Toughen Up Self-Defense Training Tips

The size and weight of the heavy bag you train on is a matter of personal preference and also dependent on where you hang it and what you are hanging it from.

Most people hang it from the main support beam of their basement using a large eye hook screwed into the wood.

If thats the case, it should easily hold a 4 ft long, 60 lb heavy bag.  Thats about the standard size any way.

If where you plan to hang the bag isn’t as sturdy buy a lighter one… No biggie.

The bottom line is that you should try training on heavy bags of all shapes, sizes and weights… and pick the one you like the best.  There’s really no right or wrong.

In addition to different size heavy bags, you should also train on other different striking equipment such as top and bottom balls, focus pads, shadow boxing in front of a mirror etc.

The “best bag” that I’ve trained on is a 6 footer that weighs about 100 lb’s.  I like the bag because it is long enough to train punches and low kicks…  Its also good for clinching and knee drills.

The average boxer’s bag is 4 feet long and about 60 lb’s. Thats adequate for strikes and mid level kicks.  That size of bag is the easiest to find and adequate for most purposes.

But once again, it depends on how solid the place is where you are going to hang it…  You  can’t hang a bag in an apartment or from the ceiling of your home if its going to shake the pictures off the walls!

If you have a good place to hang it… such as the main support beam in your basement or perhaps from the joists in your garage, I’d recommend you consider starting with basic 4 foot boxer’s bag.

The material its made of (nylon, cavass, leather) is a matter of personal preference and doesn’t make much difference.

I hope that helps….

 Randy
www.ToughenUp.comWhat Size Heavy Bag? by Randy LaHaie

The size and weight of the heavy bag you train on is a matter of personal preference and also dependent on what you are hanging it from.

Most people hang it from the main support beam of their basement using a large eye hook screwed into the wood.

If thats the case, it should easily hold a 4 ft long, 60 lb heavy bag.  Thats about the standard size any way.

If where you plan to hang the bag isn’t as sturdy buy a lighter one… No biggie.

The bottom line is that you should try training on heavy bags of all shapes, sizes and weights… and pick the one you like the best.  There’s really no right or wrong.

In addition to different size heavy bags, you should also train on other different striking equipment such as top and bottom balls, focus pads, shadow boxing in front of a mirror etc.

The “best bag” that I’ve trained on is a 6 footer that weighs about 100 lb’s.  I like the bag because it is long enough to train punches and low kicks…  Its also good for clinching and knee drills.

The average boxer’s bag is 4 feet long and about 60 lb’s. Thats adequate for strikes and mid level kicks.  That size of bag is the easiest to find and adequate for most purposes.

But once again, it depends on how solid the place is where you are going to hang it…  You  can’t hang a bag in an apartment or from the ceiling of your home if its going to shake the pictures off the walls!

If you have a good place to hang it… such as the main support beam in your basement or perhaps from the joists in your garage, I’d recommend you consider starting with basic 4 foot boxer’s bag.

The material its made of (nylon, cavass, leather) is a matter of personal preference and doesn’t make much difference.

I hope that helps….

Randy
www.ToughenUp.com

Question

Hi Randy, I found your articles on heavy bag training to be extremely helpful. I have been boxing ( for fitness and self defense ) for about 8 months. During that time I managed to get the classic boxer’s sprain. I had an X-ray, and nothing was broken. When it didn’t get better -which I didn’t help because I kept training - my Dr. figured I tore a tendon or ligament. The injury got to be so bad that I was put on short-term disability for two weeks at my job. During that time and about two months later, I didn’t hit the heavy bag. That forced me to just concentrate on technique while shadow boxing. When I returned to the bag work- with professional quality gloves-I was ecstatic about how much I had improved. Not to mention the fact that I’m 20lbs. lighter and in the best shape of my life.

