Multi-Colored Bags: Please Advise

[MikeTarheel]

The two bags I have are both black with white panel lining.

I am intrigued with these multi-colored/panel bags, and I am looking to purchase a third bag in the interim size from the two I have now.

I have not worked with a multi-colored bag - so this question may seem dumb:

Does the multi-color provide a better 'hand-eye' understanding while hitting?

Or is it just a 'decorative' thing?

I like the ones I have which are black/white lining - and I am considering the Lonsdale mid-size which is not multi-colored.

Does the multi-color have a purpose beyond looks?

[Speedbag]

The two bags I have are both black with white panel lining.

I am intrigued with these multi-colored/panel bags, and I am looking to purchase a third bag in the interim size from the two I have now.

I have not worked with a multi-colored bag - so this question may seem dumb:

Does the multi-color provide a better 'hand-eye' understanding while hitting?

Or is it just a 'decorative' thing?

I like the ones I have which are black/white lining - and I am considering the Lonsdale mid-size which is not multi-colored.

Does the multi-color have a purpose beyond looks?

Hey Mike - funny you bring that up. That was an issue for me years ago also. I was a hard core traditionalist and hit single color bags from 1972 - 1995. Mostly a black everlast 4200. I had a brown and a red 4214 (10x7) for a number of years, mostly to pound a dead bag occassionally. (they sucked), and a large RED 4210 which is 11x8, but never really saw multicolored bags until the mid 1990's. When I met the owner of Ringside Boxing (John Brown) in February 1996 he sent me a set of bags, all multicolored. It was really my first encounter with a "business decision vs personal preference" in speed baggin'. He wanted speed bag training video's and they needed to be shot on Ringside bags, and I needed a ton of speed bag footage from all angles on those bags...so I started hitting on them and a couple of things happened. First, I liked their shape and rebound. They were great bags (teardrop at the time...) and fast. Second, they offered a little more contrast on video. At first I really hated watching them on video (I called them clown bags for while...) but soon found they offered a bit more to the eye - especially from a teaching POV for it was easier to display the "areas of the bag" and discuss contact points with the different colors. A few months into using them I actually started liking the look, especially with some of my best baggin' wardrobe. Sometimes you gotta hit good, and sometimes you gotta look good..

Eventually I realized the biase was in ME and I learned to accept multi-colored bags of all sizes and shapes. Then Michael Jackson summed it up in his song "Black & White" with the phrase "I'm not gonna spend my life being a color..." 4:52-4:56

I don't know if that answers any question, but that's my story, and I dare say - the truth as it happened. Now I judge a bag on how it acts, and not by its color(s).

Hmm, I wonder

[MikeTarheel]

best baggin' wardrobe. Sometimes you gotta hit good, and sometimes you gotta look good..

This, of course, is a frightening video.

On several fronts, I hope I don't have Bad Dreams so I will depart with a sliver of pepperoni and a clam before slumber (we have great seafood here).

I am leaning towards a multi-colored bag (I don't know which one yet) versus the Lonsdale (which I will get back around to). I really like that one Skunk has in his THROW DOWN VID - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj-g1yrtQUA

I'm not suggesting I can do that. Now or anytime soon.

I can tell you I have some buddies who are coming over and getting interested in working out (most of them are military guys) - and your book and these vids/DVD is getting them focused/motivated.

I feel like I'm going to need at least one, possibly 2 more bags (I work from home and my gal comes often to work-out with her friends - poor me!) and then my pals come over... and I'd like to have some bags to change-up and work separate routines. I have already copied (most of) your entire book and 3-holed it for use in the gym (I'm not giving any of it to anybody, I wouldn't do that, but there is a fever going here and you may get some other requests). I guess I'm peculiar in that I like to have it readable out there in a 3-ring, and I don't want to sweat/damage the book/bible - because if I do I'll order another one which I may.

I don't know the sizes of these bags like you fellas do - I can look up the recent Title bag from the receipt, but the Everlast has been with me for over ten years and I cannot say what size it is: I'm looking for something smaller than that one. And, to be Truthful, with the new easy-change swivel, I would like to purchase a fine leather bag (like Skunk has in his vid) for my gal and make that 'just her bag'.

I'm long-winded, I know. But we'll send vids - we are working at it.

Thanks Again, Alan.

[Speedbag]

This, of course, is a frightening video.

On several fronts, I hope I don't have Bad Dreams so I will depart with a sliver of pepperoni and a clam before slumber (we have great seafood here).

