# Boxing gym protocol: Speedbag usage (inspired by Million Dollar Baby) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-gym-protocol-speedbag-usage-inspired-by-million-dollar-baby/457392 "2008-07-22T17:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-gym-protocol-speedbag-usage-inspired-by-million-dollar-baby/457392/1 "2008-07-22T17:33:12Z")
I recently watched the first half of the movie \*Million Dollar Baby \* on AMC-TV. Much was made of the fact that the Hillary Swank character could not afford her own speedbag (one word, I assume), that teardrop-shaped leather-covered ball that boxers hang from a board at eye level and punch in a rapid rhythm. The Morgan Freeman character lent Hillary an old one until she could scrape up the money to buy her own. I found that odd. Is it normal for a boxer to carry around his/her own personal speedbag, hooking it up when he/she starts a session and unhooking it and taking it with him/her when he/she is done? Isn’t that something that the gym just supplies, like the weight machine and the showers? Doesn’t the same one just stay there for everybody to use as needed? Mods: If you think this belongs in GQ, feel free to move it. ---
**Author:** ![Dumbguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dumbguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumbguy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-gym-protocol-speedbag-usage-inspired-by-million-dollar-baby/457392/2 "2008-07-22T18:39:32Z")
I’ve trained in a number of boxing gyms, and I’ve never seen anyone bring their own speed bag. Frankly speed bags are kind of a movie thing. Most gyms have them, but fighters don’t use them that much. They don’t teach good punching technique because you’re hitting with the sides of your fist, which you never do. They also aren’t great for training timing because your rhythm hitting a speed bag is completely syncopated. When you’re throwing punches you want your timing to be unpredictable. I think pad work is the most interesting part of training, but they don’t seem to show that very much in movies. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-gym-protocol-speedbag-usage-inspired-by-million-dollar-baby/457392/3 "2008-07-22T18:57:06Z")
I used to work out in a boxing gym, and SOME guys had their own speed bags. Usually, there were always two speed bags hanging up, but sometimes, the gyms speed bags were either deflated, ruined, or just not up for some reason and the gym didn’t always get around to replacing them very quickly. I doubt that it is the norm, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there were gyms that had that policy. The guy who wrote it was certainly writing from a lot of experience. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-gym-protocol-speedbag-usage-inspired-by-million-dollar-baby/457392/4 "2008-07-22T19:53:53Z")
I used to box for fitness and I have to agree with **Dumbguy** , our coach really discouraged the use of speedbags for the reasons given by him. Punchbags and padwork were much better for gaining the right kind of technique. No one in the gym I went to brought their own speedbags. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-gym-protocol-speedbag-usage-inspired-by-million-dollar-baby/457392/5 "2008-07-22T19:56:01Z")
Some gyms provide speed bags, some have platforms but require boxers to bring their own bags or rent their bags, some provide them but they suck so boxers choose to bring their own bags.