
In an ideal world, everyone who loves combat sports would have their own home gym kitted out with the best of everything money could buy. Sadly, real life isn’t like that. If you’re renting, your landlord’s probably banned you from drilling holes in the walls. Even if they haven’t, or you own your own home, these days any wall strong enough to take a decent bit of weight is probably needed for storage.
The good news is that modern free-standing punching bags are now almost as good as old-school heavy bags. Invest in one of them and you’ll be good for anything from a quick cardio workout to some serious training.
You’ll need some decent gloves too, so check out our review here.
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The basics of free-standing punching bags
Even though we’ve yet to find a free-standing punching bag which is quite as good as a hanging punching bag, we’re happy to be able to tell you that they have improved a lot over the years.
In particular, the best freestanding punching bags are more stable and offer a greater range of movement than ever before.
We’d say they were definitely suitable for anyone up to intermediate level in combat sports and even more serious fighters will find them worth the space they need.
Best Freestanding Punching Bag – A Buyer’s Guide
Here’s what you need to think before you swap your hard-earned cash for a freestanding punching bag.
Be realistic about the weight you need
You may have heard the phrase “punching above your weight” used as a compliment, well, in real life, there’s nothing to be gained by punching a bag, which is too heavy for you, in fact you increase your risk of injury.
At the same time, you need to make sure your free standing punching bag is heavy enough to give you a good workout.
Resistance is definitely not futile
Resistance is a bit like balance, it’s hard to describe accurately but you soon work out whether or not it’s there.
Basically, resistance is a measure of how a bag reacts when you hit it, if you like it’s how hard it hits you back.
Some bags are quite dense (hydro bags in particular) while others have more bounce.
Which one is best for you depends on your taste and your training requirements.
Swing but don’t drift
Swing is the other part of what happens when you hit a punching bag.
Just like when you hit a real human, a good punching bag will “go with the blow” and react to the force of your body.
This trains you to anticipate how a real opponent will react.
Drift is a little different.
Drift is what happens when you hit a bag hard enough to make it move across the floor.
If you’re a heavy hitter, then a certain level of drift is almost inevitable, but if there’s too much drift then you either need more weight or a better bag.
You can judge a bag by its cover (up to a point)
These days vinyl is probably the most popular choice for punching bags and has a lot to be said for it.
It’s more affordable than leather (and vegetarian friendly), durable, flexible and hygienic (since it’s so easy to clean).
Vinyl can be tough on gloves and kick pads, but all in all, it’s still a great material.
Canvas is still a fairly popular choice for punching bags, but while it looks good and feels good, it’s nowhere near as robust or as easy to clean as vinyl.
Leather has more going for it than classic looks and “old-school” style.
It has the most realistic feel to it and is softer than vinyl, which means gloves and kick pads last longer.
It’s also fairly easy to clean and maintain. The downside with leather is that it has a price premium over vinyl and it’s a matter of opinion and taste whether or not this is justified.
Check the filler
One of the big differences between free standing punching bags and hanging punching bags is that you need to think about the filling for both the bag and the base. The former is what you hit, the latter is what keeps the bag in one place.
In terms of the bag, there are four main types of filling in common use today: hard fibre, soft fibre, foam and water.
As their names suggest hard and soft fibres give completely different feelings when you hit them.
Hard fibres are best for those with some experience and soft fibres for beginners.
How foam reacts depends on its quality but good foam will be both hard and springy.
Water is simply hard and many people consider it to be the most realistic representation of hitting a human.
For the base, you have water or sand.
Water has the advantage of being much easier to get in and out of a base, but if you buy a poor-quality bag (or fail to treat a good-quality bag with reasonable respect) you run the risk of it springing a leak.
Sand can be much more of a pain to get into a base, but it eliminates the concern over leakage.
A quick note on buying used punching bags
Buying a used punching bag can be a great way to score a bargain, but obviously you need to be a bit careful.
Ideally you should see the original proof of purchase and be able to inspect the item for completeness, repairs and damage before you hand over your money.
