The uppercut bag is one of the most important tools in any boxing or mixed martial arts (MMA) gym. It can literally mean the difference between winning or losing an MMA fight if you deliver proper low punches. Most fighters will agree that uppercut power is the key to success in this aspect of fighting.
Are Uppercut Bags Good?
A quality uppercut bag is one of the best tools for improving strength, power, timing, coordination, hand-eye coordination and protection for the head, face and neck of a boxer. Uppercut bags can have different shapes and designs depending on the boxer’s training goals and the way of bag suspension. There are hanged and wall-mount uppercut bags.
For those who have never had the opportunity to use an uppercut bag in a boxing or Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training before, it’s important to note that these bags come in many different shapes and sizes. There are even some that are built specifically to train one’s upper body in preparation for a heavy bag. A heavy uppercut bag is often used for cardio workouts at a Muay Thai gym. In this type of training, the bag is primarily used as a conditioning tool to improve hand-eye coordination and strengthen the muscles used when punching. When working out in the ring, many fighters will use a heavy uppercut bag just like a heavy bag to improve their strength, timing and power.
One of the most popular training exercises with these bags is known as low punch drills, where you perform the drill standing still, then quickly move to another standing position, then perform two rounds of back and forth uppercut strikes. Most fighters will spend a good amount of time practicing this drill before entering the ring with the rest of their class.
How To Hit an Uppercut Bag?
Perfect Your Uppercut with The Perfect Uppercut Bag
Standard Hanging Model
A hanging uppercut bag is designed to allow the boxer to practice uppercut punching, as well as jabs and low punching technique. Uppercut punching bags are manufactured in several different designs, all allowing the puncher to attack the bag from below, unlike a more traditional heavy bag. The structure is more horizontal than vertical.
Wall Mount Uppercut Model
A popular alternative to the standard hanging model, which looks like a regular heavy bag hanging on its side, is the wall mount uppercut bag. This design attaches directly to the wall and allows the boxer to attack from multiple angles.
Everlast offers another unique design, the Teddy Atlas Uppercut bag. This bag has a vertical design with a top that’s wider than the bottom, allowing the trainee to throw not only uppercut punches, but a full array of other punches as well.