Gym Gear

Top 6 Punching bags for Beginners

What is the best punching bag for beginners? Here are our top 6 recommendations and all turned out to be free-standing.

Fist punching bag designed for beginning boxers
Travis

By: Travis

Hi, I am Travis. My main focus in life is to understand training better and help others get better results too. I used to be about the least fit kid in school and would always be last to get picked for a team. It wasn't for a lack of trying, but all my efforts just lead to injuries

For years, I had completely given up on ever getting in shape. Then I began to use my brain before using my muscles. I read every popular book on exercise, and began to structure my training.

With the right training methods, and the right machines, I was able to rebuild my body from the ground up.

According to science, I would never be able to walk pain-free again. And I would never be able to do 20 pull-ups with the injuries to my rotator cuff. But they were al wrong.

This site is where you can find all my tips and recommendations.

Punching bags are a great asset in any gym. Whether you aspire to be a boxer, want a simple workout routine, or just a stress release mechanism, a punching bag comes in handy. Although some people may wrongly conclude that they are only useful to boxers, punching bags are ideal for full-body workouts, especially cardio conditioning.

Your fitness journey begins with choosing the right type of equipment. A good punching bag will go a long way to helping you have a smooth fitness journey. There are so many punching bags available, and choosing the right one can be a daunting task.

Before you set out looking for a punching bag, keep in mind that you will need one that's easy to install and use. It should fit your space well and serve you for a long time. The things you need to look out for are the price, material used, size, and stability of the bag.

A quick look at some of the top punching bags will help you select the best one to fit your needs. Pay attention to the features and what each offers.

Century Original Wavemaster Freestanding Heavy Punching Bag Woman punching the Century Original Wavemaster

This is one of the best punching bags currently in the market. The Century Original Wavemaster weights 250 pounds, making it heavy and stable.

It has a very wide base that provides excellent stability to handle the force from punches and kicks. This allows you to easily use the bag at different heights without affecting its stability.

It contains foam fillings, which distribute the force evenly throughout the bag when you punch or kick it. This protects your hand and feet from injury while also increasing the durability of the bag.

The bag also has a height adjustment feature. This enables you to adjust it to 7 different height settings from 47 to 68 inches, depending on your preference. You can, therefore, adjust the height to meet your preferences or needs.

The durability of the bag is one of its key selling points. It is made using tear resistance vinyl leather. This material enables it to endure stress without any damages. It is thus dependable for both quality and durability.

It comes in red, black, and blue. Interestingly, for the top-notch quality you get, it has a relatively low price compared to similar products.

A peculiar aspect of this product is the base that is big compared to the punching bag. This disproportionality between the bag and the base makes it less visually appealing.


Pros:

  • Simple and easy to set up
  • Height adjustable to suit your training needs
  • Wide base making it very stable
  • Easily portable

Const

  • Slightly small in diameter

Man punching the Dripex Freestanding Punching Bag

Driplex designed and structured this bag with quality, style, and durability in mind. The product is great for both children and adults and can be installed at home easily.

The Dripex Adult & Kids Freestanding Punching Bag is fabricated using PU leather. The design is so sleek and stylish that you may think it is real leather if you are not keen enough. It stands at about 69 inches tall with a child and adult variant available.

This product is built to be wear and tear-resistant. The 2mm PU leather on the surface has a fabric buffer layer, a high-density EPE foam padding, and an elastic polyurethane layer. These four features enable the bag to be resilient to force, increasing durability.

The bag also has four shock absorbers for extra support. The all-round shock absorption system minimizes vibrations and reduces the noise produced during impact. They are easy to remove if you don't need them.

The bag is also quite stable. It has 12 suction cups at its base to anchor it to the floor firmly. However, you may still need to fill the base with water or sand to increase its stability.

The main drawback of this bag is that the height is not adjustable. You will also notice that if you fill the base with sand instead of the recommended water, the suction cups may not work properly.


Pros:

  • Suitable for both adults and children
  • Durable punching bag shell
  • Shock absorbers that reduce noise
  • Detachable springs that reduce vibrations
  • Suction cups increase the stability of the bag

Const

  • Difficult to fill due to small opening
  • Doesn't feel as good as other bags

Everlast Powercore Free Standing punching bag for home use

The Everlast Power Core bag ranks as one of the best punching bags for beginners. The bag has a huge and stable base. This will provide the stability you need while working out.

It also has a height adjusting feature. You can adjust the height of the punching bag between 54 and 65 inches. This will allow you to practice strikes at different heights.

The bag's frame is made of top quality foam to help absorb the shocks from punching. Thus, it helps you prevent injury to the hands. Repeatedly hitting a bag without good padding can lead to injuries of your hands and joints.

In the packaging, you will find an easy-to-use user guide. This makes the installation quite simple and fun.

The downside is that this bag is only suitable for light training. While it is a great fit for beginners, anyone with more experience and training will feel limited. Its lack of robustness can also cause it to break sooner if under heavy use.

While the bag may not be suitable for everyone, it gives you good value for money. Given the quality of material and finishing on the product, its cost is worthwhile.


Pros:

  • Adjustable height from 54 to 65 inches
  • Extremely durable design
  • Portable free-standing design
  • Easy to assemble

Const

  • Not the best for full-force training
  • Can't withstand high powered strikes

 Title Boxing Hydro-Flex H2O Freestanding Heavy Bag

The Title Boxing Hydro-Flex H2O Freestanding Bag is one of the biggest punching bags you can find in this category. It is more prominent with advanced boxers and heavy hitters who want to get the extra kick in their routine.

