How To Fill a Punching Bag: Proven Techniques

How to Fill a Punching Bag

The punching bag is the most important piece of equipment for an MMA fighter or a boxer. You can practice different fighting moves on the punching bag. Especially for an aspiring fighter, a punching bag will prove life-changing. This will help in building punching power, and coordination of different moves.

Moreover, the very first step towards MMA training is to have a punching bag. On which you can train or practice all your moves and improve your skills and techniques. That will also build mental focus and endurance.

Many people want to fill a punching bag at home but don’t know the exact way to make a punching bag.

So here is a comprehensive guide regarding the filling of a punching bag. You will learn not only about filling but also about several filling materials.

Punching Bag Filling

First of all, buy an empty punching bag. Buying a punching bag will be very cost-effective. Moreover, you can fill it according to your own will. You can customize it according to your practice routine and the techniques you practice. 

Measuring The Dimensions

When you have an empty punching bag, measure its dimensions. This will give you an estimate of the materials you will need to fill the bag. In this way, you will avoid boxing bag stuffing or any emptiness.

How heavy or how light your punching bag will be is decided by the materials you use to fill it. So here are some of the most commonly used materials for filling a punching bag.

Materials For Filling In The Punching Bag

You will need the following materials or fillers to fill a punching bag. However, you will differ in using materials from the following according to the type of filling. 

  • Old clothes 
  • Sawdust 
  • Sand
  • Shredded clothes
  • Shredded leather
  • Foam
  • Scissors
  • Funnel

When you have collected all these above-mentioned materials, go for the filling of your punching bag. 

There are two main types of fillings.1 

Filling A Heavy Bag

Filling A Heavy Bag

A heavy bag means your bag will be denser and have a lot of weight. The best type of heavier bag is the RDX bag. You will have to punch harder to even move that heavy bag. There are different options for having a heavy bag.

SUMMARY

A punching bag is indispensable for any aspiring MMA fighter or boxer. It enhances punching power, coordination, mental focus, and endurance. Whether you prefer a heavy, dense bag filled with sawdust and sand, or a lighter one with foam and shredded clothes, customizing your punching bag to match your training needs has never been easier.

Old Clothes

Get some old clothes from your closet which are of no use or ask others to give you some clothes. This will be the cheapest way to fill the punching bag. But make sure that these clothes don’t have zippers or buttons.

When you start filling, firstly hang your empty bag and then put some clothes in the empty bag. Now punches and kicks the bag to settle the clothes. If you find space, put some more clothes in the bag until it is full from top to bottom.

Shredded Clothes Or Shredded Leather

There are many shops, manufacturers, and factories which make products of clothes. You will find a lot of leftovers of clothes that are actually useless for them. You can get it free or with a small amount. Then, fill your bag with shredded clothes. 

The next alternative for a heavy bag is to use shredded leather. Firstly, find places where leather is used to make different products. Then, ask them to give leather leftovers or small pieces of leather. Then, stuff them in the empty punching bag. This will make your punching bag heavier than both of the above bags. 

Sand Dust Or Sand 

To make the bag heavier than the above-mentioned bags, you can use sand or sand dust for filling purposes.

Filling A Lighter Bag

Filling A Lighter Bag

It is recommended to start with a lightweight punching bag. A lightweight punching bag will require less effort to sway. It is actually less dense and has lighter materials in it. 

For filling a lighter bag, you will use different materials such as fabrics, scraps, sand, and sawdust. Mix the sand and fabrics. Then put them in the bag. Make sure to mix the sand and fabrics in 1:1. And distribute them evenly in the bag. Sand alone can make a bag heavier. That’s why, use them along with fabric scraps.

Sawdust and wood chips are some other good options to make a lighter punching bag. The rest of the procedure is the same.

Light And Soft Bag

For making bags both light and soft, use a crumbled foam. Firstly, make small pieces of the foam. Then put a funnel in the empty bag. And crumbled foam pieces around the funnel. Push the foam crumbles down to fill the bag completely. 

Continue pushing and filling until the bag has become a rock solid for strikes.

In this way, you can make bags both heavier and lighter. Then, seal the bag from its top using a zipper or tie it with ropes, depending on the bag. Now, your punching bag is ready for practice. You just have to hang it in a suitable place.

Conclusion

Nowadays using a punching bag for practice is trendy as it helps for not only practicing techniques but also for relieving stress.

Using the above-mentioned steps, you can fill your empty punching bag with any type of filler. But the best fillers are mixtures of leather scraps and sand dust. This will make your punching bag neither heavy nor light.

If you have a gym bag then you may like to read about its right size, care, and carrying items.

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Article Sources

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  1.  Design and fabrication of a smart punching bag with micro energy generator – IEEE Xplore
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