Fight Toward Your Fitness Goals with the Best Free Standing Punching Bags

If you’re interested in taking up combat sports as a training discipline, there are a handful of required tools to get your workouts into fighting shape. Outside of boxing gloves, another must-own is a proper punching bag. After all, what’s the sense of throwing a punch if there’s no target to receive the blow?

When you think of punching bags, you probably conjure up images of long, padded tubes that hang from the ceiling. These chain-strung heavy bags can be excellent training options, hence their popularity in boxing gyms nationwide, but for many novice fighters — or those simply building out their home gym — the structural integrity of most households is just not capable of holding these training behemoths. Thankfully, though, free standing punching bags can provide all the benefits of a heavy bag in a less demanding footprint.

Free standing punching bags differ from their heavy counterparts because their structure is self-supporting. Rather than suspending the bag from a rafter or joist — and compromising the stability of your ceiling — these fitness essentials stand on their own and can be moved with ease to suit the aesthetic of any training room.

But which bag can best suit your routine? Which style can suit your space? We’ve battled through the rounds and determined the best free standing punching bags for a number of fitness needs. But first, let’s square up and identify just what you should be looking for if you’re wanting to take your training into the ring.

What to Consider When Buying a Free Standing Punching Bag

When looking at free standing punching bags, the first component to consider is the base structure. You want to ensure that the base can keep the bag upright after every heavy strike. Generally, most free standing punching bags will feature a fillable foundation that can house either water or sand for added security. While water can be a quicker solution to locking down your bag, we recommend sand, as it’s less prone to leaking through a faulty seam and shouldn’t harbor condensation.

Next, you want to consider the fill material of the punching bag itself. Bags are typically made of cloth or foam, which can help protect your hands upon contact. Higher quality bags offer plenty of cushioning and can last strike after strike, whereas cheaper bags can be prone to indents over time.

Lastly, free standing punching bags will be made with a canvas or synthetic exterior. Canvas can be a durable material that should last an extended period of time, but can be a bit rough on the hands if training bare-knuckle. We recommend using gloves if swinging on a canvas-wrapped bag. Synthetic materials are cheaper than full-grain leather exteriors, providing exceptional comfort and durability for a variety of uses. Additionally, synthetic punching bags can be great for those in more humid environments, as they’re more resilient to mold and mildew than other options.