Top 5 Best Free Standing Punching Bags [Reviewed]

Freestanding punching bags are excellent training tools. Whether you’re looking for fitness, strength, or just the core ability to be able to take an opponent down.

These punching bags are multipurpose accessories. For females who’re looking to get those toned legs like the movies, kicking practice is a great way to get that.

Here is our review of the Top 5 free-standing bags. We’ve eventually revealed the best freestanding heavy bag in the market.

Best Free-Standing Punching Bags Online

#1 Century Wavemaster XXL Training Bag

The Century Wavemaster XXL is a very high-quality training bag made from durable vinyl and high-quality foam.

The Wavemaster, in its biggest version, stands tall at 69 inches and can weigh up to 270 pounds when filled. It has a diameter of 18 inches for a strong-looking opponent. This free-standing heavy bag accepts water and sand as the filler materials, so you don’t have to worry about the cost of filling.

The Wavemaster is excellent for beginners and evolving-champions alike. It provides an extra-large surface for you to practice your moves.

Once you have started to harden and deliver more powerful blows and punches, you can unleash a marathon of targeted high-intensity attacks, and the Century Wavemaster XXL will smile while you keep going.

It is robust and sturdy, but the material is forgiving. The designers and manufacturers have done their job well with this heavy bag.

That’s why it is a contestant for the title of the best free standing punching bag. This is precisely why we, and many other buyers of fitness equipment, have come to trust the Century brand for punching and other exercise equipment.

You’re looking at a product from a brand that has been in the business for over 40 years. Most of the people practicing on their equipment wouldn’t even have been born since the time they are operating. You would build your skill on a brand that has made its skill in providing the best-in-the-world martial arts equipment.

The Century Wavemaster XXL Training Bag is easy to move around and can be kept in one corner without consuming a lot of space.

PROS:

• Great weight-distribution and stability with a low-profile base
• Built from durable material and the hard hitters can practice without worrying

CONS:

• Ensure it is filled with water or sand as specified, else there could be a tendency for it to move when hit hard

Note: You can read an even more detailed review of the Wavemaster XXL here.

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Also Read: Best Punching Bag for Outdoor Use

#2 Century Versys VS1 Fight Simulator 100LB

Another contestant from Century, the VS1 Fight Simulator, is another free-standing punching bag that is built for powerful hits. This bag is one of those accessories that are in the category – “built for everyone”.

We like construction, and it has an exciting name.

Once again, Century has displayed its design prowess. They have provided grappling handles for you to grab your “opponent” and kick it in the center. There’s a lot of control for you. It makes for realistic fighting practice.

The Century Versys freestanding bag comes with a pre-filled base for use right out of the box. This design provides a natural rebound that closely simulates the real experience. Speed, agility, power, or balance – whatever it is that you’re looking forward to developing, you can use the Century Versys.

The Versys has a height of 66 inches and a 13.75-inch diameter. As the name suggests, it weighs 110 pounds. These dimensions mean that your fight simulator does not demand a lot of room.

It can be carried around the house easily and tucked on a side when you’re not practicing.

It can be used for multiple martial arts styles as per the manufacturer. As we’ve written before, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and boxers at the beginner or pro-level can use this training bag.

PROS:

• Suitable for multiple martial arts styles. Well designed, can be used by all
• Natural rebound and realistic training feel
• Presence of grappling handles for refining your moves

CONS:

• The prefilled base makes it a large unit and transportation charges are higher
• Carrying it to another location using a vehicle is challenging because of its size

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#3 Century BOB XL with Base Unit

The BOB from Century is another impressive freestanding heavy bag. We have reviewed here the extra-large unit, which has a larger torso than the original BOB. The BOB XL free standing punching bag provides a height adjustment feature.

Practitioners looking for perfecting moves on the stomach will find the BOB XL interesting. Are you looking forward to kicking some abdomen? The BOB would help you practice without breaking a sweat.

