Many of us want to stay fit, stay tuned and eventually become stronger. Some hit the gym, some try to achieve that from home. Either way, the path requires lots of dedication, patience, and consistency. A punching bag can make the journey fun instead of stressful. Traditional punching bags hang from a ceiling or bar, attached to a chain. While that looks cinematic, arranging the setup might be difficult. Fred standing punching bag is a great alternative that doesn’t depend on any other attachments.
Free standing punching bags help to improve total body strength, cardiovascular fitness, and stamina. However, they come in different variations. The best Free Standing punching bag depends on your desired setup, purpose and preferable price range. They can be the first addition to your home gym because you can perform a full workout with a free standing heavy bag alone.
Image | Brand | Base Weight (Pounds) | Filler Materials | Adjustable Weight | Suitable Users | Intended Use | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Everlast 2228 PowerCore | 250 | Sand, Water | Yes, 52”- 65” | Grown up Children, Shorter Adults | Aerobic training, exercise, semi-pro boxing training. | ||
Century Original Wavemaster | 250 | Sand, Water | Yes, 47”- 68” | Shorter Adults | Aerobic training, exercise, semi-pro boxing training. | ||
Century Wavemaster XXL | 270 | Sand, Water | Fixed Height, 69” | Adults | Semi-professional training, full body exercise. | ||
Velocity Boxing Children's Pro | 50 | Sand, Water | Yes, 47”- 57” | Children | Fun exercise, children workout. | ||
Century BOB | 270 | Sand, Water | Yes, 60”- 78” | Adults, Professionals. | Professional Training, Aerobic workout. | ||
Eforoutdoor Fitness | N/A | Sand, Water | Fixed Height, 59”/ 63” | Children, Adults | Fun exercise, De-stressing. | ||
Ringside Elite | 270 | Sand, Water | Fixed Height, 76” | Adults | Professional Training, Aerobic workout. |
Best Free Standing Punching Bag Reviews
1. Everlast Free Standing Punching Bag Review | Everlast 2228 PowerCore
If you are looking for a bag that you can land your punches as hard as possible, then Everlast 2228 PowerCore is your option. The base is stable and compact which allow you to circle 360 degrees and practice you punches while moving. Improved design and structure and easy to assemble, the Everlast punching bag is a great addition to your home gym.
Features
- The tri disc foam structure Everlast comes with permit the most energy dispersion. The PowerTransferRingCollar technology gives this punching bag better punch absorption, recoil, and impact.
- The cover of the punching surface is made from a combination of synthetic leather and vinyl. This is the reason behind the stability of this bag. The inside materials comprise of foam.
- The neck of the Everlast punching bag is made from thick plastic. The base can be filled with either water or sand. The height of the bag can be adjusted between 52 to 65 inches, which makes it usable for multiple users.
- The bag stands at 250 pounds when assembled and filled. The powercore steel plate technology increases the overall durability and strength. The plastic neck provides maximum resilience and flexibility.
Pros
- The adjustable height, which can be used by several people. The best freestanding heavy bag.
- The cover is forgiving and durable, suitable for practicing punches.
- Compact base allows circular movements and maximum access while practicing.
Cons
- The plastic neck sometimes tends to crack if used extreme force. Thus, we don’t recommend it for boxers or someone who is looking for developing strength. It’s a good model for home use and aerobic fitness users.
2. Century Wavemaster Review | Century Original Webmaster
Comes with a history, the Century Wavemaster is the first free standing punching bag Century released, that too a decade ago. This is the forefather of the later Century versions, which came with gradual developments. And yet, there a very few that can beat the Original Wavemaster in terms of resistance and durability.
Features
- The bag comes with a dimension of 47.1 x 24.8 x 24.8 inches and a weight of 22 pounds. Suitable for any type of boxers, the punching bag provides rapid rebound. The round base helps with easy rolling and movement.
- You can adjust the height from 47 inches to 67 inches in 7 steps with 3 inches augmentation. This is what made it popular with gym goers. The base can be filled with sand or water, and the weight stands at 250 pounds when the base is filled.
