/ GV 1139 .R84 Copy 1 JX I'huto by Stacy, Brooklyn. YOUNG CORBETT. SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY HOW TO PUNCH THE BAG BY Young Corbett WITH AN ARTICLE ON FANCY BAG PUNCHING W. F. KELLER Champion Fancy I'.ag Pi ^ICHER of the World NEW YORK American Sports Publishing Company 1 6- 1 8 Park Place LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two CopisB R9oeiv»d JAN 5 1904 V Copyright Entry CLASS ^ XXc. No. i J» •)- / O / COPY B Copyright, 1904 American Sports Publishing COo New York INDEX PAGE Bag Punching as a Beneficial and Attractive Exercise . . 7 The Origin and Development of Bag Punching ... 15 General Hints to Punchers of the Bag, and Special Reference to Beginners . . . . . . . ' . . 19 How to Punch the Bag ........ 25 A Few Words Regarding Competitions, Exhibitions, etc. . 65 " Fighting the Bag " ........ 71 The Art and Widely Recognized Value of Gauging Distance 74 Fancy Bag Punching ........ 76 What a Bag Puncher Needs ....... 9I Spalding's Athletic Library. YOUNG CORBETT READY TO BEGIN HIS DAILY WORK WITH THE BAG. BAG PUNCHING AS A BENEFICIAL AND ATTRACTIVE EXERCISE Many forms of exercise are indulged in by folk desirous of improving their physical condition, but none of them is more attractive and at the same time more beneficial than bag punch- ing. Here is a recreation, simple and inexpensive, awarding splendid means for the development of bodily powers, and in- dulgence in which, rewards with symmetry, grace and strength obtainable in no other way. Did you ever punch the bag? If so, you are well aware of the truth of the foregoing statements ; if you never have tried this unsurpassed exercise, you have before you a pleasure as valuable as it is fascinating, and that is saying a great deal. One of the beauties of bag punching is that it may be indulged in by men, women and children alike ; another is that the ap- paratus is thoroughly adapted to use in any home, no matter how small — even if the prospective enthusiast lives in a hall bedroom in a city apartment, or in. an attic room in some anti- quated farm house. As for the actual benefits to be derived from punching the bag — well, a book could be written on this subject alone. From the view point of the man who is lacking physically the exercise is nothing short of fondest imaginings of the idealist. Arms, snoulders, hands, wrists, the neck, and legs are brought into play individually and in combination in bag punching. Aside from the development in these parts of the body, the shoulders are made square and upright, the chest is broadened, the eye quickened, and the brain stimulated. The circulation of the blood in all parts of the body is vastly improved. The direct result is a new being for the bag puncher. He goes into na- ture's storehouse and by tendering exercise in- payment, receives a supply of health and vigor, just as he would enter a shop and purchase a new suit of clothes in return for "coin of the realm." Spalding's Athletic Liorary Fig. 1— correct STARTING POSITION. How to Punch the Bag, g Does the end justify the means? Where is the person who would answer in the negative? He is as difficult to find as was of old the much sought for Philosopher's Stone, which, according to tradition, would transform into purest gold whatsoever it touched. Accomplished athletes, too, find value in the punching bag. Hundreds of them consider it indispensable in maintaining the muscles developed in other branches of sport. Inactivity", of course, is the bane of the athlete's existence. A month or two of idleness lamentably deteriorates the finest set of muscles that ever adorned a human frame, and boxers, gymnasts, foot ball and base ball players, etc., etc., have found the punching bag to be one of the best agencies obtainable for keeping themselves in condition, and in promoting agility and endurance. Then, too, the element of self-defence creeps in, and in fact plays a prom- inent part in the usefulness of the apparatus under considera- tion. The bag puncher finds that he can use his hands to advan- tage in emergencies. He is a dangerous man with whom to trifle. His self-reliance and confidence make him all the more strongly fortified. Boxers find the inflated spheroid invaluable in training and most of them are experts in the manipulation of it. The bag is a prominent object in the training quarters of every knight of the padded mitts. There never was a boxer or a fighter yet who has not used it, and used it but to praise. The use of punching bags has increased tremendously during the last few years. This fact in itself is significant, for the people of this day and generation are not prone to throw away tmie and money on worthless things. Popularity denotes merit invariably in these matter-of-fact twentieth-century times, whether persons, places or pastimes are concerned. In every well- equipped gymnasium is found at least one bag punching ap- paratus, and seldom indeed is the rapid rap-rap-rap of the bounding leather ball missing among the sounds familiar to the frequenters of buildings devoted to all-around recreation. Physical directors in athletic clubs, Young Men's Christian Spalding's Athletic Library. Fig. 2— straight LEFT HAND— THE CORRECT WAY. How to Punch the Bag. ii Association "gyms," etc., state unhesitatingly that the punch- ing bag oftentimes brings them new members and that the interest of the devotees of this sport rarely wanes. In fact, "once a bag puncher always a bag puncher" may well be said to be the case. Just what element of this form of exercise is re- sponsible for its fascinations is difficult to determine. Whether it is the permissible unlimited pummeling of an imaginary an- tagonist ; the realization of the benefits accruing from its use, or the rythm in the lively rebounding of the inflated bag, cannot be stated with any degree of certainty, but at any rate, the fascination is there, and he that seeks will find it. It lures the mere casual puncher on and on until he is as deeply engrossed in the sport as a school boy is in playing his first game of marbles. The writer has a friend, a New Yorker, who recently chose to had passed before his two younger brothers, aged seventeen and nineteen, began to endeavor to solve its mysteries. They were not slow in learning. Soon they monopolized the bag almost entirely. They rose early in the morning to take turns at punching it. They would hurry through their dinner in the evening to go at it again. My friend endured this state of affairs for about two weeks with nothing more than an occas- ional protest, but finally, however, was added the straw that broke the camel's back. One afternoon he left his business early and hastened home to have a half hour's practice without interruption. He knew his brothers would not be on hand at this particular time. En- tering the house, a familiar rapping, tapping sound smote his ears and there before him was his sister, about twenty years of age, pounding away like a veteran. My friend dropped into a chair, exclaiming, "Well, this is the limit." "But, Harry," was the fair culprit's response, "I've been doing this for days and days. It's the finest sport I've ever had, and what is more, I'm as good a bag puncher as you are." This last remark proved to be true, and poor, persecuted Harry was eventually forced to buy a bag for his sister, who, by the way, Spalding's AthLtic Library. Fig. 3-STRAlGHT LEFT HAND— THE WRONG WAY. How to Punch the Bag. 13 afterward inducted several of her girl friends into the secrets of the art. And so the punching bag wields its magic power. Young and old, the fair and the unfair are drawn into the net^ but hap- pily only to be benefited thereby. Noticeable features in the makeup of the bag puncher are the grace of his carriage and the uniformity of his development. No muscle seems to be abnormal and consequently unsightly. He is easily singled out in a crowd by his ease of movement. These attributes go to form personal attractiveness and magnet- ism, without which any man is handicapped, no matter what may be his occupation or station in life. The man with an air of energy and accomplishment is the one who impresses and com- pels. Should he lack these qualities a month or two of system- atic bag punching will supply them. The value of the strength and other physical assets given by bag punching cannot be overestimated. A man's greatest pos- session is his body, therefore he should seek to make it as close to perfect as possible. The weakling has no chance to win in the strenuous commercial, professional, social and political campaigns of to-day and the sooner this fact is realized the better. Spalding s Athletic Library Fig. 4-STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND PUNCH. M^f THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF BAG PUNCHING Bag punching as a science may well be said to be a develop- ment of comparatively recent years. The genesis of the present air inflated apparatus was a large canvas bag filled with sand or excelsior, rags, chamois or pieces of waste leather, and hung by a long rope from a cross beam or a hook in a ceiling. This apparatus was necessarily heavy and clumsy, of slow movement and permissible of but little or no variation. In the bargain a man was more apt to dislocate his wrist or break his fingers in its use than to derive any lasting benefit. The manipulation of this bag encouraged large, knotty muscles which rendered mipossible the quick, graceful movements of the latter day puncher. The foregoing sort of a bag was invented in Eng- land, where its vogue spread rapidly among pugilists and other athletes in training. As a rule, it weighed from twenty to eighty pounds. In the early '70s the punching bag in its crude form became popular in America, although it had been used here to some extent before that period. Apropos of the status of the apparatus at that time, and its subsequent development to its present serviceable nature, a quotation from an earlier edition of this book should prove of interest. The writer spoke in part as follows : "In all public gymnasiums during that'period the twelve, fifteen and thirty pound bags, made of canvas and stufifed with chamois, oakum and excelsior were sometimes used. They were generally suspended from, beams about twelve or fourteen feet high and any one who could knock them over the beam earned the reputa- tion of a hard puncher. Apropos of this a story is told of John C. Heenan. The great fighter was traveling around England and was then but in poor condition from the effects of high living and other luxuries. He chanced to ramble into the old gymnasium at 15 1 6 Now to Punch the Bag. Oxford College, England, where an old-time bag was hanging. Some