I want to punch

November 12, 2007 8:10 PM

What kind of heavy bag should I get?

My life has recently become quite stressful and I suddenly have the urge to hit stuff. I was looking at heavy bags on amazon and noticed they come in weights from 40 lbs to 100 lbs. The 40 lbs bags are a nice price, the 100 lbs not so nice. For an amateur that wants to release stress and maybe use it for exercise, what weight should I get? Any recommendations on specific brands, etc? I am a 31 year old 6ft tall 200 pound male in OK shape. I intend to hang it in my basement.

posted by Dr. Lurker to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 comments total)

Are there any kickboxing/martial art studios in the area? Not only would they probably let you try their bags out, they might give you their distributor's contact info (they might also have a couple of demo bags themselves). I really can't see Amazon being the best place to purchase a punching bag (won't shipping be horrendous?)
posted by Ctrl_Alt_ep at 8:33 PM on November 12, 2007

Brands really shouldn't matter that much - unless you're going to hang it in a gym and have a dozen boxers hit it every day, it isn't going to ever wear out. If you're in "OK" shape, a 40lb bag should be plenty, but a heavier bag won't sway as much.

One word of advice, though - get some training on how to punch properly, either through martial arts or a boxing club. It's pretty easy to really screw up your wrists if you don't know what you're doing. It isn't rocket science, but there is definitely a technique to throwing a proper punch, especially if you're going to do it when you're stressed and potentially without proper gloves.
posted by gwenzel at 9:05 PM on November 12, 2007

Get as heavy a bag as you can afford. The 40 pound bag is very light and will swing too much.
The gloves and wraps you use are actually more important than your brand of bag, but the Everlast bags are ok. You can probably pick one up at a local sporting goods store and avoid the high shipping costs.
posted by nineRED at 5:58 AM on November 13, 2007

another thing...cheaper, used heavy bags are usually all over Craigslist.
posted by nineRED at 5:59 AM on November 13, 2007

Get one that attaches to the floor, like this, and it will not swing too much even though it is light. And you can kick it, too.
posted by A Long and Troublesome Lameness at 6:07 AM on November 13, 2007

1. i can't imagine a 40 lb would be as satisfying to hit as a 70lb, but that's just me.
2. Buy used if possible (you can get them for as little as $10-20)
3. OR, Buy local at Sportsmart or similar sports discounter -- most of these regularly have 10% off or $10 off $100 coupons, so look online.
3. You'll need to mount this to a ceiling stud using a hang kit, or drop another $100 or so on a stand. The reason you want the chained version is a) so you don't have to have someone hold it for you, and b) so it doesn't crash through your window or something (they'll swing pretty far).
4. learn how to wrap your hands properly -- as others have said, you can hurt yourself if you strike the bag improperly. if you get a chance, take a couple boxing courses at a local community college or gym -- they are super fun, especially if they're full contact.
posted by fishfucker at 10:58 AM on November 13, 2007

Get a Thai bag. They're about 6 ft tall abd quite heavy, so you can really lay into them. Mounting them correctly is really important. Ideally, you can put one in some sort of frame. Thai bags: Here, here and here, for starters.

Seriously: consult someone before you hang it in your home. Thai heavy bags are really heavy, and when you hit one, it will put tremendous stress on whatever it is hanging from.
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 11:01 PM on November 13, 2007