Punch bags in a rental apartment

Question

I'v been learning Krav-Maga for many years and now I mostly train on my own.

When working with other people, I could train on others, or at least they were holding those punching pillows on which I could train "full force".

Now, however, I don't have such an option, thus I was wondering on which objects, so to speak, I can train? A punching bag immediately comes to mind, however here are the problems I am facing:

1. I'm moving into a rental apartment thus I can't drill holes for hanging.

2. A standing punch bag is not an option for they are extremely expensive (at least where I live)

3. I can hang it on a tree in some park, but I'd rather train discreetly.

4. Hanging on a door pull-up bar is an option, but it will restrict my side movements much.

Do you have other, more efficient ideas? I'm thinking about a "Double End Bag" but not sure it'll serve my needs (simulating punching/ kicking into a body)

Answer 1

I know of people who fitted wooden beams to their rooms, essentially building a self-standing frame along walls and ceiling you could screw the hook into. This way, you can use both a heavy bag and a makiwara (punching board - self made or bought) without having to bother with your landlord losing it because of holes in her precious walls.

My advice would be to have in mind another aspect when moving into an apartment: Neighbors. No matter how well secured your installation of whatever device you use is (the beams could be fitted with sliced-up anti-vibration mats for washing machines as a dampener - great stuff for preventing scratches and noise transferred into the walls because of the beams moving ever so slightly), your movements will probably still make some noise.

Thus, before actually doing something in your own apartment, you should look for a small, inexpensive gym nearby where working the bags is possible (those are virtually everywhere), or at least check with your new neighbours before installing any training gear for punching/kicking that costs you some bucks and cannot be used afterwards because of the threat of being kicked out of your place if using it ever again.

Answer 2

You really have no options inside your apartment, unless you are on a first-level or basement level.

You cannot hang a bag in any fashion. From the ceiling, the bag being hit and kicked will resonate with neighbors, and will damage ceilings - even neighbors'. From a door frame, because they're too heavy for use, those bars won't get you far. And they're not practical because you won't have much room for movement, to say nothing of the bag's needed movement.

Standing bags are not particularly expensive, you can get them online and fill them with sand or water. But if you have neighbors below you, they'll hear it. And if you are on a lower level but on a wood floor, your lateral neighbors will still hear you. If you are on a concrete floor, as would be the case in a basement level, that would be your best option.

So... I assume inside your apartment isn't an option. Perhaps a laundry room, or a garage will be your best option.

Don't discount the tree and relying on discrete training. You may develop friends who may want to train with you, or, you might find they, too, need places to train - and then you can work together for a solution.

As for other options other than a commercial gym, perhaps there are homeowner neighbors in the area who have a place you can train; there may be industrial garages for rent you might be able to use for this purpose. There is a place nearby where I live where there is such an arrangement, he's been using the industrial garage for years, and has several different sized hanging bags, and even put down a puzzle mat.