Have you ever started to hit your speed bag, and it was a little soft, and the action was too slow? Did you then proceed to pump it up until it was rock hard, then whaled away at it for 30 seconds until it burst? I have. And yes, I did that. Then I had to wait 3-5 days for my replacement bladder to arrive. Obviously I went from having too little air pressure, to having too high air pressure in my speed bag. So I had to find out: what is the correct air pressure in a speed bag, and how do you measure it?
Your speed bag will have a recommended p.s.i. printed on the bag usually near the insertion point for the pump needle. Usually it’s 4-8 p.s.i. This is a level of firmness where the bag’s action is fast, but it’s soft enough on the hands. To correctly measure it, you will need a ball pressure gauge. These are inexpensive and are designed to measure air pressure in the lower ranges such as in basketballs, soccer balls etc. If you don’t have one you can get a close reading with a decent tire pressure gauge and a pump needle.
If you fail to maintain the correct air pressure, you won’t get the most out of your speed bag workouts. Don’t rob yourself of the improvements in technique and speed that you could make from regular training.
Why Is Air Pressure Important In My Speed Bag?
Hitting an underinflated bag will mean you hit it harder, and slower! You will have to hit the bag harder so that it bounces back correctly so you can hit it again. Your technique will suffer, and you won’t be improving your speed at all.
The additional force of these harder strikes against the bag means that the wear and tear will be accelerated, shortening the life of the bladder and the bag.
Consistency is very important for your training. You need the bag to behave the same way every time you train with it.
If Your Speed Bag Is Underinflated.
An underinflated speed bag will cause problems with your technique as you will need to strike harder to create sufficient bounce. Also the action will be slower, with much faster deceleration.
Not only will your technique, hands and wrists, and speed suffer, this is also hard on the bag and will reduce the life of the bag. This will often lead to a bursting air bladder.
If Your Speed Bag Is Overinflated.
An overinflated bag will be great for working on your speed, but will be harder on your hands and wrists, and will also greatly increase the chance of bursting the air bladder inside the speed bag.
The higher pressure will also reduce the lifespan of the bag and bladder by making it more likely to tear, or come unstitched.
What Type Of Air Pressure Gauge Do I Need?
Ball air pressure gauges are available at any decent sporting goods store or at many online retailers. They are inexpensive and the most accessible at pressures of such low p.s.i..
Any accurate air pressure gauge will work, digital or standard, although you’ll want to get the type that has a circular display and needle, not the cheap kind with the stick that pops out. Here is a good ball air pressure gauge with release valve on Amazon that will work well for your speed bag.
However, after a few weeks or months of training with a speed bag you will develop a good “feel” for your bag and know when it needs a few pumps.
Where Do I Find The Recommended P.S.I. On My Speed Bag?
Most speed bags will have it printed near the needle opening. Otherwise, check the instructions when you buy it, or check the manufacturer’s website.
The internal bladder will also have it printed on the same area. If this is different, go by the p.s.i. printed on the bladder, as this is what actually holds the air.
Use Your Speed Bag At the Correct P.S.I.!
Speed bag training has so many benefits for: speed, agility, accuracy, as well as fat loss and muscle gain. See here. While hitting the speed bag is fun, it is certainly not the easiest way to get your exercise in. So you want to be sure to have the bag inflated to the correct p.s.i. so that you get everything out of it that you possibly can.
So grab your pump and ball pressure gauge, and be prepared to get the most effective speed bag workout you can get!
Related Posts:
Can You Burn Fat With A Speed Bag?
Training with a speed bag depending on your weight will burn anywhere from 400 calories an hour for a 150 lbs individual up to 700 calories an hour for a larger person of about 220 lbs. There’s lots of other ways that you can increase the intensity. Your metabolism will stay revved up for hours after your workout. When you combine it with a sensible diet and smart eating pattern, you can drop fat pretty quickly. In fact, if the trainee is hitting a speed bag for 3 hours a week (that being six 30-minute sessions or three one hour sessions), combined with a daily caloric deficit of about 500 calories, there is no reason that an average person with a starting weight of around 200 lb can’t lose around 3 pounds a week!
Can The Speed Bag Help You Build Muscle?
The truth is, speed bag training can help you reach many fitness goals. Not least of which is building muscle, assuming you’re not already super jacked. Your triceps, deltoids and biceps will get a thorough workout. Burning fat and building speed, rhythm and coordination while doing light cardio are some others. Hitting a speed bag is in many ways largely anaerobic and is very challenging. So when your training is designed to grow progressively harder, you will get stronger and build muscle.
