Many people over look the power of simply hitting a punching bag for a highly effective workout
. You can purchase an inexpensive punching bag at your local sporting good store. If you've never seen one they are supported by floor stands or more commonly hung from a frame that attaches to your ceiling.
Exercising vigorously causes small injuries to your muscle fibers which is why you generally feel sore the day following a really hard workout. When you exercise with sore muscles then you are greatly increasing your odds of serious injury. You should let your body have a day in between vigorous workouts to allow it time to heal properly, try taking a nice walk or swim.
Cross training requires you to alternate sports on different days to efficiently work out different muscle groups. Cross training is great because it allows your muscles at least two days to recover, greatly decreasing your chances of injury. Spending some time hitting a punching bag with your favorite CD blasting is a perfect way to exercise your upper body then the following day you can change it up with a lower body kick boxing or running exercise.
Hitting a punching bag does a lot more than improve stamina and provide a great cardio workout. It can help improve your overall coordination. If you punch the bag it swings back and comes back toward you. You want to practice hitting the bag at the time it is coming back toward you. You will soon find that if you hit it too early or too late it will not stay in rhythm and you will more than likely miss the bag.
Begin your heavy bag workout by hitting the bag lightly until your arms feel sore and tired. Gradually increase the intensity and time of the workout as you feel stronger, make sure you give yourself a break every other day.
If you find that you are falling asleep on the treadmill or finding it hard to stay on that last twenty minutes that you know will feel like two hours you should defiantly try mixing it up with a heavy bag workout or try some high intensity workout DVDs.
Heavy bag training isn't just for boxers or only men. In addition to the amazing cardio you are doing, your heavy bag training sessions will also improve your self defense skills, perfect for women who are looking for that extra boost of confidence! Heavy bag training also has been known to reduce stress.
Heavy bag workouts are a great alterative to dull cardio fitness routines that aren't motivating anymore. With a workout that you enjoy you will be more likely to workout longer and harder and see results faster than you ever imagined.