- The outer surface of the standing bag is made of vinyl, which is durable and long lasting. The inner materials are dense, force dispersing foam. The bag is somehow less forgiving than other punching bags, which means it throws quite a challenge, and you might be hurt if you kick it improperly.
Pros
- Comes with 3 color variations, so if you are not planning to stick with traditional black, take your time to check other variants.
- The height adjustment system makes it easy to use for several people. The circle base also aids in moving the bag to a corner once used.
- The bag offers optimal confrontation that increases fitness. It also has plenty of resistance and rebound.
Cons
- Although adjustable, yet not really suitable for tall people over 6 feet. The more height you go with the adjustment, the more this bag starts to wobble upon punching, even topples. We recommend it for shorter adults (regular adjustments) or children (minimum height).
3. Century Wavemaster XXL Training Bag
This can be a popular addition to your home or gym. And the users seem to be more content with the service of this punching bag than its counterparts. The long structure it comes with allows you to practice punching, kicking elbow and knee strikes. The base is shorter which eliminates the problem most bags have, circling ability around them.
Features
- The length of this bag is 69 inches, while the diameter of the bag and base is respectively 18 inches and 28 inches. This allows a larger surface to work with. The height, however, is not adjustable like the Original.
- The base can be filled with either water or sand. And the final weight becomes 270 pounds. This is a weight most people will be happy with. The vinyl outer shell is quite thick and durable, which goes a long time without being torn.
- The inside of the bag is filled with dense foam, which is there to distribute the force evenly. The surface is more forgiving to the user compared to the Original. Yet, using gloves are always recommended. The base is quite heavy, makes it one of the best stand alone punching bags.
- The Wavemaster XXL is a great punching bag for practicing boxing, cardio exercises, and full body workout. The primary purpose of a self standing punching bag is to develop strength and cardio, thus we recommend it for home use and emerging boxers.
Pros
- The base diameter is short, which gives a boxer adequate space to move around and practice moves.
- This is the best punching bag stand for home, as it doesn’t take extra space and provides quite a challenge for home users.
- Comes with three different colors, which gives you the opportunity to spice the environment of the gym or home a bit.
Cons
- Although better than most of its competitors. We still don’t recommend it for hardcore MMA or boxing professionals, who might need more versatile punching bags.
4. Youth Punching Bag | Velocity Boxing Children's Pro Freestanding Reflex Punching Bag
Children tend to be busy with their long-lasting energy and enthusiasm. In absence of works that develop their brain and body, they’ll make themselves busy with stuff like video games and TV. What can be better than something that keeps them busy, makes them hungry and develop their bones and body? The Velocity comes up with the best free standing punching bag for kids, with color and suitable features.
Features
- This freestanding reflex punching bag is great for children to move around and exercise while having fun. Use of reflex bag also increases the hand-eye combination.
- The free standing bag comes as a full package. The package includes a 10” boxing gloves pair, necessary assembly accessories, needle to hand pump the bag. The gloves should fit children above 5 years.
- The bag comes with a base that can be filled with water or sand. The weight reaches 50 pounds with a filled base. The notable feature is the presence of a stand, which can be adjusted from 47 inches to 57 inches.
- The product comes unassembled. However, the assembly is fun and you can engage the children right from the start by assembling the stand. The base is only 16.5 inches in diameter, which allows free movement for children. It can be moved easily, use it on the lawn or at home, whatever the kids demand.
Pros
- Extremely easy to assemble and install. The purchase comes as a whole package so no worrying about additional toolsets.
- This standing punching bag cheap comes with a reasonable price tag, a great gift to give to your children.
- Good, solid base with less space required, can be set up anywhere. Allows freedom to move around it.
- The adjustable height is the ultimate thing you need for a gear your children use. As your kid grow taller, you can keep adjusting the height.
Cons
- When filled out with water, the base provides less stability. Works great with sand fillers though.
