit a heavy bag before, take |
| partners) builds striking competence and | | | | your time and use your head (to think, not to hit |
| confidence that increases the effectiveness of a | | | | the bag with!). Start gradually and figure it |
| physical | | | | out. It's not brain surgery! Here are some |
| response."Blitz" training, which I'll describe later in | | | | suggestions to designing a heavy bag routine.* * |
| this article, can build mental tenacity. A blitz | | | | Always warm up and cool down. * *Warming up |
| is an intense, rapid-fire barrage of strikes and | | | | improves performance and reduces |
| kicks intended to simulate the all out aggression | | | | injuries and post-exercise muscle soreness. |
| required during a confrontation.If you are ever thrust | | | | Before exercising intensely, you should always |
| into a situation where you | | | | work up a light sweat and engage in some basic |
| must fight for your life, you must do so with | | | | limbering exercises to increase blood flow, your |
| every ounce of your being. In a situation like | | | | range of motion and to lubricate your joints. |
| this, your greatest enemy is your desire to give | | | | Jumping rope, running in place and shadow boxing |
| up. "Blitz" training builds both physical and | | | | for 10 to 15 minutes are excellent ways to begin |
| mental stamina and the tenacity to keep gong | | | | a workout. (Note: don't do extensive stretching |
| until you succeed.Note: Blitz training should not be | | | | during the warm up. It can compromise joint |
| incorporated | | | | stability and make you more susceptible to |
| unless you are in good health, have developed a | | | | injury. Leave vigorous stretching until the end |
| solid conditioning base and have good | | | | of your workout)Cooling down at the end of your |
| striking/kicking mechanics. To do so without the | | | | workout |
| preliminary groundwork is inviting injury.FITNESS | | | | gradually returns your system (breathing, heart |
| BENEFITS OF HEAVY BAG TRAINING A good | | | | rate, etc.) to a resting state. Never finish an |
| heavy bag program strengthens your | | | | intense workout and then just plunk down on the |
| cardiovascular system, tones and strengthens your | | | | couch. The cool down is a time to work on your |
| muscles, burns fat, increases bone density and | | | | flexibility with stretching exercises.STRUCTURING |
| connective tissue resilience. Not only can you | | | | YOUR WORKOUT Basic Punches and Kicks |
| get into great shape, but you can develop | | | | conducive to heavy bag |
| functional self-defense qualities at the same | | | | training include:=> Lead punch (jab) |
| time.By repeatedly striking and kicking the bag, you | | | | => Cross (reverse punch) |
| activate all of the major muscles groups in your | | | | => Hook punch |
| body. The arms, shoulders, waist, and leg muscles | | | | => Uppercut |
| must be coordinated and conditioned.This training also | | | | => Forearm/elbow strikes |
| builds athletic qualities such | | | | => Round house kick |
| as speed, power, balance, timing, and | | | | => Front kick |
| coordination.STRESS MANAGEMENT BENEFITS OF | | | | => Back kick |
| HEAVY BAG TRAINING Evolution has wired our | | | | => Knee strikeREP-BASED TRAINING: Identify the |
| brains and our bodies | | | | basic strikes, |
| for survival. At the first detection of danger, | | | | kicks and combinations you want to train. Perform |
| the "fight or flight response" kicks in. A host | | | | sets and reps of each. For example, execute two |
| of physiological changes occur intended to | | | | sets of 20 lead punches, three sets of 20 |
| prepare us to fight aggressively or run like the | | | | roundhouse kicks, etc. Rest long enough between |
| wind.In a survival situation this is a good thing. | | | | sets to catch your breath and move on to the next |
| However, in modern society, this same response | | | | set.TIME-BASED TRAINING: Another excellent way |
| can be activated over and over in situations that | | | | to |
| don't merit a simple solution like fighting or | | | | train is to work for a time limit or set number |
| running away. A hectic day of deadlines, traffic | | | | of rounds. For example, execute either random |
| jams, frustrations, and personal conflicts fires | | | | strikes and kicks or pre-determined combinations |
