The Top Boxing Bags for Apartments and Small Spaces

These types of punching bags are not attached to hardware. They feature tubular bodies that are filled with various materials like foam. They also have bases that are filled with water, sand, or other heavy materials.

Most freestanding bags are designed to mimic sparring partners in height, frame, and punch resistance. They are excellent for apartments because when your workout is finished, they can be moved and stored in a corner, behind furniture, or in a closet.

Some free standing bags are collapsible. This allows the user to customize the bag’s weight and pliability. Free Standing bags are wonderful for athletes who train in many disciplines like boxing, MMA, and other martial arts.

Do you need a solid bag, but you don’t have strong ceiling trusses? This bag is exceptional for high and low arm and leg strikes. It is spring-loaded at the base, and there is little give in the bag’s body.

The body is made from very durable vinyl wrapped around a dense foam core. The spring mechanism is covered by a protective vinyl pad. The base is hollow and can be filled with your weighted material of choice. This usually means water or very fine sand.

Though the bag is very sturdy, it is designed for controlled punches and kicks at a distance. Very strong users can knock it over. This might be troublesome in very small apartments. Most attacks are easily absorbed by the spring action and return. This is a great bag for the entire family.

Not only is the overall profile of this bag very conducive to apartment living, it has a height adjustment feature as well.

The base can be filled with water or sand, and it will weigh 250-300 pounds. The pad itself is made from high-density foam and vinyl. Its height options range is 47-68 inches. The only setback to this is that the base is quite tall. It might not be the best for sweeping kicks.

The weight of the base, and the stiff spring action, makes it very difficult to knock this pad over. It is ideal for fast cardio-style workouts in a limited space. Move this pad easily into a storage area by rolling the base on its side.

If you have dreamed about having a heavy bag that responds to kicks and punches like a real sparring partner, this is the one.

While this is not a substitute for a traditional heavy bag, it will tax your body like one. It is designed for inventive fighting that includes punching, kicking, kneeing, and the “ground and pound.”

The base and pad materials weigh more than 100 pounds. They bend and flex like a real body, but they will stay upright with hard strikes. If your workout style is particularly vicious, you might want to clear a bit more floor space in your apartment before using it.

I will cover the good features first, which definitely outweigh the bad here. This freestanding bag is 77 x 33.5 inches, and the 33.5-inch base can be filled with up to 280 lbs. of water or sand. A good rule of thumb for any freestanding bag is to fill its base with sand as opposed to water.

Of course, most people are going to fill the base with water because it's more convenient. However, this is going to lead to more movement of the bag, which you definitely don't want if you're in an apartment. And no matter where you live, if the water leaks, you can damage your floors. If you live in an apartment, there goes your security deposit. It's highly recommended that you make the extra effort and find some sand at a home improvement store.

Getting back to the Power Systems PowerForce Freestanding Bag, it has a 65-inch surface for both kicking and punching, a removable foam collar to increase and decrease the pivoting of the bag, durable fabric backed by nylon canvas and open-cell padding, a forgivable striking surface, and a tendency to return to its original form in fast order.

A few other key benefits are that you can practice striking and kicking without having to hang a bag, easy on the hands, and an adjustable height. There are also three different height settings to choose from.

The biggest negative for this bag is that you can knock it over if you're a big hitter. A second negative is price, but you get what you pay for, and spending more is saving money because this bag is going to last longer than most.

This is a better option if you're on a tight budget. The quality won't be quite as high, but it's almost half the price of some of the pricier picks. And a lot depends on what you're looking for.

One of the best aspects of this bag is that it's easy to assemble. It should take five minutes as well as another 5-10 minutes to fill with sand or water. Once again, sand is recommended if possible, but water is better than nothing.

Aside from easy assembly and a quick fill, quality features include a large strike surface, 68-inch height, smaller size, and faster speed to mimic a real opponent better than most bags, foam padding that doesn't settle, and a durable vinyl shell for resistance and shock absorption.