The Century BOB has a durable design with a base made from polyethylene. You can choose from water and sand as the filler material.

Water mirrors the feel of the human flesh better with natural resistance. The designers have used durable urethane foam with skin color. The mannequin looks realistic.

Once the BOB XL is filled to the brim, you can prepare yourself for some muscle-flexing. It can take the hard-hitters comfortably with a realistic experience because of the adequate resistance. The face is softer, so you get humanlike quality there as well.

The heavy-hitters can comfortably flex their muscles and use their strength on the torso because of the adequate resistance. The face also mimics the humanlike feel and is soft, as expected.

PROS:

• The BOB XL provides a realistic feel because of its humanlike design, shape, and structure
• Stability is entirely satisfactory given the wide circular base and a 270 pounds filler ballast
• Suitable for use with bare-hands or boxing gloves, the area around the chest has excellent resistance

CONS:

• Filling water or sand takes time because of the small opening
• Since it would weigh upwards of 270 pounds, moving it when filled is a little challenging

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See also: Century BOB vs Century BOB XL Comparison

#4 Everlast Power Core Bag

The Everlast Power Core free standing punching bag is a good option for those who are looking for a heavy punching bag. This bag seems muscular, and it meant for the hard-hitters.

It has a sturdy and well-built frame that has an air-foam chamber for a realistic feel during practice. It is equipped with power transferring that absorbs most of the impact and prevents movement of the base.

Stability should, therefore, not be a concern.

Being symmetrical and rounded, moving around the power core punching bag is very easy. Place it in an area where there is enough maneuverability around, and you can drastically improve your hand-eye coordination. There will be enough cardio if you’re practicing hard.

Leg conditioning is another area where you can benefit from the power core.

This is meant for use by multiple people since it has height adjustment built-in. With a minimum height of 54”, it can be extended all the way up to 65” for the taller folks.

The base is made from high-density material and can be filled with the two most common materials – water and sand. If you use water, it would weigh about 250 pounds.

With sand, the full weight of the power core goes to 370 pounds. Beware, it is not a good idea to mix water and sand – just in case you thought about it.

You can also read a more detailed review here.

PROS:

• Great punching bag with stable base and height adjustment
• Sand and water can be used as filler material as per the required feel and weight.
• The base of the bag does not take a lot of space and can be tucked in the corner of the room

CONS:

• Some people have reported minor water spillage when hit hard
• Those over a height of six feet may feel that their shots are aimed too low
• The bolt and Allen-key combination is somewhat inconvenient. Alignment issues may trouble you.

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#5 Everlast Omniflex Freestanding Heavy Bag

The Everlast Omniflex comes with a sturdy base and a long rod over which the punching bag is mounted. The company advertises the shell as Nevatear, which is quite durable.

The neck is flexible and allows for a realistic training feel. The adequate flex allows for greater impact absorption and better stability of the base.

It has a low-profile design with a high-quality foam that acts as a shock absorber. The Everlast Omniflex weighs about 130 pounds, and its height is 67 inches. It is not as large as the ones previously reviewed but do its job well. You can practice your punches and kicks without worrying.

It has a height adjustment setup on the neck and can cater to the requirements of practitioners with different height and kicking requirements. This also allows for customized striking positions.

Since the weight of the freestanding punching bag is 130 pounds, this one may not be ideally suited for the professionals and those who like to kick hard. The lightweight offers an advantage – it is effortless to move around.

It can be filled with sand using a funnel; however, due to the small size of the opening, that can be a bit of a hassle. Overall, the punching bag does its job well and is an excellent product for those who want to start practicing.

PROS:

• Great punching bag with flexible neck and height adjustment. Flexibility provides a realistic feel
• Lightweight and great for use by teenagers and beginners

CONS:

• Filling it with sand is a challenge. You need a funnel to prevent the sand from spilling all around you
• This one is not for the hard-hitters. They may even trip the bag off if they kick hard

Note: You can read an even more detailed review of the Omniflex bag here.

