There are enough types of boxing gloves out there to make your head spin. New quality products are always coming out. With that in mind, many people are asking: what are the best boxing gloves for heavy bag training?
There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. However, it’s something you need to consider as a boxer. Even if you’re just a hobbyist, you’re bound to stagnate if you don’t get your equipment right.
With all that said, let’s look at the best heavy-bag boxing gloves.
What are the best boxing glove weights for heavy bags?
The first factor to consider when picking gloves should be the size and weight. The amount of padding in the glove naturally scales with the weight. At different experience levels, you may need varying amounts of padding.
The Psychology of Glove Weight
Getting your glove weight right for training is also a huge psychological factor. If your gloves are lighter, you may over-adjust and fail to put enough force behind your punch. This can be for fear of injury. Of course, you could also hit harder than you should with a glove that doesn’t have enough padding. This happens often with less experienced boxers and could cause injuries that set you back for weeks.
Choosing Your Weight
In short, if you weigh around 70 kilograms (150 pounds), you’ll want to invest in 12-to-14-ounce gloves. From there, you can scale upwards or downwards by 2 ounces for every 15 kilograms (35 pounds) of body weight.
That said, when dealing with heavy bags, you may want to stick with bulkier gloves of 14 ounces or more. Training with heavy bags isn’t meant to develop your speed. It’s a strategy for developing punching power, thanks to the added cushioning.
Measuring Your Hand
As a side note, there’s another step after figuring out the ideal weight: your hand circumference. You can measure it by wrapping fabric tape around your palm, just below the knuckle. The Velcro closure on most gloves will allow for some adjustments. That can only do so much, however, if you get the size way off.
Then there’s the fact that this type of closure loses its snugness with time. This is especially true with intense workouts like heavy bag training. Whichever way you spin it, precise measurements are key for ensuring the longest possible lifespan for your gloves.
For a more comprehensive look at boxing glove weights or sizes, check out our sizing guide.
What are the best boxing gloves for heavy bag training?
There are many different types of boxing gloves out there. Each one is useful under specific circumstances. Here’s a breakdown of the two main kinds to look for:
Bag gloves
As the name suggests, designers created these gloves specifically for throwing a flurry of powerful punches at boxing bags. You still have to keep your body weight in mind, but the overall design sets these gloves apart.
The reason these gloves are so effective is the padding. Using them will affect your dexterity. If you’re working with a heavy bag, however, chances are you’re not aiming for speed anyway. As you get more familiar with your punch strength, you can consider switching to a lighter pair.
Boxing bag gloves may or may not have weights. Whether you need them depends on what you’re after. If you feel secure with your technique and want to focus more on muscle development, weighted gloves might be the way to go.
On the other hand, if you’re a beginner boxer, don’t push yourself too hard; go regular instead. Otherwise, you run the risk of developing the wrong form early on. The longer you keep at it, the harder it becomes to reverse any bad habits.
Training gloves
The idea behind training gloves is that they’re good to use in pretty much every context outside of professional boxing.
These are a little heavier than regular bag gloves, as they’re also intended for sparring. The added padding is meant to keep you and your sparring buddy safer as you train. It allows you to punch harder without worrying about hurting yourself. It’s also a great tool for practising your blocks.
The downside is that using these gloves for everything will inevitably wear them out quicker. You’ll throw a lot more punches during a heavy bag session than an average sparring match. It’s easy to underestimate the damage the padding and outer glove can sustain. If you have the budget for it, you could stock up on a few pairs.
FAQs
Can I use sparring gloves for heavy bag training?
This is generally not a good idea, even if the gloves look similar. The padding at the back of the palm is thinner on sparring gloves. Designers created them primarily to protect your opponent from powerful punches.
Averaging less padding overall, these gloves will wear out quicker with excessive training. This is especially true if you use them on a heavy bag. It’s a good idea to keep separate gloves for different occasions to make the best progress.
Should I use bandaging for bag training?
Hand wraps and bandages are always highly recommended in boxing, and that goes for heavy bag training too. You’ll be throwing many high-impact punches. This means a lot of sweat and potentially even wounds around your knuckles. This is especially true if you’re just getting started.
How do I clean my heavy bag boxing gloves?
When dealing with heavy bags, they’ll make you sweat more than other forms of training. You’ll have to put up with a lot of sweat. While the cleanup process is straightforward, you do need to do it regularly.
Some of the easiest steps involve using sanitizing wipes or antibacterial spray. This goes a long way in extending the lifespan of your inner lining and wicking away smells. At the end of the day, it’s an important sanitary measure to keep infections off your wounds.
For more tips on cleaning smelly boxing gloves, consult our cleaning guide.
Can I use competition gloves for heavy bag training?
In theory, the answer is yes. You should, however, take your experience level into account. If you’re a rookie, investing in a good pair of competition gloves could cost a pretty penny. It might be better to follow standardized guidelines on training-specific gloves to start with.
Even with the budget, you need to consider that lace-closure gloves are the industry standard for professional boxing. Even if you go competitive, you’ll have a hard time implementing these in your training. This is because you’ll need help getting laced up and removing them.
What is the best brand of boxing gloves for heavy bag training?
Naturally, there’s a lot of debate in the boxing world about which manufacturers are best. Overall, brands like Hayabusa and Venum have a proven track record of quality and reliability.
Conclusion
We hope we helped shed some light on the best boxing gloves for heavy bag training. All in all, heavy bags will do more damage to your hands. You, therefore, need the appropriate levels of protection to account for that.
We know there’s a lot of information to process. Getting ahead in terms of equipment, however, will lead to quicker improvement as a boxer. Once you get comfortable with different gloves, training should become more enjoyable.
What’s the difference between 10oz and 16oz gloves? Which gloves are right for you? Get the answers to all your gear questions in one place. Explore our detailed Fight Gear Buyer’s Guides.