If your kids have been taking TaeKwonDo for a while, their school will probably have a lot of equipment that they use that is helpful in teaching kicking techniques not only to your children but also the other students as well.
The issue that comes up however is that sometimes their just isn’t sufficient time to get in enough practice time while they are at Tae Kwon Do class due to time constraints or the amount of students in class that day.
In addition, another potential issues is that you also may only be able to take your kids to TaeKwonDo class some so many times per week.
Therefore, given these limitations and in order for your kids to keep improving with their TaeKwonDo skills when they are not at the school, they are going to have to do it somewhere else and where is this going to be? Yep.. that’s right.. at home (for better or for worse).
Therefore in order for them to make the most of their practice sessions, I’ve compiled a list of my 7 kicking (and punching) equipment that are my favorites.
This equipment will not only help your kids to continue to improve while away from the school but also allow them to do better while at their school and also at any tournaments they attend.
Things To Consider About A Kicking Bag
The Material
There are two materials that are best and either one will last for a long time. These two materials are leather and vinyl. Leather has a natural and comfortable feeling, but it can be costly. Vinyl is a good alternative, and it will not tear nor crack easily.
When deciding on a punching bag for your kids, if you plan on using the equipment outdoors at any time you should look to see if it has waterproof material so if it gets rained on or exposed to the elements as it were, it doesn’t get moldy and/ or damaged.
Also look to make sure, that whichever you decide, that it comes with a thick layer of foam as that will stop your kids from getting him or herself hurt when kicking or punching.
The Price
As with almost everything, price is one of the most important considerations when researching which bag is best for your wallet and your kid, but that being said, when it comes to kicking equipment, I would caution you to NOT to have the least expensive bag as your first criteria.
It would be my opinion that this is not a smart way to go as you definitely get what you pay for in both material and how long it will last. As I often quote my brother when he says “cheap is expensive in the end”
Also, take a look at what the bag offers such as the features that you want and also any other additional expenses you may incur after you get it such as the cost of hanging the bag as well as the hardware expenses such as the screws, shock spring, chains, hooks, swivel and a mount.
My Top 7 Kicking Bag List:
7. Paddles
I recommend this set of kick pads found on Amazon because they are very strong and are well made. They are also built to take a kick but yet Soft on the foot. They are also very durable, so they are able to take a beating. For the person or father that has to hold the paddles, they made them easy to hold and they also come with a wrist strap is very handy.
6. Re-Breakable Board
At my school, during the time we are going from one belt rank to the next, there is a lot of concentration on the forms, the one steps and the techniques, but the part that the school does not go over until the very end is the board breaking for that belt rank.
Therefore, its nice to have a good breakable board that you can practice with while you practice the other criteria for going to the next level. Check out these Flat Rebreakable boards as these are the most similar to wooden boards and a great way for the kids to get out a little energy!
5. Free Standing Heavy Bag
Ahh.. the traditional free standing kicking bag.. what Tae Kwon Do student doesn’t need one of these? And for me its an essential requirement for training away from school.
Personally, I like free standing bags as opposed to hanging (although I have a recommendation on that as well) as I think they are better for kicking where the hanging may be more appropriate for punching.
The two I recommend here is either the Wavemaster Kids or Standard Wavemaster, but are from Century and will do the job for any kid that’s working on and trying to perfect his roundhouse, tornado kicks, etc. Both are great pieces of training equipment, especially if you do not have a convenient place to hag a heavy bag
Now most people fill these with sand to keep it weighted down enough so as not to move. With the one I used, it was full of sand and the bag barely moved at all because of this, and it also felt more sturdy and comfortable when kicking it with a little extra power. I have heard of people using cat litter but I have no experience with this.
Whats also great about this as opposed to the more traditional hanging bag is that you can move it around and is easier to set up as you don’t have to find a beam or have some help you hang it.
4. Small Kicking Pads
The small kicking pads can be very useful for both kicking and punching and although in Tae Kwon Do the emphasis is on kicking, learning the fine art of punching should not be ignored.
These pads can be adjusted to fit almost any arm size and both the handles and straps are stitched together well take a lot of abuse. Padding is also very thick in order to help the kicker and the kickee!!!
A kicking (or punching pad) like this one will help you improve the accuracy of both your kicks and punches and work great for some extra exercise outside of Tae Kwon Do classes.
3. Large Kicking Pads
Large kicking pads are good for those power kicks or even punches. It also enables you practice those more those traditional kicks as the front and side kick, that you use alot in class but not so much in practice sessions or then tournaments themselves. They are also good for practicing low kicks even though that is not used very often in Tae Kwon Do.
The large Kicking Pads that I recommend have handles that are well situated to make it easy for kids and novices to hold while their partner is practicing.
Also with the way the handles are placed you can hold the pads in a variety of ways. It also has enough padding and coverage to soften the blows but at the same time allow for strong kicks to be thrown without being overly concerned for the parent doing the holding!!
2. Heavy Bag
As an alternative to the free standing heavy bag that I mentioned earlier and if you have the space you get can a hanging heavy bag that will not only help with your kids kicks but will also help improve their power punches which they may or may not practice much in their school.
The heavy bag offers a great lesson of putting together both kicking and punching combinations and will help with physical coordination in using both hands and feet.
When getting a heavy bag , you need to get one that is appropriate to the weight of your child because an injury could happen if the bag is too light, since there is a chance that it could swing back and hit the child.
To get the right size, you will first weigh your child and then get a kid punching bag that is half the weight of the child. For example, if your child weighs, 130 pounds or less, equipment that weighs 60 pounds is suitable for them
I would recommend that you check out this heavy bag as it’s made of canvas with a double end tie design. And since you probably don’t have a set yet, they also come with some starter boxing gloves and the hardware you need to attach it to the ceiling.
If your child is a little older and you’re looking for something more robust you take a look at this one from Everlast but you may have to get equipment to hang it separately.
If the kicking alone doesn’t get the pent up energy out of your kids a bag that allow a combination of kicking and punching should do the trick.
1. Body Opponent Bag
Or as it is more commonly known as “the Bob”… Kids like “the BOB” due to its life like appearance and they usually think it’s more fun to kick. This type of heavy bag offers a better idea of what’s it like hitting an opponent then either the hanging heavy bag or the free-standing heavy bag.
With this type there is a more realistic feel for what its like to strike someone in the head, neck ribs or stomach and it improves accuracy. I would recommend that you go with this bag if you want to work on accuracy more then power but don’t get me wrong… good ol BOB can take a beating.
I have found that the BOB is good for kids 7 years on up as it goes from 60 inches to 78. If you that too tall than you can take a look at the Bully Bob (not kidding) which is would be better for kids that are younger. As with the other heavy bags you’ll need to fill it with sand.
Final Thoughts
As you have seen there are several kicking bag options out in the market for your kids and many things to think about. If you are still unsure on what is the best way to go, then ask other parents who have kids in the same school or even the schools’ instructors and see what they recommend.
You may also want to get your kids involved in helping you make the choice and see which one they would be happy with.