Well, that’s where the good news ends. It seems that I get injured almost every time I work out now. I fear that I may have tendinitis in my right wrist, and I seem to pull a muscle in my upper back. At first I was trying to workout 3 times a week ( Mon. Wed. & Fri. ) That is what seemed to be too much for my wrist. Than I discovered that I didn’t have to “kill” the bag in order to achieve the exercise benefits. So that helped my hands, but I seemed to be pulling my back during the warm-up and cool-down parts!! So your article offered a lot of good advice, but I was wondering if you could give me a few pointers with my routine. I do two min. rounds with one min. in between. I start with just the jab for a round, then the cross, then the hook, then knee strikes, then front kicks, then roundhouse kicks, then I add a round or two of 3 strike combos. I feel awesome after. It’s half way through the next day that I learn that I over did it. So this week I have decided to take off from working out as has been suggested in books I’ve read. But I worry that I will gain the 20lbs. that I’ve lost over the past 3 months back. I was thinking maybe a twice a week schedule would be better than the three.

There are no boxing instructors in my area. A co-worker of mine used to compete when he was younger. He helped me with my technique, but the conditioning is becoming very frustrating. I appreciate any help you can give me.

Here’s My Answer

Your experiences with heavy bag training are not uncommon.  I’m sorry to hear about your injuries.

You were bang on, when you took some time off and switched from bag work to shadow boxing. The biggest mistake you can make is trying to training through and injury… I never works and all you do is turn a temporary injury into a chronic, permanent one.

I had so many people at my seminars who wanted to start combative training on heavy bags, focus pads and with training partners that I formalized the guide to assist them in establishing a strong foundation of punching skills first.

As far as your training is concerned, you need to look for alternative activitites that you can do until your tendons recover… Shadow boxing is an excellent one.

Also, working with focus pads is a great alternative to heavy bag work.  In fact, all things being equal, they are in my opinion far superior to heavy bag workouts because of the variety of training drills you can do with them.

The best thing about them for your situation is that there is a lot less resistance and “trauma” to the body when you hit a focus pad.

Slamming your hands as hard as you can into a 60 to 100 lb. heavy bag is the equivalent to stamping your feet as hard as you can into the ground when you run. You’re just going to injure yourself.

When you can hit the heavy bag without pain, I’d suggest you resume your bag work with light, clean hitting dynamics… Power is the result of proper technique plus speed.

You might even find that a good quality set of boxing gloves will provde you with even more hand and tendon protection when doing your bag work.

I hope this helps…  Good luck with your training.

About the Author:

Randy LaHaie is a trainer, consultant and author of the ” Toughen Up Combative Training Series.” He has been studying and teaching self-defense for over 30 years and has instructed thousands of people in dealing with dangerous, volatile and violent situations.

What benefit could there possibly be to hanging a big, stuffed bag from the ceiling and repeatedly pounding parts of your body into it?  Put that way, one might question the benefits of heavy bag training.

But if you look a bit deeper, apply a little “martial know how,” you’ll see that there are significant benefits to a well-designed and intelligent heavy bag training program.

Self-defense Qualities

Obviously, hitting a heavy bag is nothing like a real fight. However, it does develop fight-related qualities that are indispensable in personal combat. It can hone your strikes and kicks into devastating self-defense weapons.

The strikes and kicks most applicable to hitting the heavy bag are classified as “gross motor skills.” Gross motor skills are simple, large muscle actions that don’t deteriorate under stress. In fact, the jolt of adrenaline from the fear or anger, likely to accompany a combative situation, will enhance your performance.

Impact training contributes to a healthy “Hit Psychology.” I use this term to describe people’s willingness to hit and be hit in order to protect themselves. Believe it or not, many people are reluctant to defend themselves.

Those who lack confidence in their ability to influence the outcome of their situation, perform poorly under stress. Proper impact training (hitting bags, pads and partners) builds striking competence and confidence that increases the effectiveness of a physical response.

“Blitz” training, which I’ll describe later in this article, can build mental tenacity. A blitz is an intense, rapid-fire barrage of strikes and kicks intended to simulate the all out aggression required during a confrontation.

