Rather than gym training, you can try boxing by lifting heavy bags at the home gym. These punching bags are not for everyone since they need an appropriate hanger.
To prevent any accident, it is crucial to know what the bag weighs before trying to hang the punching bag.
These punching bags come in weights ranging from60 to 150 pounds. If you buy that heavy bag at the boxing gym, it will weigh around 200 pounds. The best way to find a punching bag that is right for you is to check how much weight and then divide it by half and pick the bag that is closest to that weight. The importance of the bag alone; there is more to consider than just the weight of the load from the ceiling mounting point.
There are many ways how to hang a punching bag, but the four most common methods include hanging it from a support beam, using a ceiling mount, using a wall mount, and hanging it using a freestanding heavy bag stand.
We have some tips for hanging punch bags inside our home, and we will tell you all the required equipment so you can pick the best one for you!
Best Heavy Punch Bag for Boxing Training
What is Weight and Size Boxing Bag for me?
Choosing the right size and weight of the bag has a lot to do with the type of boxing training that you will be using it.
Before deciding the size and weight of the bag is best for you, you need to consider what exactly you are using the bag. Are you training for more sports or are you introducing more so for workouts to tone your body and get back in shape?
Take note of your body weight and divide by two as a general rule of thumb. If you weigh 180 pounds, get an 80-100lb heavy bag.
Heavy boxers must choose the right punching bag weight to be half of their body weight. This is the amount of weight that it offers; this not too much or not too little in resistance training. Most bags will allow you to punch harder on the bags with good power. Moreover, the bags also swing to imitate a real opponent moving during training sessions. This enables you to practice defense and offense movements like a real boxer.
This heavy bag is a piece of exercise equipment that will help you build strength from arm and leg resistance training and it provides an intense cardio workout.
If you bought bags that are too light in weight and swing too much, it will not provide sufficient resistance to placing the power punch on the heavy bags. The swinging of the bag will also be minimized, and thus you will not be able to move around the bag with your power punch. On the other hand, if the load is too heavy, you will feel like hitting a solid rock wall.
How high should I install the punching bag?
Think about your heavy bag as the opponent. Considering that, the bag should be as high enough to take a blow to the “head”, so the top of the bag should be at level with the top of your head. If bought have a very short bag, you may need to adjust this height. You can use a 2×4, but a 2×6 or higher will provide more support for your heavy bag.
Before You Get Started
After you have purchased the boxing bag, you first need to find a perfect place to hang the bag. It is best to have an open space like your basement, workout room, or garage gym.
The best place requires 360-degree access to hang heavy punching bags. Many things happen to the mounting point when you hit the bag with your full force. Firstly, a horizontal force will function as the mounting point because of the shock. Secondly, as you punch the bag, this will swing from one side to another, and it pulls on the Mount towards it as it moves. This will make a centrifugal force far more intense than the bag weighs. The bag actually jumps up a little, taking all the weight off the mounting, and then falling straight back down again.
A few things to consider are the bag’s weight when it’s filled and the ceiling or an area where you want to hang a punching bags.
The boxing bags can be position in your home in a few different ways. You can hang it from the ceiling joints or use ceiling heavy duty mounts. If you can not hang it from the ceiling, you can use freestanding bags.
A Step By Step Guide: How To Hang A Boxing Bag
Hang From A Support Beam
Most people like it better to hang their boxing bag to a support beam on the ceiling. The support beams are narrow beams that run along the ceiling with spaces between them.
Hanging your punching bag from the ceiling will help you with better mobility during your workout but be sure to select the strongest support beam. A punching bag can weigh up to 200 pounds and can cause severe harm if the beam is not strong.
Equipment’s needed:
- Power drill and drill bits
- Eyebolt
- Wrench
- Bag and chains
- S-hook
Installing a punching bag from a support beam:
Step 1: By using the power drill, drill a hole in the support beam
Step 2: Twist the eye bolt into the hole and tighten it with a wrench.
Step 3: Connect the bag to the chains and then the chains to the S-hook.
Step 4: Lift the bag up to hang the S-hook to the eyebolt.
Try the heavy boxing bag a test kicks and punches to see that the bag is properly secure and hangs correctly at eye level.
Pro Tip: It’s good to use an eyebolt than a basic hook because the bag can be easily slip out of the hook during a workout.
Hang a Punching Bag Using A Ceiling Mounts
You can also install a ceiling Mount if you do not have exposed beams. Many different types of ceiling mounts are available online or in athletic stores that can help ease the hanging process. For most people suggest mounting a heavy bag to a basement or garage ceiling. This will come with the required bolts and nuts that will be needed to get the job done.
Hanging your bag from the ceiling will help you get mobility during workouts.
