So you’re shopping for new at-home boxing equipment, but you need some tips on how to choose the right punching bag for your workout. Stick with us through this article and learn everything you need to know about the free-standing punching bag, plus we will give you our recommendation for the best bags on the market today.
Although you can train for boxing without equipment, the free-standing punching bag allows you to take your training to the next level. With your own free-standing punching bag, you can train without going to a boxing gym. Having a heavy bag at home lets you practice whenever.
What Is a Free-Standing Punching Bag?
A free-standing (also known as "floor standing") punching bag is a punching bag that does not require mounting. Typically, it is attached to a heavy base that is weighted down with sand or water.
On the other hand, the traditional hanging punching bag requires mounting for installation. To install a hanging punching bag at home, you have a few available options, none of which is ideal. You either need to:
drill holes into your ceiling/walls
or hang it on a metal frame (which takes up space and can scratch your floor)
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A free-standing punching bag not only doesn’t require professional installation, but it is also portable, so it can be moved around the house easily for storage and training. It’s a great option for practicing your punches and kicks at home.
Is A Free-Standing Punching Bag A Good Workout?
In short, the answer is - yes. The free-standing heavy bag is an excellent alternative to a traditional hanging heavy bag, but there are two drawbacks with many free-standing punching bags on the market today: (1) their bases move a lot while you train, and (2) they are too light and tip over when you hit them. This is often the case for less expensive products in this category. Newer bags on the market have worked to address these problems, but some bags are still better than others.
Are Free-Standing Punching Bags Better Than Traditional Heavy Bags?
Free-standing punching bags and traditional heavy bags are both great for boxing training. They both have pros and cons. As we mentioned before, a certain downside with the traditional heavy bag is that it requires permanent and professional installation for at-home use which is an additional expense. The best free-standing punching bag is portable and doesn’t require permanent or professional installation.
The only differences are the weight of the bag (the best free-standing heavy bag provides good resistance, but usually is lighter) and the swinging motion. The best free-standing punching bags provide good resistance, but they are usually lighter than traditional heavy bags. The Best free-standing heavy bags are also affixed to a base so they cannot replicate the swinging motion that a heavy bag has. To determine which option is “better,” it comes down to personal preference.
For a complete list of the pros and cons of punching bags, and how to choose the right punching bag for you, check out these articles:
Find The Right Punching/Boxing Bag (Boxing Experts Guide)
BEST Punching Bags To Buy: These Are Fighter-Tested
How Tall & How Heavy Should a Free-Standing Punching Bag Be?
The proper height for a free-standing punching bag depends on the person who uses it. Typically, it is recommended that the bag be at least your height, if not taller. Since most of the shots and punches you throw will be on the same level as your arms and towards an opponent’s head, you need a bag that is at least that tall.
Additionally, if you are going to throw low kicks (e.g. as in Muay Thai and kickboxing), make sure that the bag has adequate padding. Many free-standing punching bags on the market are only padded partway down and do not have padding towards the base.
A free-standing punching bag should have a sturdy base for all of your punches and kicks. We recommend filling the base of your free-standing bag with sand as it will weigh more, but a bag base filled with water will still give you a great workout. The base can fit 350 lbs. of sand or 250 lbs. of water.
What Is The Best Free-Standing Boxing Bag?
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We recommend the FightCamp free-standing punching bag. This free-standing bag allows you to go all-out without unforgiving bag displacements, gives excellent punch resistance, stands tall enough for any fighter to use, is made of durable materials, and is easy to move around the house.
FightCamp's best free-standing punching bag is designed to solve virtually all issues that previous generations of punching bags had. Our proprietary ring technology holds the base in place during training, the base of the bag can be made significantly heavier than alternatives (yet still be portable), and tipping it over with a punch or a kick is a challenge even for pro-fighters.
A free-standing punching bag allows anyone to have access to boxing equipment at home, even if they don’t have a dedicated home gym. Shadowboxing and boxing without equipment will only get you so far in your boxing training. Hitting a heavy bag is essential for building your boxing technique and muscle strength, conditioning your punch muscles, and practicing core boxing punch combinations and drills.
Train Like a Fighter
Take your workouts to the next level and train like a fighter with the at-home connected fitness solution used by world champion boxers Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather. FightCamp has everything you need to work out on your schedule, with premium boxing equipment and hundreds of on-demand strength, conditioning, kickboxing, boxing, core, and recovery classes led by real fighters. As Mike Tyson said - “FightCamp is the next level of training!”
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