I'm jealous, I love seafood. If I ever come visit I'll wear that outfit out to dinner with ya! It always draws a crowd

I am leaning towards a multi-colored bag (I don't know which one yet) versus the Lonsdale (which I will get back around to). I really like that one Skunk has in his THROW DOWN VID - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj-g1yrtQUA. I'm not suggesting I can do that. Now or anytime soon.

I think he says that is a 6x4.5 or something like that but it looks more like a 7x4.

I can tell you I have some buddies who are coming over and getting interested in working out (most of them are military guys) - and your book and these vids/DVD is getting them focused/motivated.

I feel like I'm going to need at least one, possibly 2 more bags (I work from home and my gal comes often to work-out with her friends - poor me!) and then my pals come over... and I'd like to have some bags to change-up and work separate routines. I have already copied (most of) your entire book and 3-holed it for use in the gym (I'm not giving any of it to anybody, I wouldn't do that, but there is a fever going here and you may get some other requests). I guess I'm peculiar in that I like to have it readable out there in a 3-ring, and I don't want to sweat/damage the book/bible - because if I do I'll order another one which I may.

I don't know the sizes of these bags like you fellas do - I can look up the recent Title bag from the receipt, but the Everlast has been with me for over ten years and I cannot say what size it is: I'm looking for something smaller than that one. And, to be Truthful, with the new easy-change swivel, I would like to purchase a fine leather bag (like Skunk has in his vid) for my gal and make that 'just her bag'.

I'm long-winded, I know. But we'll send vids - we are working at it.

Thanks Again, Alan.

No problem, if your buddies need some "supplies" just let me know. IF they are mostly beginners of mid-level skill wise, stay with 10x7 bags or 9x6. For faster speed go to the 8x5 or maybe smaller. They'll have fun trying to keep up on those.

If that is Skunks 6x4, I don't know if I'd get your gal that small of a bag to be "just her bag". Unless she has skunk level control, I wouldn't go any smaller than an 8x5, aired up a smidge soft to slow it down a bit. Everlast, Title and Ringside all have high quality bags of those sizes.

[spinsmashpop]

Bags of all colors are great! I love all the different looks, shapes and sizes of any and all bags! The multi's are great as well.
I do think it could get even more artsy, with Iron Maiden, KISS, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, or any other huge band's logo on the bag.
Or, for that matter, images of greatness
(Ali, Tyson, Rocky, etc...) or much hated/despised images, (Hitler, Bin Laden, etc...) I think these types of bags would sell well.....
Any thoughts?
BAG ON!

[atgatt]

Another reason for this forum, it brings up things I would have never thought of. Now I know. My five speed bags and two DEBs are all a solid color.

Maybe, just maybe, a dual color speed bag will make me "look faster". When I shot action pistol competition for years and a person missed a lot of shots, we'd tell them, "You didn't hit a dang thing but you sure looked good shootin'."

[MikeTarheel]

I'm jealous, I love seafood. If I ever come visit I'll wear that outfit out to dinner with ya! It always draws a crowd




I think he says that is a 6x4.5 or something like that but it looks more like a 7x4.



No problem, if your buddies need some "supplies" just let me know. IF they are mostly beginners of mid-level skill wise, stay with 10x7 bags or 9x6. For faster speed go to the 8x5 or maybe smaller. They'll have fun trying to keep up on those.

If that is Skunks 6x4, I don't know if I'd get your gal that small of a bag to be "just her bag". Unless she has skunk level control, I wouldn't go any smaller than an 8x5, aired up a smidge soft to slow it down a bit. Everlast, Title and Ringside all have high quality bags of those sizes.

Thanks, Alan. And Thanks for the input, Guys.

We are all 'beginners'. And I understand the smaller the bag probably the 'increased skill/control required'. I like for my gal to feel 'special' so I will get her one of her own - I'll likely run it past you before I select (she hasn't requested one of her own but I got the extra treadmill for her and that one is 'just hers' and, well, I like her, you know so... I want her to feel like some things in the gym are 'hers' - it's a Good Investment; she brings her gal friends over and that's kind of neat, we fire up the grill and so on...

If and When you ever come to visit... we'll throw a smorgassboard at ye'. We've got great clams, oysters, shrimp, crab, grouper, tuna (we sushi alot with the tuna - I'm about 9 miles from the water, we're in SOBX (Southern Outer Banks) so we really, they say, have about the most species/pelagics swimming in our waters, and there is some sword, but then all kinds of others like mullet, snapper, flounder galore, redfish - too many to list, really, but those are my favorites (I ship them out often to buddies in dry ice).

