So you have a brand new inflatable punching bag and you can’t wait to use it but you might be wondering, “what workout can I do with this thing?”. Well, if you are looking for an inflatable punching bag workout are in luck! We have put together a list of exercises that are perfectly suited for an inflatable bag and will have you fighting fit in no time.
Workout Time
This workout should take approximately 30 minutes and you should adjust it to suit your individual levels of skill, experience, endurance and stamina. If you are finding it too tricky, shorter the rounds and take the circuits slower! Too easy? Slightly extend each round and speed up those punches. If you are limited on space, grab a couple of dumb bells and hold them whilst throwing your punches.
Please note that we are not coaching or training professionals nor are we certified to provide medical advise. Nothing found in this article should be interpreted as medical advise and you should of course consult with a licensed doctor, trainer and/or psychotherapist before starting any new training routine or making any abrupt changes to your lifestyle.
Warm Up
Any and every good workout starts with a proper warm up. An effective warm up loosens you up, prepares your muscles and joints for some intense training and puts you in the right frame of mind for an effective workout. So, don’t skip your warm up!
A good warm up should prepare you for the types of movements that you will be performing throughout your actual work out. To get nice and warmed up you should perform the below exercises for between 30 – 60 seconds each and repeat the circuit 3 times. Remember to breathe throughout and to carry this focus through the entirety of your workout.
- Jog on the spot
- Jumping squats
- Burpees
- Jumping jacks
That should be enough to target the main muscle groups and get your heart racing. There is no need to start at max effort as this is only a warm up. In fact, I would suggest increasing intensity gradually, start at 70% and finish your third set at max effort to best prepare you for the gruelling workout ahead!
Skipping
If you are serious about your training I would definitely recommend getting yourself a skipping rope. Almost all traditional boxing workouts incorporates skipping into the warm up. After you have finished your third set of the above circuit, grab your skipping rope and go a couple of rounds (each round should be 3 minutes long).
Offence
If you have invested in a good quality inflatable punch bag, it should be large enough to throw a combination of different punches (straights, jabs, hooks, body shots and upper cuts) and when hit should rebound back to its original position (up-right).
You will be performing combinations and exercises in rounds (traditionally 3 minutes a round for men and 2 minutes for women but this can be adjusted according to your levels of endurance, stamina and strength). This is an effective way of training as it gets you in good habits for lasting a boxing round should you ever wish to take part in sparring or a competition/regulated fight. Depending on how hard you push yourself, this style of workout is also a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout which has been shown to get your heart racing and be very effective for fat loss.
If you finish the below routines within the 2/3 minute round, great work! Repeat the circuit with the time you have left to make sure you are well and truly exhausted by the end of your workout.
Round One:
Round one will focus on upper body punches using jabs, straights and hooks and will assume that you are an orthodox fighter. If you are a south paw, adjust the below to your fighting style.
- 3 x Jab
- 2 x Jab – 1 x Straight
- 1 x Jab – 1 x right hook
- 2 x left hook – 1 x right straight – 1 x left hook
- 3 x Jab
- 1 x Jab – 1 x left hook – 1 x right hook – 1 x left hook – 1 x right straight
- 3 x Jab
Remember to breathe to avoid getting gassed out. You should be exhaling sharply whilst throwing your punches and inhaling whilst recovering/returning to your boxing stance.
Start slow to get the routine down and eventually muscle memory will take over. If you are more advanced, feel free to mix the above or any routine/circuit in this workout up. The point is get you sweating whilst offering some structure to follow.
Round Two:
Round two will focus on lower body punches and body shots.
- Rolling upper cuts for 30 seconds (this one kills me every time!)
- Rolling body shots for 30 seconds
- 1 x left uppercut – 2 x right body shot
- 2 x body shot – 1 x uppercut
- 2 x right uppercut – 1 x body shot
- Rolling body shots for 15 seconds
- Rolling uppercuts for 15 seconds
Round Three:
Round three will combine upper and lower punches. There will be no set routine for this one and you should go all out throwing a combination of punches to the top of the inflatable punching bag and the to the mid/lower sections. Below are some example combinations to get you started if you are a beginner. As you get used to the movements, let the punches flow using your bodies momentum to power the next shot.
- 1 x Jab – 1 x lower right hook – 1 x upper right hook – 1 x jab
- 1 x Lower right hook – 1 x upper right hook – 1 x left uppercut
- 2 x Jab – 1 x straight right – 1 x lower straight right
- 1 x Lower left hook – 1 x upper left hook
- 1 x Left uppercut – 1 x left hook – 1 x straight right
Defense
Next we want to work on your defense. You want to be rolling, bobbing and weaving after throwing a punch and in between. You should try to remain on the balls of your feet with an almost bounce from side to side.
*Tip: When ducking a punch, make sure you bend at the knee and shift your weight onto your front foot. This will offer a great deal more power when you follow up with a strong upper cut or hook to the body as well as allow you to better dodge the on coming punch.
Round Four:
You will still be throwing punches in this round but it will be from a defensive stance. It will be in response/as a follow up to a dodge, duck, dip, weave or slip.
- 1 x Jab – Slip to the right – straight right
- Duck to the left (shift your weight forward onto your left foot and bend the knee!) – 1 x left lower hook – 1 x right upper cut
- Duck to the right – 1 x right hook – slip to the left – 1 x left hook
- Duck left – duck right – duck left – duck right – 1 right hook
- Slip right – 1 x jab
- Slip left – 1 x left hook – 1 x straight right
You should follow the above circuit loosely. As your skills progress you will naturally mix u[ your defensive moves and your counter punches also. Remember to keep moving your head and to be pivoting around the inflatable punching bag as well as going back and forth.
Round Five:
Repeat the above circuit. Defensive strategy really revolves around the muscle memory that you learn to dodge each punch. There is only a set number of punches being thrown your way in a boxing match and the way you will avoid them will remain relatively consistent. Practise this enough and you will be in a much better position when (if) you jump in the ring to spar.
Round Six:
Go all out on the bag this round. Manoeuvre your way round the inflatable bag throwing punches and dodging, ducking, slipping and weaving as you go. This one should really take it out of you. Remember to keep breathing and let it all out this round!
Cool Down:
Now is a good time to grab that skipping rope again and do a slow and controlled round on the rope. Alternatively, do another circuit consisting of:
- 20 x Crunches
- 20 x Leg raises
- 20 Second plank
- 20 x Tuck jumps
Aside from this circuit you will want to stretch and have a bit of a shake out. Giving your body time and space to cool down is vital for your boxing progression and well being. Take the time to allow your body to cool down and you will reap the rewards throughout your happy boxing journey!
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