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Introduction | Uppercut boxing bag quick FAQ | Uppercut boxing bag Buyer's Guide | 5 Best Uppercut Boxing Bags
The uppercut boxing bag is one of the best training tools in the boxing gym. They enable the aspiring pugilist to develop the whole arsenal of punches. Straight shots, hooks, 'screw' shots, and, of course, uppercuts, can all be polished to perfection on an uppercut boxing bag.
As punch bags go, the uppercut boxing bag is by far the most versatile – in terms of the range of punches they allow you to practice. And if you were going to buy just one bag for your home gym, the uppercut boxing bag would be a better option than the traditional heavy bag bag.
As well as enabling you to train the full range of punches, uppercut boxing bags are ideal for practicing kicks and knees. Meaning they are suitable for martial artists, kick boxers, and Muay Thai Boxers.
Uppercut boxing bag quick FAQ
Which punch bag is best?
Though the classic tubular bag is far more popular than its Quasimodo-looking cousin, the uppercut bag, it is not as versatile a boxing training aid. The tubular bag is fine if you’ve got a boxing gym with a veritable army of different punch bags swinging from the rafters. But if you’ve only got space for one, say to supplement your home gym, then an uppercut bag is the best option because of its superior versatility.
Is punch bag training good for cardio fitness?
Yes – bag work is an excellent form of cardiovascular training. In fact I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best – up there with cross-country skiing, running and rowing. But the benefits do not stop at cardio. Regular bag work will also develop muscular endurance, power, coordination and agility – whilst also sharpening your combat skills! How many other exercises offer such a wide range of physical development?
Will punch bag training build strength?
Yes! Punch bag training can build strength (that is, punching strength/power and not 1 Rep Max). However, this does depend on the bag and how you use it. To develop a strong punch and upper-body strength the bag must be heavy – 25-plus KGs.
Of course, if the bag is light it won’t offer the resistance needed to augment strength; a light bag, if hit hard, will fly away too freely – and light bags can also increase your chances of jarring or hyper-extending your elbow and shoulder joint.
A heavy bag, by contrast, will absorb powerful shots thus enabling you to follow-through with each punch. In addition, heavy bags can be used as training aids for practicing ‘ground and pound’, wrestling and other power-strength exercises such as carries, throws and heaves.
What are punch bags made from?
Unfortunately, many bags on the market today are cheap and constructed from inferior quality faux-leather materials. As a consequence they tear all too easily. The problem with this is it has created a false perception in the consumer’s mind of how much a punch bag should cost.
Because the market is littered with cheap, poor-quality boxing bags people looking to purchase a bag believe that a price exceeding £50 is overly expensive. This isn’t the case. I’m not going to get into a debate about the theory of false economy, but if you buy a cheap bag you’ll probably find yourself replacing it within side a month or two.
It’s best to save the pennies and splash the cash on a well-made leather bag (or synthetic material of comparable durability). For this will likely last a lifetime.
Uppercut boxing bag Buyer's Guide
Before rushing out to buy an uppercut boxing bag, it's worth familiarising yourself with the different shapes and sizes they come in. This way you will be able to decide which style of uppercut boxing bag best suits your training requirements.
Maize uppercut boxing bag
Uppercut bags come in a number of different shapes and sizes. Some, such as the Maxx Pear maize bag, are designed solely for uppercuts (and hooks). Filled with maize or sand they should be both heavy and firm and when hitting them you should look and feel like Rocky Balboa pounding partially frozen cow carcasses. This type of uppercut bag is very specific and is best used as a supplementary boxing aid.
Angled uppercut boxing bag
The body or 'angled' uppercut bag, which looks like the top half of an hourglass (see TUF WEAR’s leather uppercut punch bag), is best for the home gym because you can unleash blind fury with any punch combination you desire. And, as discussed above, the body-uppercut bag makes for a perfect training tool for combat sports that allow lower limb striking.
Maxx Pear shaped maize boxing punch bag (£65)
Boxing bag overview
Durable Maya grain leather punch bag.
Includes wall bracket, ceiling hook and gloves.
Zip top so you can alter the bag weight.
Ideal for martial artists, fitness seekers, and boxers.
Conforms to British health & safety standards.
The Maxx ‘pear-shaped’ maize filled boxing punch bag is specifically designed for close range uppercuts and hooks – known in the business as in-fighting. This bag is covered with high quality Maya grain leather and, as the company boasts, gives ‘the sensation of hitting a real opponent’ – which, as sales pitches go, is a bit sadomasochistic if you ask me.
It is filled with fabric cuttings and maize meaning that it will offer a nice firm target to pound. The Maxx Pear comes replete with gloves, a heavy-duty chain and ceiling hook so all you have to do is find somewhere to hang it.
Though this bag is pugilistically handicapped, limiting the boxer to uppercuts and hooks, you’ll have a whale of a time impersonating Marvellous Marvin Haggler as you slip, weave and smash big uppercuts into the torso of your imaginary opponent.
RDX Heavy Boxing Uppercut Body Punch Bag (£69.99)
Uppercut boxing bag overview
Impact absorption technology reduces impact trauma to the hands and wrists.
