This video lesson explains Bag Drill 3, the 25 5 drill and the versions that build from it. It is a conditioning drill on the heavy bag, and done properly it will make you very fit, both physically and mentally.

It is for boxers, martial artists and self-defence students who want to be fit enough to actually fight, not just fit enough to get through a class.

What Matters in This Drill

It does not matter which techniques you choose to do. What matters is three things:

  • You keep good form throughout, from the first strike to the last
  • You keep yourself defended before, during and after the strikes
  • You do not cheat on the exercise

That sounds simple. It is not. When you get tired, your hands drop, your chin comes up and your punches turn into pushes. That is exactly when the drill is doing its job, and exactly when most people start to cheat.

Why Form Under Fatigue Is Everything

Anyone can punch well when they are fresh. The real test is how you punch when you are exhausted. In a real fight or a hard round of sparring, you will be tired, so you need to train your technique and your defence to hold up when you are tired.

If you let your form go during the drill, you are training yourself to have bad form when it matters most. Keep the hands up. Keep the chin down. Keep moving properly. Every strike should still be a real strike.

Building Up the Rounds

Once you get to 15 15 and 5 or more rounds, you are well on your way to being very fit and conditioned, physically and mentally. Build up to it steadily. There is no prize for doing too much too soon and getting injured.

The mental side is just as important as the physical. Drills like this teach you to keep going when your body tells you to stop. Put simply, the drunk who wants to fight you on a Saturday night is not doing anything like this, and very few people are, even at a high level of combat sport.

How to Use It in Your Training

Add this drill to your bag sessions two or three times a week. Keep an honest record of what you do, so you can see real progress over time. If you coach others, make sure your students do not cheat either.

Take It Further

Bag work and conditioning are built into the Learn To Box Online Course. If you want to add serious power to the work you do on the bag, take a look at Power Black.