KPM
02-04-2008, 12:16 PM
Hey Guys!
I was in Iraq for a year and had only a hanging heavy bag to work with for over a year. Now I am home and have been using my pillar bag. By this I mean the free-standing bags where the base is filled with water.
http://www.centurymartialarts.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&categoryid=bf98fb84-4266-4051-8b86-8a05fab1c44a&subcategoryid=65b4a054-a38a-4cc1-b617-4430ad8613ff&itemguid=8595ebfd-c422-4a05-9532-f69b8b9bcbac
I thought I would share some of my observations and see if anyone else has noted something similar.
I've decided I like the pillar bag better than the hanging bags. It seems to have a more natural movement. It moves from the top down, just like a real opponent would move when you hit them. Hanging bags move from the bottom up. I have mine on a smooth concrete floor, so it slides a bit. I've found that this is a good thing, because when applying forward pressure on the bag it actually moves and doesn't just swing. I also find it good for practicing "taking space" from the opponent with something like Lon Sao, again because the pillar bag will actually tilt and pivot rather than swing. Another big benefit, and the reason I got a pillar bag instead of a hanging bag in the first place.....its ideal for training areas where you don't have a solid structure to hang a bag from and you don't have room for one of those big stands for hanging bags. The pillar bag can be rolled into an out-of-the-way corner when not being used and then rolled right out into the middle of your training area when you are ready for it.
I was in Iraq for a year and had only a hanging heavy bag to work with for over a year. Now I am home and have been using my pillar bag. By this I mean the free-standing bags where the base is filled with water.
http://www.centurymartialarts.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&categoryid=bf98fb84-4266-4051-8b86-8a05fab1c44a&subcategoryid=65b4a054-a38a-4cc1-b617-4430ad8613ff&itemguid=8595ebfd-c422-4a05-9532-f69b8b9bcbac
I thought I would share some of my observations and see if anyone else has noted something similar.
I've decided I like the pillar bag better than the hanging bags. It seems to have a more natural movement. It moves from the top down, just like a real opponent would move when you hit them. Hanging bags move from the bottom up. I have mine on a smooth concrete floor, so it slides a bit. I've found that this is a good thing, because when applying forward pressure on the bag it actually moves and doesn't just swing. I also find it good for practicing "taking space" from the opponent with something like Lon Sao, again because the pillar bag will actually tilt and pivot rather than swing. Another big benefit, and the reason I got a pillar bag instead of a hanging bag in the first place.....its ideal for training areas where you don't have a solid structure to hang a bag from and you don't have room for one of those big stands for hanging bags. The pillar bag can be rolled into an out-of-the-way corner when not being used and then rolled right out into the middle of your training area when you are ready for it.