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How to Choose the Best Free Standing Punching Bag?

Considering that you would be practicing kicking and punching, the construction of the bag needs to be proper. If you want to develop professional skills, the bag must simulate a humanlike experience.

Here are the factors that you should consider while buying a free-standing punching bag.

Material

For any exercise equipment, the quality of material matters immensely. Not only should it be designed to bear different types of hits and takedowns but also last long without leakage and breaking. If there has been a leak in the case of water-filled bags and you do not notice it, the next time you give that kick, you may fall off along with the bag.

Stability

Free-standing punching bags depend on the base for its stability. Ensure that you choose the appropriate weight as per your practice requirements.

The buying choice also depends on what you want to practice. If you’re going to go on a hard-hitting marathon, the Wavemaster or the BOB could be ideal choices. The one with the flexible neck is for a different set of moves altogether.

Audience and skill

You may not have your home-gym exclusive for yourself. If there are multiple users, consider their skill level and their physical characteristics. If there is a difference in height and weight, you might want to buy a punching bag with a height adjustment.

Also, as your skills advance, you may want to practice targeted moves. So, plan well before buying.

Mobility

The free-standing bag may be hard to move around if it comes in a single piece. If the filling and emptying mechanism are complex, you may face difficulty moving it around. Choose a punching bag with detachable components if you are out of storage space.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. My punching bag is lightweight, and with some heavy-hitting, its base tends to move about. How to fix it?

Some punching bags are inherently unstable, while others may not be suitable for the intensity of the blows being delivered. In such cases, the base moves and the filler material could also spill.

Ensure that you have a rugged rubbed mat placed beneath the punching bag so that water spilling doesn’t create a slippery surface. You could also stand on a mat yourself to avoid slipping.

Q. How to know which material is most reliable and which would be best suited for me?

Heavy punching bags are made from polymers, PVC, and high-quality foam. Plastic could be found in some of the parts of the bag. You would hardly find any bag that is entirely made from one material. Going for branded choices can help you with quality.

Reading in-depth reviews will let you know users’ experiences and suggestions. Apart from that, we have given you the points you should consider while buying.

Q. Is there a one-size-fits-all free-standing punching bag?

Kicking, boxing, takedown, and other combat moves are different. The structure and design of the punching bag would be different for various requirements. Moreover, if the bag is going to be used by multiple people, it would be challenging to find a bag that suits everyone.

What you can do is look for a big, wide, and tall training bag.

This would take care of the practice for beginners, and the hard-hitters. If the bag stands tall, people over six feet won’t have problems practicing.

Q. Is there a way to adjust the weight of the bag below its maximum capacity?

It is recommended that you use the product as per the recommended specifications, but if you want to tinker around a little, there is nothing wrong with it unless you’re putting your safety in the line.

Stuffing clothes to reduce the volume of sand required to fill the bag is one way. Search online for the specific model you have bought. The internet is full of experimenters.

Conclusion

We have reviewed five popular free-standing punching bags. The Century Wavemaster XXL is the best, in our opinion.

The lookout points while buying a free-standing heavy bag have been elaborated previously. The Century Wavemaster XXL scores a perfect five stars on the quality.

Considering that the manufacturer has been consistently delivering good quality products for 43 years, we feel confident that you would be safe while using products manufactured by them.

It scores well on usability. With 69 inches of height, it can cater to taller individuals. Its 270-pound weight adds to its stability, and you won’t complain about it since it is the perfect companion as your skills improve, and your moves evolve to become more targeted.

If you purchase the Century Wavemaster XXL version, you would not have to worry about replacing the bag since the high-quality, and usability won’t disappoint. This is a one-time investment and has the least cons reported among all the bags that we researched. The one con could also be considered a positive of sorts.

If something is difficult to move when it is set up, it means that there is inherent stability and the item is a heavy-duty product.

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