Hitting the bag..

[djtonyn]

when i'm working on the bag i seem to get really sore wrists. im not sure if its the way im hitting the bag (sometimes i unintentionally catch the bag with only half the face of my fist) or maybe i need to improve wrist strength? could any of these explain the problem?

[AdamGB]

What type of gloves do you use, how heavy is the bag and do you wrap your hands?

[ThomasTabin]

How hard is the bag?

[djtonyn]

the bag is actually quite soft. it's a reebok kombat trainer freestand bag. yeah i've been wrapping up properly, even tried getting one of the more experienced guys to do the wraps just incase.

[ThomasTabin]

Free stand bags are the worst. They don't react properly when you hit them. You need a hanging bag.

[djtonyn]

i get the same problem when im using a heavy bag at the gym aswell though

[greynotsoold]

This is an easy one- when you punch you MUST keep your wrists absolutely straight. Don't bend them the slightest fraction- perfectly straight, damn near locked.

[Trainer Monkey]

This is an easy one- when you punch you MUST keep your wrists absolutely straight. Don't bend them the slightest fraction- perfectly straight, damn near locked.

Hes probably turning them in on his hooks

[greynotsoold]

I'd bet on it.

[Chris Nagel]

Jesus-- it sounds like there's a bunch of professionals in here.

It wouldn't hurt to check your gloves and handwraps and add a forearm exercise. Still, sore wrists usually means there's something wrong with the way that you punch.

...Doctor.

Doctor.

I concur.

[donnydarkoIRL]

Well the thing is, when your wrists hurt you, you have to give them a break.
If they are hurting you but you remedy the source of discomfort (Wraps, hard bag, technique) and immediatly start hitting a bag again your wrists will hurt again .(even with perfect circumstances.)

My advice would be to drop the bag work for a little while. Double the amount of Shadowboxing if you need (Actually I'd advise that as it'll ensure you are punching correctly) and when you come back pay close attention to the appearence of your hands after each session.

Someone told me when I was younger to "Listen to my Body," I hadn't a clue what he meant at the time but in Boxing it is essential to remember your working with a finely tuned and fragile instrument. Pain is a signal from your body to your brain indicating that an activity is harnful to the muscle/bone/tissue. By ignoring these signs You can potentially do more damage to yourself than any opponent you meet in Boxing.

The best of luck man and be careful.

[djtonyn]

thanks alot for the comments. funny enough it does seem to only be a problem when im hooking the bag. now that i'm really concentrating on keeping my wrists straight up i feel that i've lost a little bit of power in the jab and hook but i suppose practice and understanding my limits will take care of that after a while. thanks alot!

[Trainer Monkey]

thanks alot for the comments. funny enough it does seem to only be a problem when im hooking the bag. now that i'm really concentrating on keeping my wrists straight up i feel that i've lost a little bit of power in the jab and hook but i suppose practice and understanding my limits will take care of that after a while. thanks alot!

Keepin in mind that me or Grey dont actually have you in our gym so anything we say is an educated guess on whats most common
You were probably pushing as well,which isnt as comfortable when your landing right,it may feel like power to you,but it really isnt delivering the concussive force your looking for to hurt an opponent.
Now you to need to concentrate on your hips and shoulders and allowing you arms to just direct traffic as it were

[AdamGB]

i get the same problem when im using a heavy bag at the gym aswell though

If you're using a freestanding bag which is damaging your wrists then those problems are going to carry over to a proper bag...

I injured my right hand hooking the exact bag you have at the gym I used to work in, wasn't even working on the bag... just mucking about... the problem with them is that they move the complete opposite way to that of a normal bag... you hit it with a body shot - nothing, you hit it with a straight to the head and it goes miles away from you (if you're lucky) or falls over.

Also less of the shock is absorbed so you take more. Not a good idea for any one with any real pop mate... health clubs normally have standing bags because they are used by feather fisted blokes/women

[Scrap]

Anything that moves the wrist comes from the elbows, Thats where you will find the source.