Hi Johnny,
Just got a quick question, love your site and am always reading your articles and watching the videos…keep up the good work.
I noticed a lot of pro boxers train really light on the heavy bag, almost like they’re just practicing form and no power… is this the best way to use the heavy bag?
I’m currently saving to buy your power punching series, really interested in the counter punching and angles.
Look forward to hearing from you,
Andrew
Let’s start with this…PROS know what they’re doing!
Pro boxers are go light on the heavy bag for several reasons:
- Pros are working on higher-level skills – they already have good power and technique, so they aren’t working power any longer. They’re working their flow, speed, timing, maybe conditioning, and also kind of mentally shadowboxing with the heavy bag. They’re probably also taking their time to think through different angles and set-ups on the heavy bag. They’re not wailing away like beginners.
- Pros may have brittle/injured hands – after 10+ years of hitting dense objects like punching bags and opponent skulls (and occasionally elbows—OUCH!), they do what they can to preserve their hands. Your hand is made up on smaller/weaker bones and at some point, your punches hurt you more than they hurt your opponents.
- Pros do their hard conditioning earlier in the day – unless you’re a pro boxer, you’re probably seeing him at the end of his workout. Pros usually do all their heavy training in the morning or early afternoon. By the time you (assuming you’re an amateur) get to the gym in the afternoon or early evening (like after work/school), they’re only their to spar, do warm-down drills, or light technical work with their trainers.
- Pros do not show their full power during busy hour – many pros will not show their full ability when the gym is crowded with many other pros, fighters from other gyms, and future opponents lurking around. They also don’t like being recorded.
Awesome, thanks for the answer Johnny
Keep up the good work!
Absolutely, this was a great question. 🙂
Johnny,
Off topic. I am 45 and been training since February of 2017. I have always been an athlete and love boxing so when I heard that USA had a masters level I got me a coach. My coach is an ex pro heavyweight, I am 225 in shape. My question. I am a cop by day. I go to the gym and work nightly. Facing the facts that my 45 year old body does not recoup like it use to, I started looking at supplements. I started taking some bcaa, beta alanine, and a pre workout with some protein carbs and caffeine. I try like hell to eat right but after a 12 hour shift then gym I’m wiped out. Will these help a boxer? Or can you recommend something? Or should I just pull my boot straps up and enjoy the suck?
Glucosamine and fish oil bro. Helps those old joints like magic.
Hey Johnny this isn’t related to your article but i think it would be really interesting if you made an article explaining angles in boxing for attacking and defending. It’s a lot to ask but it would really be a big help knowing how to use attacking angles in boxing and how angles can do more damage against your opponents
Hey Justin, I can definitely touch on that subject. Thanks for requesting.
hello johny.., could you u please explain me the best counter for south paw… and also the good combo to counter south paw.
I have other guides for this. Please search “southpaw” on my site and you’ll find them all.
Hi Johnny,
Thank you for maintaining this site for so many years. As a 38 year-old with a kid, I don’t have the time for a lot of one-on-one instruction, but I read this site all the time, and try and carry it over to the bags and mitts when I do my gym workouts. I find that even if I can only focus on one tip, and work on it through the entire workout, then I’m improving every time. So, thanks for keeping it up!
I have a shoe question. I wear wrestling shoes for ring work (mitts and sparring). They work fine for me, but the vast majority of my gym time is on the bag, or doing calisthenics. Wrestling shoes are great for this, but they get absolutely destroyed during running. We do sprints and laps around the building as part of the daily workout, but they’re sprinkled in-between bagwork and exercise, so I don’t have time to change into my every day sneakers. And the sneakers are just too clunky when trying to move around the bag.
What is a good compromise between shoes that will hold up on the concrete, but still feel light enough once we get inside and move around the gym floor?
Wrestling shoes are meant for indoor use on matts, not rough outdoor surfaces. You might want to try some thin-soled Pumas.
Johnny,
I am a beginner just getting into boxing. My question is how should i make the best of my rest days? just, shadow box and do some stretches or something? I can work through soreness if advised but i don’t want to risk an injury. i don’t have a trainer, yet.
thanks!
This is a great question and one that should be turned into an article. I have a complete layout on my Easy Boxing Workout: https://expertboxing.com/boxing-training/boxing-workouts/expertboxing-easy-boxing-workout
Which equipment is best to practice uppercuts?
Hooks?
Is shredded memory foam the best material for packing an unfilled bag?
Mitts are best. The next best options are those round heavy bags that look like a water drop.