Buying guide for Best heavy bag stands
If you live for boxing and martial arts or want a new way to boost your cardio routine, a heavy bag stand is a great all-around training tool. A heavy bag stand has the stability and strength needed to suspend a bag while enabling you to move around it easily, maximizing the effectiveness of your workout.
Not all heavy bag stands are the same, though. Construction materials and design vary. What’s more, not everyone needs the sturdiest, strongest heavy bag stand.
Key considerations
Leg placement: If you plan to incorporate kicking or knee strikes into your workout, choose a heavy bag stand with a wider-than-average base leg placement for additional lateral stability.
Height: The top spar of a heavy bag stand reaches between 84 and 96 inches, depending on the model. Note that the ceiling of the room where you place the stand needs to be a few inches higher than the height of the stand.
Maximum weight: If you’re used to working with 250- to 300-pound heavy bags at the gym, be aware that most budget-priced heavy bag stands cannot support more than 150 pounds. Some are only rated for 100 pounds.
Pros of a heavy bag stand
Versatility: A heavy bag stand is a freestanding item; you do not have to attach it to the wall or a ceiling beam. This makes it ideal for renters and homeowners who don’t want to damage their home or garage interior.
Fast assembly: Heavy bag stands are easy to set up. Athletes can be working on their hooks and jabs in an hour or so.
Portability: When it’s time to move, a heavy bag stand can be quickly disassembled and packed into a moving truck.
Potential drawbacks of a heavy bag stand
Instability: Most heavy bag stands aren’t as sturdy as the steel cross beams used in modern MMA gyms to suspend their bags. They’re not designed for some of the all-body moves of Muay Thai and mixed martial arts. Heavy hitters may find that a full-power striking session causes the stand base to shift and wobble.
Extra weights are needed: To stabilize a heavy bag stand, sandbags and spare weight plates are placed on the legs of the stand base. Some manufacturers weld pegs to the end of each leg to accommodate a weight plate. An intense training session may require lots of stabilizer weights. If you don’t have a full set of weight plates, you may need to make that additional purchase.
Limited attack angles: The upright beam of a heavy bag stand prevents you from moving around and striking the bag from all angles. Compact budget stands tend to have narrower leg beam placements, effectively limiting those approach angles, too.
Before you purchase a heavy bag stand, measure the spot in which it will be placed from floor to ceiling. The stand needs a few inches of top clearance.
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Features
Upright beam with eyebolt bag attachment: This is the top-most portion of a heavy bag stand. In low-cost models, the upright beam curves over in such a way that the heavy bag chain can be attached to the eyebolt at the end of the beam. Pricier models feature a separate horizontal top beam.
Support spars: These curved bars attach to the upright beam about halfway up and extend down to the base legs. They provide some support to the upright beam and stabilize the entire assembly, spreading out the stresses caused by a heavy swinging bag.
Base legs: At the bottom of the heavy bag stand, two legs extend outward at opposite angles.
Weight pegs: These upright metal pegs are either welded or bolted to the base legs. Weight plates can be placed on them to provide extra stabilization.
Optional features
Water or sandbags: Some models include heavy-duty, refillable sandbags or water bags that fit around the weight pegs.
Speed bag attachment: Some heavy bag stands have attachment points for a speed bag stand on the back of the upright beam. This adds another dimension to your workout without sacrificing too much gym space.
Double-ended bag attachment: Larger stands allow for the attachment of platforms at the top and bottom, from which a double-ended bag can be suspended.
Did You Know?
The steel frame of a heavy bag stand is often powder-coated to resist chipping and corrosion. The coating process is environmentally friendly and has low toxicity.
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Heavy bag stand prices
Lower cost: Budget heavy bag stands tend to cost between $100 and $160. At this lower price, stands are lighter and also less stable. Therefore, more weights are needed to hold them in place.
Higher cost: Athletes who need something capable of holding bags between 70 and 150 pounds can expect to pay between $160 and $400. Prices jump from this point. Premium heavy bag stands capable of holding 300 pounds or more run from $400 to $1,500.
Match bag stand weight limit to bag weight. Using a bag that is heavier than the maximum weight allowance creates instability and can shorten the life of the stand.
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Tips
- Distribute anchor weights evenly on the weight pegs. This helps prevent the stand from rocking when you hit the bag.
- The upright beam on lower-priced stands is often a two-piece assembly. Note that this may take patience to fit together securely.
- Punch the bag; don’t push it. Pushing causes the bag to swing excessively, which may weaken the attachment hardware.
FAQ
Q. I’m a beginner who wants to use a much heavier bag so I get in shape faster. Can I use a different bag than the one provided with my heavy bag stand?
A. For now, stick with the bag that is provided. The manufacturer paired it with the stand because it’s the optimal weight for that stand. A heavier bag could warp the stand, and a lightweight stand may fall over with a bag that’s too heavy on it.
As a beginner, you don’t need a very heavy bag to get a good workout. A bag that weighs 70 to 100 pounds will have you huffing and puffing after a single five-minute session.
Q. How high should a heavy bag be mounted on the stand?
A. Since a heavy bag kind of simulates an opponent (albeit one that doesn’t hit back), consider the top of the bag to be the head, the middle of the bag to be the body, and so on. With that in mind, the top of the bag should be level with the top of your head.
