Boxing is one of the main interests you start to develop once you start doing boxing. The bullies that people start, showing others that they are not attractive just because of their body size leads towards people to start a gym or weight liftings. But for me, weight lifting is not just to look good but it fulfilled my insecurities. And at that time I started to think that there would be an alternative for punching bags, especially for those who find punching bags expensive. You can also use amazon coupon code 20 off any item to get discounts purchasing punching bag alternatives.
List of Best Alternatives for Punching Bags
I can not judge any material of a punching bag without using it. So I decided to try them all. I then transferred my best punching bags into a list. The list is shown and represented to you below. You can get some more information from reading about my point of view.
Shadow Boxing
In my preference, one alternative for a punching bag is shadow boxing. Shadow boxing is an effective way to get trained. If you have a punching bag but you are not able to practice on it, you can use shadow boxing to get yourself trained.
Nowadays, as referring to old times, trainers also ask to perform on shadow boxing as it is a very effective way to practice. All you have to do is stand in front of a mirror and start punching in the air and think that you are punching someone else. On the other hand, you can also perform your punchings by looking at your own shadow assuming that someone is right in front of you.
Wrist Weights
The second most alternative to punching bag is wrist weights. In this training, all you have to do is tie up portable weights on your wrists and then start punching in the air. You can also use some straps to be tied up on your wrists. These weights help you enable your strength, your stamina and help in the resistance of your arms and your shoulders. But remember, while doing your punching with the help of these wrists may increase your heart rate to 10 per minute.
Floor Bags
The next alternative for punching bag is floor bags. These are rough kinds of pieces of training. These are mostly used in military personnel or pieces of training in rough environments. Mostly these pieces of training are done where punching bags are difficult to get. These floor bags are made by adding dad into them. Though these floor bags are not that helpful as they do not have the nevatear fabric either it is made of poly canvas material. These are just some couple of bags combined together so that the sand doesn’t start falling down. Punching bags might cost from $60 leading up to $100, do floor bags as an alternative is quite good for a freshie to start practicing.
Focus Mitts
For trainers focus mitts is one of the most versatile boxing technique that helps one improve their defense and punching techniques which improves your speed and precision. All you need is a partner accompanying you to hold the pads for you to hit. You need to hit the pads with precision as your partner speedily changes the position of those pads. Practicing with this punching alternative develop your fighting reflexes, improve your hand-eye coordination, and your defensive skills when your partner strikes you with those pads.
Used Car Tires
Using Car tires as a punching bag alternative is one of the cheapest yet effective technique. Martial arts academics usually use car tires instead of usual punching bags since they’re made of rubber which is somewhat similar to the material used in punching bags. You can easily practice on car tires because they’re soft yet powerful which prevents you from hurting your hands no matter how hard you hit. This alternative helps you develop your punching skills by further improving your power and speed by toughening your knuckles. You need to make sure that you don’t practice this bare hands as the sharp ends might pierce through your skin and you might end up harming yourself.
Wing Chun Dummy
Wing Chun Dummy is not like some bags or like floor bags. They are dummies and substitutes for bags but are good for practices. It helps in making your elbows hard and personally made my own Kung Fu Wing Chun Dummy. You can easily make them trough watching YouTube videos. But if you are not sure about the perfect tools, I would prefer to go for buying them yourself and they are quite cheaper than the punching bags costing only up to $60.
Grappling Dummies
If you’re looking for a sparring partner who’s available at all times, then this is one of the best alternatives for you. Grappling dummies might not be so good as being the replacement for punching bags but it is definitely your training partner for practicing Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, submission, and grappling. Grappling dummies are basically life size dummies filled with sand or other synthetic fillings and can be found in different shapes, weights, and sizes ranging from 70lbs to 150lbs. You can grapple with your dummies and sharpen your fighting skills. They’re easily available on Amazon at cheap prices.
Kick Shields
Kick shields are one of the many alternatives you can use if you want to practice with a partner but you don’t have a punching bag. You can practice various techniques including punches, strikes, and kicks from several angles while your partner holds the kick shield for you. You can get kick shields of all designs, sizes, and shapes from Amazon at highly affordable prices. They’re the perfect alternative because you can practice aggressive kicks and strikes on it because of its large surface and shock absorbing pads.
Make-Shift Surfaces
This is one of the cheapest and easy-to-make substitutes for a punching bag. You can use anything cushioned(padded) available in your houses like a pile of newspapers, sofas, old books, or even a cushioned chair to use them as an alternative. It is important to note that whatever you use, the surface must be stable, thick, and cushioned. You might find it difficult to use initially but you’ll find them very beneficial once you become used to it.
Makiwara Training Board
Last, but not the least, Makiwara training board is as helpful as punching bags. You can make it at home too. The makiwara is a wooden board and most of the Karate masters use them. This board is also available on Amazon and is very reasonable. This is a great substitute for home gyms.
Apartment Punching Bag Alternatives
It is difficult for everyone to go to the gym regularly and therefore we often miss our workouts due to busy schedules. You must be wondering which of the following alternatives are suitable to practice even in our apartments. Obviously, we need something that is light and mobile but effective to use. Here are some of the substitutes that fulfill this requirement and can be used in our apartments efficiently:
- Punching Mitts– They’re one of the best substitutes you can use in your apartment for punching if you have got a partner.
- Flour bags– They’re extremely cheap and can improve one’s endurance while fighting.
- Target striking bags– very similar to mitts and easy to use if you have got a partner to hold it for you.
Car tires- can be used as a dummy to practice various techniques.
They’re extremely light and mobile. You can easily hang them in your rooms whenever you feel like working out. They’re also very mobile so you can even use them if you shift your apartment or your landlord objects their presence. Just kidding, I would definitely advise you to make use of these substitutes to make your life easier.
