Can You Kick a Punching Bag

Punching bags have many different uses so they come in many different shapes and sizes for sportspeople to train in different ways. As they’re known as punching bags, it may seem counterproductive to start kicking them. But since sports like kickboxing and Muay Thai involve punching as well as kicking and grappling, you probably don’t want to buy seven different types of bulky equipment to train in your sport at home.

What Are Punch Bags For?

Punching bags are a useful piece of equipment for combat sports as there are many different shapes and sizes designed for practising different aspects of your training, without breaking the bank. For example:

• Speed bags are small and light, useful for practising punching speed
• Body bags are heavy and shaped like a torso, useful for practising punching accuracy
• Heavy bags are long and heavy, perfect for utilising punching power

Many different combat sports involve punching as this is a useful fighting manoeuvre, so punching bags aren’t just for boxing. Moreover, punching bags have numerous other uses beyond fight training. People who want to lose weight, get in shape or try a fun, stress-relieving activity benefit greatly from using a punching bag.

But despite the name, punching bags aren’t just used for punching. Long heavy bags are available, as well as freestanding bags can be just the right length for kickboxing training and practising different kicking techniques. Kids’ punching bags are also available in different sizes for different uses, just make sure they’re the right weight for your child.

Can You Kick a Punching Bag

Kickboxing is a mixture of boxing and karate moves, so punching bags are useful for both punching and kicking moves. You can’t kick a small boxing bag like a speed bag as they’re far too high off the ground and you could injure yourself, however, longer and larger bags like free-standing bags are great for kickboxers.

Boxers wear thick padded gloves when hitting heavy punching bags and, while kickboxers also wear gloves, they tend to have bare feet. So as with punching bags, you shouldn’t use a bag that’s too heavy as it may risk damaging the bones in your feet when kicking it, and you should use a punching bag full of rags rather than sand to absorb the shock of your strikes to further prevent injury.

Punching a punching bag engages each part of your body as you shift your weight and move around the bag, but kicking a punching bag is even better for you, strengthening your leg muscles and directly engaging your whole body to burn more calories and tone your body.

How to Kick a Punching Bag

There are three main types of kicks used in kickboxing:

• Front kick (or Teep kick)
• Roundhouse kick
• Uppercut kick (knee strike kick)

Each of these kicks can be practised on long, weighty punching bags.

The front kick is the most basic kick used in kickboxing and Muay Thai and involves striking the bag from a distance with the bottom of your foot, in an abrupt, pushing motion. When practising, avoid using your toes as this could hurt.

The roundhouse kick is one of the more famous kicks as it can look very flamboyant when performed smoothly and accurately. The fighter needs to twist their hips, lift one knee and extend the leg to strike the bag with the top of their foot – a similar place to wear you would kick a football. Some martial arts also use their shins to strike, so you can practise the same movement but make contact with the bag with your shin. Either using your shin or your foot, be careful not to use your full force on a heavy bag when you begin as this may hurt.

Knee strikes are also very useful in many martial arts disciplines; the uppercut kick involves hitting the middle of the bag with the top of your knee. This move is great for fighting at close range, especially if your opponent has a hold of you, so this can also be very useful to learn in self-defence.

When practising this move on a punching bag, you may experience a friction burn on the top of your knee. If this happens, practise more direct strikes with your knee to avoid slipping down the bag and causing friction burns.

Are There Benefits to Kicking a Punching Bag?

Just like boxing, kicking a punching bag will help you improve your kickboxing skills as well as your physical and mental health. Whether you’re an amateur, a pro or just in it for fun, kickboxing with a punching bag will be a great addition to your workout routine.

Great Workout

Working out can be tedious if you’re not doing an activity that inspires you, so if you’ve tried running, using cross trainers or spin classes, it’s no wonder you’re not interested in working out. With kickboxing with a punching bag, you can get a great workout 4-5 times a week, learn self-defence skills and have fun training, all from the comfort of your own home. Just stick on some sports clothes and start kicking and punching the bag, engaging your whole body and burning calories.

Punching bags don’t help build muscle so you won’t see huge changes to your body if you’re slim and wanting to bulk up. However, by burning calories, if you’re also eating well, you’ll see the fat drop off and your body start to tone, your abs appearing and quads becoming more defined. You can vary the intensity of your kickboxing workout, starting with 5-10-minute rounds and increasing the speed and length of your workout as you get fitter.

Improve Mood

One great benefit of punching bags for children and adults, is the mood boost you get from hitting the bag. Whether you’re punching or kicking, striking out will release all of your negative energy for the day, releasing endorphins as you go and improving your mood in no time. With a heavy bag, you can hit and kick as hard as you like without hurting yourself, as long as you’ve got the right gloves on.

Boxing gloves are much thicker than Muay Thai gloves so they’re best for use on punching bags. However, if you’re training in Muay Thai, you can benefit from Muay Thai gloves so you can also practise your floor manoeuvres on a grappling dummy.

If you also integrate some shin kicks, invest in a pair of shin pads to protect them from harm if you want to train intensely.

Also, if you’re feeling lethargic, 10 minutes on a punching bag will re-energise you, as your whole body is engaged in an aerobic activity, pumping oxygen to your brain and muscles, helping you to feel more awake when you need to, and improving your quality of sleep later on.

Improve Coordination

When you first start using a punching bag you may feel like you’re not striking properly or as smoothly as you would like. But with regular practice, you can make your combinations slick thanks to your improved coordination, punching and kicking in rhythm.

Which Punching Bag is Best for Kickboxers?

Kickboxers can use all kinds of punching bags as they still need to learn and improve their punching technique like a boxer. However, for best all-round use, including kicking, free-standing bags are the best. Free-standing bags don’t need to be attached to your walls, so you can place them in the centre of a room and move 360° around the bag, having enough space to punch and kick without knocking over surrounding objects.

Heavy bags are great, but you need to attach them to the ceiling, wall or frame, so you don’t always have sufficient movement around the bag.

Buy the Best Punching Bags – Maxx Pro Boxing

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