of the students recognizing the Benecia boy, asked him to give the bumper a shot, and the once king of the prize ring quickly removed his coat and squared off before the bundle. After tapping it a few times to limber up he let fly at the bag. The whack it received resounded through the building and the bag sailed twice around the crossbeam before the sound of the punch died away. "But this style of bag proved the most dangerous appliance in the gymnasium, for anyone who had not the proper idea of punching surely came to grief by spraining his wrist. "However, as time wore on, the prize ring was undergoing a revolution, but no one seemed to pay attention to the punching bag until Professor Mike Donovan, boxing instructor of the New York Athletic Club, thought a lively leather bag was the thing, and to the genius of the genial professor the followers of fistic science are indebted for the punching bag. "In 1876 Donovan was training for his fight with McClelland for the middleweight championship of America at San Francisco, and as a part of his exercise used the punching bag. There v/ere no India rubber bladders in those days and Mike kept his trainers busy securing cow bladders from the slaughter houses in the vicinity of 'Frisco. "Cook made bags of calf and sheepskin, round and pear shaped. He used rubber bladders and his bags became popular. "John Rumsey, of Cleveland, Ohio, manufactured a double end bag. It was oblong in shape, made of fancy canvas and at- tached to the floor and ceiling. The attachment from floor to bag was of rubber and from bag to ceiling common rope, so that the bag could be lowered or raised to suit the user. "Of course, there have been a great many improvements in the composition of the ball. The contrast and result of the heavy bag of the old days and the late improved style is great. The new one makes a man quick, while the old one made a man slow. If you do not guard or duck with the one of to-day you are liable to get countered, for they are quicker than nine-tenths of the men of the present day. Hoio to Punch the Bag. 17 "There is a secret in bag making like everything else, and out of the number who have tried but very few have been successful. Only selected skins can be used and only the choicest part. The leather is cut on forms, after being thoroughly stretched, anil the grain of the leather should all run one way. This will ensure a uniform roundness and the stitches will draw out evenly after the bladder is inflated." i8 Spalding's Athletic Library. Fig. 5-IMPROPER POSITION OF 1 HE HEAD. ALWAYS WATCH THE BAG WHEN YOU STRIKE. DO NOT LOOK AWAY. GENERAL HINTS TO PUNCHERS OF THE BAG, AND SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BEGINNERS Some experts attempt to say just how much a punching bag should be elevated or lowered. Each man, however, is the best judge for himself in reference to this matter. The spheroid should be allowed to swing freely and at the same time not so much as to cause it to rebound wildly. Your height and reach are to be considered in lowering or raising it. Do not punch the bag for a lengthy period without resting, at least until you are well advanced. At first, ten mJnutes' punching, with from three to five minutes' rest, will be found advisable. Later you can increase the length of your exercising periods until finally you will become almost indefatigable, unless you accelerate speed unduly. First learn to perform the different blows slowly and ac- curately. Form a style, just as you should do in boxing, run- ning or jumping, and stick to it so long as it is correct and adapted to your physical characteristics. Should you start in, while yet a beginner, to hit the bag rapidly — and most tyros are likely to commit this fault — you will surely lose accuracy and work into an improper style, which, as time goes on, and you still persist in it, will prevent you from ever becoming expert, or even passably proficient. An ounce of prevention is worth at least a ton of cure in this instance, so let speed alone until you are sure of yourself. Always clench your fist properly. Press the points of the fingers into the palms and keep the knuckles on a straight line. Unless you observe this rule closely a finger or two will in- variably project beyond the others, making likely dislocation or other painful and incapacitating injury. In addition an im- properly closed fist will send the bag out of its intended course, thus breaking up your exercise, making necessary a new start. Clench your fist as does a prize fighter when he dons the gloves. 10 Spalding s Athletic Libra}-y. Fig. 6— MOST DANGEROUS WAY TO PUNCH A BAG. NEVER STRIKE TOWARD A WALL. How to Punch the Bag. 21 You may or may not use bag punching gloves, as you choose. You had best procure a pair or two of them however, while learning the art. They will assist you materially in delivering even blows, but they will make your work somewhat slower than bare-handed tactics. After you have progressed, to some ex- tent, try punching without gloves. Your knuckles will suffer at first but finally the skin will become toughened so that you will not be inconvenienced. Your costume, if you punch the bag in a gymnasium, sho^ild be light, cool and unencumbersome. A sleeveless jersey and knee or full length tights, with either high or low shoes, will suffice. If you desire to reduce weight wear a sweater while at work. At home almost any kind of a costume will suffice. After exercising — if in a gymnasium — put on a sweater, or if you have enough work for the time being, take a shower bath. Begin with warm water, or hot if you desire, and finish with the coldest to be had, especially in winter weather take care to end a bath with cold water. It will close the pores of the skin and prevent you from being chilled when going into the brisk air. A spirited rub down with a rough towel, or if you so desire, an alcohol or a witch hazel rub, will make you feel as though you had quafifed of the water of the famous spring of eternal youth for which Ponce de Leon is said to have searched unavailingly in Florida a couple of centuries or so ago. Beginners should always be content to advance slowly, at least until the actual rudiments are mastered. Of course all ambitious youths desire to obtain the maximum of proficiency in the minimum of time. This is all very well, a very commen- dable trait to be sure, but remember that the lesson of modera- tion, while difficult to learn, pays in the end. You cannot learn to punch the bag in a week even though you neither eat nor sleep. Give me two pupils, one careful, painstaking at the start, and the other self-willed and over-anxious, who practices a dozen different blows in as many minutes, and I'll wager every cent I own that the first named will know more about the practice of bag punching in a month than the independent, variable, in- constant young man could show you in six months. 22 Hoiv to Punch the Bag. Another hint for beginners is that you should not set your heart on learning fancy blows too early in the game. They are splendid pastimes when the fundamental principles are thoroughly mastered and assimilated. They require advanced dexterity and understanding, also unceasing practice and study. When poorly executed — as is sure to be the case with novices — they fall so flat that spectators will consider you an amateur of the greenest sort. Learn to breathe regularly while punching the bag. Inhale and exhale at timed intervals, filling the lungs almost to their capacity on the intake, and expel the air without straining your- self. You can increase your chest measurements noticeably in a short time. By forcing too much into your lungs suddenly, however, or exhahng too violently, you will become dizzy. So, therefore, develop your breathing capacity gradually. Do not exercise with heavy weights or other ponderous apparatus if you intend to become an expert bag puncher. The muscular fibre thus formed gives you coarse, binding tissues that will rob you of suppleness. Light dumbbells, light Indian clubs, from one to three pounds; chest weights, rowing ma- chines, etc., etc., are admirably suited to the bag puncher's needs. Hand ball, boxing, basket ball, etc., are excellent accompaniments to your athletic curriculum. Keep your finger nails trimmed moderately short, especially if you punch the bag without gloves. Sometimes the bag accident- ally strikes a nail and breaks it, causing a bothersome, painful, slow-healing wound, and at the same time making the fingers un- sightly. Do not punch the bag directly after a heavy meal. You will speedily induce indigestion by so doing. Unless you have eaten sparingly wait at least an hour and half after dining before beginning your work. Should you punch the bag at home and desire to go to bed on finishing, do not take a cold bath. Cold water will stimulate your system to such an extent that you will be unable to go to sleep readily. Instead, bathe in warm water, and do not rub yourself vigorously as such action will also prove stimulating. Hozv to Punch the Bag. 23 Merely dry yourself 30 that you will not be absolutely damp, and then go immediately to bed. You will drop off to sleep without difficulty. An old German physician once told me that by prescribing this simple remedy he had cured scores of cases of insomnia. 