A 20-Minute Punching Bag Workout to Add to Your Routine

1. A 20-Minute Punching Bag Workout to Add to Your Routine

3. Throwing a few quick jabs at a punching bag may not seem too hard, but if you've never used a heavy bag during a boxing workout, you're in for a challenge. Most heavy punching bags weigh between 50 and 150 pounds. So every time you lay into the bag, your fist, foot, or knee is met with significant resistance.

4. The initial (and somewhat unexpected) impact can be a bit jarring, and it won't take long to realize you can't get away with throwing soft punches. You have to engage your entire body, including your core, shoulders, and hips, to effectively control your movements as you hit the bag.

5. Of course, any exercise that requires this type of total-body engagement can help you torch calories and strengthen your major muscle groups. Even more than that, though, boxing against a heavy bag (or an actual person) is one of the only cardiovascular exercises that provides upper body, bone-building repetitive impact. One 2008 study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, found that female boxers were more likely to have higher bone mineral density than other women of similar age and anthropometric measurements.

6. With more boxing-style workouts and boutique fitness centers popping up to provide accessible classes to the general public, punching bags are becoming a hot fitness trend. If you're tempted to buy a bag for home-based workouts, or if your gym has a bag or two you can use on your own, consider giving this workout a try.

7. To complete the workout, perform each exercise according to the suggested time intervals. After finishing all of the exercises, rest for a minute, then repeat the series a second time for a total of 20 minutes. Twenty minutes may not seem like much, but don't underestimate this challenge—you're practically guaranteed to break a sweat.

8. Warm Up

9. Before diving into a high-intensity workout like boxing, it's important to spend at least 5 to 10 minutes getting warm. An active and effective warm-up should take you through exercises that mimic the movements you'll perform during your main workout. Perform each of the following moves for 30 seconds, completing the series three to four times:

10. Jog in place • Jumping jacks • Air squats • Shadowboxing: Perform light punches into the air, alternating arms as you bounce lightly from foot-to-foot like a boxer • High plank to downward dog

11. Jab, Cross, Squat

12. Time:45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest Stand to face the punching bag in a boxing stance. Your feet should be shoulder-distance apart and staggered with one foot in front of the other. If you look down at your feet, the toes of your front foot should be aligned with the heel of your back foot, and the toes of both feet should be pointing at a 45-degree angle to the punching bag.

13. Raise your hands, positioning them like you're prepared to punch, remembering that one of them should always be protecting your face. Throw two punches in quick succession—first jabbing with your left arm, then crossing with your right—before performing a squat. Immediately return to standing and continue the jab-cross-squat sequence for the full 45 seconds. When the 45 seconds is up, rest for 15 seconds before proceeding immediately to the next exercise.

14. Cross Punches (Dominant Side) • Time:45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest According to Chambers, cross punches are designed to target the shoulders and arms. If you think 45 seconds is easy, he says you should make sure you're really throwing your full force into each cross punch, keeping your abs tight and face protected with your non-working hand.