During the 1970’s many people were advised to hit a punching bag to manage frustration or “get it all out”. Whether this worked, punching a bag is also an effective fitness workout. Punching bags are relatively inexpensive and found at nearly all sporting goods stores. They come in two versions, supported by floor stands or hung from a frame that attaches to your ceiling. They are a valuable tool in cross training, which requires you to alternate exercise activities on different days to efficiently work out different muscle groups.

Cross training is great because it allows worked muscles at least two days to recover. Thus you may exercise on successive days without increasing your odds of injury. This is because vigorous exercise causes small injuries to muscle fibers, leading to a feeling of soreness. If you exercise while the muscles are still sore, you greatly increase the possibility of injury. It is best to alternate activities to allow your body a day in-between vigorous workouts to heal.

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By taking a long walk, swimming, taking a Yoga class, or hitting a punching bag on alternate days to your regular workout, you will be maintaining activity and working different muscles in a more gentle way. Also, punching a bag with your favorite CD blasting is good upper body exercise that should be followed on the subsequent day with lower body activity such as kick boxing or running.

Hitting a punching bag is resistance training, similar to lifting weights and also improves stamina. It gives a good cardio workout and improves overall coordination. Punching a swinging bag takes good hand eye coordination. When you punch the bag it swings back and comes back at you. This is the time to hit the bag and will take some practice. You want to practice hitting the bag at the time it is coming back toward you. If you hit it too early or too late it will not stay in rhythm and your next punches will miss the bag.

A punching bag regimen should begin in the same way. At each workout hit the bag lightly until your arms feel tired. As your muscle tone improves you should gradually increase the duration of the workout. As you feel stronger, you can increase the intensity, meaning how hard your hit the bag. Observe the rules of cross training give yourself a daily interval where you do not have a heavy bag workout. A workout with a punching bag is a good every other day alternative to using a treadmill, which provides a workout to your lower body muscles.

Heavy bag training isn’t just for boxers. It provides a strong cardio workout and improves your self-defense awareness skills. Using a punching bag is great for women who are looking for that extra boost of confidence and upper body strength. It is, as advocated in the seventies, a known stress reducer.

Try heavy bag workouts to add variety to your existing fitness routines. This may be the necessary spice to keep you working longer and harder, with the great results you’ve been looking for.