Recommendations for platform & bag

[janepinsky]

I would like to purchase a speed bag set-up, including the platform and bag, for my husband for Christmas. Hoping to spend $100 - $200. The Everlast Elite Adjustable Speedbag Platform for $99 looks good, does anyone have any experience with it? Or the Balazs i-Box Speed Bag Platform? He is a piano player and wants to quicken his chops, so he has asked for a light and quick bag. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Tim]

Several people who post here regularly have the i-Box and I've never heard anyone say anything bad about it. The Everlast elite is a very good platform as well, although the quality can be a bit hit or miss (someone recently bought one and it had some mismatched parts: http://www.speedbagforum.com/forums/...ead.php?t=1275). Either one would be a very good choice.

[janepinsky]

Recommendations for platform & bag

Thanks so much for your suggestion. We live in a remote area where we have to order online, so I think I'll go with the Balazs I-Box which sounds like it will have less quality issues. The only complaint mentioned about the I-Box is the chain link swivel. Someone had purchased this swivel: http://store.titleboxing.com/dps-ez.html , any recommendations?

Also, what bag would you recommend for a beginner? He asked for the lightest bag they have. any suggestions?

Would you recommend gloves? Someone recommended these Harbinger gloves. http://www.harbingerfitness.com/cgi-...x.cgi?130&&sku Are gloves necessary? He's a professional piano player and needs to keep his hands protected.

Again, thanks so much for your help!

[Tim]

The chain link swivel won't be unusable by any means, but many of us prefer the ball hook swivels: http://store.titleboxing.com/plastic-s-swivel.html It looks cheap (and it is cheap) but it works and works well. More expensive is not always better! A beginner may find a chain link swivel easier to use, you can always switch it out later.

Also, what bag would you recommend for a beginner? He asked for the lightest bag they have. any suggestions?

There's a bit of a complication here, as typically a larger bag is better for a beginner (10x7 size), but those bags are "heavy" compared to an 8x5 or 7x4 size bag. Those smaller size bags may well be too frustrating for a beginner to use. I would recommend a Title 10x7 ("Medium") and a classic 9x6, he can learn on the 10x7 and punch regularly on the lightweight classic 9x6. A classic 8x5 is even more lightweight and is also an option. Both those bags have a very good leather that is very easy on the hands.

http://store.titleboxing.com/titlespeedbags1.html

http://store.titleboxing.com/title-classic-speed-bags.html

Here's my Title Classic 8x5 in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6tja...e=channel_page It's a very lightweight bag and takes little punching force to get it going.

Would you recommend gloves? Someone recommended these Harbinger gloves. http://www.harbingerfitness.com/cgi-...x.cgi?130&&sku Are gloves necessary? He's a professional piano player and needs to keep his hands protected.

For a beginner, gloves certainly wouldn't hurt. Alan Kahn does recommend those gloves, but any lightweight glove that protects the hand will work fine, the less bulk the better. For the record I've been punching bare handed for several years now and have never injured my hands other than some chafing and abrasions on the knuckles - which are typically short lived injuries. I'm also very dependent on my hands to make a living (computer programmer) - speedbagging has never interfered with my ability to type 80+WPM

[Speedbag]

I would like to purchase a speed bag set-up, including the platform and bag, for my husband for Christmas. Hoping to spend $100 - $200. The Everlast Elite Adjustable Speedbag Platform for $99 looks good, does anyone have any experience with it? Or the Balazs i-Box Speed Bag Platform? He is a piano player and wants to quicken his chops, so he has asked for a light and quick bag. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Tim has given excellent equipmend advice on equipment and I too would suggest the Title 10x7 as the initial learning bag. A smaller 9x6 or smaller is also OK also, but a beginner needs to focus on "control" more than speed. Your husband will probably "quicken his chops" faster if he works on controlled movements and punching rather than "fast" punching. Smaller bags are harder to use for beginners because they are "faster" then they can control their own punching movements and their timing is off.

The hands can get sore from punching a speed bag, and it happens to beginners a lot, mostly because they start out punching too hard or too long or on an overinflated bag. Also, a "loose fist" can cause this, meaning the fingers are loosely closed into a fist and contacting the sides of the hand will let the fingers "bang against each other". Especially for a piano player, I doubt sore fingers will help, so I suggest he keep a firm fist when punching. Hitting easy and slowly usually doesn't hurt the hands, but trying to punch really hard and fast ( 100's or contacts) will hurt, particularly for a beginner.

[janepinsky]

Thanks for your help!

Thank you very much for your help! I have taken your advise on the equipment and i'm sure he'll enjoy it! Have a great day!

[andy302]

i wouldnt recememend buying the everlast platform from amazon.com its supposed to be the elite but it doesnt look like the one from title its looks like bits put together