A heavy bag is used for boxing, general exercise, and to reduce stress. It is a sturdy bag designed to be constantly punched and kicked. A heavy bag is supposed to be able to swing back and forth in order to prevent injury when punching it. Thus, it should hang freely off of something. However, because of its weight, there are certain ways to hang a bag without ruining your ceiling.
From the Ceiling
The weight of a heavy bag cannot be supported by plaster. When hanging a heavy bag from the ceiling, you risk causing damage to your house if not done properly. The safest way to do it is to distribute the weight among several ceiling joists. The joists should be 16 inches on center. You can find the studs using a stud finder. Then get a hardwood 2-by-4 and mount it perpendicular to two joists. Do not nail it in. Make sure you screw it in with heavy-duty screws like 3 1/2-inch drywall screws. Get a heavy bag holder if yours did not come with one and screw it into the 2-by-4. Try to get one that is made of steel in order to hold the weight of the bag.
Off the Wall
The other way to hang a heavy bag is to get a wall mount hanger. TITLE makes a great heavy-duty wall mount hanger. A wall mount hanger comes with three metal bars. One of the bars is screwed in perpendicular to the wall. This is the bar the bag hangs on. The other two are screwed in at a 45-degree angle to the wall and are attached to the perpendicular bar. They are used as support. Simply screw the hanger into two wood studs and hang the bag off of it. This way may cost more money, but it is much safer. It prevents you from causing structural damage to your ceiling and it significantly decreases the vibration and noise you make when using the bag. Moreover, it costs less than a bag stand.
Hang From a Bag Stand
Finally, if you do not want to risk hanging a bag from your ceiling or wall, you have the option of buying a bag stand. These can sometimes be found at gyms. They usually come with a section for hanging a heavy bag and one for a speed bag. They are the safest and most quiet solutions for hitting a heavy bag. However, they are also the most expensive and the biggest. If you don't have a large area where you plan on using your bag, you may not be able to move around much with a stand. If you can afford it and have the room for one, a bag stand may be the best way to hang a heavy bag.
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