MMA training bags - Which one to choose for combat sports training ?
Choosing a Training Bag
Selection of training equipment has always been a bit of a problem. Like the martial arts themselves, the equipment for them should be like a well-made technique: "it has to do its job". Choosing the right equipment for bodybuilding, soccer or basketball training seems obvious. What is different when we talk about martial arts, where not every piece of equipment will be suitable for what we want to do.
For those who train martial arts and sports that rely primarily on striking, the basic equipment for self-training will be a punching bag. Admittedly, many people may say that no equipment is needed to train Karate, Kickboxing or Taekwondo, because the techniques can be successfully brought out in the air. Yes, you can, but up to a certain point. Sooner or later we have to switch from hitting the air, to hitting a material and not an imaginary target. Hand muscles and wrist bones behave differently when they encounter a target that resists. You can, of course, invest in shields, but for these you always need a second person to put them up for us to target. At this point, we are always doomed to someone else's help, making independent training impossible. And what is martial arts training without training techniques? The need to train with a partner is the most common problem in the development of people training in various types of grappling, as we need a partner to properly train throws as well as ground techniques - even position changes.
To help here, of course, come the appropriate punching bags - for strikers, as well as training dummies for grapplers. Besides, the punching bag can be used not only as a tool for impact training, but also as a strength training device. The bag, of course, we can appropriately load ourselves, and this in turn makes it possible, with the right choice of exercises, to strengthen as much resistance as muscle capacity.
Types of Training Bags
The most important thing is to choose a punching bag so that it does its job, which is to help us with skill development. There are several types of this equipment to choose from, ranging from boxing bags, kickboxing bags, HOOK bags, Muay Thai bags or finally MMA bags. All of these are different from each other, so it would be appropriate to take a closer look at them, as well as to evaluate which one will be a better training tool for whom.
Boxing bags, as the name suggests, will of course be suitable for people who are engaged in boxing training. Short - as it is usually about 140 cm - is a suitable tool for those who focus on manual techniques. People dedicated to fistfighting do not need to focus on attacking another part that the upper, just as they do not need to train low kicks - because these are simply not practiced in this port. You can, of course, instead of the typical boxing one, purchase a longer kickboxing one, but this one already leaves for practitioners a certain margin of error that the trainer can instill in themselves.
The truth is that having a place to hit, we use it. This is one of the reasons why boxing bags hang high above the ground. Here we can immediately mention bags for kickboxers, which are correspondingly longer (usually from 180 cm), thus allowing to train low kicks. Long kickboxing bags, of course, will be suitable for all strikers, but it is important to remember to choose equipment to help develop and not develop bad habits.
Another variety of bags you may encounter are HOOK bags as well as Muay Thai bags. They had to be separated from the standard cylinder bags, as these have a very irregular shape. The HOOK bag is definitely wider at the top, which makes it better to train on it for elevated techniques (knee strikes, elbows, chin strikes, hooks). This is a bag that is as suitable for those training boxing as kicking styles, as are bags for Muay Thai. And if we're already talking about these, it's important to note that these bags too have a very specific, irregular shape. For example, the so-called "Barrel" is - unlike the HOOK bag - wider at the bottom. Similarly, the shape is distinguished by the "Pear" (THAI 2) which is practically half as wide at the bottom as at the top. People who like to train low-kicks will definitely appreciate this type of shape.
People who train grappling - no matter Judo, wrestling or BJJ - unfortunately need a partner or a training dummy to train their techniques. I have checked various reviews of this type of equipment and often received positive feedback, but always one negative: it breaks down quickly. The limbs in the dummies tend to peel off, or crack, especially when the lever made exceeds the elasticity threshold of the plastic it is made of (by the way, it is not little at all, but the dummy does not peel off that it has enough).
Another problem remains, and that is with people who train in mixed disciplines. People who train Sambo, MMA or Viet Vo Dao (as much striking techniques as throwing and parry).
Traditional punching bags give you the opportunity to train punches, dummy training dos and levers. Just where is the justice in the fact that a person who trains mixed style must invest two instruments, when others only need one? I was surprised when I came to familiarize myself with the MMA bag. In this respect, MMA bags are a breakthrough in equipment for those who train mixed martial arts, especially when it comes to the costs involved in buying one. We are talking about properly prepared equipment, whose purpose is primarily multitasking. The MMA bag allows not only for efficient, specialized stand-up training, but also - unlike traditional bags - to perfect throws and ground techniques.
As I mentioned at the beginning, a different feeling when training a technique is given by taking it out into an imaginary versus a real target. And the feeling is, after all, the most important thing if we want to develop our techniques for fighting, not for show.
Advantages of MMA Bags
The MMA bag has a proper, more human-like shape, which allows for more specialized targeting of techniques. With the bag in front of us, which resembles the appearance of a human being, we have highlighted zones for striking, for example, ribs or head. This allows us to more accurately target techniques to the right places (chin strikes, knee strikes to the ribs, or roundhouse kicks aimed at different levels). The feeling that training on an instrument that resembles a real opponent gives the right results. The precision of the blows we can make already by having an idea of where the target under attack is located.
Shape mMA bag makes it comfortable to grasp and make throws, and perform appropriate exercises to strengthen the shoulder girdle or back. For this as well as standard punching bags can successfully serve for strengthening and weight-bearing exercises. I had the opportunity to test the bag, whose weight is 45 kg (of course, you can add weight to it), which is the optimal weight that can be handled by a person seasoned in MMA training, as well as a person who is just starting out.
On top of that, the human-like shape allows you to practice the dosa, which helps when training striking techniques that are used in the first floor, as well as all kinds of transitions. Traditional bags could also be used for training dos and strikes on the ground, but they didn't give one thing that an MMA bag provides. Namely, it is about the sensation of doing the exercises. A live opponent does not always have a cylindrical shape (although there are some), but when you squeeze him with your knees you can feel where he has hips and where he has ribs.
The bag for MMA, unlike others, is attached not by chains. And on the four tapes that allow it to be secured. Chains found in boxing bags are not used, as they would be a health hazard for throwing training or damage the bag during ground training. Ties were used as the top closure of the bag, which provide much greater strength and flexibility than zippers.
This is especially important when using throws and training ground techniques, during which the equipment is subjected to high loads that the zipper would not be able to withstand. When performing grappling techniques, a special hood can be put on the bag to protect the straps and top closure so that they do not interfere with training. This makes it not only very effective development equipment, but also extremely convenient to use. With this overlapping element, you can decide for yourself when to use the bag for punching training and when to use it for ground fighting.
If someone wants to invest in MMA training equipment, this type of bag should be on the list right below gloves and a jaw protector. It is a piece of equipment that gives, first of all, a more realistic feeling of the techniques performed, which is not fully provided by traditional bags. While this does not play a major role when training strikes, it is no longer without significance when honing ground techniques and throws on its own. We will not always have a partner to practice throwing, or someone to shield us in the dosa
Overall, the MMA bag made a very positive impression on me. Personally, I am an opponent of combos - on the principle that if something is for everything, it is for nothing - however, this equipment defends itself in its position. It is convenient to use, which is essential in training - especially if we are limited by time. Using it gives very good results and, above all, the feeling of technique that is most important in ring training. What may be missing are limbs on which to put levers... but the punching bag is not designed for that. The MMA bag seems to combine the most important features from traditional bags: it allows you to train strikes, gives you the opportunity to train with an emphasis on the right type of techniques, and on top of that it allows you to effectively practice throws and ground techniques.
Author: Marcin Niemiec
