Secrets to Hitting the Punch Bags

As a boxing and fitness trainer, I've seen too many young, strong & healthy athletes injure their hands while hitting the punch bags. This is often devastating for boxers as breaking or fracturing your wrist will set you back. If you're training for a fight, you must know how to hit a boxing bag properly else you could have to cancel that match due to an unnecessary injury.

I've hit the punching bag for years, and today I'm revealing all my secrets... no holds bar. The first secret is to prepare. Failure to prepare is the main reason why athletes get injured. The same holds for training and hitting the punch bags. Prepare your hands by stretching your wrists. Twist your wrists in multiple directions. Then stretch out your forearms and biceps. Putting your hands on the ground and extending your arms so your elbows are locked will help you achieve this.

Preparing will allow your muscles to relax. Relaxation is important in preventing injuries in sports. The jump rope is a great way to get your entire body ready for training.

To protect your hands, you may want to wear boxing gloves. Especially if you're training for a fight, why not use the boxing gloves? After all, you'll be fighting with them on! If the heavy bag you're hitting is very stiff, you should consider wearing gloves to prevent injury. Our hands are delicate and hitting a stiff bag over time will weaken your bones and tissues.

If you're using the boxing bag to strengthen up your hands, wraps or gloves are a good idea. I recommend wraps as they provide you with wrist support. Most injuries via use of the punching bag will come from a twisting of the wrist, or a fracture of the wrist. Therefore, when you wrap, make sure the wrists are and not only your fingers are wrapped up.

When hitting the punch bags, you should watch how boxers hit each other. Guard up, front shoulder forward, body at an angle. If you're left-handed, put your right foot forward... you get the drill.

Watch your punch - don't hit the bag with your knuckles! This is a common mistake. To get the most power, you hit with the flat part of your fist. Another main common reason for injuries is that people twist when they hit the boxing bag. Don't twist. Keep your wrist, elbow and shoulder in proper alignment.

Step into it. Too often, I've seen students making combos, rapid fire hits and constant jabs too early on in their workout... even professionals. When you're training on the punch bags, step into it. Start hitting simple jabs, then move to uppercuts, then speed up your workout. Like any sport, or fitness training, you want to gradually intensify your workout.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jermaine_Ricketts