Boxing, without any doubt, is a great sport that helps you improve your agility, fitness, and cardiovascular health. So, not only for those dreaming of building a boxing career but also for those aiming for overall fitness, it’s an excellent sport.
Most gyms nowadays come with a punching bag so that aspiring boxers can carry on with their action.
But what if you are not interested in going to the gym? The obvious answer will be to buy a punching bag for your home gym!
However, installing a punching bag is not an easy job.
You need to do it the right way!
Well, there are many ways to hang a heavy boxing bag. Willing to know which one will work the best for you? Here are some tips and ways to hang a punching bag at home in the basem*nt, garage, or outdoors.
You are probably wondering, how much does a typical Punching Bag weigh?
A standard punching bag weighs somewhere around 50 to 100 pounds. Heavy boxing bags used at the gyms can weigh as much as 200 pounds. That’s the weight of the bag alone; there’s more to consider than just the weight of the bag.
When you hit the bag with your full force, many things happen to the mounting point. Firstly, a horizontal force will act on the mounting point because of the shock. And secondly, as you hit the bag, it will swing from one side to another, pulling on the mount towards it as it moves. This will create a centrifugal force far more intense than the bag actually weighs.
Thus the downward force created by a 100 lb bag will pull the mount with far greater weight, which can lose the most secure mounts. However, that’s not the end.
Imagine what can happen to the bag with a good solid punch. It will go up with a jump pulling the mount up then bounce back down, taking all the weight off the mount.
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Each time you punch, the weight of the bag directly hits the anchor again and again. And over time, it’s the anchor which is most harmed. This is why choosing the right equipment, and choosing products are important when hanging a punching bag from the ceiling or wall.
What Will I Learn?
How To Hang A Heavy Bag On The Ceiling?
If you want to hang the heavy bag from the ceiling, you have three options- use the ceiling joist for hanging the bag, mount it on the ceiling with a ceiling mount or use the steel I-beams. Let’s see which one can work the best for you.
Use the Ceiling Joist
Hanging a heavy bag from the ceiling joist is perhaps the easiest and the safest method of all. The ceiling joist is a board or a series of boards that support your ceiling.
Usually, it’s made of 2×6 boards. But, it can also have 2×4 or 2×12 boards depending on the construction and what the joist is supporting. The standard gapping for ceiling joists are 16-inches, but in some cases, it’s 24 inches.
Do you have an open ceiling joist in your basem*nts or garage? Well, you are luckiest then. All you have to do is look it up and follow the installation instructions given below.
For the rest of you, you need to do a little hard work. You need to find the joist first, then think of using it.
Finding the Joist:
If you don’t have a high ceiling or popcorn (textured) ceiling, you can easily find the joist with a stud finder. It’s super inexpensive and the quickest way to find the joists.
Start from one wall. Measure 16 inches and use the stud finder to find the joist. If you can’t find it at 16-inch, measure 24 inches and try again. Once you find the first one, the rest will be every 16 inches or 24 inches apart.
If you cannot find any at either point, you might be in line with them. So, try from the adjoining wall.
Once you find a suitable joist to hang the bag, find the center and can make a marking in the middle by poking a nail.
If you have textured ceilings, you won’t be able to use a stud finder. In this case, you need to climb up and inspect. Try looking for raised lines or nail depressions. If you find the nails, you find the joints.
If you are not a man or woman of all work, it’s better to seek expert help. It’s always a good idea to pay someone and ensure you have found the center of the joist rather than a hole in the middle of the ceiling.
Things you will need for hanging the bag:
After you have located the center of the joist, your next step is to get all the hardware placed on the joist to hang the bag.
You will need these items:
- Drill
- Eyebolt
- S-hook
- Wrench
- Chains
Here are the basic steps of hanging the bag from the ceiling joist:
- Start with drilling a hole straight into the beam of the ceiling joist. Next, take a ⅜ inch drill bit and drill one pilot hole into the joist beam.
- Screw the eyebolt all the way into the hole. Twist it and tighten with the help of a wrench.
- Once the eyebolt is fixed, attach the s-hook
- Attach the chains to the bag. The chains should come with your punching bag.
- Hang the bag via the chains, then attach it to the s-hook. You may need another person to help lift the bag.
- Test the bag with some punches and make sure everything is safe and secure.
Install A Ceiling Mount
If you don’t have exposed beams or are not convinced enough with the idea of hanging the bag from the ceiling joist, you may consider hanging it from a ceiling mount.
Ceiling mounts are bought separately. They are a complete set of hardware that you will require while installing the punching bag. The ceiling mount is a mechanism that allows the bag to swing freely and sometimes has a spring to absorb shock, ensuring the durability of both the bag and the ceiling.
Here again, you need to find a support beam for the mount. Usually, it’s the spot where the support beam meets the joist to offer maximum truss for the bag’s weight.
Things you will need to install a ceiling mount:
- Ceiling mount
- Drill
- Screwdriver/ Wrench
- Marker pen
- Bag and chains
Some good ceiling mounts
- Firstlaw Fitness Spider Mount Heavy Punching Bag Hanger
- Eapele Heavy Bag Hangers Brackets for Wood Beam
Follow these basic steps to install a ceiling mount:
- Find a support beam or ceiling joint (best to use a stud finder).
- Hold the mount on the ceiling spot and make markings for the bolts.
- Drill holes where you have marked. Use a drill bit that’s slightly larger than the body of the screws and not the thread. If you use drill bits any larger than that, the mount will not be properly secured in place.
- Attach the ceiling mount using screws. Tighten with a screwdriver or wrench.
- Attach the end of the bag with the chains.
- Lift the bag and hang it with the help of the S-hook. You might need another hand to help you in the process.