The mounts can be place on ceiling beams or ceiling joists. The location where the joist meets the beam would be the best as it would offer the most vital support. However, if you find ceiling joists are covered by drywall, a textured ceiling, or like a popcorn ceiling, you will need to use a stud finder to help you locate the wall stud.
To use a stud finder, you can start from one wall. Measure out 16” and use the stud finder to help locate the edge of the ceiling joist. Go ahead and scan for the other side of the joist and then mark the middle. Your bag will be mounted on a middle joist. If you did not find it, one at 16”, try at 24”. If you did not find one at either measurement, try again from the adjacent wall, and you should have better luck.
Once you find the joist hanging the bag, you need to find the where center of the joist. You can use a thin nail to nudge through the ceiling to find the center.
Use the knock test to double-check. There is no joist if you knock on the ceiling and hear a hollow sound. You are knocking against a ceiling joist if the sound is not hollow. Look for a place in the ceiling where the joist meets with a cross beam. You can also center the Mount to the crossbeam to add support.
Make sure that you find a ceiling joist in an area that allows movement.
Equipment’s needed:
- Marker
- Power drill
- Screwdriver
- Wrench
- Bag and chains
- Mount
- Nuts and bolts or Wood screws
Steps of installing a boxing bag ceiling mount:
Step 1: To get the ceiling mount installed, make sure to prepare the Power drill, Screw driver, Wrench Bag, and chains s hook.
Step 2: Hold the Mount in place on the ceiling to mark where the bolts go.
Step 3: Drill holes in the ceiling on the marked areas using a marker.
Step 4: Use a wrench or screwdriver to put the Mount in the ceiling. Make sure that your drill bit is only slightly larger than the body or shank of the screw, not the threads.
Step 5: Hang the bag to the chains and the S-hook.
Step 6: Raise the heavy punching bag and hang it on the Mount with the S-hook.
Once the punching bag is placed, strike a few test punches to see if it is securely in place.
Pro Tip: Do not try to hang the bag on drywall because it will cause a lot of damage to your ceiling. Try using a heavy bag chain or spring between the Mount and the chains. This reduces vibration and can save your drywall.
If you are not the handyman-type, it’s good to pay a contractor to come to your home and help you install the bag from the ceiling.
Hang a Punching Bag Using A Wall Mount
If you can not install the bag from the ceiling or if you have concrete walls, you might prefer using wall mounts for the boxing bag.
You can purchase wall mounts for punching bags, and they come with all the required hardware. Like the ceiling mount, this will have all the hardware you will need to be an expert heavy bag hanger when purchasing one of these mounts.
Please do not use the wall mount for a heavy bag in drywall, and it is only used in this installation for masonry walls.
Equipment needed:
- Marker
- Power drill
- Screwdriver
- Wrench
- Bag and chains
- Mount
- Nuts and bolts
Basic steps of installing a boxing bag wall mount:
Step 1: Hold the Mount in place on the wall and make sure to mark where you will place the bolts.
Step 2: Drill holes in the wall on the marked areas using the marker.
Step 3: Put the Mount on the wall and then tighten the bolts.
Step 4: Attach the S-hook to the bag and to the chain.
Step 5: Lift the heavy bag and hang it on the Mount.
Try some few kicks and test punches to see if there are any issues with the Mount.
Pro Tip: Like with the ceiling mount, make sure to avoid drywall. Only use this installation for masonry walls.
Punching Bags Using A Freestanding
Many free stands are available if you are a renter or simply want to avoid drilling holes in the wall or ceiling.
Punching bag stand are proven to be easier to kick but harder to uppercut. Like the heavy bags, Standing bags provide excellent resistance for building muscle tone. The Free standing bags are also a convenient option because of how easy it is to move them.
The freestanding bags are generally filled with water, sand, or gravel to keep them stabilized. They can be quickly emptied, disassembled, and assembled multiple times.
However, you should only view this option as a last resort solution because these punching bag stands are not always stable. It is possible the stand may wobble and move or even tip over as you strike the punching bag.
To help you prevent it, you need to weigh down the stand. But weighing down, this thing can still be a safety hazard. If you have any options, definitely go with them rather than this one.
If you decide to go this route, hanging the bag is very simple. You have to attach the chain to the S-hook and then the bag and hang it on the stand.
Final thoughts
The Punching bags are consider to be the best fitness equipment. Hanging the punching bags is easy if you follow the proper steps with the proper tools and hardware. These steps are almost the same regardless of the place you decide where to hang the bag.
The best place to hang the bag is the ceiling, as the support is provided the most by the ceiling. The slight way to use a punching bag is by using a heavy freestyle bag stand.
You have options for whichever method to hang your boxing bag at your home. Take a method you choose; always make sure that the bag is securely in place before you start throwing any punches. By knowing how to do it safely and securely will go a long way towards creating a home gym you love.
Start with foundational moves, then gradually progress and add combinations to your workouts. Before you know it, you will be boxing like a champ!