We’d be wary of buying free standing punching bags over the internet from private sellers (as opposed to reputable online vendors).
If you choose to buy a new bag, we’d strongly recommend you keep your purchase details (digital form is fine) and all the packaging etc. so that you get the best possible price for it if you decide to sell it on to someone else.
A review of the best freestanding punching bag
We’ve covered everything from entry level/fitness punching bags to pro-level bags so if you’re in the market for a free standing punching bags, we think we’ll have a good option for you here.
Boxing-Mad Free Standing Punch Bag
This is a solid option for beginners and people in the early-intermediate stages of combat sports. The vinyl outer hints at its entry-level target user group, but the foam filling has excellent rebound and the base holds 100Kg of water or sand, which offers plenty of stability. At 1.7M in height it’s plenty big enough for people of average height and it’s robust enough to being pounded time and time again.
Boxing-Mad Free Standing Punch Bag - Black
- 170CM TALL once fully assembled (5.5ft), a great height for most people to get a great workout in. Whether you’re Boxing, Kickboxing or training Muay Thai this bag will have you covered.
- REBOUNDS PERFECTLY with each punch or kick. This versatile fitness equipment is portable and convenient, you can have your punch bag up and ready within minutes. Standing 5.5ft tall, giving you plenty of height to practice a range of different punches and kicks.
- 170CM TALL once fully assembled (5.5ft), a great height for most people to get a great workout in. Whether you’re Boxing, Kickboxing or training Muay Thai this bag will have you covered.
- REBOUNDS PERFECTLY with each punch or kick. This versatile fitness equipment is portable and convenient, you can have your punch bag up and ready within minutes. Standing 5.5ft tall, giving you plenty of height to practice a range of different punches and kicks.
- ULTRA STABLE BASE that can hold up to 100kg of water or can be filled with sand. Ensure your bag stays in place whilst you workout.
- DENSE FOAM material which is a fantastic shock-absorbent material, ideal for all types of striking. Covered in a heavy duty vinyl cover, which is made to last and keep up with your pace.
- THE MAD GROUP are well known suppliers of fitness accessories to Studios, Gyms and Home Gyms worldwide. A UK company with a name you can trust!
Century BOB Freestanding Punch Bags
We have to be honest and admit we still find the look of Bob rather funny, but this is still one serious piece of kit and even though it’s priced accordingly, we think it’s worth it.
Basically Bob, (who looks nothing like a punching bag) is intended for accurate combat training. Regular Bob is just a head and torso, but we recommend Bob XL as it has the upper legs as well and therefore offers more training options.
Bob can weigh up to 270 pounds and can hold his punches like a champ. When you knock him to an angle, he’ll bounce back every time.
If you hit him hard enough, he will move across the room, but then so will a real opponent and you’ll have to move with them.
Bob has a really tough (plastisol) body, so good gloves are a must when training with him.
In short, if you’re training seriously (or you’re simply big and heavy), then Bob could be your ideal training partner.
Century BOB Freestanding Punch Bag
- More realistic training for many different techniques.
- Original by Century.
- Also for the gym.
- For men and women.
- For many combat sports, boxes, etc. suitable.
- More realistic training for many different techniques.
- Original by Century.
- Also for the gym.
- For men and women.
- For many combat sports, boxes, etc. suitable.
Century Original Wavemaster
The Century Original Wavemaster is often thought of as the perfect training bag for children due to the fact that it is height adjustable, going from 47" to 68" in 3" Increments.
You can also adjust the weight, increasing it up to 250 pounds as your child grows both vertically and in strength.
Having said that, it would be a mistake to think of the Century Original Wavemaster as “just” a child’s bag.
It’s more than up to use by adults too, which makes it a great choice in homes where it’s going to be shared, particularly since it’s easy to fill and, if necessary unfill.
As its name suggests, this punching bag can be filled with water and that’s certainly what Century is known for, but this punching bag can also be filled with sand and some people prefer the different feel this gives.
