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Years ago I found myself in a quandary over whether or not to buy a freestanding punch bag. My personal circumstances necessitated a temporary transition from hanging to freestanding. Basically I relocated to a remote part of the country where there were no boxing gyms and my new abode wasn’t hanging punch bag friendly. Thus I was forced to improvise.
In an attempt to help me in my predicament I made the mistake of asking a boxing mate of mine his opinion. He threw me a disapproving side eye and scoffed ‘They’re like blow up dolls, no replacement for the real thing!’ After commending his simile, if you could call it that, I asked if he was speaking from experience. He didn’t answer.
Still no better off as to what to do I visited a local dōjō where I knew they had a few different freestanding bags. On paying the £5 admission fee for an hour’s lesson of kickboxing I spent the session mostly ignoring the instructor and instead testing out the bags. I came away wiser on two points:
1) My boxing buddy was kind of right – freestanding bags are inferior to hanging bags
2) Freestanding bags are infinitely better than no bag at all
Later on, after dabbling in spot of deliberation, I contacted the dōjō and asked them where they’d acquired their bags. The instructor said they buy them direct from the supplier and that if I’d like to purchase one I could do so through the dōjō. And that’s precisely what I did. I shelled out £255 and a week later I collected my very own freestanding bag.
That thing served me well for a good three years until circumstances again necessitated that I donate it to a kid’s karate club.
Hanging Bag vs. Freestanding Bag
Pitting a hanging bag against a freestanding bag is the equivalent of putting an amateur in the ring with a professional – there’s no contest. However, as I tried to make clear in my intro, if you haven’t got the option to hang a bag, then a freestanding bag is vastly superior to punching air or walls.
Also, freestanding bags have come a long way from when I first bought one – which was simply a huge foam cylinder suspended on a water butt. Now they’re developed with innovative foam technology that offers a ‘realistic’ boxing experience.
Meaning that when you punch them it doesn’t feel as though you’re scrapping with a walrus.
So let’s say that, because of personal circumstances, you’ve decided to buy a freestanding punch bag. The question you’re now left asking is: which one should I get? Well, if I’ve done my job properly, by the end of this blog you’ll have a good idea which style of freestanding bag suits your personal pretences. Without further ado . . .
A review of 5 Top Freestanding punch Bags
1) Gallant 5.5ft Free Standing Boxing Punch Bag Stand
Product Particulars (click image for more availability)
High quality material
Compact design
Shock absorbing
Narrow stable base
The Gallant free standing punch bag is a seriously well rated piece of kit. With over 1300 customer comments it's still retained five star status. Here's why.
The Gallant is super compact which means it won't seem as though an oak tree is growing through your gym (garage or bedroom).
Also, the outer shell is made from a high density, shock-absorbing foam meaning that you could release a month's pent-up aggression in one session and thing won't bat an eyelid.
2) BOB Freestanding Punch Bag
Product Particulars (click image for more availability)
More realistic training for many different techniques.
Original by Century.
Also for the gym.
For men and women.
For many combat sports, boxes, etc. suitable.
The BOB freestanding punch bag is a classic piece of combat equipment. It has been designed to provide the combatant with a realistic fight experience: the interior is filled with high-density urethane rubber.
The dense yet compliant rubber from which it is constructed has been engineered to respond similarly to the way a heavy swinging bag would. So not only can you unleash blind fury on BOB, but you can also practice the accuracy of your strikes on his super chiselled chin.
In addition, the hollow base can be filled with water or sand making BOB weigh-in at a Super Heavyweight 122.5kg! This means BOB will be able to take whatever you can throw at him.
3) U'king Free Standing Heavy Punch Bag
Product Particulars (click image for more availability)
Stable floor sucking base
High quality materials
Tear-resistant, fast rebound, is sure to withstand long-term onslaught of kicks and punches
Easy assembly
The U'king in many respects shares a number of close similarities with the Gallant: it's the same size and is constructed from premium quality materials. Thus it will make for a great sparring partner for years to come.
However, where it differs is the suction cups that keep it glued to the ground and multi-directional flexi stem. These features ensure that the bag stays put while you punch seven bells out of it.
Also, the flexi stem will make boxing with this bag feel more realistic as it moves and responds when you hit. So, in addition to helping you improve your boxing fitness, it'll also help you develop the sharpness of your punches.
4) BodyRip Free Standing Heavy Duty Punch and Kick Boxing Bag
Product Particulars (click image for more availability)
Tough construction freestanding punch bag is made from heavy-duty material and high-grade shock-absorbing foam.
Realistic punchbag experience – ideal for boxing, sparring, punching and kick training.
Suitable for professionals and amateurs – specifically designed to simulate the torso of a human body.
BodyRip offers a similar product to the BOB, but as it only symbolically represents the human form it won't make you feel so sadomasochistic when slamming your fist into it.
The BodyRip also sports the compact base and suction cup innovations. Thus when you're doing your Jack Dempsey impression it won't do a runner.
Constructed from high-quality materials this freestanding bag will stand the test of time. Also, because it is filled with 'high-grade' 'shock-absorbent' foam, it won't lose it's shape even after years of physical abuse.
5) PAN Freestanding Heavy Duty Boxing Ball & Reflex Bar
Product Particulars (click image for more availability)
Rapid rebound punching ball and rotating bar.
Enlarge base, solid pole, well-rotated bar, long service life, leather punching ball and spinning bar to reduce the hurt to your hands.
Large stable base with suction cup.
Height adjustable range, 57.1 inches - 65 inches, suitable for different ages and heights.
Ideal for high, low kicking & punching.
This is a tour de force of freestanding punch bags. And at £380 it ought to be. So what do you get for your money?
In short, a lot. Firstly, it's constructed from premium quality materials - as we would expect. But it also comes replete with some innovative features.
The bag is designed so as to represent the form of an opponent. The bulk of the bag acts as a torso, which is perfect for practicing body shots and, for Thai boxers, mid thigh kicks.
In addition, the two foam arms present obstructions that force you to manoeuvre around in order to land a strike. But they can also be used to practice defensive skills and unarmed combat techniques.
The spring-loaded head rapidly moves once it's been hit. This feature will test, and over time improve, your reflex skills and punching accuracy.
To Conclude
Ignoring the deprecating smear campaign in the introduction, freestanding punch bags are great pieces of combat equipment. They're not only functionally useful but can be positioned and placed almost anywhere where there's a bit of space. This cannot be said for hanging bags.
(As we are very interested in user feedback at Hungry4Fitness, I would be very grateful if you could take a few seconds out of your day to leave a comment. Thanks in advance!)
Blog Author
Adam Priest is a former Royal Marines Commando, personal trainer, lecturer, boxing and Thai boxing enthusiast.