5. Century BOB XL Review | Best Free Standing Heavy Bag
Finally, a worthy opponent for professional and hardcore trainers. If you have been disappointed by the challenges of other free standing bags, this one might give you a good practice. More importantly, this is a Body Opponent Bag, which means you will get the feeling as real as it gets in the ring. Put gloves on your hand, think of your opponent and aim your punches to jaw or ribcage like you would do in a real fight.
Features
- The BOB XL comes with a shape of the torso, which resembles a real person. This eliminates the guesswork from training and you can aim the areas just like you would do against a challenger. You can also work on your distance, to see how far you have to stay to safely land a knockout punch.
- The base is large and can accommodate 270 pounds. The round shaped base can be rolled, which helps to move the body opponent bag from one place to another. The low profile base allows 360-degree movement.
- This best stand up punching bag comes with adjustable height. You can adjust the height from 60 inches to 78 inches in seven adjustments. This makes it perfect for martial arts gym where many people train together.
- The outer surface of the shape is made of high-strength plastisol, which will give you the real feel. The inner part is filled with urethane, which makes the surface forgiving to fists. You can practice as fast and as hard as you can, without worries.
Pros
- The users have been praising the bag as it brings the real feel, and you don’t have to compromise the quality either.
- The Body opponent shape lets you elevate from rookie status and practice as a contender should do.
- Adjustable height makes it suitable to use for several people. Also, you can practice with different heights, since the contenders in real life don’t come with the same height.
Cons
- We have found only one small shortcoming, which is nothing compared to the advantages. The funnel attached to the base is narrow, so it might take some time to fill the base.
6. Eforoutdoor Fitness Punching Bag | Best Boxing Bag Stand
This one is a children’s special but nicely go with adults too. Eforoutdoor Fitness Punching Bag is not only loved by kids, grownups also love spending some quality time with it. This punching bag comes with an interesting near circular shaped base, which allows the bag to move back and forth. This makes the practicing even more fun. It responds quickly by bouncing back without toppling over.
Features
- Made from a double layer of duratec material that is 25 mm thick, this bag is made to sustain hard beatings. The strong vinyl cover can withstand the energetic punches and kicks you throw to it. It will bounce back for more.
- The base can be filled with either sand or water, depending on the person practicing with it. If your kid is fairly younger, water base will be appropriate. For larger kids, the sand base will be a worthy challenge.
- This multipurpose de-stress punching bag can be used by both children and adults. Children can have a quality play time which will help grow their body and stamina. For adults, it can be a great de-stressing tool.
- This moving punching bag helps improve the coordination, reflex mechanism and stamina of the body. Since it moves and comes with a circular base, it is a nice tool for practicing kickboxing.
Pros
- Vent your stress by throwing the hardest punches to it, it won’t complain that's for sure.
- Comes with two suitable height, 59 inches, and 63 inches. Suitable for children above 6 years and adults.
- A circular base for better access. Punch and kick it by circling 360 degrees.
Cons
- This punching bag is for kids and adults who want some aerobic exercise. Not for strength improvement training or professionals.
7. Ringside Elite FreeStanding Bag Review | Best Standing Heavy Bag
Ringside is one of the most popular brands for punching bags. Their Elite Free Standing Bag does justice to its name in an astounding manner. Most of the punching bag faces the problem of an unstable base, while Ringside Elite removes the problem by loading the body of the bag on a spring. This allows the body to take most of the hit while keeping the base firm on the floor.
Features
- The Elite punching bag is 6’4” tall. Which makes it a perfect practice bag even for taller persons. This bag isn’t for child’s play. It comes with a removable foam collar that is attached just above the base. If you want firmer experience, just remove the collar which will add more rebound to the bag.
- The base is made of plastic. The thick plastic makes it durable, while the circular, low profile shape allows the fighters to move around it. The base has a weight capacity of 270 pounds, which should provide ample challenge even to the hardest punchers.
- The cover of the body is made of synthetic leather shell, which is better than vinyl, even more durable. Unlike most of the free standing bags, this one can take a beating without toppling over.
Pros
- The punching bag is one of the tallest on the market, suitable for people with longer heights.
