Expert: Alan Kahn - 5/23/2006

Question
Hi Alan,

My 100lbs leather heavey bag you recomended a few months ago has worked out very well or better than well, I find my skill level is getting much better that I couldn't of had with the lighter bag. I have a Title 100lbs leather bag and it seems to be getting harder and harder towards the bottom half of it since it's been hanging the last several months. You have to be careful if you really let that bag have it with an uppercut or two. Do you recomend anything like beating the lowerhalf with a baseball bat to work the material inside the bag back up towards the top to get the firmness distributed more evenly or something else? my hands are always wrapped but I may be ignorant using my 6oz gloves on a 100lbs bag, they fit and feel so good with a good wrap underneath but maybe I'm asking for trouble not going with heavier gloves on that size of bag.

Thanks again for reading my question,   

David  

Answer
HI David.

Glad to hear the 100lb bag is working out well for you.

The age old problem of: "the bottom of the heavybag"    (..the inside material settling to the bottom) has had many attempts at solutions. I do not know of any that have worked, except to get a bag that by design will not allow that. These are expensive.

Beating it with a bag will not have any permanent affect on the problem, and could bust the bag.

If the only problem is "hardness" in the surface, you might consider using a heavybag gel cover like this: http://www.ringside.com/detail.aspx?ID=25682 or http://store.titleboxing.com/title-heavybag-gel-wrap.html

for it will provide a softer contact surface that will be easier on the hands.

I personally like 10-12oz training gloves, but if your hands feel fine with what you have than I see no reason to change.

Hope this helps you.  Good luck and train safely.

sincerely,

Alan Kahn
author,The Speed Bag Bible