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hitting the punching bag

hitting the punching bag

2.9
An exercise where someone strikes a padded bag to train and relieve stress
  • noun
translation icon : golpear el saco de boxeo
  • The gym provides great facilities for hitting the punching bag, which helps improve your technique.

Examples

  • Afterward, Moon always went home and put on his gloves and hit the punching bag Buster gave him and pretended he was Buster.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • She enjoys hitting the punching bag to release her stress after a long day.

  • As part of his training regimen, he practices hitting the punching bag for at least an hour each week.

Synonyms

boxing
vshitting the punching bag
254 1.0

A sport in which two people hit each other with their fists while wearing gloves

is solo training against a padded object for fitness and skill
pound
vshitting the punching bag
15 4.7

A heavy repeated hitting sound, like drums or rain

is done for steady practice and stress relief
hammering
vshitting the punching bag
12 2.8

A series of hard hits against something, often loud and strong

is aimed at fitness and skill rather than raw force
striking
vshitting the punching bag
1 4.4

An act of hitting one thing against another, often with force

is a specific training action against a padded target for exercise
slugging
vshitting the punching bag
  • Informal
1 4.8

Hitting someone or something very hard, often with a fist

is practiced as repeated controlled hits for exercise and technique
smacking
vshitting the punching bag
1 4.6

A quick hard hit with an open hand that makes a sharp sound

uses closed-fist, rhythmic strikes for conditioning and training

How Vigorous

boxing match
17 1.4
sparring
22 4.5
shadowboxing
1 6.9
hitting the punching bag
2.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

hitting + the + punch + bag

The phrase is fully compositional: 'hitting' (striking) combined with 'the punching bag' (a bag used for punching) directly yields the activity of striking that bag for exercise or training. This event-denoting noun phrase follows a common English pattern and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Hitting the punching bag gives a clear picture: you are hitting a heavy, padded punching bag to practice punches or to let out strong feelings. Because people can imagine their problems on the bag and feel calmer after, the phrase often means 'stress relief' or part of 'exercise' and 'training'.