[help]How to attach a punching bag

[blazindave]

Hello,
i will be moving closer to my university and renting a small room or apartment. There will be no computer or tv so i can focus entirely on karate and school.
Now, being poor as i am, i cant afford a 400 dollar stand (im thinking of making one myself).
I really need a punching bag though. This will be the first time i buy one, ever, so i dont really know how to set it up.
Assuming the landlords allow me to do anything involving the cieling, how do you install a hanging punching bag? I'm talking about the +100 pound ones. Do i absolutely need to find a support beam or is it possible to just (literally) screw it into the cieling using heavy duty bolts and whatnot?

Help me, i cant imagine not having a punching bag and being isolated

Osu!

[seienchin]

You absolutely cannot just screw it into the ceiling, and even just screwing it straight into a support beam has its problems. As you get better and hit harder, the bag does a lot of jumping, and will eventually pull out.

The only way I have ever hung bags has been to put a bolt all the way through the support beam, meaning you'll need access to the crawl space of the ceiling if landlord is prepared to accept this.

Be prepared for some resistance though, and potnetially complaints from other nearby residents. I had a bag mounted under our house, (where I live, some of our houses are mounted on stilts, with a large open underneath area).

When I used to hit that bag hard, honestly, the floor of the house shook, and vibration noise moved through the rest of the house. Mr Seienchin could not do anything in the house when I was training. We tried a number of noise damping things, but nothing worked.

It will be good to get some advice from other apartment dwellers, and see how they have managed this.

[ANTSAN]

Climb up into your ceiling cavity and run a beam between two floor joists (this will distribute the load between two joists instead of one) hardwood is good as it wont tear through like pine will. Drill down through your new beam and through the plaster. I used some 16mm allthread bent into a hook shape and locked it top and bottom to the beam with a few nuts leaving the hook exposed to hang the bag.

As for lowering vibration you may want to use a dampner of some kind. Some punching bags come with a spring.

Alternatively ignore the above and purchase a free standing unit like this:

[Dent]

Osu!

Very good advice from AntSan, and both he and Seienchin are right about the bag having an impact on your surroundings, neighbors included. Aside from a heavy duty spring, there's not much you can do.

As an aside, have you found out if there are bags available at your uni? Most seem to have them tucked away somewhere, and that will save you cash and hassle.

Osu!

[blazindave]

Originally Posted by ANTSAN

Climb up into your ceiling cavity and run a beam between two floor joists (this will distribute the load between two joists instead of one) hardwood is good as it wont tear through like pine will. Drill down through your new beam and through the plaster. I used some 16mm allthread bent into a hook shape and locked it top and bottom to the beam with a few nuts leaving the hook exposed to hang the bag.

As for lowering vibration you may want to use a dampner of some kind. Some punching bags come with a spring.

Alternatively ignore the above and purchase a free standing unit like this:
*had to remove image due to low post count*

That's the exact same one i saw at the store today. Like i mentioned, im a poor university student, and that lovely piece of equipment is a hefty 400 dollars (tax NOT included).
I'm wondering if i should hand build such a stand? Seems i have no choice. I will find out at my university if they have a punching bag but i dont want to join their gym since im already part of another gym (paid 500 dollars for the year 2-3 months ago).
Mmmm...

[Aunty Ichigeki]

If I was a poor uni student again with limited space & could only buy one thing I'd invest in a kettle bell - I'd do that & stretching at home & save my bag work for elsewhere.

[blazindave]

Why a kettlebell?

[tmd]

A less intrusive positioning for the bag may be outside and this allows you a lot more freedom in what you can do on the bag (Spinning kicks in a students apartment? I don't think so!) I find training outside somehow seems to build more spirit, you should be able get a suitable hanging frame for about $40.00. Again be mindful of neighbours and chose appropriate training times.

You may even find you get a bit of attention and could find yourself with a training/ sparing partner (or better ).

Bigger questions NO COMPUTER = NO K4L!!!!!! How will you cope

Last point from an engineers point of view - if you're unsure how/ where to hang you could get you're self in trouble by damaging stuff and loose you're deposit - Ask the site handyman (or someone on an appropriate course) to do it for you, drop him around £10.00 and he'll install it for you properly.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by blazindave

Why a kettlebell?