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Use I-Beam To Hang The Bag
If you have an open steel I-beam or H-beam, there is nothing better than that. It’s by far the easiest way of hanging a heavy bag from the ceiling. Steel I-beams make a great choice to hang a boxing heavy bag as they are made to hold weight far greater than the heaviest punching bags.
You just need to buy and mount the steel beam bag hanger in an ideal place. Preferably in the corners of the wall where the beam is the strongest rather than in the middle where the steel I-beams have less support.
Regardless of where you are placing it, make sure to leave a 5-foot radius around the bag for it to swing freely.
Things you will need to hang the bag from a steel I-beam:
- Steel beam heavy bag hanger
- Screwdriver
- Screws
Some good I-beam hangers
- Firstlaw Fitness 1000 LBS I-Beam Clamp
- Yes4All Heavy Duty Steel Beam Heavy Bag
- Qualward I-Beam Heavy Bag Hanger
Follow these basic steps to hang the punching bag from I-beam:
- Install the I-beam hanger. Unwind the screw nuts a little to clip both sides of the hanger over the beam edge. Tighten the screws until the hanger is stable and firm.
- Lift the bag and position it under the clip. You may need an extra hand to help lift the bag.
- Attach the heavy bag’s straps to the S-hook.
- Now adjust the straps or attach additional chains to support the bag properly.
- Give the boxing heavy bag test punches. Make sure everything is tight and secure.
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How To Mount A Punching Bag On A Wall
Don’t want to hang a punching bag from the ceiling? How about mounting it on the wall?
Just like a ceiling mount, a wall mount also comes with all the hardware that you will require to install it on the wall. First, you need to position the wall mount on a stud. Now, simply hang the punching bag from the mount.
You cannot mount it on drywall, and you will need the stud finder. These types of wall mounts can also be installed on a concrete wall.
Things you will need to mount a punching bag on a wall:
- Wall mount
- Drill
- Wrench/ screwdriver
- Marker pen
- Screws ( provided with the wall mount)
Some good wall mount heavy bag hangers
Follow these basic steps to install a wall mount:
- First, locate a wall stud with the help of a stud finder. Based on the size of the wall mount, you may need two or more studs.
- Hold the wall mount in place and mark the place of the screws.
- Drill holes on the marked spots. Use a drill bit that’s slightly larger than the body of the screws and not the thread. If you use drill bits any larger than that, the mount will not be properly secured in place.
- Secure the wall mount with screws. (use concrete anchors for concrete walls)
- Attach chains and S-hook to the bag.
- Hang the bag on the wall mount. Take another person’s help if needed.
How To Hang Heavy Bag Without Drilling
If you don’t want to install your punching bag on the ceiling or the wall, your only option is a heavy bag stand. It’s freestanding support that allows you to hang your bag freely without making a hole in the wall or ceiling.
Hang Punching Bag Using A Stand
If you think of a free stand type of punching bag, you just have to buy a punching bag stand then hang the bag on the bag stand. For a punching bag stand, make sure you have adequate space in the room/garage/basem*nt.
Remember that punching bags work at their best when hanged from the ceiling or wall, and a bag stand cannot provide as much stability as a wall mount or ceiling mount. Therefore, you should think of a punching bag stand as your last option when you must avoid drilling holes on your walls.
Nevertheless, boxing bag stands require no installation, and you can keep them almost anywhere where you have adequate space. Freestanding bags are generally filled with sand and sometimes with gravel and water as well. This is done to keep them stable. You can easily empty, dismantle and assemble them.
Some good heavy bag boxing stands
- Titan Fitness Dual Station Boxing Stand for Speed & Heavy Bag
- Everlast Single-Station Heavy Bag Stand
- Century Heavy Bag Stand
So, if you are a renter or don’t want a permanent gym setup, these heavy bag stands can make a great deal.
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How To Hang Heavy Bag From A Tree?
What is better than being able to hang the heavy bag from a tree in your garden? You can work out in the fresh air. An open field sounds much cooler than punching the bag in a dark indoor basem*nt. Second, it’s relatively easy and quick to set up. No drilling and no mounting are required.
However, you cannot hang it on any tree. The tree branch should be of the right height and ideal thickness to support the weight of the boxing bag.
It should support at least twice the bag’s weight because of the additional forces that the bag will encounter from being hit hard. Even if the branch snaps, you will hear a crack before it snaps and gets out of the way.
Heavy Bag Hanger Strap Mount
You can use a strap mount or bespoke strap to hang a heavy bag from a tree branch. It’s swift and easily loops around the branch.
The hanger strap usually has a D-ring and a screw lock system that securely holds the heavy bag in its position. This also has the convenience to detach the bag without taking down the mount. The strap alone can hold up to 500 lbs of weight and is suitable for every type of heavy bag that you can have.
Some good heavy bag hanger strap mounts
Depending on the height of the branch, you can use an extension chain to lower the height.
Heavy-Duty Lashing Strap
Heavy-duty lashing straps are often used to hang the heavy bag from a tree. They are usually made of heavy-duty nylon strips. One end of the strip has a cam buckle attached for height adjustments.
All you need to do is throw the strap over the branch and pull one end through the D-strings of the punching bag, then pass the strap through the cam buckle and pull it tight to secure the bag in place.
Some good lashing straps
The greatest advantage of using heavy-duty lashing straps is that they give complete control over height adjustment.
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Conclusion
You have too many options to hang a boxing bag in your workout room or garage or basem*nt or outdoors.
If you ask the most secure method of all of them, then the answer is hanging it from the ceiling or the wall, and using the heavy bag stand is the least dependable of them all.
Regardless of whichever method you choose, make sure the bag is secure in its place before you give it a good solid hit.
