Expert: Alan Kahn - 1/11/2009

Question
Hi Alan,
What should I look for in a heavy bag for kids? Length, diameter, weight, material,? Is there anything else to think of? Gloves? Is there an age or weight category for a certain bag? I am buying for an eleven year old boy at the moment but what about younger as well? Can you provide a few pointers for training kids please? And, when striking, is there a basic distance from the bag, arm/elbow extension point, technique, to have them practice?
Thanks, Ian

Answer
Hello Ian,  

Boy what fun, to get a heavybag and workout with Dad.....

The most important thing about all your questions is safety.  You want this to be fun for them and safe.  For the bag, get about a 60-70lb bag with a soft inner core, like a title classic water heavybag
http://store.titleboxing.com/youth-punching-bags.html

or similiar that is forgiving on the hands.  Certain get high quality gloves like the "title youth boxing gloves" http://store.titleboxing.com/kid-youth-glove.html

and hand wraps are also suggested. http://store.titleboxing.com/handwraps-guards.html

They are also fun to let the kids "wrap up" and feel like boxers.

For safety punching (workout), Be sure they keep the proper fist and don't "spring their thumb", or turn their wrist on contact. Those are classic beginner errors that cause very annoying injuries.  Be sure they keep the thumbs tight.  And be sure they contact the bag near the end of their arm extension. Their are lots of "heavybag" videos on youtube to help see how to train on one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q6nQr31lzk&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ei1kVTw23A&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ctnCAhPZuI&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpElrgUSNx4&feature=channel

Be sure and monitor them if you can to be sure they don't start swinging kind of wild or overdoing it.  IF they want to use it for kicking, be sure they have proper training for that.  

Hope this helps. Good Luck and have fun with them.  

Alan Kahn
author, The Speed Bag Bible