Bag too slow?

[sinawali]

Hi all! I am very new to speed bag training, but have several years of martial arts experience.

I recently purchased a new stand for my heavy bag (in a 3-unit condo now and I couldn't hang it from the ceiling anymore). The stand has a speed bag platform and came with an everlast 4210 on a chain-link style swivel, I believe it's an 11x8 bag, and is pretty slow.

It's been fun for the past couple weeks getting rhythm on very basic strikes, but I am finding that the bag does not seem very lively. A normal punch yields only three or four rebounds (at most), and even a very hard punch only gets me five rebounds.

This has become frustrating because I am trying to learn more complicated patterns, but the bag is so sluggish that I have to hit really hard to keep it moving, which requires large movements - you can see the dilemma here.

I have tried for several days to "keep it slow" and focus on my own technique, but the bag seems so slow that I can't even get it to rebound twice off an elbow or a double-punch combination.

I have tried (over)inflating the bag and have checked the swivel for obstructions, and it still feels onerous. Should I just buy a smaller bag (and ball swivel), or is it more likely just that I still don't know what I am doing? (which is always possible, I'm really new at this)

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I've learned alot from lurking here already, and have decided to peek my head out because I'm at my wits' end!

[Busta Knuckles]

Hi all! I am very new to speed bag training, but have several years of martial arts experience.

I recently purchased a new stand for my heavy bag (in a 3-unit condo now and I couldn't hang it from the ceiling anymore). The stand has a speed bag platform and came with an everlast 4210 on a chain-link style swivel, I believe it's an 11x8 bag, and is pretty slow.

It's been fun for the past couple weeks getting rhythm on very basic strikes, but I am finding that the bag does not seem very lively. A normal punch yields only three or four rebounds (at most), and even a very hard punch only gets me five rebounds.

This has become frustrating because I am trying to learn more complicated patterns, but the bag is so sluggish that I have to hit really hard to keep it moving, which requires large movements - you can see the dilemma here.

I have tried for several days to "keep it slow" and focus on my own technique, but the bag seems so slow that I can't even get it to rebound twice off an elbow or a double-punch combination.

I have tried (over)inflating the bag and have checked the swivel for obstructions, and it still feels onerous. Should I just buy a smaller bag (and ball swivel), or is it more likely just that I still don't know what I am doing? (which is always possible, I'm really new at this)

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I've learned alot from lurking here already, and have decided to peek my head out because I'm at my wits' end!

That 4210 is capable of decent speed, so if it is inflated correctly it should be fine. Does your platform have a lot of vibration since it is a freestanding unit? You might want to try a sandbag on top or some other techniques(like straps) mentioned on the forum.

[Speedbag]

Busta Knuckles is right, the 4210 is capable of decent speed but it really is a "slow learning bag", or good for a power punching workout. I guarentee your board has to be rock steady, for this bag will challenge a light weight board. You can go from the 11x8 4210 to a 9x6 bag pretty easily. Simply underinflate the 9x6 a bit if it's too fast.

[metaldad]

sinawali, this is unrelated to your question, do you practice escrima?

[sinawali]

It sounds like I should definitely further reinforce my board. I added a plywood circle to the top of it w/longer bolts, but there's still alot of flex at the adjustable post that joins the speed bag platform onto the stand. I'm thinking I will have to rig some bungee cords to hold it steady, because I do notice a good bit of wiggle...

To answer your question, metaldad - I have practiced Modern Arnis (escrima) for the past eight years, though I have less time for it lately than I would like.

[jason_m_amy]

I have a Balaz iBox platform (bought about 5 months ago), and about 15 speed bags (several of them are 4210's). With the sandbag on top, and properly inflated bag, if I put some power into the 4210, I have a hard time keeping up with it, as it can really go fast. I have a title 9"x6" black bag, which I've messed with different pressures that is much slower than the 4210 (it feels a bit like a brick - which is my experience with my 3 title bags). I'd say it most likely your platform. I used to have a 'cheapo' everlast platform, and any bag was slow on that, no matter what I did to it (reinforced it, sandbags, extra screws, extra plywood, etc..). I just gave it away to a friend to get him started bagging and told him once he gets comfortable with the basics to come over and see how the iBox feels.

I did order a couple 4210's online once, and one of them had serious issues - felt like a cheap knockoff or something, was flat and dead, didn't look right (seams were off, even color seemed off), I only knew this because all my other 4210's are consistent good quality and work great. Could also be a possibility...

-Jason

[metaldad]

It sounds like I should definitely further reinforce my board. I added a plywood circle to the top of it w/longer bolts, but there's still alot of flex at the adjustable post that joins the speed bag platform onto the stand. I'm thinking I will have to rig some bungee cords to hold it steady, because I do notice a good bit of wiggle...

To answer your question, metaldad - I have practiced Modern Arnis (escrima) for the past eight years, though I have less time for it lately than I would like.

Ah! I had a couple of lessons from a buddy of mine who taught escrima.I pretty much practice the very basic movements from time to time. I should get more serious about it.

[BillyMack]

YUP...it's a slow bag - over inflating it might give you some more speed but will not only limit your control but it will be unnecessarily hard on your hands & knuckles. Try a smaller bag...

[sinawali]

Great advice everybody, thanks alot! I rigged up some more reinforcements around the connecting arm this past weekend, and I think I will add two more parallel reinforcements across the top of the board to provide more lateral stability. It's seeming better already, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how it goes with a smaller bag.

Metaldad - I love escrima because it's something that blends so well into any other art, but stands alone well too. I'm playing with trying to use escrima sticks (padded of course) to work the speed bag, with some interesting results. If I get any good I'll be sure to post some videos!

[metaldad]

Great advice everybody, thanks alot! I rigged up some more reinforcements around the connecting arm this past weekend, and I think I will add two more parallel reinforcements across the top of the board to provide more lateral stability. It's seeming better already, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how it goes with a smaller bag.

Metaldad - I love escrima because it's something that blends so well into any other art, but stands alone well too. I'm playing with trying to use escrima sticks (padded of course) to work the speed bag, with some interesting results. If I get any good I'll be sure to post some videos!

That would be crazy sick!!!!!!!I hope to see that soon!! I dig escrima as well, my one buddy was a bouncer who taught regularly, and when I was in the Corps, another buddy from the P.I. worked out with Escrima and Wing Chun which was really cool.