24 Spalding s Athletic Library. Fig. 7— a VALUELESS BLOW. HOW TO PUNCH THE BAG THE PROPER POSITION. (Fig. I.) When ready to punch the bag take a position that gives you ample place to strike it without straining or over-reaching. At the same time do not make the mistake of standing so close to it as to crowd yourself. Freedom and ease of movement are essential points to consider. Assume a fighting pose. Straighten your back, thrust your shoulders to the rear gracefully, raise your left hand to about the height of your chin, bring up the right to guard, clench your fist with the knuckles even, as previously instructed, and advance the left foot before the right. The position of the hands and feet should be altered to suit varying blows. Under ordinary circumstances hold in the point of the chin, just as in boxing. The differences in the posture for the various blows will be explained in the detailed descriptions which are to follow. THE LEFT LEAD. (Fig. 2.) The novice should begin his punching bag operations by learn- ing the two fundamental, and at the same time two simplest blows. They are the left lead and the right lead. As in boxing, both these leads are very important. We will consider the left lead first. Stand from two and a half to three and a half feet from the bag, which should swing on a level with the nose. Stepping forward as you would to deliver the same blow in boxing, lead directly with your left from the shoulder, hitting the centre of the bag. The head should be inclined slightly to the right to avoid a counter. Bring your right hand and forearm up across, and close to your chest, as defence against an imaginary return 25 26 Spalding's Athletic Library Fiu. b-A GOOD ONE-ARM EXERCISE, IN WHICH EITHER ELBOW MAY BE USED. Ho7v to Punch the Bag. 27 blow, and put as much weight into the stroke as possible with- out throwing yourself off your balance. Gauge distance ac- curately. Quick as a flash spring back into your original position, with the left foot advanced as in boxing, and repeat the blow. Learn to hit with lightning rapidity, and to regain your position without the loss of a moment. Should you hit the bag a glancing blow it will come back at an angle to its rightful course and possibly hit the striker smartly in the face. If you have not hit it squarely, duck. The practice of ducking will also help you in learning to box. Of course if you hit the bag violently you will be unable to again strike it on the first rebound. Let it bounce, say, three times before repeating a blow. Thus you will have opportunity to develop accuracy and good form. By persevering in the prac- tice of the left lead, as is likewise true of all the other strokes, you can develop the blow into a very powerful form of attack. Many boxers are weak with their left. Ineffective jabs are the best results they produce with it. This shortcoming would speedily be remedied by the generous use of the punching bag. Hit the bag with the face of the knuckles and do not let the fist go wide like a swing — swings will be considered later. Make the blow clean cut, perfect in itself, putting the full force of the shoulder and back into it. Keep your eye on the ball, watching its every move and variation. Moreover, be sure that it is inflated to the limit. The punching of a flabby bag is about as much value as boxing would be with stuffed pillow cases taking the place of gloves. THE STRAIGHT LEFT LEAD— INCORRECT WAY. (Fig- 3-) Many years of punching bags fall into an incorrect method of holding the fist as it strikes the bag. In illustration No. 3 this fault is shown. By observing closely you will see that my left fist is turned so that the thumb is to the right, the palm 28 Spalding'' s Athletic Library Fig. U— left HAND HOOK Hoiv to Punch the Bag. 29 of the hand downward. Instead the thumb ought to turn up- ward, which action will place the knuckles toward the left, the clenched palm to the right. Blows delivered in a faulty manner of this sort lack force, and in addition in a ring contest would be very apt to expose your wrist to breaking. Hold your fist in this improper way and draw it well back as though you intended to land a heavy blow. You will immediately perceive that the position is awkard and that your shoulder is subjected to an unnecessary strain. Author- itative judges of pugilism, and boxers I have met in matches, say that I am a very hard hitter. The results of my battles would seem to indicate their opinion to be true, and I say un- reservedly that whatever ability I may have as a powerful and effective hitter is due to my learning to deliver blows in the best possible way, according to the requirements of good form. Accuracy is never a drawback to a boxer or a bag puncher. The turning of the palm downward also deprives the forearm of considerable of leverage and the practice will tell heavily against any man. On reading these words you may say, "This is all very well, but I cause the bag to rebound straighter by turning the palm to the floor." If you have learned this, the wrong way to punch, change your tactics instantly, no matter how agreeable they are to you. They will be satisfactory only temporarily at the best. Remember the words of the immortal Davy Crockett, when he said, "Be sure you're right, then go ahead." The foregoing criticism applies also to all other blows in the bag puncher's category. I merely chose the left lead as one instance among a great many. THE STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND PUNCH. (Fig. 4-) In the straight right hand lead, step out with the right foot, placing it about eighteen inches to the right, and about fourteen inches in front of the left foot. Hold the left hand in front of, and close to either the abdomen, chest or chin as a guard, and 30 Spalding's Athletic Library \'\u. ]n-AI.I]:K.\A'] L\L, ..EFT HOOKS. Ho7v to Punch the Bag. 31 shoot the right out snappily from the shoulder, hitting the bag squarely, as in the left lead. You can maintain this position and hit the bag repeatedly on say every third rebound, or else you may step back into your original waiting position after every blow. By the latter method you will obtain much valuable training in footvv-ork. Footwork is one of the principal dependencies of the boxer, and anything that helps him develop his ability in this line is valuable. The straight right is one of the most powerful and effective blows that can be delivered by the human hand. Two handed fighters use it • with telling results. The fact that its delivery leaves a man comparatively open to attack, however, makes it unpopular with some fighters. Throw your weight into this blow, just as you should in others. I would also suggest that you incline or ,duck your head to the left, not pronouncedly, however, to avoid what in boxing would be a counter. When you have mastered the details of the right lead, alternate it with the left lead, executing first one stroke and then the other. If the alternate movement seems awkward in the beginning, do not become discouraged, but persevere, and after a few trials it' will prove very easy, and assuredly more interesting than either of the individual blows in themselves. AN IMPROPER POSITION OF THE HEAD, AND WHICH PREVENTS THE PUNCHER FROM WATCHING THE BAG. (Fig. 5.) In bag punching, as in all other pastimes conducted on a scientific basis, there are many things to avoid. One of the several points of this nature that I will mention in this book is the position of the head while in action. Do not turn your head completely away from the bag at any time for you will then be unable to watch it closely. Watch the bag continually, even as you would an opponent in the ring. Of course there are various occasions when you should duck, or otherwise avoid the 32 Spalding's Athletic Library. Fig. 11-HALF UPPER-CUT WITH RIGHT HAND. How to Punch the Bag. 33 bounding ball, but unless you are striking the bag with the back of the head, KEEP YOUR EYES ON IT. Think what a beautifully small chance you would have in a boxing match if you turned your head away from your antagonst. He would land on you so quickly that you would not be likely to come back to earth for several minutes at the very least. Remember that every careless habit you form while punching the bag will surely follow you and handicap you when you don the mitts. A DANGEROUS PRACTICE— H ITTING TOWARD A WALL. (Fig. 6.) Do not strike toward a wall when puching a bag. Should you do so and happen to miss the inflated object, your hand will strike the hard substance with a disastrous effect. I do not mean that you will damage some landlord's plaster or wooden partition — no, not for a moment. You will on the contrary lame your fist and indeed will be in great luck if you escape without fracturing a bone or two. The hands of the boxer and the bag puncher alike are his stock in trade. You have possibly observed that fighters, wrestlers, etc., take pronounced care of hands and fingers. To disable them will often mean bankruptcy and perhaps loss of prestige. A VALUELESS BLOW THAT SOME BAG PUNCHERS ARE FOND OF USING. (Fig. 7.) Oftentimes you will see a chap go to a punching bag, double his fists and press them close together, palms inward. He will then proceed to use therii as a battering ram to pound the bag violently. The bag rebounds, striking his two fists, of course, at the same time. What good is there to be derived from this maneuver? I will offer a prize of a package of Joss sticks to the first one sending me an answer that can be given serious consideration. There is not enough tax on any particular muscles to develop Ihem. Neither does the "stunt" promote agility or quickness 34 Spalding's Athhtic Library ■. / illffi MV^ Fig. 12 -half UPPERCUT WITH LEFT HAND. Ho7v to Punch the Bag. 35 of aii}^ description. You might as well take a potato masher and endeavor to murder a medicine ball for all the benefit you will get from it. A GOOD ARM EXERCISE IN WHICH EITHER ELBOW MAY BE USED. (Fig. 8.) A simple one arm exercise, which every beginner will par- ticularly appreciate, is shown in Fig. 9. To execute this stroke you must necessarily stand closer to the bag than in the right and left lead positions. Stand with the feet from six to twelve inches apart and on the same line. Raise, say, the right elbow, and strike the bag in the middle with its point. As the bag re- bounds, strike it again and again. At first the movement will be somewhat tiring, but not for long. When you have become proficient with the right elbow, try the left. You will need more practice than with the right, to "educate" the left arm, unless you happen to be left handed, like a well-known humorist who once said that he was "only half right." After a week or two you will be considerably surprised at the power you will find yourself capable of putting into one of these elbow blows. After you have become adept in using your elbows singly you may then alternate them, just as I told you to do with the right and left leads. THE LEFT HAND HOOK. (Fig. 9-) Hooks are very valuable blows. They are used frequently with decisive effect by boxers. They are delivered at close range and therefore should have great speed. Stand with the feet about fourteen inches apart and advance the left foot about six inches before the right. Bend the elbow sharply. Raise the fist to a point on a line with the left hip and pivoting on the ball of the left foot, keeping the right foot steady, as a brace, shoot the fist to the middle of the bag as swiftly as possible. Instantly bring the fist back and repeat. Hold the right fist in front of the breast or chin as a means of defence. The bag will be 36 Spalding's Athletic Library. Fig. 13-FULL SWING WITH THE RIGHT. Ho-iv to Ptinch the Bag. 37 sent in a slanting direction. The right hook should also be developed. It is delivered exactly after the fashion of the left hook. Put somewhat of an upward heave of the shoulder in this blow. As the fist lands, the elbow should not be entirely straightened. It should be bent at an angle of about fifteen degrees. ALTERNATING SHORT RIGHT AND LEFT HOOKS. (Fig. 10.) Stand with the feet about