This is great!

[SNAKEBITE]

We're starting a health and fitness section on www.animationnation.com as well. I think its very important for us artists to be aware of such
things...as I look down at my gut...so we can create for a long long time!

[John Rauch]

Have you gotten into a routine yet? I have a heavy bag I haven't hung up since we moved, but I want to sometime this week. I've never really had any idea how to properly work it into an exercise routine though. I used to just hit it for a while to keep my heart rate up. Is there anything I should focus on?

[robbdaman]

Use it as part of a circuit routine John. Something like doing some wind sprints, pushups, heavy bag work, crunches, plyo hops of some sort, repeat, etc. This is the sort of thing we'd use it for in kickboxing training. I personally like it as a short cardio workout, just smack it around for 20 minutes or so, great stress relief too.

[John Rauch]

That's not really what I meant, but thanks. I meant something more like, should I just freestyle it or repeat certain combos, etc. 100 of this, 50 of that...something other than just punching randomly for 10 minutes.

[robbdaman]

Ah, well if you know anything about boxing it's usually about combos and working types of punches into movements. Work up the bag toward the "head", work down the bag to the "belly" using different punches. A good list is combos of 1-Jab, 2-Straight Right, 3-Left Hook, 4-Right Hook, 5-Left Uppercut, 6-Right Uppercut. Try 1-1, 1-1-1, 1-2, 1-2-3, 2-3-2, 3-2-3, etc. Try intervals of 3 minutes punching and one minute rest, change it up and work the dodges and blocks.