10 Punching Bag Alternatives & 3 Substitute Exercises (Homemade Tips)

Boxing and punching bag workouts have become exceedingly popular for their ability to improve overall wellness and strength, but for boxers or aspiring fighters without access to a punching bag, making use of these 10 punching bag alternatives can be even more convenient and  even more beneficial in some cases.¹¹

People wanting to reap the benefits of punching bag workouts can learn tips to easily make DIY homemade equipment, the best punching bag substitutes to buy if the weight or size is an issue, and 3 substitute exercises that can help with punching strength, explosiveness and footwork. 

Top Punching Bag Alternatives for Different Types of Punches

Punching bag workouts boast a plethora of benefits for athletes or those simply aiming to improve their health and performance in the gym.

Photo by Web Daytona on Pexels¹²

What muscles does boxing work? Because of its standing form and swinging motion, boxing with or without a punching bag strengthens the entire upper body as well as the core, back, and legs; it also proves to be an incredible aerobic exercise and improves endurance, balance, brain function, and hand-eye coordination.¹

While using a punching bag seems like the most obvious way to perform punching bag workouts, athletes can experience all of the benefits from these 10 punching bag alternatives.

Conveniently, some of these can be done without any equipment at all while at home, though some alternatives require a partner to help perform the exercise.

1. Punching Mitts & Striking Bags

With a gym buddy to assist, punches on punching mitts are done with the partner wearing glove-like mitts as the puncher strikes these pads wearing gloves.

Photo by Johann Walter Bantz on Unsplash¹³

Similarly, striking bags — which can be hung or come on a stand — have a small surface, making it perfect for practicing speed.

Punching mitts and striking bags are quite versatile and allow for all types of punches, especially with the former since the mitt-wearer can change positions.

Basic punches include jabs, crosses, hooks, and undercuts.² Athletes can take full advantage of mitts and striking bags by doing different drills that focus on practicing explosiveness, speed, timing and rhythm, and defense.

For a more advanced workout, additional combinations can be added, ranging from two-punch combos all the way to four-punch combos.

Benefits

Because the mitt-wearer doesn’t have to fight back, punching mitts can be ideal for any beginner boxers who are learning to perfect technique without throwing in additional defense skills.

On the contrary though, the ability to have the punching mitt-wearer play offense and allow practice of defense techniques is one benefit not found in other punching bag alternatives.

Along with starting a powerlifting program for beginners, athletes will find punching mitts helpful for learning to transition into sparring or boxing with an opponent since the mitt-wearer can change positions.

These unexpected changes in motion also help the puncher improve speed and focus abilities, which is why punching mitts are sometimes called focus mitts.

Similarly, the small surface of striking bags helps athletes develop speed and precision.

2. Sparring

For more advanced athletes, sparring is a type of free form fighting with protective gear where two boxers can practice using their techniques of both offensive and defensive moves and minimize injuries by emplacing certain rules.³

Leading up to sparring, athletes should condition their bodies and particularly build muscle and gain strength using scientific principles that never change.

Source: Pavel Danilyuk via Canva.com¹⁴

When it comes to fighting another individual though, speed and agility matters more than size, so those interested in sparring shouldn’t be concerned with getting stronger but not bigger.

With the interaction between a partner, sparring provides a good environment to try out all types of punches and combos. While the techniques that have been perfected by the athlete should be heavily leaned upon, new training can be tested out here.

Benefits

Sparring can provide a much better workout than using a punching bag since it’s interactive and improves focus and speed by learning to properly react to the opponent’s moves.

Boxing is also considered a form of high-intensity interval training (HITT) because it can transition quickly from high-intensity to low-intensity and spike the heart rate, and HIIT has been shown to improve mood and mental health.⁴

Those wondering, “why am I only losing a pound a week,” should try sparring more.

3. Kick Shield

Predominantly used for kicks, this board can also be used as a punching bag alternative with a partner holding it. The surface of a kick shield is wide and thus helpful for beginners to work their way up to using focus mitts.

Source: Ryan McVay via Canva.com¹⁵

Recommended drills for using the kick shield typically focus on incorporating basic jab and cross punches into a routine of various kicks, such as round house, knees, and push kicks.

Benefits

Because of how much cheaper these are and the little space they take up, a lot of gyms may have these padded kick shields available rather than a more expensive heavy punching bag.

