Expert: Alan Kahn - 2/28/2008

Question
Alan,
Hi my name is Eli and I am looking for help on my training routine. I have been a weight lifter for about 6 years and would like to add working the heavy bag to my training routine, my big concern is over training, my curent weight training schedule is, monday-chest, tuesday-back, wednesday-legs, thursday-shoulders/traps, friday-arms. I run monday thru friday in the mornings, do you think I could fit a couple of days of the bag in my week or will I be close to over training? if you have any ideas please help, Eli.

Answer
Hello Eli,

Sounds like you have a pretty solid routine. I think Adding a heavybag routine would be alright but how and when might depend on what your purpose of heavybag training would be, and the length of time you want to do it.

I am assuming you're serious into weights (split routines, major groups focused day, push-pull groups split on different days) so this is the major focus of you efforts. The heavy bag would be an auxillary activity, not a major part. SO, you do NOT want the HB to detract from your lifting efforts.  

If you plan on just hitting it lightly for a warm up, kinda finishing off, half to 3/4 power punching routine it might not make a difference when you do it. But if you're planning all out full bore power punching workouts, with wrapped hands and gloves to power punch to exhaustion, that's a different story. You would NOT want to do that just before your heavy "push" days workout, which for you is monday (chest) and Thursdays (shoulders). I think You would want to do that kind of punching AFTER your chest and shoulder day workout. The Chest-Shoulder weight work will make you punch weaker afterward, but the main focus of your training efforts is not to increase power punching or striking force for boxing or martial arts. It is to augment your lifting, add variety and kinda finish off those muscle groups with some punching.

You could also do that on Tuesday, AFter Back work, for the shoulder strain and pushing efforts of punching won't really detract from your Leg workout on Wednesday. You do not want to do heavy punching wednesday, for that is your main rest day before thursdays shoulder. If you punch heavy no wednesday, your shoulder weight lifting amounts might drop.   

Do you want to add it in the mornings after your run, but before you weights? then I would do so on Tuesday and friday (not chest and shoulder day). The mainly "push" exertion of punching won't detract from you PULL day of back or legs or arms, But would pre-exhaust your PUSH muscles of chest and shoulders. You also might consider using a "light" heavybag workout to warm up for chest and shoulder day, but don't punch too hard or too long (2 min) or you could pre-exhaust your triceps, which you already know is the main sticking-failure muscle in heavy pushing exercises like presses.

Again, thinking about your splits, IF you're pushing heavy weights and that is your main focus, either for strength or serious body building, I would do a few heavybag workouts after your chest and shoulder days, to finish the groups and get a light aerobic pump also.

here are some heavybag workout tips:

Intensify your heavybag
http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym24.htm  great article. Ross is a genious and super trainer.

Heavy bag: the ultimate destresser. (good techniques article)
http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym18.htm

more training articles on Rossboxing.

http://www.rossboxing.com/

Don't forget to protect your hands! you can "spring a thumb" really easy when punching a heavybag. Get High quality bag gloves if you can.

Ringside Boxing Gloves
http://www.ringside.com/boxinggloves.aspx?CategoryID=2368

Title Boxing Bag Gloves
http://store.titleboxing.com/gloves-bag-gloves.html

you might find this interesting on "thumbless gloves"
http://www.thesportsdoctor.com/hiddenthumb.html

Good luck Eli, and I hope this helps you. Good luck in your training efforts.

sincerely

Alan Kahn
author, The speed bag bible