| off the fight or flight response and pollutes our | | | | continuously for 2 to 3 minute rounds with 1- |
| body with the toxic byproducts of stress.Physical | | | | minute rest period in between.CIRCUIT TRAINING: If |
| action is required to flush this "fight | | | | you are already in good |
| or flight residue" out of our bodies before it | | | | shape, consider alternating your bag work with |
| compromises our health and immune system. | | | | other exercises to form a circuit. However, don't |
| Vigorous exercise, such as heavy bag training, | | | | alternate with weight lifting exercises because |
| simulates the exertion needed to burn off this | | | | the muscle fatigue will make you more susceptible |
| residue and return the mind and body to a | | | | to injury. Here is an example. Alternate 3-5 |
| healthier state. That's why bag work is an | | | | minutes of jumping rope with 3-5 minutes of bag |
| excellent way to manage stress. It satisfies the | | | | work. Complete as many cycles as you need to get |
| body's inherent need to fight.HEAVY BAG WORK IS | | | | a good workout.BLITZ TRAINING: Blitz training should |
| FUN! The final benefit is that heavy bag training is | | | | be |
| fun! Crank up the stereo, imagine the bag was | | | | reserved for those who have establish a high |
| your worst enemy (if you have one) and blast | | | | level of fitness and proper striking and kicking |
| away. You'll be dripping with sweat, huffing and | | | | mechanics. This training involves intense, rapid- |
| puffing and feeling rejuvenated in no time!**** HEAVY | | | | fire barrages of strikes and kicks for a time |
| BAG PRECAUTIONS ****Any form of exercise, if | | | | limit (15 to 30 seconds) or a rep goal (20 to 30 |
| taken to extremes, can | | | | repetitions of a combination). This training is |
| be counterproductive and risky. Heavy bag | | | | as mental as it is physical.There are significant |
| training is intended to build you up, make you | | | | benefits to this |
| strong, fit and healthy. Improperly done, it can | | | | "stop/start" or interval-based training. You |
| produce the opposite results.People who run too | | | | exert yourself for a brief, intense period, |
| much get shin splints and bad | | | | recover, and then exert yourself again. This |
| knees. Impatient weight lifters strain muscles | | | | training improves your ability to recover |
| and damage joints. That doesn't make those | | | | quickly, increases the efficiency of your |
| activities bad. Over zealous exercise can be | | | | muscular and anaerobic energy systems and |
| worse than none at all. Bag work is no different. | | | | elevates your metabolism (burning body fat) for |
| If you train moderately, execute your techniques | | | | several hours after your workout.FREQUENCY AND |
| with proper form and apply some common sense, | | | | INTENSITY Heavy bag training, like other forms of |
| you | | | | exercises, stresses the body. Training too |
| can maximize these benefits and minimize the | | | | intensely can surpass the body's (joints, |
| dangers.AVOIDING TRAINING-RELATED INJURIES | | | | tendons, ligaments, muscles, nervous system) |
| There are two types of athletic injuries | | | | ability to recover. I recommend that heavy bag |
| associated with physical activity: chronic and | | | | training be limited to 2 or 3 times per week. The |
| acute. Chronic injuries develop and last over an | | | | more intensely you train, the more time off you |
| extended period. Training improperly, too | | | | should take between workouts. It is a good idea |
| intensely, or too often causes them. When your | | | | to alternate intense workouts with easier ones.In |
| body is stressed through exercise, it must be | | | | terms of intensity, keep in mind that your |
| given time to recover and rebuild itself in order | | | | tendons and connective tissues need more time to |
| to become more efficient.When you train too hard, or | | | | develop than your muscles. Therefore, the speed |
| rest insufficiently | | | | and power for your strikes and kicks can increase |
| between workouts, you will develop overtraining | | | | disproportionately to the development of those |
| injuries. People don't realize that muscles adapt | | | | structures. Start your training moderately with |
| faster than the connective structures that | | | | light to medium power hits and concentrate on |
| support them.Your speed and power development | | | | proper body mechanics. There is little benefit to |