sixteen inches apart and on a line with each other. Hold the shoulders and head well back. Raise the arms, with the elbows bent, so that the hands are even in height with the middle of the bag and each being about twelve inches away from it. Hit the bag in the centre with first one fist and then the other. Permit the bag to rebound but once after being hit. The exercise involved in this combina- tion blow is unsurpassed for the shoulders, chest and arms. You will be forced to bend your wrist downward to some extent as you hit the bag in this movement. Do not encourage this ten- dency. AN UPPERCUT WITH THE RIGHT HAND, AND UPPER- CUTS IN GENERAL. (Fig. II.) The uppercut resembles the hook. In the former, however, the fist is carried upward from a position closer to the body than is the case with the latter. Uppercuts should not be allowed to swing too wide. When about to execute an uppercut stand about fourteen inches back from the bag. Bend the arm at an angle of about ninety de- grees, and bring the fist up forcibly from a point below the hip and somewhat to the rear. Do not let the hand go far from the body until it is opposite the chest. In the right upper- cut, as you carry your hand forward and upward to deliver the blow, RISE ON THE TOES OF THE RIGHT FOOT, as I have done in illustration No. 11. DO NOT FAIL TO HEED 38 Spalding's Athletic Library Fig. 14-RIGHT HAND SWING AS IT HITS THE BAG. Ho7v to Punch the Bai. 39 THIS INSTRUCTION, for by coming up on your toes you can put double the force into the stroke — enough in many cases to hft a man of your own weight ofif his feet. Keep the left leg firm. You must use it to steady yourself, to aid you to gauge distance accurately. When delivering a left uppercut, follow the example of the golfer as he supports himself on his right leg when he swings or drives. HALF UPPERCUT WITH THE LEFT HAND. (Fig. 12.) The half uppercut, as the title of the blow signifies, lacks , the full power or field of action held by the full uppercut. The left half uppercut should start from slightly above and to the front of the left hip bone. The right half uppercut is executed vice versa. In other respects these blows are similar to the right and left uppercuts. The left half uppercut is used more frequently than that with the right. While delivering a stroke of this sort with the left, hold the right across the front of the body, as I have done in illustration No. 12. Rise and pivot on the ball of the right foot, and in the right half uppercut do like- wise with the left foot. SWINGS AND HOW TO DELIVER THEM EFFECTIVELY. Swings, as is of course well known, are blows of terrific force. When they take effect something is certain to happen. As these blows have a long distance to travel, they must be executed quickly to be of value. Fifteen minutes practice v/ith a bag every day for two or three weeks will enable you to swing in splendid fashion. You will be surprised at the number of times you will be able to land a swing on an actual opponent when you have perfected it. In swinging at the punching bag endeavor to be as accurate as possible. A wild swing is always a menace to the man de- livering it, for it leaves him, what boxers would describe, as "wide open." Then, too, if you lunge wildly at the bag you will possibly miss it altogether, and thus lose your balance. 40 Spalding's Athletic Library. Fig. 15— half SWING WITH LEFT HAND. Ho%v to Punch the Bag. 41 When delivering a full swing always remember to guard yourself with the disengaged hand. Consider the bag to be a wary opponent who will at the first opportunity take advantage of any opening that offers. By using your imagination in tbi'; way, you will find increased interest attached to your bag puncli- ing operations. Naturally the violence of swings prevents you from repeating the blow until the bag has rebounded several times. Perhaps you may be forced to let it go back and forth four or five times before duplicating the stroke. THE FULL SWING WITH THE RIGHT HAND. (Fig.13.) To deliver a full right hand swing take the conventional spar- ring position, with the left foot advanced. Gauge accurately the location of the bag, and its distance from your rignt fist, which should be tightly clinched and held in front of the breast bone. Hold the point of the chin well in, and after deciding on just what part of the bag you will strike — preferably as close to its centre as possible — step in swiftly with the right foot, ad- A^ancing it far enough to place you within easy striking distance of the bag. Bring up the left fist to guard, as directed, and carrying the right fist well back and low, swing your right power- fully, in a half circle, landing on the bag with the impulse of the muscles of the arm, shoulders and back, combined with the impetus of your advance. Incline your head to the left. Hold 3'our left fist in front of your face, as you would if an opponent blocked your right swing with his left and countered with a right swing, a hook or a j*ib. Do not throw the weight of your body forward past your right foot. \i you do so, you will not be capable of springing out of harm's way, or in position to re- peat the blow without delay. Set yourself firmly in delivering swings. I would suggest that you do not practice swings continuously for too long a time. Try them say for five minutes, then rest a few minutes, and begin 42 Spalding's Athletic Library Fig. 16 -half SWING WITH RIGHT HAND. Hozv to Punch the Bag. 43. again. Three five-minute periods a day are sufficient. My rea- son for so advising you lies in the fact that these blows are tiring, and you will readily admit that when a man is fatigued he cannot maintain good form and accuracy. After learning the right swing practice the left. Advance the left foot instead of the right, and defend yourself with your right hand, the while inclining your head and chest to the right. Left swings usually start from a higher point than do right swings, because the left shoulder is generally lifted above the right. The left swing is neither so powerful nor so important a blow, still it is used the more frequently because it is easier to de- liver. When you have become adept at both swings alternate them, stepping back into the sparring position after each stroke. THE PUNCHER'S POSITION AS HE STRIKES THE BAG WITH A RIGHT HAND SWING. (Fig. 14.) In illustration, Fig. 14, I exhibit the correct pose for the bag puncher as he delivers a right hand swing. Observe closely the poise of the body and how I have placed my feet. In actual fighting I would incline to the left to a greater extent than shown in the photo. Be careful to clench your fist correctly by all means for in a heavy swing even the slightest twist may result in pain- ful injury. At the moment your hand hits the bag you should be at the extreme height of your speed. Concentrate every iota of energy into the blow and release it at the exact instant that your hand comes in contact with the leather. CONCERNING HALF SWINGS. Half swings are well described by their name. They might be termed full swings with their wings clipped. A half swing starts from a point about half way between the starting and finishing places of a complete swing. In the ring a half swing seldom if ever results in a knockout, therefore you may readily perceive that it lacks the force of 44 Spalding's Athletic Library. Fig. 17— right SHIFT AND BLOCKING RETURN Hozu to Punch the Bag. 45 the full swing, which is very true. It is used principally to tem- porarily bewilder a man and cause him if possible to leave an opening for a decisive punch. A HALF SWING WSTH THE LEFT HAND. (Fig. 15.) In the delivery of a left hand half swing stand about a foot closer to the bag than you would in executing a full swing. Take the sparring position, holding the right fist in front of the chest or chin. Step in, and start your left fist from a point about a foot straight out to the left of your left hip. Swing it for- ward and upward in a half circle, hitting the bag with face of your clenched knuckles. Step, or better, jump back into your original position, and when the bag's rebounds have slowed somewhat, step forward and strike it again. The bag will bounce in a slanting direction, but it will not vary its course if you hit it in the same spot each time. A HALF SWING WITH THE RIGHT HAND. (Fig. 16.) Reverse the instructions regarding the left half swing when executing the same sort of a blow with the right hand. The right half swing is more forcible than the left. Swing the body with the arm, turning at the waist, and do not overreach yourself. THE SHIFT. The shift is a movement that may be said to have received recognition in comparatively recent years. Fighters, old-time and modern, have used variations of it, but those of the latter days are responsible for its development to its highest form. Bob Fitzsimmons has frequently used shifts with "striking" effect. A shift, briefly described, is a feint, combined with a sudden changing, or shifting of position to either side, at the same time landing a blow. The impetus gained by the advancement of the 46 Spalding's Athletic Library. ■PH i| !■ a J Fig. 18— the OVERHAND— SHOULD NEVER BE USED. Hoiv to Punch the Bag. 47 bady makes the stroke a powerful one. A wide swing, a half swing, a hook or a half hook, etc., may be feinted to aid in the execution of. a shift, two steps forward are usually taken. THE SHIFT TO THE RIGHT AND THE POSITION FOR BLOCKING A RETURN. (Fig. 17.) There are two shifts, the left and the right. I will describe the shift to the right from which that to the left can easily be learned. To shift to the right, stand before the bag in the sparring pose, and not too close to it. Step forward briskly with the right foot, feinting a swing, or a hook, etc., with your right hand take another swift forward step, this time with your left foot and, bringing your right fist back to guard your face, swerve toward the right, bending somewhat, and as you set yourself on your left foot, land heavily on the bag with your left hand. Here is another of the blows in which the forward rush of the body lends crushing force. As the fist hits the bag, your body should lean to the right so that an imaginary opponent could not counter with his left to any advantage. ■ In shifting to the left, feint with the left hand, advance first the left foot, then the right, and bending the body to the left, land on the bag with your right fist, guarding yourself v.-ith your left. THE OVERHAND SWING— NEVER USE IT IN PUNCHING THE BAG. (Fig. 18.) Do not make use of the overhand swing in bag punching. This blow is an exaggerated chop and serves to no good purpose, ex- cept in some phases of boxing. It gives a twang to the elbow that may result in a strain or a break, too. The stroke is awk- ward to deliver, and also makes difficult the landing of the fist squarely. Spalding's Athletic Library. ^^LA'!