This is such a big subject that we could write a small book on the subject. in this section we will attempt to cover in more detail the notes we placed above; once you have digested the information browse this section and choose the bag you need. Don't forget you can always call us for more personalised advice during office hours 10-5pm Monday to Saturday 01914353624

I'm sticking with sections 1 -6 from the summary but these are more comprehensive notes.

Getting the right bag for your sport (If you are only going to buy one heavy bag)

The major piece of advice here is that if you are only going to buy one heavy bag, then get the most general heavy bag you can with the most overall use cases for your sport. It sounds really obvious but frankly it is not as obvious as it may first appear.

Straight Bags come first!
Unless you have a very good reason otherwise, for general use buy a straight bag before anything else. Now the choice is actually the length (and to a degree the weight)

The major and first thing anyone should understand is the differences between boxing and kickboxing bags. A boxer never needs to kick a bag, a kickboxer/MMA Fighter and Muay Thai Fighter will need to kick a bag. 2,3 & 4 Foot bags are all Boxers bags, 5 & 6 Foot are Kickboxers bags. REMEMBER; a heavy bag is a striking target, a 2 foot bag could even be considered a specialist bag which will move a lot when it's struck, again not a useful bag for many people unless being bought for a child. 

Generally speaking boxers should start with a 4 foot bag, Kickboxers with a 6 foot bag. There is no real use case for a 5 foot bag EVER, unless it's down to ceiling height for kickboxers. The five foot option is a hybrid. If you need a heavier four foot buy a Fat bag, if you are a kickboxer buy a 6 foot.

I could spend hours talking about why but to sum it up, why have a 5 foot bag when you can have 6 and practise low point kicking effectively. The height of a bag also changes the way it moves when it's struck, which is another reason why 5 feet is generally a waste of time.

What are your aims in using a heavy bag?

Heavy bags are very useful for building combinations, repeated practice and as a great workout. If you want general usage go for a general bag, if you want to improve a specific aspect of your game then get the bag which lends itself most to that purpose (for example for hand speed and accuracy a floor to ceiling ball is far superior to a heavy bag) Watch the video series below to get a full description of the heavy bag use cases.

Where are you going to put the bag?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask when considering buying a bag. 

If the bag is going outside then under no circumstances buy a leather bag, the moisture in the air will erode the paint on the bag very very quickly even if you are taking it in after use. 

Assuming an indoor environment the ceiling height is a major consideration. You need at least 18 inches from the ceiling, If the bag has straps you may need more than this. You need the head strike on the bag to be 12 inches minimum from the top of the bag, striking the top of the bag is a bag idea on a bunch of levels. The top of the bag needs to be at least a  little higher than the top of your own head.

For 6 foot bags you need a minimum of 6 inches clearance at the bottom of the bag albeit some Muay Thai fighters like the bag to be grounded this is a particular consideration and should only be done if you know why you are doing this. The floor material is also a consideration if you choose the above option.

How are you hanging/fitting the bag?

Most heavy bags, no matter what shape or size, have either straps or chains which hang from a single point above the bag. The link between the bags and the hanging point will usually be a D clip or carabiner. It is highly advisable to add in swivel and snaps, with any bags using straps it's an absolute must! Watch Paul Reavlin from REVGEAR’s advice on hanging a heavy bag here.

Chains are VERY noisy during use so when you are buying a bag consider who else has to listen to this! If there is any potential issue around noise, essentially buy a bag with straps. 

Bracket or ceiling hooks?

If you have a wooden joist or beam which is strong enough to hold 35-80kg (Depending on your bag size then this is a great option but most people are not fortunate enough to have this facility). 

If you are hanging a bag from the ceiling make certain whatever you attach your ceiling hook to is strong enough to hold it. Otherwise you will have a hole in your ceiling in no time.

Wall brackets are the other option. Generally speaking you want the bracket to be as far from the wall as possible, obviously this will depend on the space available. 

DO NOT BUY A CHEAPLY MADE  BRACKET from Ebay or anywhere else (Unless you really know what you are buying). I’m not saying don’t buy a good bracket cheap, just not a cheaply made bracket. It will snap and potentially leave you with a big problem on removing the bolts from the wall.

M10 or similar expanding bolts need to be good quality. I will never forget having to angle grind this type of bolt from a gym wall after B&Q’s version continuously snapped in the wall as we tightened them.  

Bag Quality & Price 

Obviously as a seller of heavy bags you might think Fightstorepro will say buy the most expensive heavy bag you can afford. Well I’d hate to disappoint you so I will say it…..Buy the best heavy bag you can afford but more importantly buy the best quality heavy bag you can afford.

A few notes. Price does not always denote quality. I’ve seen some really great bags at reasonable prices. An example would be the Thai Fighter 6Ft bag which at £149 filled is a snip. 

Hidden costs on bags are filling and shipping costs. I won’t bore you with the details but the cost of moving big heavy items from the filling station to the warehouse and then out to your residence or gym is partially what you are paying for. Some well known brands ship from Europe which add massive costs onto the price of the item, if they are competitive then something has to give. 

If you see deals with brackets, filled bags and gloves for what seems like an amazing price I guarantee the items are utter garbage…..Avoid, avoid and avoid. Rule of thumb, if you don’t know what you are doing don’t buy from Amazon and Ebay. Yes you can buy something good there but you must know what you are buying. The reviews are often either nonsense or paid for one way or another.

At the other end of the scale, if you are only going to use the bag once a week or so then you probably don’t need a bag designed for professional gym use which will go through more use per day than a home use bag often will in a month.  

What do I need to buy with a Heavy bag?

You will almost certainly need some items to fit the bag with. We would advise speaking to a member of Fightstorepro staff if you are uncertain.

Bag gloves or decent quality boxing gloves and wraps.

Some banging tunes and you’re set!