# Punching Bag Advice



## sal (Jun 30, 2008)

To anyone thinking about installing a punching bag I would like to offer some advice. I built a pretty strong truss for my bag that goes across from one beam to the other. After a year of weekly use the force of the bag on the beams is having some effect on the walls. I've noticed cracks in the drywall where the drywall meets the ceiling. I know it's from the shaking the bag causes when you hit it.

I'm going to redo it and have a free stand I'm building out of some old tubing from my Jeep roll cage.


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## imported_carl (Jul 2, 2008)

same thing happened to my dad he almost broke the garage


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## Jay_P (Jul 9, 2008)

What is the inside of a punching bag made out of anyways?


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## TonyLikeGarageGym (Mar 2, 2009)

Oh no? is this true? I am building a gym. can u please see my attached photo and advise if I will have the same problem?

I am planning to put a 6ft muay thai bag, a 4ft heavy punch bag and a speed ball onto the beam. Is this not gona be good?

PS: The blocks are 7N medium density Concrete blocks (not breeze blocks)

Cheers,

Tony 

View attachment IMG_2657.jpg


View attachment IMG_2654.jpg


View attachment IMG_2471.jpg


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## anon (Mar 3, 2009)

Tony, you will absolutely have a problem if you hang a bag from a joist.

Just think of the forces you're dealing with. You wouldn't swing a 3lb hammer at the same spot over-and-over, and expect no pronblems. Now think about a 100lb weight, being swung around, or lifted/dropped from your Muay-Thai knee strikes.

I haven't done this, but I've been looking into it.

I plan to use at least a 2x10, and will bolt that across at least 4 joists. Between the board and the joists I will use some type of bushing (like a shock absorber). Then, the bag will be hung from a heavy-bag spring (like this http://store.titleboxing.com/hbs.html ).


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## TonyLikeGarageGym (Mar 4, 2009)

anon said:


> Tony, you will absolutely have a problem if you hang a bag from a joist.
> 
> Just think of the forces you're dealing with. You wouldn't swing a 3lb hammer at the same spot over-and-over, and expect no pronblems. Now think about a 100lb weight, being swung around, or lifted/dropped from your Muay-Thai knee strikes.
> 
> ...



How about all the people that put hooks into a normal ceiling joist and hang bags? im sure this is worse? From my pics can I at least put 1 or 2 bags, nearer the pillars than in the middle of the beam. Or do you suggest the old fashioned wall brackets? I was really hoping I could utilise the beam as I have already allocated where all the equipment is going to go.

Also, is it really like a hammer force? If i utilise the springs (thanks for that link btw) will this negate some of the force and will my beam be ok?

Tony


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## Admin (Mar 4, 2009)

I have a punching bag I use often attached to the joists and haven't noticed any structure problems.


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## TonyLikeGarageGym (Mar 4, 2009)

Alan said:


> I have a punching bag I use often attached to the joists and haven't noticed any structure problems.



Really? I have been having non stop advice that it will be no good. Have you seen my beam pics? What do you think?

I have a post here with some photos and more of a description of what I want to do....

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=170734&highlight=


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## anon (Mar 5, 2009)

Tony,

Your setup looks a lot stronger than may floor joists. With the steel beam, and reinforcements between the joists, it looks like you have a very stable platform.

The reinforcements will help prevent side-to-side or twisting forces on the joists. I think with what you have, I'd go for it.

I would just bolt a 2x10 or 2x12 board to the joists, spanning several joists, and mount the bag to that board.

I might add another set of your reinforcements to the joists in use (nearest to the block wall where you have the joist hangers).

You can't do much better than that. Worst case, you will develop some creaks, but with the type of access you have, the creaks can be easily remedied.


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## TonyLikeGarageGym (Mar 7, 2009)

anon said:


> Tony,
> 
> Your setup looks a lot stronger than may floor joists. With the steel beam, and reinforcements between the joists, it looks like you have a very stable platform.
> 
> ...



Thanks for this. I dont know if you got where I plan to hang the bags which was on ceiling hooks which I was going to drill and bolt into my steel beam.

Are you advising that I should hang the bags off the wooden joists or a board instead? I was planning to put plasterboards up for a nice finish over the timber.

If I put them as I planned onto the steel beam do I still need to add another set of reinforcements to the joists near the joist hangers.

But do you think putting them on the beam is not a good idea?

Cheers,

Tony


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## SlowRollin' (Jun 26, 2009)

Anon seems to be on the money.  Tony you should have completed your project by now.  How did it turn out?  You could always consult a builder or Architect and get the load specs.

For your Tai bag, you want it to hang freely so you can hit a moving target; unless you can find opponents who will stand still and let you bang...not likely.  I use a ground structered heavy bag and speed bag combo. Also, a floor weighted tall bag, about 6ft, to kick.  I remember all the nights my dad would bang it out in the garage when I was a kid and feel/hear the house shake. 

I keep my equipment off the house mostly for that reason, not to bother anyone else.


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## imported_frozenstar (Feb 22, 2010)

I can't actually visualize how your gym will look like, because the pictures are not that good. Anyway, how is this project now? Can you post some updated pics?


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