Comes with six strand swivel chain set for extra support and stability.
Premium quality Maya hide leather gel gloves.
Dense 2-inch-thick inner Polyethylene foam jacket & filled with mixture of shredded fibre and sand for super durability.
RDX’s body uppercut punching bag is perfect to test and train unique angled punches. Made with 'Zero Impact G-Core' twinned layer and non-tear Maya Hide leather, this hand-stitched punch bag is ultra-durable and will take anything you throw at it.
A dense 2-inch-thick Polyethylene foam jacket optimizes shock absorption and force dispersion, while minimizing trainer fatigue. You can go one-on-one with this six-panel punch bag without feeling strain or stress caused by harder denser punch bags.
The double-stitched seams at the D-ring loops promise to get you the most out of the bag without threat of wear and tear. And the tethered loop facility at the base of the bag allows you to fasten it into place, reducing its natural swing.
This punch bag comes with dual-stitched Maya Hide leather gel -padded gloves and six strand swivel chain set that’s durable and rust-proof.
MAXX Black Leather Heavy Filled Uppercut Boxing Bag (£110)
Uppercut boxing bag overview
Durable (faux) leather punch bag filled to 25kg.
Zip top enables you to adjust the weight to suit your training preferences.
Includes heavy-duty ceiling hook and wall bracket with all fixtures and fittings.
And it comes with a bag of boxing goodies: a pair of mitts, skipping rope, keyring, chains and hanging hook!
The Maxx heavy filled uppercut boxing bag is the first of the 'angled' bags. As already mentioned, the angled bag is by far the most versatile thus making a perfect all-round combat sport training aid.
The MAXX heavy bag, stuffed to bursting with fabric cuttings and maize, has been constructed from high-quality faux leather. Though faux leather is often regarded as an inferior material to real leather, it has its positives.
For example, no animal needed to lose its hide to provide you with a punching bag. That’s a good thing. Also, faux, or synthetic, leathers tend to be less prone to drying out and they are easier to keep clean. After a long sweat session you can wipe them down and they’ll look as good as new.
A couple of other enticing features. The top zipper enables you to adjust the weight of the bag or change the stuffing to suit. Though this is a common feature shared by the majority of punch bags it is seldom seen in uppercut bags (the two examples above).
Really, it would be unwise to buy a bag that you cannot fill. After a year or two of frequent use they will vent their viscera and over time lose weight. It’s at this point that you’ll need give them a top-up.
And finally, MAXX have been so kind as to provide you with all the equipage to hang it and, once it’s dangling from the rafters, a pair of mitts to punch it.
TUF WEAR Leather Uppercut boxing bag (£179)
Uppercut boxing bag overview
Hand crafted from the finest cow hide leather.
Combining a maize bag and floor to ceiling ball, this uppercut bag offers superior versatility.
Triple-stitched seams ensure superior durability.
Sand and material filling for improved shock absorption.
Made from the highest quality cowhide leather, TUF WEAR’s uppercut punch bag is designed for the pugilist with a puritanical bent. The brown leather styling gives it the look of a bag you’d find in a Bronx boxing gym circa 1940.
Double-stitched seams and multi-bolted S-Ring straps promise career-lasting tear resistance while the quilted foam interior and satin fabric lamination help the punch bag maintain its shape even after years of abuse.
The leather laces secure the top closure and allow you to modify bag filling to your preference. At the base of the bag can be found a tethered loop facility which enables you to fasten it either to the floor or a weight. This reduces swing with each punch thus enabling you to throw multiple combinations without having to chase it around the room.
Pro Box Heavy Leather Maize Punch Bag (£199)
Uppercut boxing bag overview
Hand crafted from authentic cow hide leather.
Classic heavy-duty uppercut boxing bag.
Triple-stitched seams ensure superior durability.
Sand and material filling for improved shock absorption.
From the Pro Box original range of boxing products comes their new heavy-duty maize-filled uppercut bag. This is the culmination of years of boxing bag development and as a consequence contains the best elements and features of all preceding models.
Constructed from the highest quality materials the Pro Box heavy maize bag is handmade using the finest leathers. Each leather segment has been tripled stitched to ensure superior longevity.
This bag has been designed for intense use in any environment. And though it’s filled to 25kg, meaning when you punch it it’ll stay put, the shock absorption foam lining will minimise fatigue and muscle/joint soreness.
The final round
Any one of the excellent uppercut punch bags reviewed above will make a great addition to the home gym. Providing you with an outlet not only for venting the accumulated stresses of the day – without the worry of facing punitive reprisals – but also as a means of mixing up your training regime.
Even the most committed exercise enthusiast can experience waning libido for cardio and calisthenics. The occasional boxing session can offer that much needed variation whilst stimulating your physicality in unconventional and unorthodox ways.
In buying a good-quality boxing bag you will acquire a faithful life-long training partner who will provide you with a means of sculpting a lean defined physique. And the fitness to match!
For more boxing-related articles, see our dedicated boxing page. Below links have been included for other boxing essentials.
