Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Choosing a filling
• Part 2 of 3: Preparing the filling
• Part 3 of 3: Filling the punching bag
• Necessities

Buying an empty punching bag is often cheaper than an already filled punching bag. Moreover, you can decide for yourself how heavy and compact it is, since you can fill it yourself. While filling a punching bag is quite simple, it is important that you use the correct materials and prepare them appropriately for your own safety. If you're a beginner and want a lightweight punching bag, just fill it with clothes or rags. You can add sand or sawdust to increase weight and resistance.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Choosing a filling

1. Determine how heavy and compact the punching bag should be. A punching bag with a higher weight and density is more difficult to move and requires stronger punches. A lighter punching bag that is less compact swings more when you hit it and you don't have to hit it as hard. The correct filling to use depends on how heavy and compact you want the punching bag.
   • If you are just starting out with boxing, start with a lightweight punching bag. You can add more filling as you get stronger to make it heavier and more compact.
   • In general, the punching bag should weigh about 0.5 kg per 1 kg of your own weight. You can of course increase or decrease the weight depending on your experience and strength.
2. Use clothing as the sole filling if you want a lightweight punching bag. Many ready-made punching bags are filled with strips of fabric. You can get the same effect at home with old clothes or rags. Just putting fabric in the punching bag reduces weight and density, making it a good padding if you want the punching bag to swing when you hit it.

   Tip: If you don't have enough old clothes or rags, get them for cheap at a secondhand store. All types of clothes or fabrics are suitable for this.

   
   
3. In addition to clothing, also add sand or sawdust to make the punching bag heavier. With sand and sawdust, the punching bag becomes heavier and more compact, which you could not achieve with just clothes. If you want a punching bag that requires more power, sand and sawdust are simple and affordable options.
   • Do not just use sand or sawdust to fill the punching bag. This would make the punching bag too heavy and too compact. Instead, use it to complement the clothing or fabric.
   • Sand and sawdust bags can be purchased online and at hardware stores.

Part 2 of 3: Preparing the filling

1. Cut buttons, zippers, and other metal pieces from the clothing you will be using. This prevents the punching bag from tearing. It's okay if you cut the clothes into pieces, because once in the bag, they won't be visible.

   Tip: To make the punching bag more compact, cut the clothing or fabric into thin strips. Keep in mind that you will then need more clothing or fabric.

   
   
2. Put the sand or sawdust in resealable bags. Do not put sand or sawdust directly into the punching bag, as this can damage the bag over time. Instead, put it in resealable plastic bags, such as 1 liter sandwich bags. After you put the sand or sawdust in the bags, seal them tightly so that nothing can come out.
3. Wrap the sand or sawdust bags with duct tape so they don't tear. The duct tape makes the bags more resistant to impact. Wrap the duct tape all the way around the bags, including the closure, so that they are completely covered with tape.
4. Weigh the filling to make sure you have enough. To weigh clothes or pieces of fabric, put them in large garbage bags and weigh each garbage bag separately on a scale. If you put sand or sawdust in the punching bag, weigh the individual bags on a scale. Then add up all the individual weights to get the total weight of the filling.
   • If the total weight is less than what you want, you need to prepare more stuffing. Add more sand or sawdust to make the punching bag more compact, or add more clothing or fabric to increase the weight without significantly increasing the density.
   • Remember that the punching bag should weigh about 0.5kg per 1kg of your own weight, although the ideal weight will ultimately depend on your skill level and training goals. For example, if you weigh 90 kg, the punching bag should weigh about 45 kg. If you are new to boxing, you can try 30 to 40 kg for a start.

Part 3 of 3: Filling the punching bag

1. Open the zipper at the top of the punching bag. Most punching bags have a round opening on one side of the bag that is zipped shut. You put the filling in there.
   • If the punching bag does not have a zipper on one side, see the manual supplied or online how to open it.
2. Add the first layer of filling to the bag. If you are only using clothing or fabric, drop some into the opening of the bag so that the bottom is completely covered. If you also use sand or sawdust bags, drop one of these bags in first, then wrap clothes around it so that the bottom of the bag is full.
   • Placing clothes around the sand and sawdust bags protects them from tearing.
3. Use something along as an aid, such as a baseball bat, to press down the fill. By pressing in the fill, the empty space in the bag is filled, eventually making it more uniform. It doesn't matter what you use as an aid, as long as it reaches all the way to the bottom of the punching bag.

   Warning: Do not push directly on the sand or sawdust bags if you are using them to avoid tearing them.

   
   
4. Continue to add layers of fill and press in as you go. If you are only using clothes or scraps of fabric, drop some into the bag over the previous layer and then press them in with the tool. With sand or sawdust bags, drop them in the middle of the punching bag and wrap your clothes or fabric around them. Try to distribute the bags evenly over the length of the punching bag. Depending on how many you use, you may not need to add a bag to each layer.
   • For example, if you add five bags of sand or sawdust and the punching bag is 5 feet long, you should add one bag per 12 inches. If each layer you make is 6 inches, then you should add one bag after every two layers of clothing.
5. Close the punching bag as soon as you reach the top with the filling. Make sure you don't leave any empty space by filling the bag completely. However, if you're struggling to zip up the top because the bag is too full, you may need to squeeze the padding in or take out the top layer.

Necessities

• Clothes
• Sand (optional)
• Sawdust (optional)
• Scissors
• Resealable plastic bags
• Duct tape
• Scale
• Baseball bat or other long tool