| can quickly | | | | continuously pounding the bag as hard as you |
| surpass the resilience of your bones, tendons, | | | | can.REQUIRED EQUIPMENT First and foremost, you |
| ligaments and joints. That translates to torn | | | | need a heavy bag and a |
| muscles, chronic joint pain, and even permanent | | | | place to hang it. Usually, the main beam in your |
| injuries that defeat the purpose of training | | | | basement will do nicely. Just screw in a heavy- |
| in the first place!Acute injuries, like a twisted ankle, a | | | | duty eyehook that will support the weight of the |
| sprained | | | | bag. Some people buy or build a metal bracket |
| wrist or a broken bone, happen suddenly. These | | | | that can be anchored into a wall to hang the bag |
| injuries can be minimized with good equipment, | | | | from.Heavy bags are made of canvass, vinyl, leather, |
| proper form and common sense. ALWAYS | | | | etc. They range in size and weight from 40 to 100 |
| emphasize | | | | lbs. The size and style you buy is a matter of |
| technique ahead of speed and power.In fact, there is | | | | personal preference and how much you are willing |
| no need to pound on the heavy | | | | to spend. A decent heavy bag will run you around |
| bag as hard as you can. Focus on proper body | | | | $100.You will need to protect your hands with a good |
| mechanics and the speed and power will take care | | | | pair of boxing or bag gloves. Don't skimp here. |
| of themselves. Start slowly and let your speed | | | | Buy the best you can afford. I compare cheap |
| and power build gradually. Allow your body time | | | | gloves with jogging in inadequate running shoes. |
| to adapt and become more resilient.AVOIDING BAD | | | | It's not worth it to save a few bucks and end up |
| HEAVY BAG HABITS I've seen it a million times. | | | | injured. I prefer a sturdy pair of 16-ounce |
| When you put | | | | boxing gloves for bag work. The additional |
| something in front of someone to hit, his or her | | | | padding not only protects your hands but reduces |
| picture-perfect striking skills go out the | | | | the trauma to wrist, elbow and shoulder joints. |
| window. Punches are drawn back like the wind up | | | | Bag gloves have less padding and therefore are |
| of a big league pitcher. Feet come off the floor. | | | | harder on your hands and joints.Many people wrap |
| Body parts are contorted. Grunts and farts erupt | | | | their hands for added |
| as the striker's face contorts beyond | | | | protection with the cotton wraps that boxers use. |
| recognition. He hurls himself in the general | | | | Others feel that if you need to wrap your hands |
| vicinity of the target, trying to give it | | | | you are probably hitting too hard. Remember that |
| everything he's got. He usually misses! Not a | | | | the leading injury sustained in a street fight is |
| very practical skill, is it?HERE ARE SOME "BAD BAG | | | | broken hands! It is better to punch smart and |
| HABITS" TO AVOID: * * Exaggerating your | | | | accurately than just hard. I don't wrap my hands |
| movements in an attemptto hit harder * * | | | | when I do bag work.CONCLUSION I wrote this article |
| | | | because of enquires I've |
| Always concentrate on "clean" and proper body | | | | had over the years about self-directed training |
| mechanics when training. Don't think that sloppy | | | | and how to hit the heavy bag. Bag work is one of |
| movements allow you to hit harder. It only | | | | my favorite training activities. If you are |
| increases injuries and develops striking skills | | | | looking for an excellent, total body workout that |
| that you couldn't land if your life depended on | | | | will not only condition your body but also |
| it. When you focus exclusively on hitting hard, | | | | enhance your ability to protect it, give heavy |
| you forget everything else. Hit properly and the | | | | bag training a try. Just take your time, use your |
| power will take care of itself.* * Telegraphing your | | | | common sense and have fun!Randy LaHaie |
| techniques * *Telegraphing a punch or kick means | | | | LaHaie is the president of Protective Strategies and |
| giving | | | | has been teaching reality-based |
| obvious preparatory signals prior to throwing it. | | | | self-defense for over 30 years. |
| An example is cocking your fist back before | | | | |