I'm an Avid Gardener and a hobby is soups/salsas/sauces - the season is about over on that but I shipped out 293 jars this year (we had a great year because of the rains). Tomatoes Galore. We had 38 tomatoes plants of various species and several cherry toms. I will post up pics of that here when I get a chance. It was Great Fun. We're expanding that and next year you'll 'catch my drift'.

We're just trying to work with the book. Everybody here takes it seriously - it's a challenge to us now and we... it's kind of funny because we all have a kind of... 'reverence' or 'respect' now for the bag that, it's not that it wasn't there before, but now we have a Way, a Map, a Clue, a Forum we have to Ante Up With!! A Bible, I think is the term I was looking for.

You may receive another couple orders here in a bit.

Of all the 'things' or 'stations' in the home gym it is the Speed Bag that draws... I don't know what the right word is... dedication, focus, the challenge. Everybody knows about you. I slept in this morning and one buddy was out there banging when I woke up (he has the code to the door - they all do, they're friends). So I'm going to need a few more bags (maybe even another board)

[MikeTarheel]

Here are some photos of the garden which will be expanding coming year. I have better photos, especially of the Cherry Toms when they get ripe (make ketchup with them).

Can't find them in a hurry people coming over.

Generally use this book to develop sauces (make alot of pestos)http://www.amazon.com/Sauces-Classic.../dp/0471292753

It's a Hobby - we're getting good at that one. We've got a new one.

[Biff]

.........

We're just trying to work with the book. Everybody here takes it seriously - it's a challenge to us now and we... it's kind of funny because we all have a kind of... 'reverence' or 'respect' now for the bag that, it's not that it wasn't there before, but now we have a Way, a Map, a Clue, a Forum we have to Ante Up With!! A Bible, I think is the term I was looking for.

You may receive another couple orders here in a bit.

Of all the 'things' or 'stations' in the home gym it is the Speed Bag that draws... I don't know what the right word is... dedication, focus, the challenge. Everybody knows about you. I slept in this morning and one buddy was out there banging when I woke up (he has the code to the door - they all do, they're friends). So I'm going to need a few more bags (maybe even another board)

It's happened again!!

[goju]

haha great pic

[The Baggist]

Mike with your new gym and that great garden, looks like you have yourself a little slice of heaven!!!
BIFF!!!! that I.V. speed bag comic is the greatest.!!! It says it all!!!
Goju killer new avatar!

[MikeTarheel]

Thanks, Guys.

The garden is not nearly as much work as it yields.

I have a bird-feeder my carpenter and I built which brings many customers. And then I have a few 'humming-bird bubbles' on the property and they come to visit regular (they are really something to watch and - call me crazy - they have personality). You have to change out the nectar in their feeders ever 2-3 days (depending on temp) if they get where they don't like the flavor - they will come up to me in the screen porch and LET ME KNOW ABOUT IT. Hey, Mike, get with the program!! They are friendly about it, jokesters they are, but I get right on it.

We have all kinds of wildlife around here, from snakes to bears and every critter in between. I've mostly lived in Big Cities so I can say it is a privilege.

[Speedbag]

Thanks, Alan. And Thanks for the input, Guys.

We are all 'beginners'. And I understand the smaller the bag probably the 'increased skill/control required'. I like for my gal to feel 'special' so I will get her one of her own - I'll likely run it past you before I select (she hasn't requested one of her own but I got the extra treadmill for her and that one is 'just hers' and, well, I like her, you know so... I want her to feel like some things in the gym are 'hers' - it's a Good Investment; she brings her gal friends over and that's kind of neat, we fire up the grill and so on...

If and When you ever come to visit... we'll throw a smorgassboard at ye'. We've got great clams, oysters, shrimp, crab, grouper, tuna (we sushi alot with the tuna - I'm about 9 miles from the water, we're in SOBX (Southern Outer Banks) so we really, they say, have about the most species/pelagics swimming in our waters, and there is some sword, but then all kinds of others like mullet, snapper, flounder galore, redfish - too many to list, really, but those are my favorites (I ship them out often to buddies in dry ice).

I do love a great Tuna or Sword steak. It's been hard to find swordfish lately. I'd never expect it in a cowtown like Waco, but restaurants in Dallas and Austin haven't been listing it much lately. I'll be in Chicago here shortly and maybe I can chase one down.

