There’s a lot of different ways to use a heavy bag for training, however I know that many people have difficulty, using the bag and training, as if it were a “sparring” partner. Often bag workouts lack this component, and the bag simply becomes a target for unloading punches and kicks on, almost as if it is just an extra-large kick shield that doesn’t require the use of a partner to hold it. I’m not saying that it shouldn’t be used this way, rather that there are other ways in which it can be used, and these are worth exploring. Each bit of kit that you use has its own “role” and purpose e.g. focus mitts/Hook’n’Jab pads aren’t primarily designed as an aid for developing power (though they can be used for this) and are better used as a tool for upping/increasing hand speed, targeting etc. For me the heavy bag is best used a tool for dynamically working range, timing, footwork, movement and power etc. Basically, the bag is a sparring partner, that doesn’t hit back, and can put up with a prolonged beating. If you simply stand, facing the bag and throw punches and kicks at it, with the singular goal of increasing the power of your strikes, you are only using about 10% of the bag’s potential. If you start to look on the bag as a sparring partner, you’ll start to eat into that other 90%.

The first thing to look at when you use the heavy bag this way, is your range and distance from the bag. One of the biggest mistakes I see in bag work, is that people start of too close to it, and yet hit when they are too far away. When you spar with an opponent you start outside of their reach, at a distance/range where they can’t reach you, and then cross into that range when you want to attack. This should be the same when you use the bag. Your first/leading strike may be one that isn’t designed as a power shot, but rather as a range-finder, or a disrupting strike that provides cover as you move in – this is ok to do on the bag, not every strike you fire has to be a power shot i.e. it’s alright that not every shot you fire is delivered at full blast. When you do move in though, you will be looking to strike with power, and this is normally when people end up throwing their shots, too far away from the bag. When you throw a power shot, when your fist first makes contact with the bag, there should be about a 45-degree bend at the elbow; this will allow you to drive into and through the target – which is what you should be doing with every punch you throw.

On a self-defense note, if you close your fist, you are creating a striking object that should be used to deliver maximum force (normally concussive force), whether it’s a punch or a hammer-fist etc. If you’re not throwing such a strike with full force, use a different strike, such as an eye-strike, a cradle-palm etc. Have the “rule” that when you clench your fist, it’s to strike with all the force your body can possibly generate. There are times when you won’t be able to or won’t want to strike with all the power you can, such as getting a hand quickly into an assailant’s face to disrupt their attack etc. however when you close your fist and punch there should be no holding back, and all of the body – not just the shoulders and arms – should be used.

Once you have moved into range, with the bag, work on combinations, and move. Imagine the bag as a sparring partner; you wouldn’t just throw one strike, and neither would you probably just stay in front of them as you punched/kicked – this could be because they move in reaction/response to your attack, or because you want to change angles on them, so that they are put under more pressure. This movement should be replicated in your bag workout i.e. add in lateral movement around the bag, whilst you are in striking range. If you haven’t yet developed this in sparring, work on it using the bag, and then bring it into your sparring game-plan. If you have developed a habit on the bag, of simply moving in and out on a straight line, it is likely that this will become a pattern in your sparring. It may also be worth training this lateral movement whilst you work, before you first move in e.g. before you cross into range, move to your left or right first, and then move in with your initial strike – this will start training you to not just move directly forward against a sparring partner, but initiate your attack at an angle.

A good habit to get into when working the bag is not to exit on the same line you entered, and also to work on the speed of your footwork, as you move away out of range. Too often I’ll see somebody work a combination on the bag, and then stop, as if their combination floored their opponent every time. There are times when you will/may have to back away from somebody, not just in sparring but in real-life. If you are dealing with multiple assailants, you may need to back off from somebody your assaulting to deal with somebody else etc. Getting out of the habit of always backing out the same way you went in, is a good one to break.

The heavy bag is a great bit of kit, but it is something more than just a receptor for unleashing single punches and kicks on, rather it should have some time spent with it being used as a silent partner, to help you develop movement skills, entry and exit skills, movement when in contact with your opponent/assailant etc. There is much to be learnt and gained from moving around the bag, when outside of what an attacker’s range would be, such as moving in a way that would cause an assailant to move and plant their weight in a certain way etc. In your next bag workout, be creative, and have a plan of what you want to achieve from it.