Okay this is going to sound really stupid, but I bought boxing gloves, but I don't have a bag. Right now I work out in my room and hanging a punching bag from my suspended ceiling is just not in the cards lol Can anyone think of anything else I can punch? I'd like one of those free standing bags to be a last resort and maybe try something else first. ANY workable ideas would be great!

I can get you a list of people... are you willing to travel or do I have to send them to you?

Shadow boxing I'd imagine is a good workout...

the standing bags are okay if you have a partner to hold 'em for you, but other than that they're pretty worthless.

If you can get a partner, have him hold up his hands shoulder high like a frenchman that just dropped his gun, and drop 'em to waist high like he's shaking someone's hand for a hook to the body. Follow his hands with your punches.

If you are looking for shadowboxing type stuff, thumbtack a string to the ceiling, have that string terminate right between the top of your shoulders and your nipples, and attatch something small but with a little weight to it. Hit the weight (now your target), and work your triangles from it, following its motion. 'Cause you are not hitting the heavy bag, REALLY focus on your form and stance and everything else.

If neither of those are what you are looking for, get a little more specific, and I can help ya out.

I use my nintendo WII for that. I love the boxing game on that and it makes me sweat as much as full out running. I don't like running but I love a good punch so this is easy to do.

You have to be careful not to get carried away with the game though, I often feel I'm snapping my elbows pretty hard and have bad form in my punches so I try to focus on a good punch rather than winning the game. If you don't snap your elbows and use the virtual punch bag it's possibly better for you that impact with a bag.

Thanks for replies

I looked up some shadow boxing videos just to get a good sense of what to do, and I tried it out today. It's actually quite a workout!

James, that's a really neat idea to hang something from the ceiling, I can easily do that. I do wish I could make contact with something though, but I'm really thinking there is simply nothing I can punch but a bag.

Later edit:

Introducing.... The ghetto punching bag for low-income, low-space, anti-social, wanna-be boxers!!

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7803/baggp4.jpg

Yes that's right, two leather bed cushions duct taped to my wall. Ugly as hell but it works! I don't even need the boxing gloves to use it. It's high enough for my arms and low enough for those knee kicks even which is a bonus. And if the tape holds () I could probably get some sort of uppercut in there as well. I'd try some Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks, but I don't want to knock over my 42" Plasma that's right beside my "boxing arena"

Out of curiosity, are you boxing just as a form of exercise, or as training for some million-dollar-baby-minus-neck-injury style boxing?

I'm asking, 'cause if you don't know what shadow boxing is, I'm guessing that you probably haven't been to a boxing gym, and probably haven't had any training. If you plan on competing in any activity involving punching, you might want to look into a few lessons before you start trying to do it all on your own. To quote every little league meathead coach ever: You play how you practice. If you learn to box your own way, and your stance isn't right, and your movement is incorrect, and your punches are off, it is going to be a hard uphill struggle to relearn the proper form. Boxing in a ring for points is far from fighting.

However, if you are just doing this for a workout, and possibly a little self defense, then that's awesome. Remember to get a good warmup in before going. Get in some light jumping jacks (shoulders / core / calves), some arm circles (shoulders), some pushups (shoulders / core / chest / arms), and whatever your favorite core exercises are. Jumping straight in to bag work (even if it is just two pillows taped together, or something hanging off the ceiling) could lead to some nasty tendonitis or worse at any of the muscles used in the punch.

If you are doing it for a little self confidence, and some self defense, remember to keep your chin tucked in behind your shoulder, keep your core tight while going at the bag, and snap the punch from your whole body, not just your upper body (snap the hips), follow a punch with another punch from a different direction, and work your triangle (described below). Then remember: Self Defense means keeping yourself safe. Taking extra steps to make sure you aren't in a situation where you'd need it is worth 1,000 times more than knowing how to kill a man by looking at him. If you HAVE to engage someone (there is no other choice), do it just long enough to get them off balance or distracted to where you can get away, then get the eff away.

