Types of Heavy Bag

4FT Punch Bags (and yes… 3 & 5 Ft Heavy Punch Bags)

The four-foot bag is a mainstay of boxing gyms, and although you can kick it, it's really meant for punching. There are 3- and 5-foot versions, but they're suited best to home use because of the space concerns. A 5-foot bag is simply a 6-foot bag chopped, while a 3-foot is a 4-foot. Unless space is an issue, neither is ever really necessary. An average 4-foot bag weighs about 35 kgs and should be hung such that the head shot zone falls about one foot from the top of the bag. If you're into boxing and don't know what to get, go for the 4-foot version, hands down!

Colossus Variant/FAT Bag

The Colossus, Daddy, or Fat Bag is a type of the 4FT heavy bag, ranging from 4 to 5 feet in length. This old rule applies: "light bag hit heavy, heavy bag hit light." You'll want lighter footwork and fast hand combinations on this rather than heavy strikes. It is not intended for hitting powerfully, despite its weight.

6FT Kick Bags

The bag is called a Banana bag, Muay Thai bag, or simply 6FT bag and is essential for kick-boxers. Boxers will not be able to take much advantage of the extra length since the top of the 6ft bag usually hangs at roughly the height of a 4-foot bag. Kickboxers get the added benefits from the length in working on the low kicks, up kicks, punches, and knees. A 6FT bag should hang about 3 to 6 inches off the floor, although some just like it to barely graze the floor to minimize movement. The weight of a good 6-foot bag should weigh between 50-60 kgs. Anything lighter than that is no good for kicks. Avoid the thinner cheaper bags, because they will not last long with frequent use.A good example of such a bag is the Revgear 6FT bag.

Tear Drop Bags & Bowling Bag

Though differently designed, both bags have basically the same function: to enable the inclusion of up kicks and knee strikes in training. The tear drop bag is ideal for a mix of punching combined with kicks and knees. It's also no problem to use it just for boxing. Its shape allows for clinching at neck level with knee strikes and is excellent for Muay Thai and kickboxing. It is a pretty new bag; it is primarily used for body and front kicks. Not so good to practice punches, but it's a great tool for Muay Thai fighters once they have already invested in a 6-foot bag.

Heavy Bag Materials

In the 21st century, virtually all hanging punch or kick bags are made of vinyl. Higher-end materials are occasionally merchandising as synthetic leather; rest assured, they are absolutely synthetic. But this isn't a negative-quality vinyl has some serious advantages over old-style leather. While some bags are still made of leather, it offers little or no benefit over good vinyl in terms of construction and is often more expensive. Remember that leather is a varied commodity, and if you find a leather bag at a bargain price, the leather is likely inferior. The main useful feature of synthetic materials is the waterproof property that they have. Leather, on the other hand, absorbs water from sweat or humid air and expands then shrinks upon drying, the effect of which is cracking. Leather could also decay if one is exposed to regular moisture. The synthetics are not afflicted with this problem. Conversely, all synthetics are not created equal. The better quality synthetics, such as the 22-ounce vinyl that Revgear uses on their bags, will be resilient and can be expected to last upwards of ten years if cared for properly.

Filling

Most old-school punch bags are filled with a mixture of shredded textiles and plastic pellets for added heft. Although a bag that isn't filled is cheaper to buy, filling it correctly can indeed be quite a challenge. The reason filled bags are so expensive compared to unfilled ones is because of just how expensive it is to fill them up. In this respect, the price of a bag from factory to warehouse - after filling and shipping - can almost be doubled. Additional costs for this are, therefore, somewhat understandable.