Getting your daily cardio in can be a grueling task. Especially, when you’re doing something highly monotonous, such as running and walking on a treadmill or pedaling on a stationary bike day in and day out. One great, and frankly, underrated way to shed some unwanted fat is through boxing. Hitting a heavy bag, in particular, can be an intense cardiovascular activity that is both fun and stress relieving. It’s particularly great for those who suffer from neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, as well. But if you don’t have connections to sneak you into a giant meat locker to punch raw meat like Rocky Balboa, you should probably invest in an at-home punching bag setup. Surprisingly, there are a few different setups that are both professional quality and don’t take up much space in the home. There are a few different ways to hang the bag, too — either from a beam in the basement/garage of your home, on the wall using the studs, or on a stand (the latter option is best for those who rent/don’t want to put any holes in their walls). So if you’re looking for a punching bag and/or punching bag set to up your cardio, you came to the right place. Let’s look at some of the best punching bags on the web right now.
Best Standup Punching Bag
If you’re worried about hanging a punching bag and you don’t have enough space for a stand, this Century Wavemaster XXL Training Bag is a great standup bag for all of your workouts. Although it’s not hung like a professional heavy bag, it’s actually probably a better option for intermediate/advanced strikers, as it’s extra-large in size and can weigh up to 270 pounds when completely filled (a hanging heavy bag typically weighs between 70 and 100 pounds for further reference). It’s actually quite an imposing bag in person, standing 69 inches tall and measuring a full 18 inches in diameter. One takeaway from this bag upon first use is just how stable it is when filled. The base of the bag is very low profile, and when filled, there’s an even weight distribution that allows the bag to stay in place without coming close to toppling over after hitting it. You can fill it up with sand or water — we chose sand — and it’s really easy to fill up thanks to the extra-large fill hole. You can assemble the entire setup tool-free, making it easy for essentially anyone to get it up and running in just a few short minutes. This bag is great for boxing, MMA fighting, and martial arts in general, as it’s tall enough (and sturdy enough) to withstand kicks, punches, and everything in between.
Best Punching Bag Set for Boxers
Those who want to concentrate on boxing first and foremost should consider this Everlast Traditional Heavy Bag Kit. It can be used either on one of Everlast’s heavy bag stands or it could be hung from a beam or the wall. Either way, it’s a great option for fighters of any kind. This particular bag weighs 70 lbs, so by rule of thumb (which states the bag should be around half of your body weight), it’s better for lighter fighters. Regardless, it’s certainly heavy enough to get a great workout regardless of your weight/strength, as it’s filled with a strong custom filling that includes natural and synthetic fibers blended with sifted sand. The set also comes with a bungee cord that attaches to most heavy bag stands in order to give you greater resistance and keep the bag from swaying too much. This, we found, is a great solution if the bag is a bit too light and you want to keep it in place. The set also comes with a pair of heavy bag gloves and 108-inch hand wraps to keep your hands protected from the abrasion of the bag. Obviously, if you don’t have any of these items yet, this set can provide great overall value.
Best Punching Bag Set w/ Hanger
Already set on mounting a heavy bag hanger to the wall? Then you might as well get an inexpensive, high-quality set that already comes with the bracket, like this 14 piece RDX Punch Bag Set. The bag comes in either a four-foot version or a five-foot model, with the latter being better for MMA and martial artists who need a longer bag for leg strikes/kicks. The bag itself actually isn’t all that heavy — it’s filled with a shredded textile material and weighs a hair over 50 lbs, give or take. However, it’s ultra-durable, as it’s made with a high-quality polyester inner lining and a water-resistant leather exterior. The set itself comes with everything you need to get started, including a pair of Maya Hide Bag Gloves with gel foam padding to strike the bag without injuring your hand/wrist. It also comes with two different hanging options — a 16 Gauge Heavy Duty Powder Coated Steel 1.5ft Long Wall Pro Bracket and a high-grade Powder Coated Steel Heavy Ceiling Hook. Additionally, this setup provides you with a pair of hand wraps, a steel chain for hanging, a swivel, a plastic jump rope, one D-shackle, an RDK fixture with all of the fittings, a hand gripper, a mini boxing glove for hanging, a boxing glove key ring, and a hook for the punching bag strap.
