My entire family of seven takes karate. We’ve been kickin’ it Kyokushin style for a few years at the YMCA. The fitness is fun and challenging. To help with training, we bought a heavy bag!

The first thing to notice is the color: in-your-face red! Not boring black. This heavy bag screams, “Alert, get fired up, find the driving power inside and kick me off the chain!

We’ve been wanting a heavy bag for a while now. Finally, we can feel the force and impact of our karate offense. Most of the time, we train in the air. That’s striking and kicking imaginary opponents in front of you. But no more.

Now we don’t need to wait for occasional sparring matches to experience hitting an object heavier than air. This bag weighs 70 pounds. It’s a little light for me but not too heavy for my wife. The kids will toughen up.

Not only will this bag improve the power of our roundhouse kicks at head level, but it will also just be a way to de-stress and release any negative emotions. If I get angry and feel like hitting a wall, I can go outside and take it out on the heavy bag. (Not that I have any anger control or temper issues.)

My sons, who seem to never get tired (why can’t I feel that way myself?), have a new outlet to expend their abundant energy. When they’re feeling rowdy, I’ll tell them to go beat up the heavy bag.

Maybe a heavy bag could be the answer to a lot of issues. A simple weighted stuffed canvas, willing to receive whatever you throw at it, like an inanimate therapist you can unload all your worst upon. Is there something heavy on your mind? Go throw it at the heavy bag.

Since hanging up this red strike zone under our carport, it’s been great to practice on at random times. Walking by it as I return home from work, I quickly assert some aggression on the bag then walk into the house like normal. Except for red knuckles and a quickened heart rate.

The first day it was hung, we all had fun pummeling. It was new, so we had to get initiated. I quickly learned that, because it is canvas, any glancing or angled strikes will scrape skin off your knuckles. OK, lesson learned. So I’ve been working on straighter punches while toughening my knuckles.

Here’s a simple take-away. Working against this heavy bag is a means to improving our karate and bodies. Likewise, life works against us sometimes. And we tend to choose the path of least resistance. But that’s not what makes you stronger. The tough stuff of life makes you tougher. It’s like resistance training. You can choose to work hard at something difficult in life, knowing it will make you better. So when resistance comes your way, don’t avoid it. Embrace it as an opportunity for growth and strengthening.

Fight for life! Never give up!

What do you think? How do you unwind at the end of the day? What’s your preferred fitness exercise? Comment below or send me a message. Good to hear from you, and thanks for reading!