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Hanging Punching Bag

M

Mo211

Junior Member
Hello everyone?

Im trying to find out a safe way to hang a 70 pound Punching bag to a Ceiling in a Bedroom apartment building. There wouldn’t be any access to attics do to it being a housing project. It’s in a 3rd floor apartment. Im pretty sure their should be a beam in the center of the bedroom that I could drill into.

I was thinking of using a stud finder to locate a beam. Im not sure if it’s a metal beam or wooden. Does anyone know if it would be safe to do this without bringing down the bedroom ceiling? Lol I’m trying to do this for my step son, so he can get his MMA training on.

Any help will be appreciated!
 
Honestly i wouldn't do it. Unless you like having upset neighbors. I had a kid put one in his apartment below mine once and i could feel him using it. I was ready to strangle him until he became bored of it i guess and it just stopped.
 
The neighbors in this building are very noisy anyway, so I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t mind. That’s the least thing I’m concerned about. Being put up safely is my main thing.
 
Asking for trouble in my opinion. The only safe way would be to anchor it across several of the joist. Just connecting to one joist would be a disaster.
 
Mo211 said:
Really? For 70 pounds? How many joists do you think would be best?
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Not sure. It isn't just a 70 pound bag hanging stationary, you have to consider the beating on the bag and the stresses placed on the hanging support from the impacts and swinging. Just the joist flexing alone could cause the dry wall to separate from the joists and collapsing.
 
When we put up a punching bag in our basement we used two joists and reinforced between them and neighboring joists. I would never ever do this in an apartment building. This type of thing is completely outside of the rental agreement and will likely get you evicted with security deposit forfeit or sued.
 
You need to find out the construction method for the apartment building. This will depend on the age of it. Very few construction designs for apartments would support hanging a bag from the ceiling. There is rarely a large beam anywhere in the ceiling Some ideas, you could hang it in a door way using one of those pull up systems that use the door frame for support. You could use a freestanding stand for a bag. Or you could use a wall bracket to wall mount the bag.
 
hardhat said:
When we put up a punching bag in our basement we used two joists and reinforced between them and neighboring joists. I would never ever do this in an apartment building. This type of thing is completely outside of the rental agreement and will likely get you evicted with security deposit forfeit or sued.
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Really? I couldn’t just put some puddy back over the holes after I was done? So there’s no trace of anything being there? Lol
 
mike8675309 said:
You need to find out the construction method for the apartment building. This will depend on the age of it. Very few construction designs for apartments would support hanging a bag from the ceiling. There is rarely a large beam anywhere in the ceiling Some ideas, you could hang it in a door way using one of those pull up systems that use the door frame for support. You could use a freestanding stand for a bag. Or you could use a wall bracket to wall mount the bag.
Click to expand...

Couldn’t I use a stud finder on the ceiling and just drill into the beam?
 
I don't think you grasp the stresses applied when you start adding something like a punching bag to your ceiling.

The ceiling structure you attach to isn't just holding up some 70 pounds (vertical stresses), but instead it has to deal with that 70 pounds rocking in this direction or that (horizontal stresses) plus whatever energy you're thrusting into it.

A single 2 by 4 isn't going to cut it. A stud in the ceiling that you just attach to, that you have no idea how it's held together up there, isn't going to cut it. How is it reinforced up there? Can you see?


Look at what these guys are doing to put up bags.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rMjq_C-PSk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFfpUYamBTA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFfpUYamBTA
(Edit)The 2nd video, I'm not sure I like his reinforcement, but at least he can make an effort in both adding reinforcement and where he's putting his hole. (End Edit)

And look at this guy using a stand like I previously mentioned. Looks sturdy enough to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_bhz0Pjp98

At least with the stand, you know the floor can handle holding up weight.

(Edit #2) You'd really want a pretty thick bolt to put through the wood, anyway (which means access to the attic). Otherwise, whatever you screw in, can very potentially just be pulled out over time through wear and tear. Then you'll have a bag falling from the ceiling potentially launched at a wall, or who knows what. (End Edit #2)
 
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As JC pointed out, a stand is fine, but a minimum of a couple of 45lbs plates = essential.

You should come at this from a different angle imo. This is a great opportunity for you to bond with your step son. You should buy focus mitts, thai pads, and a striking shield. Watch some youtube vids on basic pad holding techniques, and drills, and hold for him. You will find it a challenging workout for you, and his standup will improve a lot faster than doing heavy bag work alone. He will likely develop some terrible habits that way too. I have seen it many times over the decades, and fixing the bad habits from n00b heavy bag training is a bitch.

If your schedules are too incompatible, just buy the stand, the plates, and let him do work. Good idea to at least have a instructional vid on while he is doing it so fundamentals get repeated again and again. And remember to repeat the mantra to him, chin down, hands up, protect yourself at all times.
 
Mo211 said:
Couldn’t I use a stud finder on the ceiling and just drill into the beam?
Click to expand...
you are assuming there is a stud in the ceiling of your apartment. Floor trusses are not designed to carry point loads like a punching bag is. You would have to span multiple trusses to support the load.
 
I bought the Everlast wood beam t heavy bag hanger for about $9. Then I stacked two 2x4's together and put them between two floor joists, and screwed each 2x4 into each joist.

Then I attached the bag hanger to the 2x4's using 2-1/2" screws. Solid as a rock.
 
Id go with a wall mount, because the wall takes the swing out of it.. so you dont have to wait for the bag to swing back to you.. its like someone holding the bag for you, but mount it in a solid wall away from neighour side if possible.

With a ceiling mount the vibrations through the ceiling would be very noticable from above and i think it'd travel through apartment more..

Stand could be good too, especially with some noise dampening floor underlay under the legs, you'd need some weight to restrain it securily though
 
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