*;,,. ,,.. Fig. 19— ANOTHKR BLOW TO l!E AVOIDED-RIGHT HAND UPPERCUT. ) How to Punch the Bas. 49 THE RIGHT HAND UPPERCUT— THIS BLOW ALSO SHOULD BE AVOIDED. (Fig. 19.) Never use the right hand uppercut in manipulating the bag. Yon will but develop an improper and weak delivery of this important blow. The best method of learning it is to practice it with a companion or a sparring partner, and using boxing gloves. ELBOW EXERCISES. Exercises with the elbows interject a new element of interest into the art of punching the bag. The elbows can be used singly, doubly, or in combination with the hands and even the head. These movements are particularly efficacious in, and recom- mended for, the development and raising of the shoulders. Athletic experts have devised dumbbell and Indian club maneu- vers, which they term "shoulder raisers." Never, in all my experience, have I heard any gymnasium director or physical culturist speak of the punching bag in this especial connection, yet I unhesitatingly pronounce it to provide, in the elbow ex- ercises, the best "shoulder raisers" in existence. RIGHT, LEFT AND ALTERNATE ELBOW EXERCISES. THE RIGHT ELBOW. (Fig. 20.) The manipulation of the right elbow alone is done as follows: Stand close to the bag and to the left of it vv-ith the feet about two feet apart, clinch the right fist tightly and raising that elbow, strike the bag in the middle, or just below this point. To make the elbow as sharp as possible, bring the hand up and in, holding it close to your right breast. Strike the bag again on its first rebound, and keep it going rapidly. You can vary this exercise by hitting the bag with all your might and letting it rebound two or three times before again striking it. Another variation is the hitting of the elusive ball with either side of the elbow 50 Spalding's Athletic Library. Fig. 20— right ELBOW EXERCISE. Ho7v to Ptmch i/ie Bag. 5 1 alternately sending it to the right with the under or inner side and to the left with the upper or outer side. This last move- ment is merely a little trick, pretty to watch and hear, but of no especial value. THE LEFT ELBOW. (Fig. 21.) Use the left elbow just as I have outlined the manipulation of the right, sending the bag of course to the left. The variations are the same for the left. Stand to the right of the ball, only about a foot, however, when hitting with the left elbow. ALTERNATE ELBOW MOVEMENTS. After you are an accomplished puncher with both elbows, try alternating them. Stand almost directly under the ball, and so that when still, it hangs with its middle opposite your nose. Clench both fists, hold them up close to your chest, and hit first with the right elbow, then with the left. There will be two bounces between each stroke. Hit the bag with the right elbow to the right side of the apparatus ; as it comes back, let it go across to and rebound from the left side, when you then hit it with the left elbow. As you alternate upward and downward they will resemble the walking beam of one of the old Mississippi packets, but "don't you care." TATTOOS. A tattoo is a mode of striking a bag so that it will rebound rapidly, and causing the sound of the bouncing to be continuous and have rhythm. Many kinds of tattoos are at the command of the puncher. They are both simple and complex tattoos ; in the latter, several different parts of the body being brought into play. In order to obtain the desired results, tattoos should be exe- cuted with dash and accuracy. The blows should be as uniform as possible in power unless certain strokes are to be accentuated in order to produce a studied effect. One of the chief values of strokes coming under this head Spalding's Athletic Library. Flo. -Jl-LKl'T ELBOW EXERCISE. How to Punch the Bag. 53 is the fact that they encourage, indeed almost invariably de- mand, the alternate use of at least both hands, and frequently call into "action the elbows and sometimes even the head. Thus it will plainly be seen that tattoos develop a two-handed hitter, a kind of a man known among pugilists as a "two handed fighter." Also they help a man to strike with lightning like rapidity, and teach him to maintain a cool head under bewilder- ing circumstances. Not the least among the attributes of tattoos is their tendency to quicken the eye and the brain. TATTOO IN WHICH TWO HANDS ALONE ARE USED. (Fig. 22.) A popular form of tattoo is executed by standing directly in front of the bag, close to it, and hitting out straight in front, hitting the ball alternately with either hand. Keep the ball going rapidly, striking it squarely with the fist. Another tattoo somewhat similar to the foregoing is done as follows : Stand close to the bag and send it to the left with a short right hook. Do so again on the first rebound and repeat the maneuver a certain number of times. After using the right fist, alternate with the left, striking the same number of blows as with the right. If you choose you may begin by striking a single blow with the right, and then one with the left, inserting a series of consecutive right or left blows whenever you wish. The tattoo I spoke of in the opening sentence of this section was probably the foundation of all other strokes of this sort. A TATTOO WITH ELBOW AND HAND. (Fig. 23.) Stand slightly to the right of the bag and place the right foot in front of the left. Raise the right elbow and hit the bag so that it bounds forward and to the right in a slanting direction. Follow quickly with the left fist, on the first rebound. Alternate elbow and fist as swiftly as possible. After learning this combination of the right elbow and right fist, develop the use of the left elbow and the right fist. 54 Spala'i ng' s ^ItJileiic Lib^'ar Fig. 22— tattoo WITH BOTH HANDS. Hozv to Punch the Bag. 55 HOW TO BEAT A TATTOO WITH BOTH ELBOWS AND BOTH HANDS. The elbows add complications to more alvanced forms of the tattoo. An effective manner of punching the bag with hands and elbows, and which appears to be three times more difficult than really is the case, I will now make known to you. Stand close to the bag, separating the feet, sideways, by about twenty inches. Neither one should project beyond the other. Hit the bag, say, with the left elbow, as it rebounds meet it with the right fist. On the next rebound let it swing to the opposite (the right) side of the apparatus. Meet the first rebound with the right elbow, the second with the left fist. On the next rebound, let the bag swing to the left side, when the same strokes are repeated, etc. Tattoos seem possibly of infinite variation. To add another to your list, insert a back hand blow, or better, tap, in the com- bination blow I have just described. By so doing you will have mastered what we might term a "triple tattoo." When you have hit the bag to the left with the left elbow, meet the first re- bound with a tap from the back of the left hand. Save the right fist for the second rebound. As the bag comes back from the right side the first time, jab it with the right elbow, fol- lowing with the back (or knuckles) of the right hand on the second bounce, the left hand then taking effect on the next rebound. The order of these blows will be as follows: Left elbow, back of left fist, right hand — these punches sending the bag to the left; to the right — right elbow, back of right fist, left hand. PUNCHING THE BAG BY MEANS OF THE HEAD, FRONT AND BACK. (Fig. 24.) The head may play an important part "in bag punching. It can be used alone in various ways, and also in combination. By punching or butting the bag with th< head, you will greatly 56 Spalding's Athletic Library, Fig. 23-TATTOO WITH ELBOWS AND HANDS. How to Ftinch the Bag, 57 i^trengthen the muscles of the neck and partly those of the shoulders. In addition you will accustom yourself to receiving blows on the head to such an extent that when you encounter them in boxing they will be robbed of their intended effect to some degree. Therefore head punching may be said to serve a twofold purpose. Probably the best head movement is performed by standing directly under the bag and alternating forward and backv/ard blows, in the first projecting the bag by means of butts with the forehead, and in the latter hitting it with the back of the head. When you butt the bag forward, let it rebound to the back of the apparatus. Then on its next rebound (the first from the rear) force it back again, and permit it to swing across to the forward side of the apparatus, so that it will rebound for another forehead blow. Try this maneuver a few times at first and gradually increase the number. Of course you should not wish to develop the neck to a marked extent. A neck with too much muscle is thick and unsightly, and is an undesirable pos- session for a man who is not a heavyweight pugilist of the slugging, unscientific school. You can also divert yourself by using either the forehead or the back head movement individually. The first named butt de- velops the throat muscles particularly ; the back head blow acts principally on the muscles extending between the back of the head and the shoulders. HITTING (OR BUTTING) THE BAG WITH THE SIDES OF THE HEAD. (Fig. 25.) To develop the muscles of the sides of the neck and the tops of the shoulders, stand under the bag and propel it first to the left with the left side of the head, then to the right with the right side, striking in both cases with the upper part of the head's side, if possible, well above the ears. This blow, enlarging and strengthening the muscles of the sides of the neck, completes the list of best known head ma- 58 Spaldi7ig's Atlilciic Library Fig. 24— hitting THE UAG WITH HEAD— FRONT AND BACK. Ho7v to Punch the Bag. 59 neuvers. It is practically needless to mention the fact that either side of the head may be used alone, just as in the case of the front and back blows. Do not try to produce any sort of a tattoo effect with the head, unless it is used in combination with the hands and the elbows, or both. The excessively rapid movement, or jerking, of the head is certain to induce dizziness and resultant discomfiture and inaccuracy. In all head blows that I have described and portrayed in the illustrations, keep the feet v/ell apart so as to form a brace. Un- less you steady yourself in this manner you are absolutely sure to lose your balance. THE CORRECT METHOD OF ALLOWING THE BAG TO SWING PAST THE HEAD. (Fig. 26.) Whenever it becomes necessary to let the bag swing past the head, do not drop, or squat, awkwardly under it. Ducking, of course, is permissible, and indeed