How to Hit a Boxing Heavy Bag - One Method

When I was a teenager, one of my Muay Thai instructors told me that it was a good idea to do a few rounds on the heavy bag throwing nothing but 6-8 punch/kick combos. The reasons were two fold: 1) throwing that many punches/kicks in combination would work my cardio more, and 2) doing so would help me flow from one hit to the other and make my combinations faster.

As I was hitting the heavy bag today, I remembered this. Through the years, I got used to "standard" heavy bag rounds. Generally executing 2-5 hit combos, with the normal footwork and defensive movements incorporated in my bag work. Today, I reverted back to throwing 6-8 hit combos. (Keep in mind, this is not done for all bag rounds.) It demanded more energy and forced me to think more about my combinations, all the while, using footwork and angling to ensure I was not standing right in front of my opponent (i.e. the heavy bag).

This is a great method to use if you want to develop endurance and combination speed. Clearly, a skilled opponent is not going to just stand and take a 6-8 hit combo without countering or moving away. The importance of this heavy bag is not rooted in practical application. Rather, it is geared to test your ability to throw punches and kicks, in fluid combination, for full rounds without tiring.

When you hit the heavy bag with 6-8 hit combos, do so with speed and power. I often see people throwing quick combinations on heavy bags with little power behind them. You need to throw your punches and kicks with conviction and intensity to get the most out of this heavy bag technique. Don't hold back.

I plan to start doing this again one or two rounds when I plan to hit the heavy bag. If you're bored with you're present bag routines, or want to improve your cardio, try this technique out for yourself. Let me know how it works for you.

Tags: muay thai, boxing, heavy bag, how-to, hit