How about improving your punching skills with the right type of punching bag for you? But how to know which type of bag is suitable for improving your skills? Aqua bag vs heavy bag? To get to know that, you have to stick by us to the end of this article.
Every fitness lover must consider punching workout as it helps a lot with body shaping and boosting overall endurance. To achieve all the fitness and boxing goals, getting a durable and functional punching bag can never go wrong. Nevertheless, the selection of punching bags can be tricky for a lot of beginner boxers. That’s why we compiled the mandatory information regarding which type of punching bag you should get. Will a water punching bag suit you or a heavy bag will do the job? Let’s find out.
Aqua Bag Vs Heavy Bag:
Before digging deep into the topic, first, you have to understand the basic difference between these two types of punching bags.
What is an Aqua or Water Heavy Bag?
Teardrop-shaped aqua bags are great for compact spaces as they are portable versions of traditional punching bags. The premium rubber or vinyl material makes them durable and long-lasting to use. As the name suggests, all you need to do is fill the bag with water which makes it teardrop-shaped. After that, you need to hang it in a secure place, the way you want. Furthermore, after beating it up, you can simply remove the water from the bag and place it wherever you want.
Additionally, water punching bags are suitable for you if you don’t want to skip your workout on a trip. You can easily carry your aqua heavy bag around and be in perfect shape.
Benefits of Water Filled Punching Bags:
You might not know all of the amazing benefits an aqua bag can offer. So, the following section will explain all the good points of a water bag for punching.
Great for Bones:
Aqua bag workouts are great for developing bone strength and making joints strong. A beginner can gain a lot from a water punch bag as they provide enough forgiving space.
Besides that, water bag punches feel like you’re beating an actual person which can be great for practicing boxing. It should be noted that the punch might not be soft at all, so be careful with the force.
Space Saver:
You can easily hang a water heavy bag wherever you want. Unlike traditional heavy bags, you don’t need a huge space to hang them. All it takes is a sturdy wall and you are good to go with your boxing practice.
You can mount it on your ceiling or any wall as well. You don’t have to hang it when you’re not boxing. When you’re done boxing, aqua bags can be tucked in and tucked out accordingly by removing water.
Durable:
Nobody can question the durability and sturdiness of a water filled punching bag. Undoubtedly, aqua bags are made of thick vinyl or best quality rubber matter with injection-molded ends which make them build to last long. You surely should forget about the bag getting ripped because of hard punches. You won’t experience this with this type of bag.
It can even be hung outdoors while having fresh air. The UV-resistant feature of water punching bags makes them extra durable and suitable for outdoor workouts.
Different Designs:
Do you know that aqua bags come in different sizes, shapes, and designs? Yes, it’s not always the teardrop shape that you normally see. You can enjoy other attractive designs of aqua heavy bags as well. Such as you can get a pill-shaped aqua bag which is a great mixture of the reflex bag and a double end bag. Besides that, have you seen that boxing water bag that looks like a human body? You must have. That, my friend, is great for building strike accuracy and boosting boxing skills.
Travel Friendly:
Another heart-winning benefit the aqua bag offers is that it’s easy to move wherever you go on a trip and you don’t want to skip your workout regime. A functional aqua can come in handy when you are out of your house.
As we mentioned earlier, these types of punching bags are portable and compact versions of usual heavy bags. They are designed to be travel-friendly and easy to carry.
Best for Uppercuts and High Knee Kick:
If you have a knack for throwing uppercuts, hooks, and high knee kicks, the water filled punching bag would be your best friend. Not only that but you can also throw strong jabs and blunt punches too but you have to be a little creative with how you fill the bag with water.
Specific Sound:
Did we mention that aqua bags do make a certain sound? No? Here you go. When you throw a strong punch at the bag, it’ll make a certain sound which you certainly are going to love. The unique sound feels good to hear during a boxing session.