advocated under certain circumstances. For ordinary purposes, however, keep the body erect, leaning forward a trifle, ^and inclining the shoulders (bending at the waist) and head to either side. Thus the bag will swing past your cheek. When leading with your left hand, invariably incline to the right. By so doing you would place yourself out of harm's way to some extent in a boxing match. A right hand lead should be accompanied, or better followed, by an inclination to the left. Rise on the ball of the right foot as you incline to the left, keeping both legs straight (with stiff- ened knees). Come upon the ball of left foot in leaning to the right. Turn your face slightly away from the bag as it swings past your head, keeping your eyes on the bag however. DO NOT DROP BOTH YOUR HANDS TO YOUR SIDES AT ANY TIME. (Fig. 27.) Always be careful to keep your hands, whether partly opened 6o Spalding's Athletic Library, Flu. 25— HITTING THE BAG WITH SIDES OF THE HEAD. How to Punch the Bag. 6l or clinched, raised as a possible means of protection. Never, at any rate, drop your hands and remain standing upright in the orbit of the bag. If you do, you are very likely to receive a painful blow in the face from the bounding bag, which I freely confess is no respecter of persons. A boxer who would drop both hands in the ring would meet with a sad and untimely end, therefore do not contract the habit in punching the bag. Re- member that for the time being the bag is an opponent, and one that demands the respect of its antagonists. He who takes liber- ties with the punching bag will one day do the same with a real, live member of the fistic brotherhood, and may I be spared the task of writing a description of the obsequies. THE INCORRECT METHOD OF AVOIDING THE BAG WHILE IT IS REBOUNDING. (Fig. 28.) In this pose I illustrate what not to do when the bag swings across from one side of the apparatus to the other. In addition to the awkwardness of your position and its pernicious effect, which I described in detail when referring to photo No. 26, the bag will oftentimes strike the top of your head in its passage, thus throwing it out of its natural course, or stopping its prog- ress entirely. THREE SIMPLE WAYS IN WHICH THE BAG MAY BE MANIPULATED. Frequently a bag puncher wearies of the regularly prescribed blows, and takes a fancy to use an easy blow or two merely as a diversion to fill this need. I will now describe three strokes, A, p and C, that are as simple as can be desired. A- (Fig. 29.) Stand with the left foot advanced, the body slanting toward the bag. Strike with the left hand, sending the ball straight out in front. Hit it agam with the left on the first rebound, and repeat the blow as many times as you like. 62 Spalding's Athletic Library, Fig. 26— correct WAY TO LET THE BAG PASS THE HEAD. How to Punch the Bag. 63 B-(Fig. 30.) Stand facing the bag almost squarely, possibly advancing the right foot a trifle. Guard yourself with your left, and hit the bag in the same manner as I directed you to do with left in the punch immediately preceding this. C-(Fig. 31.) With the legs apart, stand r.bcut twenty inches away from the bag and strike it with short hooks, alternating the hands. Put the swing and weight of the whole body into these punches. Strike the bag as it is about to pass your face in its rebounds. Spalding's Athletic Library, Fig. 27— do NOT DR., 'u K .>1DES AT ANY TIME. A FEW WORDS REGARDING COMPETI- TIONS, EXHIBITIONS, ETC. The bag puncher that educates himself with the idea in view that he will some day participate in contests against other per- formers, or will use his ability for exhibition purposes, must pursue a course differing from that of he who exercises for physical betterment only. The man with future competition in view should have three words to guide him at all times. They are accuracy, rapidity, and originality. Of the value and need of the first and. second qualities I 'have already spoken in vari- ous of the foregoing pages. Concerning originality, I would say that every intelligent puncher of the bag can, if he but give the matter a little time and thought, develop new maneuvers, or at least, novel variations of old ones. A punch or series of punches somewhat out of the ordinary, and well executed, in- variably has a favorable effect on judges. Do not, by any means, permit yourself to become nervous, that is, unduly so, or disturbed in any w^ay, during a contest or an exhibition. Weakness of this sort will put you ''off your feed," and cause you to perform poorly. The deviation of a half inch, sometimes, in a punch, will throw you out of your stroke, and thus ruin the effect of an entire performance. The exhibitor and the competitor, in addition, should always have and use his own private apparatus. All the prominent punch- ers own their own bags, framework, etc., and in becoming accus- tomed to them, are capable of better work than on an apparatus open to general use. Make a point, too, of appearing in contests of any description in a neat, sightly, unencumbersome costume. Wear a sleeve- less jersey if you would command the free use of your arms. Do not attempt blows that are unreasonably fantastic. Fancy bag punching, of course, is a very admirable form of diversion, but there is a difference between fancy bag manipulation and 65 66 Spaldiug' s Athletic Libra) Fig. 28-NEVER DUCK THE BAG THIS WAY. How to Punch the Bag. 67 impracticable strokes that confuse in your mind whatever of merit you may already have learned. The practical bag puncher is one who does not waste time on exercises that are intensely intricate and that develops no particular muscles. He is also a person who, as a rule, can readily explain in accurate detail the blows he has mastered. Do not punch the bag in a mechanical, monotonous sort of manner." Have a clearly defined reason for every move. Study the principles of cause and effect as applied to the puncher's realm of activity. There are bag punchers of my acquaintance that have more than ordinary control of the bounding, bouncing ball. They can interest and amuse even some of the most criti- cal experts. Yet, these selfsame individuals could not, for a full grown fortune, analyze any but the more simple blows. They know what they do, and when they do it, but as for how and why, well, that is a different matter. They are visionary, im- practical folk, who will never advance beyond a certain point. After learning to execute a certain blow with one hand, repeat it with the other, as I directed in many of the preceding para- graphs relating to individual blows. Learn to perform the blow backward, if possible, and by so doing you will understand it the better. Every punch is made up of separate parts. In combination blows they are multiplied. Learn to know these component movements when you see them. GOOD FORM AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE BAG PUNCHER. How often we hear the term, "good form." In every branch of athletics it is applied in various ways, in every day life it , comes into play, and in fact, every imaginable phase of existence the expression has its office. Good form is a merging under one head of good taste, observance of custom, propriety, and a gen- eral gracefulness of carriage and manner. The bag puncher who is in "good form" believes in being gentlemanly under all circumstances and in conforming to such regulations as govern his place of exercise. If in a gymnasium he will cease work after a period, to permit some other aspirant to practice. He will 68 Spalding s Athletic Library Flu. v>'.t AN l.AbV METHOD (Ske I'agi. Z-) I invented the floor bag about three years ago and afterward saw the possibility of using two of them simultaneously. In illustration No. -^^ I show what is considered the easiest mode of operating the double floor bags. I place the balls about two feet apart and stand about eight inches back from them. The legs must be stretched as far apart a^ the human frame will permit. Keep the knees rigid. Strike the right hand ball with the right elbow ; the left hand one with the left fist, making both of them swing to the right. S2 Spalding's Athletic Library 1— Punching a Floor Bag with Feet and Hands (Fig. 37). 2— Punching a Floor Bag with Soles of Feet (Fig. 38). 3— Rotary Bag, Using Elbows and Hands (Fig. 39). 4— Punching a Floor Bag with Feet and Hands (Fig. 40). How to Punch the Bag. 83 I do not let the double floor bags rebound far from the floor. I repeat the blows when they have risen but a few inches, say six or seven. When tired of bunching the floor bags to the right, raise your- self and allow them to bounce over to the floor at the left. Now, on the first rebound, hit the left bag with the left elbow, instead of the left fist, as before, and punch the right hand spheroid with the right fist. If you like the idea you can alternate the direc- tion of the bags from left to right, hitting them both in one direction, and then in the other. Then too, the elbows may be introduced, using one elbow alone, on one ball, and an elbow and the back of the same fist, on the other, etc., etc. JVIANIPULATING SIMULTANEOUSLY A SINGLE OVER- HEAD BAG AND A KNEE BAG. (Fig. 34.) The possibilities for all around development in bag punching are admirably illustrated by the fact that the science permits of the operation of a bag with the hands at the same time the knees are keeping one in motio*. During this exercise hardly a muscle in the entire body remains idle. To perform this "stunt" put the floor bag directly under the overhead spheroid as shown in the photo (Fig. 34). Place your feet on either side of the floor bag with about six inches of space separating them. As your legs form an angle your knees will be about four inches apart. Strike the overhead bag with the right fist, sending it to the left. At the instant your fist leaves the bag, bend sharply at the knees, hitting the lower bag with the bones of the legs just be- low the knee cap. As the upper bag comes back let it go to the right side, to which it is returned with the left fist on its first bound therefrom, not forgetting of course to continue bending at the knees to keep the lower ball in motion. After the upper bag is returned to the right with the left fist 84 How to Punch the Bag. let the bag go to the left again, returning it to the same side with the left elbow, and to the same side again with the right fist. After this last blow, let the spheroid bound to the right side, where on the first rebound the right elbow returns it, only to be followed with another punch to the right with the left fist. Continue the right elbow and left fist, and the left elbow and right fist combination blows in conjunction with the knee strokes for