The bag has a wide base for increased stability. It weighs 275 pounds when filled with water, but can also be filled with sand. However, when you fill it with sand, it can be slightly unstable.

It is relatively big compared to other products. It has a height of 70 inches and a diameter of 18 inches. This makes it more appropriate for people with bigger builds or more advanced boxers.

The bag is made of dense polyethylene foam. This material increases its resistance and shock absorption to safeguard you from injury.

Strength and durability are a big part of the design of this bag. It has a vinyl cover that is very tough, durable, and functional. The bag's dense foam layering also ensures that it won't wear out easily despite the heavy-hitting.

The bag's base has almost the same size as the bag itself. This makes it a great option if you like to practice close range punching. You won't get stuck with your feet against the base when trying to get in close.

Unfortunately, the height is not adjustable. The bag will also most certainly cause a dent in your pockets as it costs higher than any of those reviewed so far. However, if it suits your needs, it is worth every penny.


Pros:

  • Very stable
  • Tall and wide
  • Ideal for fighting practice
  • Very durable and resilient

Const

  • Challenging to assemble
  • Relatively expensive

Century B.O.B. Body Opponent Bag Freestanding Training Dummy Upper cut on the Century BOB punching bag

This punching bag takes the shape of the human upper body without arms. It is mostly used for precision training. Most of the people who use the Century BOB Body Opponent Training Bag either engage in martial arts or practice self-defense.

The bag weighs 270 pounds and has a wide base that gives it stability. You can fill the base with water or sand. This provides for a more stable base that can withstand force.

The mannequin face of the punching bag is made from a high strength polymer, and the interior is filled with a solid core urethane foam. The surface feels quite hard when hit. Punching this bag feels very much like punching an actual person.

The punching bag also has seven adjustable height levels, ranging from 60 inches to 78 inches. This provides for a better-targeted training context. You can then easily adjust to the required height of your potential opponent before beginning practice.

This bag aims to provide you a feel similar to that of an actual human. The fitting of the mannequin and the material used to make it are optimized to absorb impact and withstand the strain.

You can also find Century BOB in dojos, organized martial arts or self-defense training setting. Having such a training opportunity at home is a great luxury. It's not cheap, but it can be well worth it.


Pros:

  • Very accurate modeling of the human torso
  • Strong and stable
  • Adjustable height
  • Adaptable to specialized defensive training

Const

  • Quite expensive

U’King Adult & Kids Freestanding Punching Bag for Heavy Boxing

Though not from one of the popular punching bag manufacturers, the U'King Adult & Kids Freestanding Punching Bag ranks pretty well in punching bags for beginners. It stands out because of its price, which is good value for money.

The punching bag rises at 67 inches with a round base. You can fill the base with water or sand to give it a weight of 300 pounds. Interestingly, this is one of the few punching bags whose manufacturers recommend using sand over water.

The base has 12 suction cups. When filled, the weight exerts pressure on the suction cups to increase the punching bag's stability. The round base supports easy relocation of the bag from one end of the room to the next.

The bag consists of high-quality material. The striking surface has 2mm thickened PU leather. This gives the bag an elegant and stylish look.

The bag is filled with high-density EPE foam, lined with an eco-friendly fabric buffer. This reduces the wear and tear while absorbing shock. This feature also protects your hand from injury while using the bag.

The bag is easy to assemble. Within minutes of setting up, you will be enjoying its robustness and unique qualities from your desired work out area. The instructions on how to assemble it are very clear and easy to follow.

The design of the bag is ideal for light to medium impact. This is mostly for beginners in fitness. The suitability of the bag for light to medium impact justifies its fair price.


Pros:

  • Very affordable for the quality you get
  • Good quality foam paddings
  • Easy to set up and use

Const

  • Suction cups don't fully anchor the bag to the ground.
  • Height is not adjustable

Is hitting a punching bag a good workout?

Hitting a punching bag is a very good form of workout. It helps you develop and advance your speed, strength, coordination, and endurance simultaneously. Movements between your upper body and legs increase core strength in the abdominal area and legs. The movements also help you to burn off calories. The loss of calories helps you become fit, flexible, and also stress-free.

Is boxing better than running?

Boxing is indeed a better workout routine that running. Boxing engages the whole body, providing a full-body workout. You get to stretch the muscles on the upper part of the body through punching and the resulting impact on the punching bag. You also get to stretch the mid-section of the body while supporting the movement of the upper torso. Thigh and leg muscles provide motion and stability during punching and kicking, thereby strengthening them. Running, on the other hand, activates different muscles and in a different manner. Running stresses primarily the glutes, quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and core.

How heavy of a punching bag should I get?

Ideally, the weight of the punching bag you use for training should be around half your body weight. A punching bag lower than half your weight will be too light and swing too much. It will never provide sufficient resistance to your power punch as heavier bags would. A bag that is too heavy, on the other hand, will feel as if you are hitting a wall. Swinging will also be minimal. Therefore, you will not be able to move the bag around with your punch.

Conclusion

The different punching bags offer different qualities and suitability to different training settings. Some are more suitable for experienced users, while others are best for beginners. Beginners will find the Century Original Wavemaster most suitable, though it may not meet the needs of more experienced and professional users.

Despite it being slightly pricey, the bag is a good investment. The quality of the material and service it will offer you will give you value for your money. It is resilient and durable, guaranteeing you prolonged service in the basic, intermediary and advanced stages of your boxing and workout experience.