16x48" Heavybag too Big???

[0100]

I'm getting back into MT and going to train at home.

I am thinking about getting a 16" x 48" heavy bag. Is a 16" wide bag too wide for kicking?

I think the gym I use to train at had the standard 14" x 48" bag.

What size bags are you guys training with at home or at gym?

I know most bannan bags are 13-14" wide.

Anyone kick a 16" wide bag? Is wider better for kicking or will it cause problems?

The bag is a $250 ringside bag. Expensive but very high quality. Don't want to buy and find out it's not good for kicking.

[EmptyneSs]

i dont really know what ur problem is or what ur talkin about, all u need to do is get a decent sized bag, one that hangs low enough from were u hang it so that u can practice low kicks on it, hang it up, and start hitting it. thats all there is to it. the cheaper the better since all u be doing is beating the shit out of it.

btw, u mentioned u were training at home...thats cool n all, but remember to be truly proficient in muay thai, u need a partner to spar with to keep ur reflexes, counters, parries, and movements sharp. the bagwork is just to supplement ur fighting skills.

[joeuser42]

I got this 13x68 bag a couple of weeks ago from ringside for $99:

http://www.ringside.com/store/prodinfo_punchingbags.asp?number=PTHB%202&variation=&aitem=13&mitem=20

I'm real happy with it. I bought it unfilled and used the stuffing out of a crappy old 60lb bag I had. Filled it up the rest of the way with old clothes and rags cut to about 4"x4". It took a few evenings of cutting and was a pain but saved about $140 bucks by getting it unfilled.

I don't know how tall you are, but if you get a 48" bag you may not be able to work punch combos followed by a low kick. If you have the room I'd get a taller bag. It's a real pain to be raising and lowering a bag to switch from working low kicks to high kicks IMO.

Not really sure but a wider bag may cause you to slap your toes on a roundkick. Think about what you are practicing to kick; thighs, heads and torsos. If you will be fighting guys with a 16" thick torso then go for it.

[EmptyneSs]

all i did was buy a cheap standard 80 lb everlast bag for 50 bux at a sporting good store. works fine and hangs low enough to kick.

[0100]

I have had cheap bags they fall apart too fast.

I have been training in MT for the last 10 years. The last 5 years have been off and on with the last year being non existant due to lack of time.

I plan on training at home and spar once a week at the gym I use to go to.

Not really sure but a wider bag may cause you to slap your toes on a roundkick.

Yeah joeuser42. That's exactly what I was worried about, that's why I posted this question. I think this 16x48 130 lb ringside bag is more for boxing.

I remember kicking MT pad, two together which felt good all shin with no foot involved.

MT pads are 7" wide so that is 14" total.

I was reallly thinking about going with a long MT bag but kinda wanted the swinging movement you get with a 48" bag.

Oh well if anyone has hit a 16" wide bag please give some feed back.

Thanks.

[HtTKar]

You dont want cheap bags. They fall apart, you mend them with duct-tape. the next thing you know your whole bag is tape. Might as well just make one out of tape if you want that route. I have a 100lb 16" canvas bag and dont have any problems with it. The thinner bags get lumpy real quick. The 16" seems to hold its shape better. Before hanging it lay it on the floor and break it in with a baseball bat to even it out, and destroy the lumps. It sounds kind of macho to try and punch all the lumps out...until you hit one thats as hard as cement full force.

On a side note: you might also want to look into getting an additional 60lb kickboxing bag. The more the better.

[joeuser42]

You'll occasionally slap your toes, but get over it! Ever kick a person? You will occasionally slap or break your toes when you do that too.

Very true, but there's a difference between occasionally slapping your toes and doing it 100 times in a row.

[Hardball]

I use multiple bags for multiple purposes. The bag you are talking about would make an excellent tool for ground work. A lot of people don't know how to use a heavy bag for ground work but you can.

[HtTKar]

So true.
After you spend so much time working on different types of bags, you start inventing excercises that people would never think of. They really are multipurpose. There are so many things you can do other than just punch and kick.