from four to eight minutes, unless you feel capable of pro- longing the periods. The variations of which the combined knee and overhead bags are possible are also of great number, several of which are pos- sibly simpler than the foregoing. With practice you can alternate the knees in using the floor bag. The right knee will slant the bag somewhat to the left, as the accurate hitting of the rounded surface of the knee is necessarily difficult. The left knee will incline it to the right. The amount of variation from a straight line, however, will not interfere materially with the performance of the blows, as the knees can be moved a trifle as they are bent, to counteract the deviation. It will not be advisable to alternate the knees while using the overhead bags at the same time as the complication of movement will render good results well nigh impossible. Use the floor bag alone when alternating the knee strokes. If you hold your hands behind your back in this latter exercise, with the elbows projecting at either side, you will present an appearance better than that resulting from the holding of the hands as your sides, with the arms dangling loosely. In addition you will be aided in balancing yourself. THE SIMULTANEOUS PUNCHING OF TWO BAGS OVER- HEAD. (Fig. 35.) With two bags arranged overhead, as in illustration No. Z}^^ you can use many variations. The exercise I have posed for is comparatively easy for any person with a keen eye and a "cool" Ho7ii to Punch the Bag. 85 head. Stand close to the bags with the left foot advanced before the right to a point directly under the bag that swings to your left. Face directly to the front, a trifle to the left of the right hand bag. Hit the left bag with the left elbow, at the same time striking the other with the outside of the clenched finger joints of your right fist. Do not bend your fist to hit with the broad face of the knuckles as you would in boxmg, for you will lose time by so doing. Keep both bags bounding to your left, hitting each at exactly the same moment. If you wish you may let them bounce over to the right side and then keep on returning them to that side hitting the right hand bag with the right elbow, and the left bag with the outside of the clenched finger joints of the left first. As the bags change over to the right, shift your position, advancing the right foot before the left, under the right hand bag. The puncher has a dull brain indeed who cannot invent at least a half dozen dif- ferent ways in which to punch these two bags. PUNCHING THREE BAGS AT ONCE— ONE FLOOR BAG AND TWO OVERHEAD. (Fig. 36.) Here we are confronted by a proposition that is more spec- tacular by far than difficult, even though appearances may indi- cate that an unusual amount of trouble and time should be ex- pended in the perfecting of it. To learn the mode of punching three bags simultaneously, one at the knees and two to be manipulated by the hands, requires patience, and dogged de- termination, that's all. Stand with the feet as close as, possible to the swivel to which the knee bag is connected. This bag should be placed at a point in the floor exactly between the two upper bags. Hold the body perfectly erect between the two bags swinging from the top of the apparatus. Bring up the arms and bend the elbows at angles exactly corresponding, so that the hands will be close to the face, and about on a line with the chin or the middle 86 How to Punch the Bag. of the bags. Strike outward with each fist, hitting each upper bag in its middle, and just after the blows land, bend sharply at the knees, striking the lower bag with both knees at the same time. Straighten your knees as quick as a flash so as to be in an upright position to repeat the first blows on the over- head bags. Repeat as many times as you feel you can stand comfortably. Be very particular about the manner in which you hold your hands and in which you deliver your punches. Do not strike the upper bags with either the front or back of the fist. Hit them with the ends (sometimes called sides) of your clenched hands, the surface formed by the clenched little finger and the fleshy pad between the outside knuckle of this finger and the outside wrist bone, in short, the end (or side) opposite the thumb end (or side). This mode of striking is not practical for other purposes. It is never used in boxing, but it is indispensable for certain blows in fancy bag punching. In this form of the sport, expediency must necessarily be given precedence above all other things. Whatever is practical for the fighter, but not expedient for the bag puncher, must be given but secondary consideration here, consequently the boxer is just as well, if not better, off if he leawes the exhibition end of the game out of his reckoning. Variations are again possible in the three bag movements. I 'will not attempt to enumerate or describe them, however. It will be a very easy matter for any puncher to find them for himself. I will leave them to his ingenuity. PUNCHING A FLOOR BAG (SITTING), USING THE FEET AND HANDS. (Fig. Z7-) Sit on the extreme edge of a chair which has been placed about a foot back from the floor bag. Lean forward and start the ball bounding straight before you, hitting it alternately with the hands. When you have it bouncing in a satisfactory fashion. How to Punch the Bag. 87 not too swiftly at this juncture, alternate the feet with the li.ands. Strike first with the right hand, then with the right foot ; fol- low with the left hand and the left foot. Vary the exercise by changing the order in which you use your hands and feet and the number of times they are brought into play. Balance yourself by touching the floor with the free foot be- tween every blow. This maneuver is exceedingly fatiguing. A few minutes a day will suffice for even the most ambitious per- formers. A single foot and a single hand can be used in combination to advantage. Do not at any stage bring the toe of either foot in contact with the bag. By so doing you will cause it to take a ■sudden jump that will throw you cut of your stroke and destroy whatever rhythm you have succeeded in putting into the series of blows. Naturally a kick will give a bag more impetus than a careful tap with the sole of the foot. SITTING AND OPERATING A FLOOR BAG WITH THE SOLES OF THE FEET. (Fig. 38.) On reading the heading of this section of the book, some of the uninitiated may imagine for a moment that the exercise to be considered is one that will give them a chance to rest. They will probably believe it to be a lazy man's task. Do not' let any such idea linger in your brain for a hundredth part of a second. True, the bag puncher will now sit down to his work, but when he finishes, he is fully aware of the fact that there has been "something doing." The calves of the legs and the ankles will be strengthened somewhat by this exercise in which the floor bag is kept in mo- tion by the soles of the feet. Place a chair at such a distance from the bag that your feet will project about fourteen inches beyond the swivel when the legs are straightened. Draw up the knees, and while bracing the body with the hands grasping the seat of the chair, as in the illustration, hit the ball with one foot 88 IIo7ii to Punch the Bag. and then the other. The part of the sole of the shoe covering the ball and toes of the foot should come in contact with the bag. Bend the ankles during the exercise. Do not let all the im- pulse come from the knees. Avoid hitting the bag with the heels. Brace your back firmly against the back of the chair. Throw your shoulders well to the rear. Hold your chin in and watch the bag closely. Very the movements by sometimes hit- ting the bag with a single foot continuously. A BAG PUNCHING NOVELTY— THE ROTARY BAG, WITH WHICH THE ELBOWS AND THE HANDS, SINGLE OR IN COMBINATION, ARE USED. (Fig. 39-) The rotary bag makes necessary a new sort of apparatus, simi- lar to that shown in illustration No. 41. However, on trying the innovation, experienced punchers will find themselves anxious indeed to expend the small sum required to procure it. In the use of the rotary bag the hands alone, the elbows alone, or both hands and elbows can be brought into action in several combinations. The rotary apparatus consists of three pieces of ordinary gas pipe joined as shown in the aforementioned illustration, and each of which should be about two feet long. Small wire cable or strong rope can be extended to four eyes fastened in the floor in the same manner as shown in the photo, form satisfactory "stays." The bag is suspended from the middle of the top section of pipe — the cross piece. The cord to which it is attached is looped around the pipe, thus affording a connection permitting rapid rotation. To punch the rotary bag start it going with the hand, say from left to right. It must not touch the floor. As the bag swings under the cross piece and upward to the right, meet it with the right fist. Hit is moderately at first. Let it spin around How to Punch the Bag. 89 two or three times. Then meet it with the left fist, sending it whirhng round and round in the opposite direction. Follow the left fist punch with a right elbow blow, and vice versa. You can let the bag swing around more than the three times or less, as you think best. Then again, you can punch it back and forth, using the hands alternately, without making use of the elbows, or you can let the elbows do all the work. To those never having used a rotary bag, the illustration, of which these paragraphs are descriptive should be the subject of careful study. STANDING AND KEEPING A FLOOR BAG IN MOTION WITH FEET AND HANDS. (Fig. 40.) To add another punch to the list of floor bag variations, stand with the feet directly against the swivel (on either side). Strike the bag first v/ith the right fist, then with the ball of the right foot ; then with the left foot, following with the left fist. To vary the movement, use first both hands, then both 'feet alter- nately. Here again the muscles of the back and legs are given effective exercise. Care must be taken that the fists strike the bag as near its middle as possible. It is highly desirous that the sphe- roid be given as little slant in its rebounds as is consistent with fast work. Always make sure that the bag used in foot blows is well inflated. An unresponsive ball will destroy all chance of good results. PUNCHING A FLOOR BAG WITH KNEES AND HANDS. A movement somewhat similar to the preceding one is per- formed by keeping the ball (the floor ball) in motion with the hands and knees, instead of with the hands and feet. Place the feet close to, and on either side of the swivel. Stand erect and hit the bag with first one knee, then the other. Follow