Pitfalls of Water Filled Punching Bag:
Aqua punching bags offer benefits as well come with some pitfalls. Let’s get into them.
Risks of Leak:
Well! It’s quite difficult to make a leak into the aqua bag because they are constructed to last for a longer time. But if you did end up tearing it up because of some reason such as traveling or a very solid punch. There won’t be any way to fix it again as it only has one layer of vinyl material.
Not Weather-Friendly:
The water punch bag is not suitable for the winter season. Why? Because the water inside the bag will become ice as long as the temperature drops to zero at night. You might hurt your hand by hitting the ice.
So, an aqua bag is not a good idea in winter, especially when it’s freezing at night. You better not work out with the bag full of ice, you certainly will break one or two bones of your hands.
Not Good for Body Workout:
As we mentioned earlier that water heavy bag is great for an uppercut and hook work out, but not great for a complete body workout and body shots. Besides, you need a bigger boxing space to work with your body which an aqua bag can’t give you.
Need Refilling:
There’s no doubt that the water punch bag is an amazing choice for daily boxing practice. But if you are the type of person who doesn’t want to refill efforts often, then you might not like this bag. Besides, you need to understand that if you keep the water for a long time, it’ll evaporate by the passage of time and you need to refill it again.
Need a Stand to Hang:
Even though the aqua heavy bags are easy to install, still you do need to have a sturdy wall or ceiling to hang it securely. Also, some heavy aqua bags can be tricky and challenging to install. For such an aqua heavy boxing bag, you need to have a strong stand or ceiling so that it doesn’t fall off and hurt you.
What is a Heavy Boxing Bag?
Traditional heavy bags are widely used among boxers, especially in gyms or boxing training centers. There are a lot of different types of heavy bags available in the market. Such as sand-filled punching bags, foam-filled punching bags, and free standing heavy bags. You can choose between all of them but keep in mind that each type has a unique set of benefits as well as pitfalls.
Hanging heavy bags are the first preference of all professional boxers. However, aqua punching bags are more like a new training bag that is suitable for beginners.
Benefits of Heavy Punching Bag:
The following section has some windfalls of a sand punching bag. Let’s jump into it.
Ideal for Balanced Footwork:
The sand heavy bag is great for the development of balanced footwork. How? The stability of the bag will allow you to focus on your body movement. This will help you to gain balanced and focused footwork during real fights.
Long-Lasting and Durable:
You have to trust us on this point, no matter what. Sand heavy bags will certainly be worth every single penny to you as they are built to last literally for years. You must have seen that Century heavy punching bag in a lot of gyms. Yes, that one. Those heavy bags are literally decades old and still serving boxers.
If we compare it with an aqua bag, this type of boxing bag won’t let you spend more money on another heavy bag. So, this will be a lifetime investment.
Stability:
The hanging heavy bags don’t move as much as aqua or lighter heavy bags which mean it offers more stability and resilience to the boxer. A lot of lightweight punching bags move a lot the moment you throw a punch which can get disruptive and annoying as well. But the sand heavy bag won’t give you a chance to get distracted during workout sessions.
Best for Professional Training:
If you ask a professional about his choice of bag, he will definitely choose a heavy boxing bag. Why is that so? Because sand-heavy bags provide more endurance and agility to a boxer. Additionally, you can surely boost your boxing strategies and moves with a functional heavy bag. This is the reason why a lot of professional trainers and experts prefer them.
Great for Whole Body Workout:
Another benefit that this type of bag offers is the ultimate body workout. You can’t do a whole body workout with a boxing water bag. Besides, it can be great to keep you in shape.
Pitfalls of Sand Filled Heavy Punching bag:
Let’s check out some pitfalls of sand-filled heavy bags.
Difficult to Move:
Before going for a sand punching bag, you must keep in mind that sandbags will be tough to move. If you don’t have a proper place to hang it, we suggest you not consider it because you can’t move it easily.
Still, if you want to have a heavy bag, you must have a proper setup where you would hang it without facing this problem.
