| When you learn martial arts it is important to be | | | | improve fitness and reaction times. Using these |
| able to practise techniques safely, without injuring | | | | bags for any kind of heavy power techniques can |
| anybody else. Punch bags are an ideal way of | | | | burst them, and so this type of training is best |
| doing this, so that you can develop power, speed | | | | done using a heavy bag, filled with rags; it is |
| and accuracy. These days there are many types | | | | advisable also to wear bag gloves for heavy bag |
| available and inflatable punch bags are just one | | | | training. For budding younger martial artists, the |
| inexpensive option. But are they any good? | | | | inflatable bags will be sufficient and great fun, but |
| If you are going to train with a punch bag you | | | | for adults, the flimsiness can easily be a problem |
| need to ask yourself a few questions first. What | | | | even when holding back on the power! |
| am I going to use it for? For power training, | | | | Another problem, with inflatable punch bags that |
| accuracy improvement training or speed training? | | | | have a water-filled base, is leakage. It is probably |
| How old am I? How heavy or big am I? Only then | | | | best not to use these bags on carpeted areas for |
| will you be able to decide whether to opt for an | | | | this reason, to prevent water damage. |
| inflatable punch bag rather than, for example, a | | | | Solutions for Speed and Accuracy Training |
| ceiling mounted heavy bag. | | | | The conclusion is that the inflatable punch bags |
| Advantages of Inflatable Punch Bags | | | | available at the moment, while cheap, may be too |
| Firstly, this type of punch bag is not the best | | | | easily ripped if used for heavy martial arts |
| option if you want to work on your power | | | | techniques. There are other products on the |
| techniques. They are too lightweight and do not | | | | market that are excellent for speed, agility, |
| offer much resistance. However, this alludes to | | | | accuracy and fitness training which do not suffer |
| some of the advantages provided by these bags. | | | | from a risk of bursting - or being a waste of |
| Because they are light, they are good for | | | | money. Double end bags are attached to the |
| practising combination punches against a | | | | ceiling and the floor by elasticated rubber cables. |
| continuously moving target. Being floor mounted, | | | | They are usually made from leather or a |
| the inflatable tower punch bags tilt backwards | | | | synthetic equivalent and so are harder wearing |
| after each punch, and then spring back to correct | | | | than inflatable punching bags. Like their inflatable |
| themselves. This allows the martial artist to | | | | counterparts, they also provide you with the |
| sharpen their reflexes, hone speed and accuracy, | | | | benefits of allowing you to tune up your reflexes, |
| and also to get a good cardiovascular workout. | | | | and they assist you in your training for punch |
| Another great advantage is that they are | | | | accuracy. |
| relatively cheap compared to ceiling or frame | | | | If you are simply training for striking accuracy |
| mounted heavy bags, and (as a consequence of | | | | though, you can always use the low tech, very |
| not requiring mounting) they are easier and faster | | | | cheap solution of attaching a small piece of card |
| to set up. Many come supplied with a foot pump | | | | or paper to a piece of string, and then attaching |
| and the base normally needs to be filled with | | | | the other end of the string to the ceiling. This is a |
| water to give it some stability. | | | | surprisingly good way to test the accuracy of |
| Disadvantages of Inflatable Punch Bags | | | | your martial arts strikes. |
| One of the problems that cheap, lightweight punch | | | | So inflatable punching bags are not really a viable |
| bags suffer from is that they can be a little | | | | option for adult martial artists because they break |
| flimsy. Any serious martial artist needs to | | | | too easily, but are a great training aid for younger |
| understand that the inflatable bags are only really | | | | children taking their first steps into the martial |
| intended for speed and accuracy training, and to | | | | arts. |