Boxing is a great way to keep fit; it builds power and strength, improves coordination and helps you shed spare pounds while keeping your heart in top condition.
A punching bag and a pair of gloves can be acquired at minimal cost and can keep you fit for life (if youâre committed enough).
If youâre in a rush here are our top three quiet punching bags:
Yet unfortunately for many of us there is one thing which stops boxing from being the perfect home workoutâŠthe noise they make.
Throwing devastating Deontay Wilder style hooks into a heavy punching bag creates noise, a lot of noise.
Even if youâre packing significantly less power than a heavyweight boxing champion punching bags are still noisy enough so if you live in an apartment or communal living complex you may soon get a disgruntled neighbour knocking on your door (particularly if you are prone to early morning workouts).
Top Tip: Mix some of these quiet cardio exercises into your boxing workout to add variety and intensity to your training.
Getting a quiet punching bag suitable for an apartment is vital to ensuring that you can get a good training session in at home without disturbing anyone.
What Makes A Punching Bag So Noisy?
There are a lot of reasons why a punching bag can be very noisy, here are some of the most common ones:
- Overfilled punching bags are very hard and dense meaning they do not absorb sound (or punches) as a softer punching bag would. It may feel better to hit a hard bag however it is far noisier.
- Many home bags rely on heavy sand or water-filled stands which often wobble creating floor noise.
- Bags are often hung from chains, these chains will rattle when the bag is punched, chains also will transfer noise directly into the ceiling where your bag is hung meaning your upstairs neighbour has a good chance of hearing every punch if it is screwed into a joist.
- The final and most obvious way in which boxing bags create noise is by you hitting them hardâŠthe harder you punch the more noise they make!
How To Make Your Punching Bag Quieter:
- Donât pack it out as much, remove some of the filling. You could even put foam inside it to soften the impact and reduce punching volume.
- If your bag uses a heavy stand place it on two or three thick rugs or, for extra stability, rubber treadmill mat â this will dampen the sound created by bag movement and prevent vibrations from travelling through the floor.
- To quieten chain rattling you should wrap the chains in tape (masking tape will do) or swap the chains for fabric straps â also make sure to prevent the bag from swinging wildly after each punch (have someone hold the bag for you).
- Punch with less forceâŠit doesnât have to be all about power!
Punching Bag Types
When shopping for a quiet punching bag it is important to be aware of the different types of bag available and the impact that they can have on the amount of sound your bag will make.
Doorway Bags
These are generally the quietest as they are not tethered to the floor or the ceiling meaning that vibrations do not travel directly into your downstairs or upstairs neighbours room.
Because they are usually tethered to a doorframe with nylon straps these help to deaden vibrations before they get into the door frame.
Doorway bags are usually the best choice for apartment training because they are far less noisy than bigger heavier alternatives.
Hanging Bags
These are usually very heavy and densely packed and are typically hung from a frame or ceiling joist with chains.Â
They are the noisiest types of punching bag because due to the density of the bag most of the punching energy is transformed into sound energy upon impact. The chains can also make a lot of noise too, particularly if the bag is allowed to swing excessively.
You can reduce hanging bag punch volume by packing the bagless densely and wrapping the chains in tape.
Standing Bags
Standing bags sit on a base which is usually water or sand-filled to keep it stable and upright. These are very heavy, densely packed bags which can be very loud when hit.
Standing bags will rock around when punched thus creating floor noise, on wooden floors the sound of the rocking motion can be considerable.
Volme can be reduced by putting your bag on a matt or carpet and by taking some of the packing out of the bag.
The Quietest Punching Bags
Here are the quietest punching bags currently available for purchase:
1. Quiet Punch
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Letâs be clear from the start if youâre a serious boxer, aspiring amateur boxer or someone who cares about boxing properly then this isnât the punching bag for you.
It is limited in that you can only really throw jabs as it (as illustrated in the video below), if you want to practice hooks and uppercuts you will struggle.
Quiet Punch isnât marketed at boxers it is marketed for people who want a quick, effective and quiet way to get a sweat on and improve their fitness. If that sounds like you then the Quiet Punch is a good choice.
So How Quiet Is It?
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We donât have exact decibel data but you can hear it in the video above and you can be confident that unless your walls are literally made of paper your neighbour wonât hear it.
Quiet punch fits neatly into any doorframe thanks to its adjustable bars (these will fit doorways between 28âł and 36âł), these suspend the 4lb punching square in the middle of your door.
The rods also include a clip to attach your phone to so you can follow the Quiet Punch training video programs in their app.
The Quiet Punch app allows you to record your progress by monitoring things such as the number of punches you throw, it is also packed full of workouts for you to follow from beginner to advanced. These range from 15 minutes to 45 minutes in length.
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2. Title Doorway Boxing Bag Set
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The Title Doorway Boxing Bag is the slightly noisier albeit more functional cousin of the Quiet Punch.
So How Quiet Is It?
This bag moves about (up, down, left and right) a lot more than the Quiet Punchbag which creates more noise however it is not much louder at all and certainly wonât be disturbing your neighbours even if you are really going for it.
Instead of a flat punching pad it uses an 8 inch reinforced leather ball which means you can throw uppercuts and hooks at it as well as jabs. It is marginally noisier than the quiet punch due to its wider range of movement.
It is a great choice for speed work and it will help improve your boxing accuracy.
Click image to view on Amazon
Fitting it is quick and simple using the adjustable bars which extend out as shower curtain poles do by twisting them.
Ball tension and the speed at which it moves can be adjusted by moving the nylon straps so that they are stretched further out or are closer together.
3. The Ringside Bodysnatcher Bag
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The Ringside Bodysnatcher Bag is a âsoft fill bagâ which is a perfect low impact bag ideal for apartment use.
Soft fill bags are not densely packed out like most traditional punching bags are. This means that they absorb punches thus reducing the impact and thereby make significantly less noise when hit.
So How Quiet Is It?
Very â if youâre used to a hard bag this will feel and sound very different. A soft fill bag will feel easier on your hands and your ears â if you are a hard hitter then this is a good choice if you want a quiet punching bag.
Be aware that this bag has chains which can be noisy particularly if the bag is allowed to swing a lot when in use. To reduce chain noise we advise you wrap the chain in masking tape or swap it for nylon strapping.
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