Overall, the Century Original Wavemaster is a good “workhorse” bag, which offers compelling value for money.
Century Original Wavemaster Freestanding Punch Bag
- Original Century Wavemaster Freestanding Punch Bag The Original Century Wavemaster Punching Bag!. The Century Wavemaster is the original freestanding heavy bag, excellent for developing kicks, punches, and strikes. Constructed of high-density foam, the Century Wavemaster heavy bag has a rounded base that is easily relocated without the need of permanent fixtures. Filling the Century Wavemaster punching bag is quick and easy. The hollow base of this Century free standing punching bag holds
- Original Century Wavemaster Freestanding Punch Bag The Original Century Wavemaster Punching Bag!. The Century Wavemaster is the original freestanding heavy bag, excellent for developing kicks, punches, and strikes. Constructed of high-density foam, the Century Wavemaster heavy bag has a rounded base that is easily relocated without the need of permanent fixtures. Filling the Century Wavemaster punching bag is quick and easy. The hollow base of this Century free standing punching bag holds
- The Wavemaster standing punching bag is perfect for home workouts and also for warming up in the gym
- Durable vinyl covers high impact foam
- Seven height adjustments from 47 inches to 68 inches
- Century Punching Bag: 13" diameter 26" tall (striking surface)
Gallant 5.5ft Free Standing Boxing Punch Bag Stand
Gallant make some of the best-value, free-standing punch bags around and the 5.5ft free-standing punching bag is probably their most popular option. The bag itself, to be honest, is nothing hugely special. That’s not a criticism, it has a robust PU “leather” covering, which is double-sticked, is filled with high-quality foam and sat on top of a rubber connector stand. The stand-out feature, however, is the base.
The main reason why these free-standing punching bags are so popular is that Gallant are experts at designing bases which are narrow but stable. This creates more floor space for you to practice your footwork.
Gallant 5.5ft Free Standing Boxing Punch Bag Stand | Heavy Duty Punching,...
- Perfect for Boxing Practice - Free standing punch bag are versatile piece of fitness equipment that is portable and convenient. You can have your punch bag up and ready within minutes. It stands at 5.5ft tall, giving you plenty of room to practice a range of different punches and kicks.
- Perfect for Boxing Practice - Free standing punch bag are versatile piece of fitness equipment that is portable and convenient. You can have your punch bag up and ready within minutes. It stands at 5.5ft tall, giving you plenty of room to practice a range of different punches and kicks.
- Shock-Proof Punch Bag - With its shock-absorbent EPE foam padding material, this free standing punch bag is super durable and sturdy, making it perfect for your boxing training. The reinforced stitching and high-density microfiber on this bag ensure long-lasting usage with no ripping.
- All-round Punch Bag - Punching bags help you boost your punching strength and improve your muscular stamina. You can also move 360 degrees around the bag, so you can train for a wider range of striking angles and combinations. Boxing bags have an opponent-sized object to practice boxing as if it were an actual fight.
- Narrow Sturdy Base - These punch bags have a narrow heavy base that can be filled with sand or water to keep them sturdy and stable whilst being used. Packaged in two separate parts, it is really easy to piece together.
- Available in 4 colours - White dragon design, Brown heritage design, Black target design, and Red target design. Standing 5.5ft tall with 20kg bag weight and 5.6kg base weight, this Gallant freestanding bag is meant to stay with you for your long-term training sessions.
Gallant 6ft Free-Standing Boxing Punching Bag
This bag is much the same as the smaller version above. Apart from the size, the only real difference is the design of the base, although this follows the same principle of being narrow but very stable. Basically, we’d say both freestanding punching bags were equally good, which one you choose will depend on how tall you are.
Gallant 6ft Free Standing Boxing Punching Bag - Heavy Duty Target Stand...
- Heavy Duty Punch Bags - Gallant boxing bag is perfect for boxing practice and reflex training. From boxing to cardio fitness, this punch bag free standing is suitable for boxing, martial arts, MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and other combat sports.