This is really closer to a reflex bag than a heavy bag. It bounces back at you, which is fun, but it also swings violently when you connect. This bag is more for speed, precision, and timing than power. It's also not portable once assembled, and there is no height adjustment.

Hanging heavy bags usually feature a top chain and hook attachment. They have a semi-solid core, and they can come with an outer skin that can be removed and replaced. These bags are very similar to the varieties found in commercial gyms.

New hanging heavy bag designs include some that hang from a base instead of the ceiling. This creates the traditional feel of a hanging bag, but it can be disassembled and stored after workouts.

One of the best qualities of traditional hanging bags is their range of heaviness. Some are light and perfect for beginner training. Others are extremely heavy and hard for veteran fighters who have extremely powerful and fast techniques.

The option of switching between a heavy bag and a speed bag is tough enough in a gym setting. Having one at home is even rarer. This bag stand allows people living in places with space considerations to enjoy tough workouts with multiple options.

With or without added weight, this bag stand setup is perfect for people with floor space concerns. It has a perfect frame balance that makes switching heavy and speed bags easy. The heavy bag weighs nearly 100 pounds, and the speed bag has a free joint for optimal action.

If you live in a small space, but require different bags for training, this station provides the basic equipment for a versatile workout. Only one hook change is needed to go between a cardio workout and one that is power-centered. If you can find a clear corner, this dual station rack will help create the best home workouts.

Sometimes, all you need for a great workout is a simple cylindrical bag. That’s what you get with this moderately weighted Ringside model.

This bag is built to last. Four bracketed panels secure the tough vinyl shell to its hanging hardware. The bag weighs only 65 pounds, so it will move as you use it. It is filled with a shredded foam fiber that absorbs hits and preserves the outer material. If you live in a small space and concentrate on boxing-style workouts, this is an ideal heavy bag.

The hardware included with this bag makes it hang moderately low. This is great for power punching and technical work. The width of the bag is also good for learning to dive and dodge.

This set is designed for people who want to train intensely, but they might have limited space. The corner bar bracket makes it easy to use when open areas are not available.

This bag weighs 150 pounds, and it is designed to last. It has multiple layers of inner and outer gel materials that resist wear. These materials also make the bag appropriate for many styles of training. The bag can be punched, kicked, and “grounded and pounded.” It also has a bottom hook for added tethering stability.

Along with the bag, this set includes training extras like hand strength grips, a jump rope, and wrist guards.

This type of punching bag, or speed bag, is loved by people in apartments because it is completely modular. If there is a door frame or an archway in an apartment, the bag and drum can be mounted and detached easily. Side tension rods are generally used to fit entryways of various widths.

Along with workout location versatility, a doorway punching bag can be set up to accommodate the user’s height. This is something not always found in speed bag stations at gyms.

Doorway punching bags are very useful for intense and fast workouts that focus on upper body conditioning. They are great for all levels of athletes because they promote proper breathing, a strong posture, and skill coordination.

This punching platform can be set up quickly anywhere that has a door frame. It provides a springy surface to practice high punches and upper body fighting techniques.

With two tension rods, the padded platform is secured between four corner hooks. Strong springs keep the platform from swaying too much, but they also provide a moderate degree of resistance. This bag is designed for rapid-fire upper body and hand technique workouts.

This bag is geared mainly toward people who want a simple and direct punching workout. It can be used in the smallest of apartment settings, and it is virtually silent.

It’s completely possible to enjoy a traditional speed bag set up in your own home. This drum and bag model is perfect for people living in small spaces.

Two tension rods secure this speed bag in place. This is wonderful if you are working out in a spot that that needs to be cleared out afterward. If you find a perfect and permanent spot for workouts, this bag and drum have mounts that can be affixed to any surface.

The drum accompanying this bag is extra quiet, and it has a wide enough surface to make the bag’s action effective.