Expert: Alan Kahn - 1/16/2007

Question
I have been away from the gym for about a year, but I am starting to get back in the swing of things.  I have a heavy bag, but I'm not sure of the proper routine I should use.  I have a really powerful jab, and a nasty combination.  Should I work on certain punches or what?  And another thing...how do I harden up my face?  I cut pretty easily, so is there a way to prevent this?

Answer
HI Adam,

First thing to do is realize you have been away from the Gym for about a year. Even though you have a powerful jab and "nasty combination" (could be several different things under that heading...) you need to realize your hands are going to take some conditioning to get back to punching again.  Be sure and use hand wraps and high quality boxing/training gloves. Start out easy, at Half Power, just working your punches. All of them. Jab, straight punch, hook, uppercut, and angle punches. Avoid really hard punching for a couple of workouts. Work your hands tolerance to contact up easy.  There is no hurry and an injury could really set back your training and enthusiasm.

If you have to work on "certain" punches, then focus on the ones you are not very good at. Build your skills on those. Add them to your power jab and combo's.  Work on doing several combo' off the jab. From the jab, Jab-Jab. Then do a jab-straight punch. then do Jab-Hook. Then add in a third punch. Jab-Jab-Straight. then Jab-Jab Hook. Keep doing this so you can easily mix 2,3,4 punch combinations. Then practice them moving clockwise around the bag, (normal for a right hander) and counterclockwise (more difficult for a right hander, but normal for a left handed south paw.)

Here are a few links to other heavy bag training information

http://www.ironglovesboxing.com/html/heavy_bag_training.html

http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym18.htm

http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym24.htm

http://coco.essortment.com/heavybagworkou_pgp.htm

As for toughening up your face, - In my opinion - Forget about it. I haven't heard of any reliable information on how to do that. focus on your boxing skills and slipping those incoming punches.

Good luck in your training and thanks of asking your question on allexperts.com

sincerely

Alan Kahn
author, The Speed Bag Bible