Thread: HIIT Cardio punching bag

I think it would work. I would definitely like to have a punching bag. Then I could quit using my girlfriend.

Originally Posted by bdeljoose

I think it would work. I would definitely like to have a punching bag. Then I could quit using my girlfriend.

I fucking lol'd

You're going to need to ramp up your activity on the punching bag. Don't jump right into HIIT or you'll absolutely destroy your wrists and shoulders. You'll need a good, solid 3 months of practice and adaptation before you'll be able to withstand the beating on your joints.

Unless you just plan on just bitch-slapping the thing for 20 minutes :-)

Working with a heavy bag is one thing, but HIIT with a heavy bag is something altogether different.

Originally Posted by ThreeGigs

You're going to need to ramp up your activity on the punching bag. Don't jump right into HIIT or you'll absolutely destroy your wrists and shoulders. You'll need a good, solid 3 months of practice and adaptation before you'll be able to withstand the beating on your joints.

Unless you just plan on just bitch-slapping the thing for 20 minutes :-)

Working with a heavy bag is one thing, but HIIT with a heavy bag is something altogether different.

Could you go more into detail?

HIIT is absolute, balls to the wall maximum exertion for a period of time followed by medium exertion recovery which is just barely enough to stop you from throwing up when the next high intensity phase begins 30 seconds or a minute later.

So for medium intensity, a punch every second, high intensity 2-3 punches a second. In a 20 minute session that's about 1500 to 1800 punches, and maybe half at full impact force.

If the cartilage in your wrists hasn't been toughened up by repeated practice at lower levels, you will lose your wrist function for a week to a month afterwards as the cartilage heals, plus you may have residual problems, like a tendency towards carpal tunnel.

Your shoulders will take a similar beating as the shocks of the punches are absorbed, and as you slow down and speed up your arms. Your accessory muscles which hold everything in position will weaken and get tired and you'll have a far, far greater chance of cartilage injury in the shoulder.

It's going to take a minimum of 3 months of daily training to get your wrists and shoulders ready for a HIIT heavy bag session, and that's 1000 punches a day in an hour-long workout, 5 days a week. Get a trainer to teach you form and control at first, because it's ridiculously easy to injure yourself if you just start swinging away at a bag.

Originally Posted by bdeljoose

I think it would work. I would definitely like to have a punching bag. Then I could quit using my girlfriend.

Anyone else have anything to say about this?

I box and train on a heavy bag when I can. You should join a gym and learn correct technique first - even if it's just for 2-3 months. If you hit a heavy bag cack-handed it can be painful on the wrists so knowing good form is a must. You might be able to get away with watching YouTube vids I guess if you start off really light on the bag. But you have to hit hard to get the blood pumping. A 3 minute round on a heavy bag can really leave you breathing heavy, awesome for some cardio training.

You'll need hand wraps and wrap the wrists up good, knuckles not so much of an issue if just using the bag. You can learn to wrap hands on YT too as it's pretty simple. And get some 12oz gloves. That's about it.

Oh, jump some rope beforehand. 3 rounds of 3 minutes jumping rope and then 3 rounds on the heavy bag. That's my normal routine at the boxing gym 2-3 times a week (before mitt work and sparring). I hit the weights at home in the afternoons. And I jog 5km on non-weight training days. I think I'm in pretty good shape.

idk i just bought a heavy bag and i just started going to town on it and i have had no problems but i do have big wrist and it seems nothing ever hurts me or gets hurt on me i am lucky i guese.i go balls to the wall for maybe 10-15 mins right nowtrying to work up to 30mins i hit the bag so hard somtimes it goes crazy i have to stop and let the bag stop swinging wildly i even hung my bag reall high so i hit it on the hard part where the stuffing has settled i guese to keep the swinging douwn.i love it is my fav way to do cardio after 20 years in the gym.i am geting cutt and ripped like never before and i have tried everything over the years.heavy bag is fun and works just dont get know better plus i will be ready to whip some ass if need be now haha.