Difficult to Refill:
Unlike the water punch bag, you won’t have to go through with the refilling process again and again. But you have to refill it before installing and that would be a heck of trouble for you that you might not like.
Which should I get? Aqua bag Vs Heavy Bag?
Not a very simple question. It’s you who will decide whether to choose a heavy bag or a portable aqua bag. We have mentioned all the required information regarding both types of punching bags. All you need to do is understand your requirements and priorities, this will lead to deciding the right type for you.
You should go for a water filled boxing bag if you’re a beginner and don’t have a proper place to hang it. On the other hand, if you have a small gym at home and want to do a whole-body workout, you should go for a hanging heavy bag.
Our Recommended Aqua and Heavy Punching Bag:
If you’re clueless about which product should you get. Here is your solution.
Dripex Free Standing Punching Bag:
Our Review:
The Dripex heavy punching bag is going to be your all-in-one workout equipment. The 70 inches tall heavy bag works best for boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts. Additionally, this easy-to-install heavy bag has premium quality leather that doesn’t damage the tissues of delicate hands. The bag has four inner layers of high-density and high elastic leather. Furthermore, terylene cotton lining at the top enhances the plumpness of the bag so that your hand keeps protected.
This heavy boxing bag features a shock-absorbing effect to reduce the damage to the human body. In addition to that, there are more incredible features such as 12 suction cups at the base of the bag to make the bag as stable as possible. You need to fill the base with water or sand, which might be annoying for some people. But you have to do it anyway because being a boxer demands a lot of effort and dedication.
Aqua Heavy Bag for Boxing:
Our Review:
One of the most durable and sturdy aqua water heavy bag so far. You should not miss the opportunity of getting this impressive bag at a very reasonable price. You don’t have to be an expert to use this aqua heavy bag because a beginner can also build good techniques.
Different eye-catching colors with cool patterns make it more ravishing. The design of the bag is a teardrop with a unique different pattern on it. You can easily place it in your room or your home gym as it is also space-saving.
Exterior thick-walled vinyl never leaks the water, no matter how hard your punch is. The bag can be suspended from the ceiling mount easily so you can do your exercise effortlessly.
The bag’s quality and durability won’t disappoint you in any way. Perfect design, enchanting colors with amazing patterns, intense fitness workouts, and UV-resistant bag.
What is the Best Filling Material? Water or Sand?
This question always comes to mind when you go to buy a practical punching bag for your boxing sessions. This question is a valid one to ask. It’s better to learn the difference between sand and water filling to get the best boxing practice. You have to understand which one works best for your needs. This section will tell you that.
Water filling can be great if you are working on your uppercuts and hard jabs. Also, if you can’t go through with the trouble of filling the sand inside the bag. But keep in mind that a very hard punch can tear it up and there will be a lot of mess in your room.
Besides, if you want a whole body workout and don’t mind filling sand inside the bag. Sand-filled bags also offer a lot of benefits regarding your boxing skills. Such as body balance, body stability, body resilience, and whatnot.
So in a nutshell, sand filling stands out when it comes to the best filling material for enhancing boxing techniques. So, go for a sandboxing bag if you want to be a professional and competent boxer.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. Can I fill a traditional heavy punching bag with water?
No, you simply can’t. Traditional heavy bags are designed the way that they can’t hold water inside. The only filling material that suits these leather-made bags is sand or old cloth. If you do any experiment, you certainly end up making a lot of mess and trouble for yourself.
Q2. Is a 70lbs punching bag enough for a beginner?
Yes, definitely. a 70 lbs heavy bag sounds good for a beginner. Most experts recommend having a punching bag half of your weight as a boxer.
Q3. What is the best filling material? Water or sand?
To be very honest, sand is one of the best filling materials for a heavy bag. Because sand for punching bag provides more stability and resilience as compared to water filling. There will be a lot fewer chances of mess and damage as well.
