Tight double end bag are best when you begin your punching training. It helps to deliver more power in your punches. It increases your accuracy and timing. Loose double end bag is for pro level boxers.
It helps to gain more focus on the opponent’s movement. It enhances your skills, and makes you strong and sharp because of the reality touch in practice.
I have tried both these bags in the training session. The difference in these bags mainly clarifies the real motion. While I used the tight double end bag, it helps me to focus on my accuracy, my rhythm and the power in my punches. It worked as a booster to my muscle power.
When I tried the loose double end bag, it helped me to focus more on my skills. The excess swing in the loose bag helps to give the touch of reality. Power punch is not the necessity all the time, that is why loose end bags are better adapted to the skill of dodging.
I have also a friend of mine, who has tried both these bags. According to him, tight double end bags are better than the loose double end bags. He prefers to gain more power in punches along with accuracy and endurance.
I also agree with his opinion. In this article, I will go deeper in the comparison of these two bags. Besides a first hand experience, I have researched extensively to talk about more detailed information here. This article will focus on below.
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Should Double End Bag Be Tight or Loose? (Pros & Cons)
Tight double end bag is better for beginners
Tight double end bag is mainly a better option for beginners. It helps to make your punches get at the right position at your beginning of the training. Loose double end bag is mainly more acceptable to the professionals. It helps to provide real life experience of the ring.
There is no specific preference about double end bags being tight or loose. It is according to the preference of the person who uses the bag.
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When someone as an amateur starts to get the training on punch, tight double end bag helps very much. At the beginning, it is important to place the punch properly. This bag helps to improve the accuracy, the timing and the rhythm of the person.
Tight double end bags move less than the loose end bag when you hit. Therefore, this bag helps you to focus more on your power of the punch.
Someone who is already a trained person will make the loose double end bag as a choice. It swings more back and forth. This feature makes the situation more realistic like a real fight. In addition, this quality helps to focus more on skill than power.
Loose double end bag will make you focus more on the footwork, body movement. You have to slip at the right time or punch in a strategic manner to balance the swing of the bag. Hence, it will develop your skills for the real fight.
Also Read: 7 Long Lasting Outdoor Heavy Bags Under $250
How Loose Should a Double End Bag Be?
A double end bag should be loose enough to swing back and forth (at most about an arm’s length of swinging). A double end bag should swing back and fort like an actual opponent’s punch. So adjust the swinging distance accordingly.
If the bag swings too much, you may not have the actual amount of power in your punch. This will affect your training. When the bag gets the momentum, you must stop the bag to place in its track. It will help you to have the bag where you want.
Secondly, the bag must not swing very much because it affects the training. If the bag swings too much, you might end up training incorrectly. It is because, in the real fight the opponent may not move too fast. You should loosen your double end bag to adjust the momentum. Then, it will act like a real life plot.
How Much Should a Double End Bag Move?
A double end bag should move nearly 2 feet to 4 feet after being hit (about an arm’s length). It is the ideal measure that helps you to train well in your training session. A double end bag should move like an actual opponent.
When you hit a double end bag hard, it should not move too much. It should move around 2-4 feet, which is good for the person. In real life boxing, the opponent may not move too much. Therefore, this amount of distance is good enough to taste the reality.
Most importantly, if the bag moves 2-4 feet, it will help you to make your timing perfect. You should be more apt on your rhythm and accuracy. They will make you perfect to dodge the bounced back bag. It helps your punching ability.
Your hand speed will increase accordingly with this amount of movement. Your body will work on the reflexes you have. This will make you perfect while getting the training.
Also Read: Detailed Guide To Punching Bag Weights: Is Heavier Better?
How Do You Tighten a Double End Bag?
Adjust the cords to tight the bag
Adjust the chords when tightening double end bag
The main way to tighten a double end bag is to adjust its chords. Ratcheting mechanism is a good option to raise the tension in the chords. The best chord you can use is the bungee cord because of its high tension intake capability.
However, you can adjust the air in the double end bag by the pump. It will also help to tighten the bag as per your convenience.
If you opt for a ratcheting mechanism, it will help you to tighten the double end bag by adjusting the cords into the pawl. You can adjust the tension in the cords to make your bag a tight one. You can use any elastic cord, but the bungee cords are great for this job.
Another option is that you can tie extra nots in both ends of the cords. It also helps to tighten a double end bag by increasing the tension in the cords.
The other useful option is to adjust the air in the bag. You can pump out the extra air in the bag to make it more convenient. Or you can pump up the bag to tighten itself for a better movement.
How Do You Train with a Double End Bag?
Do speed training with double end bag
The double end bag is focused on speed training. It is one of the best workouts to make your punches powerful while having the speed. The main goal of training with a double end bag is to balance between the technique and skills. Here are few ways to properly train with a double end bag:
- Focus on small combinations
- Continue to throwing
- Jumble up in between combinations
Heavy punching bags are allowed to build up your muscles, and speed bags to move your body fast according to the opponent. However, double end bags help you to focus on building the power in your punches while speeding up and balancing your skills.
You should always focus on building small combinations to make your training a good one. Some of the ways are Left-Left-Right and Right-Right-Left combo to train yourself properly. These are all 1-1-2 combinations. These combinations are built with jab, hook, cross and uppercut.
You should be in your proper or square stance to make the most use of these combinations. You should also free your mind and soul to connect with the rhythm and the pace.
You should not wait for the bag to come to you. You must throw your punches in the pace and rhythm to train yourself properly. In addition, you should always use your rhythm towards 1-1-2 combo to hit the bag at the right time. This will give you the ultimate resilience.
While following the combinations, you must jumble up these combinations. This will help you to increase your pace and body movement. In addition, your skill will grow while having the proper footwork. You can also train with your partner on the opposite side. This will help to grow your reaction faster.
Also Read: 8 Boxing Punching Numbers! All You Need To Build Good Combos
FAQs
Q: How Much Air Should Be in a Double End Bag?
The double end bag should have 10 lbs air pressure in it. If you put the air pressure of 10 lbs, it will work in the best condition. If you put more than this amount of air pressure, your bladder may blast quickly because of the heavy amount of tension in the outer wall.
If you put less pressure, you may have to put extra effort while punching. Therefore, it is recommended to have this amount of pressure. One more thing is that you should put the air from your pump not from the gas station. That quality of air affects the bladder.
Q: Can You Hit a Double End Bag Hard?
You can hit a double end bag hard, but you should not hit hard. It affects your rhythm.
When you hit the double end bag hard, it swings too much. This affects the rhythm of your body and pace. Therefore, your training will get disturbed.
Q: What Kind of Gloves Do You Use for a Double End Bag?
You should use sparring gloves for a double end bag.
This type of gloves are made of highly dense foam. This foam material helps to protect your hand from the resilience of the double end bag. In addition, there is a wrap near the wrist. It eases the process of putting on and off the gloves.
Q: Why Does My Punching Bag Move So Much?
Your punching bag moves so much because you hit excessively. You should cut your punch frequency when the bag swings too much.
When you hit your punching bag hard, it swings a lot. If you go on punching, the swinging of the punching will increase. This causes your punching bag to move so much.