It's small (Relative to a bag), an effective tool for both strength and endurance, and has exercises that can be directly applicable to both striking and grappling.

And it isn't going to cost you 400 bucks...

Osu!

[ANTSAN]

Not saying the kettlebell is a bad idea, but the point of this thread was to discuss punching bag options... my suggestion is to hit up eBay for stands, a quick search on Australian eBay came up with 2 stands for around the $100 mark plus postage, US would probably have more.

Or, do as you say and make up your own stand....

[Dent]

Osu!

Quite right, AntSan, and your suggestion is a help there too. Summer is a great time for yard/ garage sales. Craigslist is also busy right now.

Osu!

[ksan]

I have a tip for hanging a bag:

go to a garage where they repair trucks/lorry`s and ask for the spring out of the break of one (old one) these will be strong enough to hang a bag on and take out most of the "impact" your punches and kicks will have on the hanging construction you hung it on,... it also reduces the sound escaping to any neighbours (less complains and more posibilities to hit the bag later at night)

[meguro]

A poor uni student shouldn't be making any structural changes to his temporary housing. I'd invest in a good pair of kick pads or shield and find a training partner.

[anaticula]

But am I the only one repeatedly misreading the thread title as "How to attack a punching bag"?

[seienchin]

Originally Posted by anaticula

But am I the only one repeatedly misreading the thread title as "How to attack a punching bag"?

Ah but GRasshopper...we only use our art for self defence. So it is never excuse to attack innocent bag. Must wait for bag to attack first.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by meguro

A poor uni student shouldn't be making any structural changes to his temporary housing. I'd invest in a good pair of kick pads or shield and find a training partner.

I have both great kick pads and shields. Now I need the training partner.

Osu!

[Aunty Ichigeki]

I know I'm a nanna but I'm still left wondering why you need a bag in your apartment. Bags on stands are nasty to use, they're noisy & the chains and the stand itself get in the way & make the bag vibrate & bounce & you can't move around the bag. If I was your landlady I'd shoot you for hanging a bag - they destroy all but the most robust building frames. There are so many reasons not to do it I can't think of enough reasons to do it! Unless of course you're a competitive bag handler? If you're a fighter there are a dozen other training options for the confines of an apartment without the expense & the hassle.

[blazindave]

Originally Posted by Aunty Ichigeki

I know I'm a nanna but I'm still left wondering why you need a bag in your apartment. Bags on stands are nasty to use, they're noisy & the chains and the stand itself get in the way & make the bag vibrate & bounce & you can't move around the bag. If I was your landlady I'd shoot you for hanging a bag - they destroy all but the most robust building frames. There are so many reasons not to do it I can't think of enough reasons to do it! Unless of course you're a competitive bag handler? If you're a fighter there are a dozen other training options for the confines of an apartment without the expense & the hassle.

Example? I don't see anything better for practicing punches and kicks than a hanging bag. My makiwara will serve it's purpose as just that, a makiwara. Now i need something for full speed/power and technique work. How do i practice my kicks and punches and combos at home without a bag? Hanging it is out of the question so I think i'll look around for stands or if all else fails, build one.

As for strength and endurance...i come from a triathlon background and i've recently started squatting, power cleaning, deadlifting, etc...
No worries there. I just need to focus on something very kyokushin oriented (punching+kicks) outside of class. Pushups and squats will only get you so far.

edit: Should i be wary of this? Looks too good to be true. 200 dollars with shipping et al.

cgi.ebay.ca/Heavy-Punching-Speed-Bag-Stand-4-Kickboxing-MMA_W0QQitemZ180197228390QQihZ008QQcategoryZ36281Q QrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp163 8Q2em118Q2el1247

[meguro]

Originally Posted by Dent

Osu!



I have both great kick pads and shields. Now I need the training partner.

Osu!

Meet me in Central Park on the Great Lawn. Bring the wife, kids, blanket, picnic basket, and the gear. I'll do the same.