- Shell made of synthetic cover that stands out against the trials of time. A removable foam caller to increase challenge level.
- Easy to slide or roll due to the circular shape. Don’t take up much space. Perfect for practicing with both legs and fists.
Cons
- Filling the base with sand might be a time-consuming job. But think of it as a part of the workout.
Why Choose A Free Standing Heavy Bag?
- No Setup, No Mounting
That’s the main reason people choose free standing punching bag. A hang a heavy bag from the wall, you need equipment like bolts, bracket and bracing. Also, you need to set a heavy metal support so that the bolt doesn’t come out of the ceiling. A free standing heavy bag doesn’t need any of them. You can set it up anywhere, just fill the base of the bag with ballast materials like sand and water.
- Portability
A mounted punching bag is obviously unmovable. This is not the case for a Free Standing bag. You can move it anywhere, any room or roll it outside of the home to get an outdoor workout. You can keep it to the corner, behind the door when you are done. You can also carry it through stairs. However, filler material like sand is difficult to drain completely, while water drains more easily.
Hanging Vs Free Standing Punching Bag
If you are a beginner of full body workout or any type of boxing training, you might think apart from their hanging method, a heavy bag, and a Free Standing punching bag is all the same. That’s not necessarily true. They have several differences, including the workout method and fighting style you can adapt with them.
1. Punching Power
When you hit with power, both types of punching bags move. However, hanging heavy bags allow you to punch in full speed and measure the impact of the punch, as it moves back and forth. On the other hand, standing bags are designed to stay in place. If you are a strong puncher, you may find the bag near to topple, depending on how strong the base is.
While a swinging bag might seem a problem for a beginner, it’s closer to a real fight scenario. In combats, your opponent won’t stand still and take the beating like a Free Standing bag. When the bag comes back swinging, think of this as the opponents charging and practice defense mechanism.
2. Movable Angles
When you practice boxing moves, the hanging punching bag moves, leaving you the opportunity to move with it around and practice. On the other hands, free standing bags don’t much as much, leaving less motivation for circling around.
3. Space
When it comes to space and mounting, Free Standing heavy bag is the clear winner. You do not have to worry about mounting or attaching to the ceiling. In fact, you can set it up in as low space as your kitchen. Those who live in a rented place, or want the freedom to move the bag around, should go with the free standing bag. If you are looking for overall body workout, practicing a few boxing moves, and strength increasing from home, Free Standing punching bag is more than enough.
4. Fighting Styles
Usually, the inside of the Free Standing punching bags is full of dense foam. Which means the surface is more forgiving towards hands and knuckles. They offer a better option for low kicks, especially the ones needed for Muay Thai. If you are looking for cardio or kickboxing practice, getting the best punching bag stand can be a great option.
A hanging punching bag help improves the power of the punch, kick and overall body power. You can hit the bag with full strength and practice counterpunching, outside, inside punching. You can also practice defense mechanism as the bag moves.
Best Free Standing Heavy Bag Buying Guide
Size And Weight
Adjustable height is one of the functions that increase convenience. If you are the only person using the Free Standing punching bag, a fixed height won’t do any problem. But if the bag is going to be used by several members, such as family members or gym buddies, a more flexible punching bag is the better option.
As for weight, the weight of your punching bag regulates how much resistance it will show against those strong punches of yours. Some bags can withstand really hard punches, while others won’t tolerate more than light punches. If the weight of the bag and the base is too low, it will topple by every punch or kick. Buy one that stays stable with the help of base material.
Material
A punching bag can be made of different materials. For example, the cover can be made of leather, synthetic leather, vinyl or canvas. Leather covers are the priciest but gifted with durability. They also tend to soften with time which lures the user to punch is with even more power. Canvas or vinyl covers are cheaper, but they have a shorter lifespan. To avoid injuries of your knuckles, using gloves and wrist wraps is suggested.
The materials used inside the bag can be different depending on the model and purpose. Some are filled with foam, some are filled with cotton, hay or even fabrics. Sometimes a combination of these materials is used to ensure the tightness of surface. Free Standing punchbags used for kids are generally filled with air.