We're just trying to work with the book. Everybody here takes it seriously - it's a challenge to us now and we... it's kind of funny because we all have a kind of... 'reverence' or 'respect' now for the bag that, it's not that it wasn't there before, but now we have a Way, a Map, a Clue, a Forum we have to Ante Up With!! A Bible, I think is the term I was looking for.

You may receive another couple orders here in a bit.

Of all the 'things' or 'stations' in the home gym it is the Speed Bag that draws... I don't know what the right word is... dedication, focus, the challenge. Everybody knows about you. I slept in this morning and one buddy was out there banging when I woke up (he has the code to the door - they all do, they're friends). So I'm going to need a few more bags (maybe even another board)

As you see a lot of us have dual bags and boards. I've got three up in my house and I'm the only one that hits 'em. As for the book and "the way", I had an internal fight with myself for several years over which order to present the techniques as I viewed them. It took several years to identify them individually and name them. For creating a teaching system, I tried to look at (1) simple vs complex and (2) grouping movements together by area of bag (front, back, side) or area of focus (elbow strikes). The biggest fight was chapter four "Seven beginning techniques", which is four front punches and three outward elbow strikes. I put the 3 outward elbow strikes in there because it gets people to using those easy elbow techniques from the front of the bag early in their training. However it could just a easily been the "basic seven punches", four from the front and three reverse - then linking front to back - and put all the elbows in their own elbow section. When it came time for the first printing I was leaning toward the 4 front and 3 O-ES, since they are all from the front in the triplet rhythm, and the learning to transition from the front fists to elbows in the triplet rhythm seemed like an easier learning curve then linking front to back in the double bounce rhythm. The O-ES simply replace the front circle punch (FCP) in the basic rhythm, and that seemed the easiest to understand and create written exercises for. that also got people into readying the three level abbreviation system also, since the O-DES and O-TES bring the bottom line (e-f) into the abbreviations.
Linking front to back always seemed to be a more difficult skill to learn and bag position is a big factor for making that easier. Most gyms the bag is too high, so I figured it was still easier and more satifying to get the outward elbows into the basic punching motions.

All that changed with shooting video, which made it much more complicated to present in that order. On video, the order is much easier to present as a "video program" with a separate section of "the elbow strikes", so when I shot the video's ( the year after the book was published..) I changed the order of presentation to use the four front and three reverse (7 punches) and then hit all the elbow strikes together, focusing on the direction of elbow movement. You will notice the different order of presentation on the DVD vs the book, and that is the reason why. I have done a major edit of the book text, changing the order on paper to better match the videos but I really haven't had any complaints about it, and it would cause a major expense if I made the change within the rules of the publishing industry, which require a major change to create a new edition, and a new edition gets it's own ISBN number, causing all kinds of changes for book ordering within the book industry, all born by the publisher - which is me. If people were calling, emailing or writing say "I'm so confused, my fists and elbows are all mixed up between the book and video" I'd probably get off the dime and change it, but that hasn't happened and people seem to be learning from either.

so if you and the rest of the guys and girls are getting a little speed bag obsessed, I know how ya feel. My obsession has been trying to figure out "a way" to make it easier. Sure would be nice to discuss all this together while eating a great tuna or sword steak!

[MikeTarheel]

Okay, we are out here working a bit, taking turns. We are a bit obsessed, I guess! We're just having fun - and moreso because we have the feeling now we might have a chance at knowing what we're doing - or at least have the chance of thinking so!!

We're Banging - and my song is the Mick Jagger tune: I Was a Butcher Cutting the Meat! I will vid this up Coming Soon - I played the drums as a youngster and this song works for me, but I have to do some more work.

We all have a song - the best among us thus far goes with a Gwen Stefani song. I'm not the best among us.

But we have All Agreed we need to send Alan Kahn a shipment of local goodies (we're kind of proud of our local bounty here and we all know it's.. we all send out stuff and share - sometimes venison but I don't do the hunting thing - I do the fishing and clamming thing). I make sauces and my gal helps me jar them so that's what we focus on for - you know - relaxation and being with our folks.

We make some things that are unique so I'll come up with a package for ye' so's you see what I mean.

Everybody is in awe of the DVD. We're getting a little more Serious about paying attention now.

[MikeTarheel]

Oh, and my bag set-up is stationary but my carpenter guy - who you will meet soon in pics... has created floor platforms for everybody who needs a 'boost'.

Lucky guy. If you consider the measuring he gets to do!