If you’re looking to train boxing, MMA or Muay Thai at home, an RDX punch bag can make a great investment.
RDX are a proven martial arts brand, and they produce a decent range of high quality punch bags – many of which come with fixtures, fittings, and even gloves thrown in.
However, the choice of punchbags and their features can be a bit overwhelming.
So, I’ve put together this guide to walk you through the different types of RDX punch bags available, reviewing each one, and recommending my top picks.
RDX straight heavy punch bag
(This punch bag is available in lots of different bundles which contain different fittings such as wall brackets and ceiling hooks -so, work out where and how you will be hanging your bag, before ordering one)
The straight bag is RDX’s most popular heavy bag, and will certainly fit most people’s home training needs. It’s a big sturdy, well-made heavy bag which comes in a range of lengths and weight. Overall it caters to most levels of ability and has a good amount of swing and shock absorption.
The straight bag is RDX’s most popular heavy bag, and will certainly fit most people’s home training needs. It’s a big sturdy, well-made heavy bag which comes in a range of lengths and weight. Overall it caters to most levels of ability and has a good amount of wing and shock absorption.
It comes with the following features which I have split into pros and cons…
Pros
- Maya hide (synthetic) leather bag exterior – very tough and durable
- Filled with shredded material – provides ample weight and strike absorption
- Zip top which allows you to add/remove fabric if you want to make the bag heavier/lighter
- Most bundles come with chains and brackets to hang bag form ceiling or wall (check what’s included before buying)
- Instructions for fitting fixings included, plus plenty of tutorial videos online, make hanging it relatively easy
- Comes in 4ft/20kg or 5ft/25kg – Longer bag is better for those training MMA or Muay Thai for knees and kicks
- Some bundles include extras such as boxing gloves, hand wraps and skipping ropes
- Tether loop at bottom allows you to attach a weight to the bottom to reduce sway (this is good if you want to keep the bag still when doing drills etc.)
- Best all round RDX punch bag in my opinion
Cons
- Being a straight punchbag, you cannot train uppercuts on this bag
- Some fitting required, and you will have to drill roles into a wall or ceiling to hang, so DIY skills are needed!
- Some of the extras thrown in such as the gloves and skipping ropes are pretty basic, but they do the job.
RDX angled/uppercut heavy punch bag
If you are keen to train angled shots like uppercuts and body shots, along with kicks and knees – then an angled bag could be a good choice for you.
Whereas a straight bag only allows you to strike at a vertical surface, the curved surface of the angled bag allows you to strike at a variety of different angles and really mix your shots up.
The RDX angled bag is of the same high quality of the standard bag, and comes with the following features.
Pros
- Curved surface allowing you to throw angled kicks, punches and knees
- Maya hide (synthetic) leather bag exterior – very tough and durable
- Filled with shredded material – provides ample weight and strike absorption
- Zip top which allows you to add/remove fabric if you want to make the bag heavier/lighter
- Comes with chains for hanging to a ceiling or wall bracket
- Tether loop at bottom allows you to attach a weight to the bottom to reduce sway (this is good if you want to keep the bag still when doing drills etc.)
- Includes pair of lightweight boxing gloves
Cons
- Does not come with wall bracket or ceiling hook – these must be brought separately in order to hang the bag
- Fitting a hook or wall bracket will require some time and effort
- Whilst the bags curves are great for hitting angled shots, some people find the bag it bit awkward to hit them with straight shots (jabs, crosses, hooks etc.)
- The bag gloves provided are very basic
RDX wrecking ball/uppercut punch bag
The RDX wrecking ball punch bag is much smaller bag (around 60cm long) which is designed to hang around head height from the ceiling or a wall bracket. It’s purpose is to mimic an opponents head so that you can focus on training head shots and get a full range of motion around it.
The wrecking ball has the following features.
Pros
- The only RDX punch bag that allows you to throw shots upwards at a horizontal surface, making it great for training uppercuts
- Maya hide (synthetic) leather bag exterior – very tough and durable
- Filled with maize which makes it very solid – this is necessary to give the bag more weight, as it is very small. You must wear a decent pair of gloves and wrap your hands when using this bag or you could damage your knuckles
- Great for training boxing head shots
- Comes with chains for hanging to a ceiling or wall bracket
Cons
- You are restricted to only training boxing head punches with this head bag, due to it’s short length – you cannot train kicks, body shots etc.
- The bag is very solid which some people may find hurts their knuckles
- Does not come with wall bracket or ceiling hook – these must be brought separately in order to hang the bag
- Fitting a hook or wall bracket will require some time and effort
How to choose an RDX punch bag
When looking to buy an RDX punch bag, you need to think about your intended use for the punch bag, and where you intend to use it.
Will you be training Muay Thai with kicks and knees? Or will you be focusing on boxing with punches only
Do you have bags of room and wall you don’t mind drilling in to? Or do you have limited space and areas to hang the bag?
Once you know those things, here are some aspects of the bag spec you will need to consider.
Check out the best freestanding punch bags
Exterior material
Punch bags take a lot of punishment, especially if you use them regularly over weeks and years. So picking a punch bag with a strong exterior is essential.
Personally I would always go with genuine leather, or a quality synthetic leather such as Maya hide. Avoid vinyl and plastic as they will crack after a bit of use.
Filling
Most punch bags are filled with shredded material, as this has been proven to give a solid weight with enough cushioning to cushion your strikes. Sometimes smaller bags are filled with more dense materials such as maize to give them more weight – which makes them more solid to hit.
Length
If you are looking to train Muay Thai or MMA then you should probably get a 5ft long bag to allow you to throw lower kicks. If you are training western boxing then a 4ft bag will allow you to train a full range of boxing punches.
Weight
Generally speaking, heavy hitters should go for a heavier bag, so that is has more resistance from your shots and doesn’t swing around excessively. So, if you’re well-built, opt for a heavier bag.
Fitting
It’s really important to think about how you will hang your punch bag before you order it. There’s nothing worse than paying for a punch bag, having it delivered, and then realising you’ve got no way of hanging it.
Make sure you check what fixtures and fittings come with the punch bag bundle, as well as what other things you might need to buy in order to hang it.
Generally speaking you will need chains, and then a ceiling hook or wall bracket to hang your bag
Hanging your RDX punch bag
These two videos show you how to hang a punch bag using either a wall bracket or a ceiling hook.
Poorly fitted hangings for your punch bag could potentially be very dangerous, so if you’re not sure you can do it – get somebody who knows what they are doing to help.
If you don’t fancy doing and DIY, you could also use a punch bag stand, but they are pricey and not as sturdy as using a fixture.
Heavy bag drills
Once you have your heavy bag set up, some of the drills below are great for cardio, technique, power and speed.
Don’t forget to wear hand wraps and glove up whenever you train on the heavy bag.
5 Bag drills from former world champion Damien Trainor
3 bag drills from FightTips
I hope this RDX punch bag guide has been of help to you
Happy training!
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