The surfaces of these shields are designed with gel or foam padding that absorbs impact, making it a safe alternative to minimize injury while punching.

4. Grappling Dummies

While these life-size dummies are meant more for MMA fighting or Jiu-Jitsu, boxers can still practice different types of punches while being able to maneuver around the dummy as if it’s an actual opponent.

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels¹⁶

Many people new to using or buying grappling dummies don’t realize that some come unfilled and require the user to fill with their own materials.

A few materials that are commonly used in a mixture include:

• Sand
• Towels
• Clothing
• Crumbled newspaper

More expensive grappling dummies are pre-filled with material and can come in a range of weight that gets up to 140 pounds. While this may not seem like a lot of weight, recommendations for these products typically suggest that a fighter weighing 190 pounds should purchase an 80-pound dummy.

That is because similar to how a dead body feels heavier than a live one of the same number of pounds, body mass is a constant that is just weight divided by gravity’s force, but weight can fluctuate up and down depending on gravity’s force.⁵

Benefits

Beginners will find grappling dummies exceedingly helpful since they can’t fight back, allowing for further practice of technique with a human-like object.

This makes it easy to practice takedowns, where an athlete may straddle the dummy and practice punches from on top, which is not a technique that other punching bag alternatives provide.

Some dummies can be filled with heavier material that make them simulate the realistic weight of a human being. Combined with weight loss diets for beginners, this can be extremely useful for those who need to build their strength and endurance before sparring with a real opponent.

5. Wooden Dummies

Also called a Wing Chun Dummy, these wooden contraptions are traditionally used with Chinese fighting styles but can be a punching bag alternative. These dummies simply look like a tall and thick wooden pole with several adjustable wooden arms.

Source: h3ct02 via Canva.com¹⁷

Wooden dummies should not be used for speed or power punching, especially for beginners. Basic punches are recommended when working on technique with a wooden dummy and footwork maneuvering can also be practiced around the pole.

Benefits

Wooden dummies are ideally for anyone who really wants to build their hand strength and harden the knuckles or forearms.

Practicing punches on a hard wooden surface with bare hands — which is also called progressive resistance training — will help strengthen the hand and eventually allow the athlete to perfect more advanced martial arts techniques like breaking boards or other hard materials.⁶

6. Old Car Tires

Some gyms may provide a tire punching bag because it is more affordable than purchasing a standard hanging bag and can also be made. The tire punching bag is simply multiple tires bolted together and hung from the ceiling.

Photo by Alexa Popovich on Pexels¹⁸

Benefits

The surface of a tire is firm yet bouncy, giving them one of most similar feels as a heavy punching bag. Unlike the hard surface of a wooden dummy, there is less chance for injury when using a tire punching bag.

Again, these are also easy to make at home (see section below for directions). All basic punches and combos can be done using a tire punching bag.

7. Floor Bags

Floor bags are similar to floor bags, except they stand on the floor instead of being hung from the ceiling. These are a cheaper alternative to purchase, but mostly because floor bags aren’t as powerful and are made of thinner material.

Source: Sjale via Canva.com¹⁹

Benefits

This version does not need to be installed like a hanging punching bag since they can be held in place by large bags of sand.

Floor bags are just as padded as a normal bag and can be used to practice all versions of punches and combos.

8. Punching Bags for the Doorway

A doorway punching bag is a smaller option that can easily be attached to a door at home. Speed can be practiced on these, mostly doing basic punches rather than combos.

Because the door can be damaged, athletes should refrain from punching for power.

Benefits

These types of punching bags are very cost effective because they’re much smaller and portable. These are also easier to put up, typically having a strap that goes around the door.

9. Makeshift Surfaces

Almost any surface with good padding that is high enough can make a homemade punching bag. Simply leaning a mattress against the wall is probably the easiest option that involves the least amount of material.

A couch can also be used, but the user may need to kneel in order to do punches at chest-level. Other options include a sand-filled bag, attached a camping pad to a tree, or filling a duffle bag.

Benefits

All of these options are cheap and typically made out of materials that most people have at home.

Additionally, these are easy to put together, unlike making a tire punching bag.