with using the hands alternately. Vary the pastime by hitting 90 How to Pituch the Bas:. the bag different numbers of times consecutively with either hand or either foot, before alternating in this order for instance, or similar to it : Right hand, three times ; left hand, three times ; left knee, three times ; right knee, three times. If you choose, strike four or five consecutive blows before changing to the other hand or foot, instead of the three, or in preference to a single blow as first suggested. WHAT A BAG PUNCHER NEEDS What to wear and what to use is very important with the one who desires to take exercise by punching the bag. The newest thing in the way of a bag is Spalding's Patent Striking Bag. It con- sists of a rope to whicli is knotted a wooden ball. The rope is fastened to the striking bag platform and the ball end dropped into the opening at the top of the bag, after which the lace is tightened, and bag is ready. The bag will swing true, because it is made so, and it cannot make a false move, no matter how hard it is hit. There is no loop to interfere with the rope, and in general action i^ is the most certain in the market. The illustra- tions in this book of Young Corbett, taken at his training quarters in New York City, show him using a No, 19 Spalding Striking Bag. This bag is the best bag manufac- ured. It is made of the highest quality Patna kid — the lightest and strongest of leather — sewed with silk, double stitched and reinforced throughout, and costs $7.00. The next best grade is called the " Fitzsimmons Special " No. 18. It is made of finest selected Napa tanned leather, extra well made ; double stitched, welted seams and reinforced throughout. For training -purposes particularly this bag will be found extremely satisfactory in every respect. It costs $5.00. The same bag, but smaller in size and lighter, intended' for very speedy work, is the Spalding No. 18S. It costs $5.00 also. An excellent bag for gymnasium use, where a great deal of work is naturally required of a bag, is Spalding's No. 20. This is made of finest selected calfskin, double stitched, welted seams and rein- 91 92 Hozv to Punch the Bag. No- E-R forced throughout. It is very fast and will give excellent satis- faction. The price is $5.50. For those who wish a bag at a lower price than the foregoing we recommend any of the following : Spalding's No. 12. Made of olive tanned leather, specially selected : double stitched, welted seams and reinforced throughout. Excellent for quick work. Each, $4.00, Spalding's No. 10. Made of specially tanned glove leather ; double . stitched, welted seams and reinforced throughout. A substantial bag, well made in every particular. Each, $3.00, Spalding's No. 17. Made of fine maroon tanned leather, well finished ; double stitched, welted seams and reinforced throughout. A good all-around bag. Each, $2.50. Spalding's No. 16. Made of extra fine grain leather ; lined throughout and very well made. Each, I2.00. Spalding's No. 15. Made of olive tanned leather ; welted seams and lined throughout. Each, $1.50. Spalding's No. ij. Made of light russet tanned leather ; lined throughout and well put together. Each, $1.00. Ho7o to Punch the One of the objections urged against a striking bag in a house is the noise and vibration occa- sioned by the bag striking the ordinary bag punching platform. So far as it is physically possible, Spalding's have eliminated both of these disagreeable features in their " Inflated " style of Striking Bag Disk. The bag does not hit against a solid frame, but against a pneumatic cushion, and conse- quently there is no more noise than that occasioned by the fist tapping the bag, while on the same account the vibration is re- duced to a minimum. This is the style used by Young Corbett. The various styles of Spalding Inflated Striking Bag Disks are given below : Adjustable style — Spalding's No. AR. This can be raised or lowered simply by loosening the jamb thumb-nuts. Is perfectly firm and solid when thumb-nuts are tightened and has a long space for adjustment. The price, complete, without bag, is |io.oo. Doorway style — Spalding's No. BR. The doorway style is bracketed out from a doorway bar, having a single overhead brace, which is screwed to the wall above the door. The door- way bar is made of iron pipe 94 How to Punch the Boi having rubber cushions on ends. Turning the pipe causes the end sockets to spread, jamming the cushions against the sides of door and making the bar firm and rigid. The bar may also be used as a "chinning" horizontal bar. In ordering, state width of doorway. The doorway disk also costs $10,00, \vithout the bag, Wall braced style — Spalding's No. ER. This is equipped with substantial wall braces and is a very satisfactory style. The cost, complete, without bag, is $7.50. The solid disk for striking bags will always hold a high place in the estimation of many on account of the variety of work it permits. The style originally introduced by A. G. Spalding & Bros, some years ago is the one which has been imitated most generally, but in all these substitutes the makers, M-hile making them lighter, have uniformly neglected the most essential point and have produced an article flimsy and unsatisfactory to a degree. A striking bag disk must be substantial if it is to be of use, and in the various styles, both adjustable and braced, which are listed below, the feature has not been neglected, wh'le efforts have been made to put out a disk which is suitable for home use and moderate in price. Adjustable style — Spalding's No. CR. This platform is similar to No. AR, except the inflated feature. It costs, complete, without bag, $7-50. Doorway style — Spalding's No, DR. Similar to No. BR, except the inflated feature. Price, complete, without bag, $7.50. Wall braced style — Spalding's No. FR. Similar to No. ER, except the inflated feature. Complete, without bag, $5.00. For those who for various reasons are not so situated or do not wish to use a single end striking bag, the Spalding Double End Striking Bags will be found very satisfactory. They can be sus- pended in a doorway or from the ceiling and fastened to the floor. These bags are all made with ball-and-lace fastening, same as the single end bags, and are packed complete with bladder, rubber cord fcr floor, and rope for ceiling attachment. The various styles and prices are as follows : Spalding's No. 7. Made of finest selected Napa tan leather, and Hoii' to Punch the Bag. 95 workmansliip of same quality as in the " Fitzsimmons Special " Bag. Double stitched, welted seams, best quality Para rubber bladder. An extremely durable and lively bag. Com- plete in box and carefully inspected before packing. Each, $5.00. Spalding's No. 6. Extra fine olive tanned leather cover, double stitched, Avelted seams. Extra w^ell made through- out. Complete, $4.00. Spalding's No. 5. Regulation size, specially tanned glove leather cover, welted seams, double stitched and sub- stantially made. Complete, $3.50. Spalding's No. 43^. Regulation size, fine maroon tanned leather, and welted seams. Well finished throughout. Com- plete, I3.00. Spalding's No. 4. Regulation size, fine grain leather cover ; well made through- out, double stitched, Complete, $2.50. Spalding's No. 3. Regulation size, substantial red leather cover, reinforced and welted seams. Complete, $2.00. Spalding's No. 2/^. Medium size, good quality, dark olive tanned leather, well put together, and welted seams. Complete, $1.50. Spalding's No. 2. Medium size, good light russet tanned leather, substantially made, double stitched. Complete, $1.00. Special striking bag mitts are now made in several styles. There is the knuckle mitt that comes Avell padded, for 25 cents and" 50 cents. Then the gloves that are made of the finest tan kid and well padded sell for $1 75, and another pair for I1.25. 96 How to Punch the Bul The Spalding Aerial Strik- ing Bag Platform is entirely new and combines in itself all the good points that are found in any other bag plat- form, and is so arranged with pulleys and guy ropes that it can be used in almost any kind of a room. Just the kind of a platform for one who is anxious to become a theatrical bag puncher. In exercising, it is imma- terial what sport you indulge in, separate uniforms should be used for health as well as comfort. As good a shoe as one could wish for is Spalding's high cut rubber sole canvas shoe, No. iH, which sells for $1.50. Another one, of the same style but a cheaper grade, sells for |i,oo. Then there are low cut shoes that can be procured at Spalding's as low as 75 cents. Athletes and boys who take exercise in the gymnasium use a sleeveless shirt, No. 600, which sells for $1.25, and No. 6E, at 50 cents. Hoiv to Punch the Bar. 97 Knee pants can be bought at $1.25, 75 cents and 50 cents per pair. If bag punching is merely a part of your evening work, you by all means want a sweater, because one is liable to catch cold after exercise. Spalding's No. A Intercol- legiate Sweater, which is the official sweater used by nearly all the college players, sells at |6 00, No. B, good heavyweight, for $5.00, and No. C, for $4.00, and Spalding's No. 3. Shaker sweater at I3.00, If the price of the good sweaters is too high, a jersey can be worn, which sells for $2.50 each. For exhibition purposes, full length tights should be worn. Spalding's No. lA full length tights, made of the best worsted, sell $3 75 per pair, but they have others as low as pi.oo. Every boy who is interested in boxing should get a copy of Spalding's Athletic Library No. 162 — "How to Become a Boxer." For many years books have been issued on the art of boxing, but it has remained for us to arrange a book that we think is sure to fill all demands. It contains 210 pages, including over 70 pages of illustra- tions showing all the latest blows, posed especially for this book by one of the best instructors of boxing in the United States, who makes a specialty of teaching and who knows how to impart his knowledge. Each blow is thoroughly explained and instructions given telling how it should be delivered and how avoided. By fol- lowing this book any two boys can easily become proficient boxers. The book also contains photographs of all the leading American boxers, and official boxing rules. No one who would like to be a good boxer should neglect to possess this book. The Spalding Patent Inflated Striking Bag Disks Patent Pending DOORWAY STYLE Is bracketed out from a doorway bar, having^ a single overhead brace, which is screwed to the wall above the door. The doorway bar is made of iron pipe having rubber cushions on ends. Turning the pipe causes the end sockets to spread, jamming the cushions against the sides of door and mai