- Heavy Duty Punch Bags - Gallant boxing bag is perfect for boxing practice and reflex training. From boxing to cardio fitness, this punch bag free standing is suitable for boxing, martial arts, MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and other combat sports.
- Durable and Shock Absorbent - This punching bag free standing is made from high grade dura leather and 5cm thick EPE foam padding with reinforced stitching, it makes the freestanding punching bag shock absorbent, pressure resistant, and leakage-proof
- Quick and Easy Assembly - Packed in two separate parts, this boxing bag free standing is easy to assemble and requires no equipment to set up. The kick boxing bag is portable and can be used from anywhere, unlike fixed wall or ceiling bags.
- Boost your Training Sessions - This tall 6ft punch bag offers a sizable surface for practicing punches and kicks, aiding in the enhancement of boxing techniques. It serves as a life-sized target to build confidence, and improve coordination and stability.
- Narrow Stable Base - The 360-degree grip surface on the base of our free standing punch bag adult gives you extra stability and keeps the punching bag in place while being used because the gallant punch bag improves stability by filling with sand.
Lions Free-Standing Punch Bag
This punching bag is 5.5ft with a PU leather cover and a foam filling. The base can be filled with water or sand. Water is usually the easier option as the filler holes are quite small. They are, however, large enough to create a leak if you hit the bag towards the horizontal so the solution is to cover the holes in some way. If you use sand, you will need at least 25Kg.
Lions Free Standing 5.5ft Punch Bag Boxing Stand Martial Arts Fitness Kick...
- - This Excellent Quality Lions Heavy Duty punch bag free standing 167cm (5.5ft) tall boxing dummy can be used by adults and children Target to workout in home and office.
- - ideal for boxing, MMA, taekwondo and kick training as well as a stress buster and strength builder.
- - This Excellent Quality Lions Heavy Duty punch bag free standing 167cm (5.5ft) tall boxing dummy can be used by adults and children Target to workout in home and office.
- - ideal for boxing, MMA, taekwondo and kick training as well as a stress buster and strength builder.
- - Our Punching bag free standing is made from Quality materials ensure durability, multi-layer construction with leather striking surface and high-density foam filling
- - Tank engineered for shock and noise absorption. Can be filled with water or sand to improve stability
- - This freestanding punching bag is Shipped in two boxes, base and bag separately. All fittings provided, if parts found missing please contact.
Lonsdale Omniflex
Lonsdale have spent years designing products which will take sportspeople from beginner to intermediate at a decent cost and with a touch of style. They’ve built their brand on it and the Londsdale Omniflex is a fine example of what they can do. In addition to being a little taller than average (5’7”), it is height-adjustable and has a specially-designed “omniflex” neck which does exactly what the name suggests and makes you work harder than you might expect.
This punching bag is a great option for anyone up to intermediate level and is particularly good for households where people of mixed heights, abilities and interests want (or need) to share a punching bag. The PU leather cover is robust (and easy to clean) and the foam filling has impressive rebound. The base holds up to 100Kg of water or sand and does a very good job of keeping the punching bag where it is supposed to be.
Lonsdale Unisex's Omniflex Free Standing Punch Bag-Black, One Size
- Popular Lonsdale brand
- Special design
- Promotes a active lifestyle
- Guarantees ultimate exercising pleasure
- Designed for maximum performance
- Popular Lonsdale brand
- Special design
- Promotes a active lifestyle
- Guarantees ultimate exercising pleasure
- Designed for maximum performance
Mirafit Punch Bag & Base
If we’re honest, the design of this punching bag always makes us think of an AA battery, but if you can look past that, this is a very solid bag. It’s 1.56M in height (on the stand), has a PU leather cover and is filled with foam. The base is anti-slip and we like the sealing caps on the filling holes. We think they really will do a good job of preventing leaks regardless of whether you’re using water or sand. The base can take up to 60Kg of filling, which should be enough to keep it in place at least the vast majority of the time.