Triangle Idea:
Don't attack along a straight line. When you move in to make an attack, move as if you are starting at the tip of a triangle, and your next mid-sized step into the person against you isn't straight at them (what they'll be expecting), but is to one of the other vertices of that triangle. In one step, you have changed your direction and distance from him. Bring the other leg up to meet your lead leg, and drop it while swiveling to be facing your opponent.
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2107/triangleuz5.png

You could get yourself a double-ended bag(aka headache bag) they are like 12 bucks and weigh next to nothing. You screw one end to a stud in the ceiling and put the other end on a weight on the ground. Its a bag in the middle about the size of a volleyball with two elastic like strings attached to either end.

the object is to throw punches at it in a rhythm that keeps the bag bent out away from centered. You can also hit it and then move your head as it comes back at you. It's called a headache bag because if you miss it hits you in the face

Speed bags are also good, if you don't live in an apartment. They take four screws into the wall, and don't leave very big holes. They make alot of noise though. I live in a suburban type area and you just barely can hear mine in the yard, so its fine here, but in an apartment it would be horrible for the neighbors.

Do you have a tree? I know those are rare this day and age, but I hung my heavy-bag from a big branch in the back yard

Looks like you bought 16 oz gloves? Or your really small and their 14s. Those are good for shadowboxing. Get yourself a mirror and throw punches in front of it, visualize fighting, fist coming at your head, keep your neck straight and bend at the hips to avoid the shots. Heres a good video, this guys got some straps on for resistance but his form is good. I'd hate to fight him

YouTube - Athletic CTS Boxing tips how to shadow box

Can't believe I didn't spot this first, but this is what works for me:

I have basically unlimited plywood or stuff like that. It's just like sheets of wood. Hang 'em with some hooks out back and punch holes through them all day. If you're creative, you can add targets and try and blow the crap out of them in a few swipes.

Wrapping knuckles is a must for that one though, but it sure is fun.

Thanks for the suggestions! I picked up some really good tips so far.

As for my "punching bag", that is no more. It wasn't really working out for me, so I took it down.

Tip: Do not put duct tape on your painted walls.

I just decided to try the boxing thing 100% for fitness and just something to change up my regular elliptical/dumbell workout. It puts me out of breath quite fast so I thought it would be a good thing to get going. I'm going to stick with the shadow boxing for now, I'm just doomed not to be able to "beat the shit" out of something LOL I've also been throwing in some kick boxing too. I should probably look up proper technique for all of this though..

I do all of my activities right now in my basement bedroom, so my options are pretty limited. We do have a tree in the front yard, but I might feel just a wee bit odd out there on the front lawn pounding a speedbag lol

I have no idea what my gloves are, but here is a pic:

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/5...xglovespa0.jpg

I don't even know if they're male or female.. I just know that they are for boxing and they are red (I'm such a girl )

I use the same ones for sparring, the number is the weight, should be written in gold or black letters on bottom of the wrist. they are good for sparring but wear out quick when applied to a heavy bag. Perfect for shadow boxing.

If your interested in something to do for fitness, boxing is the way to go for a fight sport, it may be the most physically demanding of all sports. BUT you could learn some katas, or forms, from a martial arts instructor. Those are basically sets of movements/strikes that are done without a target, that flow into each other. Tae Kwon Do is good for fast paced power/strength/fitness oriented forms. Its kicks also compliment the boxing punching technique really well.

Tae Kwon do forms range from this, the first form you learn: YouTube - TAE-KWON-DO FORM (Dan-Gun)orange # 3

To this:YouTube - CLN07 - Caitlin Dechelle creative form

Dont do this: YouTube - funny martial arts

Everlast (the same company as your gloves) also do an inflatable boxing bag. It's not bad, you fill the base with water and knock the crap out of it, but it punctures fairly easily. Also, if you put just a bit too much air into it, and you're sporting a 230 pound-enforced punch, the seams sometimes just blow.

I've gone through two of 'em, they're not bad for domestic exercising type thing. (y)

If all else fails, try using a younger sibling.

Boxing is a very tiring sport, and it is incredibly physically demanding. Obviously it is a personal opinion, but I don't know if I would say that it is the most physically demanding of all sports. Off of the top of my head comparing it to the other sports I have competed in (and in my own opinion), Wrestling, Rugby and Swimming all are more physically demanding due to the fact that you actively use power from every muscle in your body, whereas in boxing your legs are secondary to core/arm work. Boxing practices are still some of the hardest practices a person can go through, especially if they are used to practices for sports like football, baseball, soccer, basketball, and the like.

That isn't the first form. The first form is the Chon Ji Hyung, traditionally taught to the white belts.

Haha, I remember I was shadow boxing and I was so into it that I punched my risk. LOL. I felt so stupid afterwards but hey, I burned the calories I needed to. =( ... =)