As for base materials, that depends on the user. You can fill it with either sand or water. Sand provides amazing stability, but more difficult to drain from the bag if needed. Water is more suitable for that cause, sometimes a combination of both are used.
The surface of the cover should be tight enough to provide resistance. However, if you are feeling pain every time you punch, there is an area on top of every bag with a zipper through which you can remove some of the filler materials.
Base Stability
Base stability is another thing you should consider before buying. If your punching bag topples every time you land a hard punch, then it will be annoying. Also, some bags come with spring or adjustable neck. Make sure the neck is strong enough, otherwise it will break when to mercilessly start attacking it.
Design And Function
Checking overall design is an important aspect of your buying decision. Why? Because not all bags are made same, some are made to absorb punches. Some are made to take kicks as well, some are made as double so that they can act as contending dummies that you can practice fight with.
If you intend to work only on your punches, buy one plain and simple that can take punching strikes. People training for Muay Thai, Taekwondo, or Kick Boxing need something that can take hard kicks as well. Most of these people opt for a popular version of free standing bags, which is Body Opponent Bag (BOB). These bags are made in a way that resembles the opponent. And their height can be adjusted too within a range of 60-78 inches.
Intended Use
Free Standing punching bags are used for many purposes. Some use it for high-intensity cardio exercise, some use it for mild workouts. Some use it to learn a few boxing tricks, professionals use it to practice moves. Children use it as a toy, something to keep themselves busy and help increase strength. Some use it as a home exercise equipment, some are bough for gyms. Depending on the purpose, the resistance, materials, price differs. Make sure you determine the use before going to purchase the punching bag.
Price
Many buyers go for a Free Standing punching bag because they don’t have the means and space for a hanging bag. Some purchase it for light exercise while some use it for professional purpose. So how much you are willing to pay if this is ultimately a compromise for hanging bags. Depending on your purpose, there are bags from different price range. If you buy one with satisfactory customer review and good brand, you won’t be disappointed in most cases.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Are Free Standing Punching Bags Any Good?
Answer: They are good for home uses, practicing full body workout, boxing moves and lose your weight. They are easy to keep around and whenever you see them, throwing a few punches is fun. They don’t need big space or mounting arrangement. Whenever needed, they can be moved from one place to another, by rolling them or by removing the base material.
2. How To Make Free Standing Punching Bag?
Making free standing punching bag at home is fun, but that won’t match the quality and durability of a commercially manufactured punching bag. Let’s see the steps of making a DIY punching bag at home.
a. You can use a duffel bag to make a punching bag at home. Fill the duffel bag with old clothes and fill it as much as possible.
b. You can roll a yoga mat, put it inside the duffel bag and tuck the clothes inside tightly for a uniform shape.
c. The first part is done, now it’s time to make the punching bag stand. You should take two car tires, one medium and one small, and place them one above the other. The small one will go above of course.
d. Then attach the tires firmly with each other using rope. Put the duffel bag inside the circle of the tires. If there’s any space left, fill it with dense foam. Wrap them together tightly with tape.
Your homemade punching bag is done. Although you can throw a few punches and have fun, if you looking for serious workouts, we suggest you buy one. There are cheap free standing punching bags that come with remarkable quality.
Wrapping It Up
Attaching a hanging bag to the ceiling can be a hefty job, sometimes even not a suitable option. For example, you have to check the ceiling if it is strong enough to carry the weight. If the ceiling is weak, the bag and the setup may come out in an anxious moment. If you live in an apartment with neighbors above you, they might fall victim to such accidents too. Most of the apartment owners even don’t allow any setup like that.
The best free standing punching bags solve these issue in the best way. They don’t take up much space, can be moved and provide a nice option for full body workout. For a gym setup, both the standing and hanging punching bag should be present, as different people prefer different ones. A self standing bag can also be the best give you can give your kids right now. With the variable price range, they come with, everyone can own one for themselves, for kids and family members.