One tip, we’ve heard of some of these punching bags being delivered without the tools to assemble it. We don’t know if this is an issue with third-party sellers or just a mistake. If you’re an avid DIYer then you may be fine with this. If you’re not, we suggest you check the box when it arrives, even if you don’t have time to assemble it. Then if the tools are missing, you can let the seller know immediately.
Mirafit Punch Bag & Base
- Mirafit Free Standing Punching Bag - Orange & black durable faux leather bag mounted on a fillable base
- Ideal for training and a great workout - High rebound foam layer filled with cloth pieces
- Anti slip base with rubber sealing cap to prevent spillages - Strong base mount provides a solid stable workout and rebound - Free standing base means no drilling into the ceiling required
- Mirafit Free Standing Punching Bag - Orange & black durable faux leather bag mounted on a fillable base
- Ideal for training and a great workout - High rebound foam layer filled with cloth pieces
- Anti slip base with rubber sealing cap to prevent spillages - Strong base mount provides a solid stable workout and rebound - Free standing base means no drilling into the ceiling required
- Approx. 80kg when the stand is full and 20.5kg when empty - Base can be filled with cold water or sand - Sand provides a more stable base. If filling with water leave 5cm below fill cap.
- Dimensions: bag height: 88cm / total height: 156cm - Bag diameter: approx 28cm / base diameter: 50cm
Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag
The Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag appeals to us because it looks just like the punching bags we had when we were children.
Looks, however, can be deceiving, even though it’s in nothing like the same league as the likes of the Century BOB Freestanding Punch Bags, the Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag is still a very decent little punching bag for beginners or those who just want a good cardio workout for an affordable price.
In terms of performance, what we really like about this punching bag is that it’s so easy to adjust the height from 49″ to 69″.
The base tank will hold up to 125 pounds of water or 240 pounds of sand, either way, it’s enough to keep it in place for light sparring and fitness work.
Those starting out in combat sports may be pleasantly surprised by how freely the bag moves and how well it mimics a real opponent.
The covering is described as “synthetic leather”, which we assume means vinyl, in any case it’s robust and easy to clean.
Obviously, any punching bag this compact is going to have a small striking surface and this is clearly a punching bag rather than an all-around combat bag, but essentially the Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag aims at a very specific target market and hits the spot nicely.
Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag
- This bag's height can be easily adjusted between 49"-69"
- The plastic base tank can be filled with up to 125 pounds of water or 240 pounds of sand
- Mimics the movement of an actual opponent via the specifically-placed chrome spring
- This bag's height can be easily adjusted between 49"-69"
- The plastic base tank can be filled with up to 125 pounds of water or 240 pounds of sand
- Mimics the movement of an actual opponent via the specifically-placed chrome spring
- Made of easy to clean durable synthetic leather
TurnerMAX Free Standing Punch Bag
If you just look at the technical specs, the TurnerMax free-standing punch bag offers solid performance and great value. The 1.75M height will please taller people and the overall quality of the bag and base will please everyone. So, there are plenty of “sensible” reasons for choosing this punching bag. There’s also the fact that it has the most eyecatching design of any of the punching bags on our list (in a good way).
TurnerMAX Free Standing Punch bag boxing Heavy Best Value Training Martial Arts...
- Free standing punch bag in red by TurnerMAX is very popular and a hot-selling product.
- Excellent for training in combat sports like boxing, martial arts & UFC MMA.
- Ultra steady base, easily assembled, 175 cm height and a wide 65 cm base diameter.
- Free standing punch bag in red by TurnerMAX is very popular and a hot-selling product.
- Excellent for training in combat sports like boxing, martial arts & UFC MMA.
- Ultra steady base, easily assembled, 175 cm height and a wide 65 cm base diameter.
- Free standing heavy bag is made of high quality synthetic leather material packed with EVA foam.
- Shock absorbing surface, base filled with water or sand and an ultimate punching partner.
The end
That’s our choice of the bags, if you need a decent pair of gloves to go along with your new punching bag, check out our review here.