If you are ever thrust into a situation where you must fight for your life, you must do so with every ounce of your being. In a situation like this, your greatest enemy is your desire to give up. “Blitz” training builds both physical and mental stamina and the tenacity to keep gong until you succeed.

Note: Blitz training should not be incorporated unless you are in good health, have developed a solid conditioning base and have good striking/kicking mechanics. To do so without the preliminary groundwork is inviting injury.

Fitness Benefits of Heavy Bag Training

A good heavy bag program strengthens your cardiovascular system, tones and strengthens your muscles, burns fat, increases bone density and connective tissue resilience. Not only can you get into great shape, but you can develop functional self-defense qualities at the same time.

By repeatedly striking and kicking the bag, you activate all of the major muscles groups in your body. The arms, shoulders, waist, and leg muscles must be coordinated and conditioned. This training also builds athletic qualities such as speed, power, balance, timing, and coordination. (See the article: “Why is Every Body Always Picking On Me -Short Circuiting the Victim Selection Process” for the self-defense benefits of these qualities)

Stress Management Benefits of Heavy Bag Training

Evolution has wired our brains and our bodies for survival. At the first detection of danger, the “fight or flight response” kicks in. A host of physiological changes occur intended to prepare us to fight aggressively or run like the wind.

In a survival situation this is a good thing. However, in modern society, this same response can be activated over and over in situations that don’t merit a simple solution like fighting or running away. A hectic day of deadlines, traffic jams, frustrations, and personal conflicts fires off the fight or flight response and pollutes our body with the toxic byproducts of stress.

Physical action is required to flush this “fight or flight residue” out of our bodies before it compromises our health and immune system. Vigorous exercise, such as heavy bag training, simulates the exertion needed to burn off this residue and return the mind and body to a healthier state. That’s why bag work is an excellent way to manage stress. It satisfies the body’s inherent need to fight.

Heavy Bag Work Is Fun!

The final benefit is that heavy bag training is fun! Crank up the stereo, imagine the bag was your worst enemy (if you have one) and blast away. You’ll be dripping with sweat, huffing and puffing and feeling rejuvenated in no time!

Take care, train smart and stay safe

Randy

About the Author:

Randy LaHaie is a trainer, consultant and author of the ” Toughen Up Combative Training Series.” He has been studying and teaching self-defense for over 30 years and has instructed thousands of people in dealing with dangerous, volatile and violent situations.

Question: Do you recommend a vertical (old, pugilist style) or horizontal ( modern, corkscrew boxing style) fist for self defense punching (on the street, no gloves)? Also, is there a heavy bag or heavy bag equivalent that one can use with bare knuckles, simulating a real street confrontation?

Answer: I learned to punch with a vertical fist and feel its the best way to learn for people new to punching because it keeps the elbow down during a straight punch and provides more power sooner.

When people rotate their fist over into a horizontal position, they usually do so at the expense of keeping their elbows down and being able to deliver the punch from the ground up.

Bio-mechanically, the “best” position in my opinion is a punch with a “quarter turn.”  That places the bones in your forearm in the optimal position, keeps your elbows down and makes for good clean contact with the punching knuckles.

What I mean by a “quarter turn” is, if you make a fist with a pen in your hand, that pen would form a 45 degree angle to the ground.

As far as hitting the heavy bag with bare knuckles, I’m against it.  Ongoing pounding on the bag is hard enough on the body without destroying your hands too.

If you get in a scrap on the street, your hands will be tougher from impact work anyway, AND you will probably end up with some pretty sore and tender hands regardless of how you train.

My philosophy is train smart on an ongoing basis and do everything you can to condition and protect your body. 

Chances are you’ll never get in a street fight but you train on a daily, regular basis.

If the shit hits the fan on the street and you have to mess up your hands a bit to get yourself out of a bad situation then do it.  Heal up and start training again.

About the Author:

Randy LaHaie is a trainer, consultant and author of the ” Toughen Up Combative Training Series.” He has been studying and teaching self-defense for over 30 years and has instructed thousands of people in dealing with dangerous, volatile and violent situations.