Fitting Punchbag Work into Routine

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

I’m always interested in working in new types of training into the overall picture, and was thinking about some kind of punchbag training/conditioning. I understand that this is pretty taxing on the entire body (if done right), but is an excellent method of developing power, timing and endurance as well as melting off body fat. First up, I’m not a fighter. I just want to incorporate some of your training styles into my weekly routine.

(a) How would you work such workouts into a week though? Its quite important to me to have some kind of structure that doesn’t rigidly secure a certain day to a certain type of exercise, as work and travel mean that circumstances change. So for example I’d always prefer to have a 3 on / 1 off repeating style to a Monday = x, tuesday = y rigid style etc.

I obviously want to keep a degree of strength training too, and probably some standard cardio for recovery and heart health. So, say my week looks like so: 2 x punchbag sessions, 2 x weights sessions, 1 or 2 x cardio sessions. Ideas for a layout that won’t create overtraining?

How about something like
1- punchbag workout
2- weights (probably 3-4 compounds covering whole body, focusing on strength)
3- cardio (sprints)
4- rest
(repeat)

(b) Any ideas for a proper length of a punchbag workout? I’ve read around a bit, and it’s obviously not possible to just punch, kick, elbow etc flat out for 30 mins, but more feasible to break it down into a series of rounds (2-3 mins). How many rounds would you recommend? Is it a case of just keeping going until I feel ‘‘done’’?

Thanks for any help guys- really keen to get going with the bag and getting myself in ‘fighting’ shape!

2

Combat section can help you far more - more than bag work for cardio and timing, learn to jump rope.

Rope taught me how to dance.

3

Anyone here in the combat forum have any suggestions please?

4

what’s your goals overall?

5

Just do five [3 minute]rounds with a one minute rest between each round and see how you feel, then add or subtract rounds as necessary. I don’t quite see you over-training with your current template so you’d be fine. However, you might want to invest in some proper gloves and wraps if you haven’t already.

6

Yea. Get gloves and wraps or you’ll bust your hands up.

Most times, if I’m doing a boxing specific workout, I do three rounds on the bag, three rounds shadowboxing, three jump rope, etc.

Sometimes I’ll just throw a few good rounds in on the bag in before my workout… but be aware- you’ll get tired real quick on it, and you ain’t gonna be rippin PR’s after hitting the bag for four rounds. Especially if you’re not used to it.

7

I like to do rounds where I only throw the same thing over and over, just to hone my technique. For example, do three minutes in which the only punch you throw is a jab. Now, don’t go crazy trying to throw as many jabs as you can, instead try and make each one PERFECT. Focus on all your technique cues–fast, stiff, chin down, shoulder/hands up, etc.

In a three minute round I’ll throw about 50-60 punches, or about 3 punches a second, because I reset after each one to focus on my technique.

If you’re just starting off, I would suggest focusing on the jab, double-jab, cross, and jab-cross before venturing into other punches