10. Shadowboxing (With or Without Wrist Weights)

Crucial for building the foundation of boxing and typically used as an exercise that precedes more vigorous workouts, shadowboxing is done without equipment —usually in front of a mirror to observe form — by throwing punches against the air as if there is an actual opponent.⁷ Shadowboxing is one of the most critical punching bag alternatives for boxers since it’s also part of the warm-up routine to loosen up and helps advance performance faster by practicing all types of punches and combos.

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels²⁰

Those looking for shadowboxing classes and wondering about using Peloton for overweight beginners can find Peloton boxing classes as an option with trainers like Kendall Toole.

Benefits

Since there is a lot more movement and cardio than a planted stance hitting away at a punching bag, shadowboxing results in improved footwork and speed.

Evergaming boxing is shadowboxing as a virtual reality video game where participants punch the air to knock out their virtual opponent, and studies have also shown that playing this game is a good source of cardio to burn calories.⁸

Those combining shadowboxing with 30 day weight loss challenges may find losing weight easier and quicker.

Wrist weights are typically worn at 1-2 pounds, although heavier versions can run up to 10 pounds each. Any heavier weight could potentially lead to injury, which is why trainees should save any heavy lifting for powerlifting programs rather than boxing.

Resistance training results in an entire score of physical and mental benefits, such as increasing muscle, improving flexibility and stamina, increasing mobility, and improving body image and mood.⁹

How To Make a Punching Bag for the Home or Apartment (DIY Boxing Bags)

Makeshift surfaces are easy and cost effective to put together easily at home. Options for just punching can be much less sturdy than a bag that will also be used to practice kicking.

Making a Homemade Punching Bag

A sand-filled bag is easy to make by adding sand to a plastic bag or a thicket material bag but be sure to tie the top together tightly and hang it from a sturdy surface. Another simple option is taking a camping sleep pad and tying it with rope to a tree or a large column.

A laundry or duffle bag can also be used by stuffing it full of clothing and hanging it from a hook.

Making a Kickboxing Bag for Home

A much firmer surface works better for athletes who plan to practice punching and kicking at home, and in this case, a stack of tires can be used and strung together. This option requires a lot more time and resources to put together though.

Making this alternative can be tricky because it requires sourcing five or more tires, which could be hard to find or even too heavy to move without help.

For those who successfully find a good number of tires, the next step is to bolt them together using a drill to make holes. Then insert the bolts that can then be secured for each layer of tires.

Once the tires are strung together to the desired height, a chain should be attached at three contact points on the top tire, which can then be hung up.

Homemade Tips for Building a Punching Bag

If hanging a DIY bag in the home, be sure that whatever the bag is being hung from can hold all of its weight. This might be a nail that is hammered into the wall or using an over-the-door mirror hook.

If building a more intricate option like the tire bag, ensure that all of the materials are gathered first.

How To Practice Boxing Without a Bag

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels²¹

Boxing requires efficient functionality of the entire body, but there are several exercises that specifically target the most crucial body movements needed to excel in punching. Gym exercises that optimize punching power and boxing performance focus on speed, power, strength, and agility.

Athletes wanting to lose weight to improve speed further can combine these exercises with one of several trending diets.

3 Substitute Exercises for Boxing

As athletes focus on perfecting critical elements to optimize performance, they will find themselves performing at peak levels without ever touching a punching bag. Three exercises in the gym can help athletes condition their bodies properly.

Landmine Punches: Also known as landmine single-arm presses, this exercise involves pushing a weight bar up over the head. In an exploding punch motion, the landmine punch builds power, but in a slower and more controlled movement, it can build strength as well.

Medicine Ball Slams and Chops: Another power exercise, medicine ball slams involve holding the ball in both hands over the head and slamming it down to the floor as hard as possible.

In a slower movement, medicine ball chops include holding the ball in both hands and moving in a diagonal motion from one side of the hips up to the opposite side above the head, which helps with rotation that can translate to basic punches like crosses and hooks.

Jumping Rope: One of the most popular exercises used by successful boxers is jumping rope. This exercise focuses on footwork, allowing the trainee to perfect rhythm. A form of plyometrics, jumping rope increases the heart rate and burns calories, but it also strengthens joints and increases strength.¹⁰

Additionally, this exercise helps build body coordination.

Athletes have plenty of options when it comes to punching bag alternatives that range from using different equipment, no equipment, or homemade DIY options.

Frequently Asked Questions