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Try the heavy bag for fitness, shape

Brian Chin Leung
Published: 
Monday, February 6, 2012
HEALTHY START TO FITNESS
A karateka at Torakan dojo in Woodbrook hits the heavy bag with a roundhouse kick.

The heavy bag is a time-tested device that has been around for decades, which is now gaining worldwide popularity in the arena of fitness. Once considered to be exclusively in the domain of boxers and martial artists, it is now favoured by many fitness enthusiasts as a great tool for body sculpting. Let’s first define a heavy bag. The mere definition of it suggests it should be heavy, so I am not referring to those wimpy-looking 50-pound bags that your great grandmother could probably pulverise. I mean heavy! There are some great durable bags on the market that stand six feet tall and weigh at least 180 pounds. They rest loosely in contact with the floor, so there is no swing-back action. These bags can be struck with an assortment of punches and kicks that will tune up your cardiovascular system and give you great body shape.

 
Bag work for your cardiovascular system
The heavy bag can tune up both your aerobic and your anaerobic systems, based on how you structure your programme. If you want to tune up your aerobic level of conditioning, you can attempt to hit the bag at a lower intensity with a series of punches and kicks, so that your heart rate will stay elevated into your aerobic zone. Try to hold a continuous flow of movement on the bag for approximately 40 minutes. To develop anaerobic conditioning you need to explode on the bag with kicks and punches, at a high intensity and hold that for about one minute. You can than allow your heart rate to drop back down into the low end of your aerobic zone before taking it up once again.
 
Techniques for body sculpting
Hitting the heavy bag with any technique, whether it is a punch, strike or kick will cause you to contract your core muscles. As a result, you will develop a strong, firm, toned core, since your core muscles have to be activated to ensure a continuous link of contraction between your upper and lower body muscles during impact. There is a saying in martial arts that you don’t just punch with your fists; you punch with your hips and legs.
 
• Jabs, crosses and hooks – These techniques will effectively work your shoulders, chest, arms and back. In fact, training these techniques on the heavy bag is probably one of the most effective ways of developing definition in your arms.
 
• Roundhouse kick – This is great for shaping and toning your hips, quadriceps and hamstrings.
 
• Sidekick – Practicing this kick is great for trimming the hips and reducing those unsightly looking saddle bags, that you see on some poor, unfortunate women.
 
• Front kick – This kick is great for detailing both your quadriceps and your hamstrings.
 
• Back-kick – A great movement for shaping the glutes and hamstrings.
 
In addition to a fantastic body sculpting workout, the heavy bag gives you power, speed and fantastic knockout ability against any adversary. 
Keep Training.
 
Brian Chin Leung is a certified personal trainer
lifestyle
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