5 Best Boxing Drills to Do with a Punching Bag

 If you are into boxing then you would be well aware of the benefits a punching bag can provide you. It’s a classic but most effective training tool for beginners to professional boxers.

You might think that punching workouts would be very easy to perform as throwing a few quick jabs at the heavy bag may not seem that hard in the beginning.

But if you have never performed a punching bag workout before then you are about to face a real challenge.

It is a full-body exercise, you are not only using your arms to throw punches. Boxing on a punching bag requires full-body engagement which helps in burning fat and strengthening muscles.

Doing a boxing drill on a punching bag is as efficient for building strength as doing it with a partner if not more. 

In boxing what you really rely upon is the strength of your arms. And, punching on a heavy bag can help you in improving your strength effectively.

A punching workout not only engages your arms but the muscles in your arms, shoulders, back and legs are all impacted during a punching bag training session.

You can practice punching the bag with your greatest possible force, this helps to greatly improve your power in less time.

A heavy bag workout forces you to push yourself beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone, this will build your endurance.

When you are in the ring, you can have a hard time if you lack endurance. Muscular and aerobic endurance can be a gateway to success for a boxer.

The shredded physiques of boxers don’t come from running for hours on a treadmill or heavy weight training, it comes naturally from boxing training and the heavy bag workout is an essential part of that.

A punching bag workout is not only about hitting the bag as hard as possible. You develop other techniques such as foot and head movement as well.

Through a punching bag workout, you can greatly improve your boxing skills. You can also practice new techniques on a heavy bag before throwing it at your opponent in the ring.

A punching bag allows you to experience the force of impact when you punch. It might not be the same as punching your opponent in the ring but it’s very close to that.

When you are performing a heavy bag workout, you are not just standing there and punching the bag.

You are moving around the bag in a boxing stance, transferring your weight between the rear and the lead foot by incorporating footwork.

Your sensory-motor coordination is also improved because you have to stay alert otherwise you could be hit as the bag comes back suddenly.

To improve your coordination, it’s important that you stay in a boxing stance throughout the workout.

As we know the great mental benefits of boxing, a punching bag can also be a great tool to improve your psychological health.

A punching bag workout releases endorphin and various neurohormones. These hormones are associated with improving cognitive functions and boosting mood.

It’s one of the most effective methods of channeling your anger when you assume the punching bag as the burdens and problems you faced the whole day.

If you are bored of the conventional exercises such as cardio or weight training to keep your physical and mental health up to the mark, then the heavy bag workout has got your back.

A heavy bag workout beats boredom, unlike any other workout. It always offers something new and keeps your mind engaged in the workout. 

There are a lot of punching drills that you can practice at home but before that, you need to learn the basic punches every boxer should know.

When you are able to perform the basic punching techniques with perfection, then you should buy the right punching bag for you.

So now, let’s dwell on the most efficient punching bag drills that you must practice.

Before you start a high-intensity punching drill, you should properly warm up the muscles in your body. It will make sure that you don’t face any injury.

Perform the following exercises for 30 seconds each and complete 4 sets.

• Jogging in place
• Bodyweight squats
• Shadowboxing: Throwing light punches in the air and bouncing on feet.
• Jumping Jacks

After you warm up, now it’s time to wrap your hands properly. Always remember that you should never try to punch a heavy bag without your hands being wrapped properly.

You are well aware of the importance of power in boxing, so here is a punching drill that will effectively increase your punching power in less time.

Total Rounds: 4

Time For Each Round: 3 minutes

Rest: 1-minute rest between each round

• Round 1: Jab
• Round 2: Cross (straight right for orthodox and straight left for a southpaw)
• Round 3: Left hook for first 90 seconds and right hook for remaining 90 seconds.
• Round 4: Left upper for first 90 seconds and right uppercut for remaining 90 seconds.

There is a great importance of speed in boxing. In the words of world-famous boxers, the best punch is what your opponent doesn’t see coming.

Even if you are a beginner in boxing and fighting a professional, you can win the game if your punches are fast enough.

The reason behind this is that no matter what, your opponent will blink his eyes if your punches are landing fast enough.

This drill will improve your punching speed effectively. If you want to compliment your boxing performance then click here to buy top-of-the-line boxing gear.

Total Rounds: 5

Time For Each Round: 3 minutes

Rest: 30-sec rest between each round

• Round 1: Jab-Cross Combo
• Round 2: Cross-Lead Hook Combo
• Round 3: Jab-Rear-Hook Combo
• Round 4: Lead Uppercut-Cross Combo
• Round 5: Freestyle all these combinations

Throwing continuous punches at your opponent requires great power, precision, and above all stamina.

If you are in the ring and having a hard time catching your breath then you won’t be able to dodge or throw punches at your opponent.

This is a long boxing drill that is specially designed to build your stamina.

Total Rounds: 3

Time For Each Round: 20 minutes

Rest: Rest 2-3 times between sets according to your physical conditioning for 45-60 seconds.

• Hit the heavy bag at an easy pace continuously.
• After every 20-25 punches throw in some uppercuts and hooks.
• Take 2-3 minutes rest after every round.

To finish off your boxing drill, we will be combining all the above drills but intensify the workout to increase its efficiency.

This drill incorporates all the techniques that you learned in boxing that include punching combos, footwork, and defense.

If you want to enhance your aerobic fitness, coordination, footwork, power, and stability then it can help you efficiently achieve all of this.

This is one of the most intense boxing drills that’s why it is recommended to perform at the end and keep the number of rounds less.

Total Rounds: 3

Time For Each Round: 3 minutes

Rest: 1-minute break after each round.

• After every 5 seconds in the drill, throw a combo.
• Each combo you throw should have a minimum of 3 punches.
• Move your head after every combo you throw.
• Throw every punch to your full power.

Boxing is not a sport that you can learn in less than a week but, to effectively perform in the ring you need a lot of practice and skills.

Practicing these punching drills will enhance your boxing skills in less time and in addition, you will improve your overall body strength.

Whether you are looking to improve the overall health of your body or want to boost your performance in the ring, these boxing drills have got your back.