Intensifying The Heavy Bag



By Ross Enamait - Published in 2004






The heavy bag is one of the oldest, most recognizable pieces of
training equipment. Unfortunately, due to its commonality, the bag is
often overlooked when searching for speed, power, and endurance.
Fitness manufacturers continually develop and market new products
catered towards today’s combat athlete. As new products are developed,
old training tools such as the heavy bag are often forgotten.


This is unfortunate, as the heavy bag is perhaps the most sport-specific and effective training tool available.


Consider a typist who wishes to type more words per minute. To
increase her typing speed, she types away at the keyboard. To type
fast, one must type.

This logic also applies to the act of punching. To punch with speed and
power, one must punch. What better way to enforce this simple analogy
than hitting the heavy bag?


To increase speed and power, one must hit the bag hard.
Regular practice is required to develop efficiency of movement when
punching. Unfortunately, it is common for fighters to coast through a
heavy bag session. These individuals stick with a few basic
combinations, flicking out an occasional jab while grunting and
groaning to impress onlookers.

A common heavy bag workout consists of three or four rounds on the bag.
Amateur boxers compete with 2-minute rounds while professionals compete
with 3-minute rounds. These work-to-rest ratios are often followed when
hitting the bag. Certain trainers intensify bag sessions by reducing
rest between rounds to 30-seconds. Another common means of progression
involves increasing the length of the round. For example, certain
professionals hit the bag for 4-minute rounds. The reason for the
increased round length is to “over-condition” the fighter for a
traditional round. If a fighter can hit the bag for 4-minutes, a
3-minute round should be easy.

Unfortunately, this theory rarely works in the real world. As round
length increases, many fighters “learn” to pace themselves throughout
the longer round. Rather than maintaining an intense pace, these
fighters conserve energy for the longer round. This style of training
is detrimental to a competitive fighter. During competition, these
fighters will be unprepared for an opponent who maintains an
aggressive, furious pace.

Rather than increasing round length, I recommend increasing intensity
through short, yet highly intense punch-out drills. A punch-out drill
simply consists of a string of all out punches thrown in rapid
succession without rest. Common punch-out intervals range from 15 to 60
seconds. During these drills, the fighter will throw non-stop punches.
I recommend straight punches during this drill to reduce bag movement.
For example, you will throw a non-stop 1-2-1-2 (1 = jab, 2 = cross).


These drills are extremely intense. You will essentially be
performing high intensity interval training on the heavy bag. This
style of training will prepare you to throw explosive combinations with
maximum speed and power.

Punch-out drills are commonly referred to as the “Olympic Drill”. These
drills have been used at several Olympic boxing camps. You will not
find many drills that can match the intensity and effectiveness of
these brief punch intervals.

Not A Replacement, An Addition



These drills should not replace traditional
heavy bag work. The heavy bag is ideal for drilling and reinforcing new
combinations. Skill training and conditioning are not the same. You can
however supplement a traditional heavy bag routine with a brief
punch-out sequence.


Sample Workout

• 4 x 3-minute rounds – Skill emphasis
  
• 4 x 30-second punch-out drills
  
• Finish with 1 x 3-minute round
  

This routine will begin with four traditional rounds of bag work. Your
focus should be on skill development. Throw combinations, moving left
to right, and right to left. Integrate head movement, feints, and
combination punching. Rest one-minute between rounds.


After four rounds are complete, proceed with four punch-out
drills. Each drill will consist of one non-stop combination, thrown
with maximum speed and power. Allow one-minute of rest between drills.


Finish with one round of traditional bag work. At this point,
you will be forced to fight through fatigue, as if you were in an
actual competition.

Variety



I recommend variety when performing punch-out drills. In the preceding
example, the routine called for 30-second intervals. You can also
perform a punch-out sequence with shorter, more intense intervals. For
example, perform 10 x 15-second punch out drills. Allow 45 seconds of
rest between drills. This brief 10-minute sequence is much more
challenging than it appears. By reducing the length of the drill, you
are able to maintain a true max effort from start to finish. These
drills are excellent when training to improve speed, power, and
anaerobic capacity.


Power Boxing



Another option to traditional heavy bag work involves brief
full-speed, power boxing rounds. Each round will last 60 to 90 seconds.
You will throw combinations with an emphasis on maximum power. This is
no time to be practicing your jab. You will work solely on power
punching. Each round should involve a max effort. Each punch will be
thrown with bad intentions.

Integrate a variety of punches (ex. hook, uppercut, cross). As you can
see in the sample video clip below, I throw multiple punch
combinations, all with maximum power.







Sample Workout

• 3 x 3-minute rounds – Skill emphasis
  
• 4 x 1-minute power boxing
  
• 5 x 30-second punch out drills
  

This routine will begin with three traditional rounds of bag work. Your
focus should be on skill development. Throw multiple combinations,
moving left to right, and right to left. Integrate head movement,
feints, and combination punching. Rest one-minute between rounds.


After three rounds are complete, proceed with four
power-boxing rounds. Each round will be “fought” at full throttle with
an emphasis on maximum power punches. Allow one-minute of rest between
drills.


Finish with five punch-out drills. Each drill will consist of one non-stop combination, thrown with maximum speed and power.


This brief bag workout integrates skill work, power boxing, and
punch-out drills. You will start with a skill emphasis while the body
is fresh. You will proceed to power boxing, and finish with a brief
conditioning sequence via punch-out drills.

Another Sample

• 10 x 1-minute power boxing
  

Once again, you can incorporate variety into a power boxing routine.
This workout will equate to 10-minutes of max-effort punching. These
workouts provide obvious benefits when training to increase power and
anaerobic endurance. You will train the body to throw power punches
round after round. Increased punching power plus increased punch output
is a dangerous combination.

Summary



These sample routines will greatly intensify a heavy bag workout. Do
not limit yourself to “traditional” heavy bag training. You can achieve
numerous benefits with short, intense drills on the bag.

Balance intensity throughout the week. One session can be geared more
towards skill development (ex. combination punching) while another can
emphasize power and anaerobic endurance. Do not be so quick to overlook
the heavy bag. The heavy bag is perhaps the most effective,
sport-specific conditioner of all.


Hit the heavy bag hard and often.

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About the Author - Ross Enamait is an innovative athlete and
trainer, whose training style is among the most intense that you will
find. Ross is committed to excellence and advancements in high
performance conditioning and functional strength development. He has a
sincere interest in helping today's athlete in their quest for
greatness.

Ross has authored several comprehensive training manuals, designed for athletes participating in combat sports such as boxing, wrestling, and MMA.

http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym24.htm