Over the past few years free standing heavy bags have become incredibly popular amongst martial artists and fitness enthusiasts.
They provide an interesting and dynamic form of exercise and allow you to hone in on your striking technique.
One such bag is the Everlast Powercore, an incredibly popular model of freestanding bag that doesn’t break the bank.
Due it it’s popularity, we thought it would be a good idea to provide a full, in-depth Everlast Powercore freestanding heavy bag review. We’re going to take a look at the ins and outs of the bag and decide whether or not it’s worth investing in.
Let's’ get to it.
Who is the Ringside Powercore Meant For?
I would say that the Everlast Powercore is deal for two types of people.
It’s perfect for anyone looking to get in shape and utilise the effectiveness of a heavy bag workout from the comfort of your own home.
It’s easy to set up and even easier to use, allowing pretty much anyone to have an intense, fat burning workout without having to leave the house.
It’s also ideal for boxing/ martial arts enthusiasts looking to work on their technique without having to head down to a gym or dojo.
They say practice makes perfect, and by having a bag in your own home, you’ll be able to practice anytime you like. One thing worth mentioning here is that due the Everlast’s design, it’s not suited for hard hitters or for explosive kick training
As such, the Everlast Powercore is more suited for long training sessions with a high repetition count of low to medium power strikes.
If you are planning on loading up your strikes with the Everlast, don't expect it to last for long. While a very durable bag when used correctly, it's not designed for such work outs.
We’ll touch more on this further in the review and I’ll also suggest a free standing bag suitable for developing explosive power.
Everlast Powercore Review
Ok, now we've got a bit of background about the Powercore and who it's meant for, let's crack on with the review.
Features & Benefits
Very Stable
When looking to buy a free standing bag, stability is very important. A poorly designed free standing bag will topple over when you hit it, which is both very annoying and loud. Fortunately, Everlast have a fair amount of experience making these types of heavy bags so they know what they're doing.
One way in which they've managed to make the bag stable is by using a large base. This can then be filled with either water or sand to weigh the bag down and prevent it from toppling over. I would recommend using sand if you can as this makes the heavy bag much more stable.
If sand isn't an option, then make sure you don't fill the base with too much water. If you do, water can start to seep out of the top when you start to hit the bag.
Everlast have also implemented a power transfer ring that allows the back to recoil slightly and provides better impact absorption. This in turn keeps the base in place and helps to prevent it from falling over.
Highly Shock Absorbing
As a free standing heavy bag has a plastic or metal frame, the level and quality of the padding is incredibly important. You don't want to be hitting the bag and able to feel the frame underneath the padding as this can cause some damage to your hand.
Fortunately, you wont have this problem with the Powercore bag though as Everlast have made use of top quality, shock absorbing foam. Although shock absorbing, it's still highly recommend that you use a pair of well padded gloves when using the bag in order to sufficiently protect your hands.
Affordable
The cherry on the cake with the Powercore though has to be the price. While the bag isn't suitable for everyone, it does offer incredible value for money and is definitely durable enough to provide hours of intense work outs.
Adjustable Height
When ever I'm looking at a free standing heavy bag, one thing I always look for is the ability to adjust the height. This is for several reasons:
- So that more than one person can use the bag
- So I can increase the height for kicks and to practice striking at different height levels
The Everlast Powercore's height can be adjusted from 54" to 65". This allows for you to share the bag with whoever you like and both be able to set it to your preferable height.
Easy to Set Up
The beauty of all free standing bags is how easy it is to set them up. The construction process is very straight forward and it shouldn't take you too long. The instructions are easy to follow and I'll include a video tutorial at the end of this review that you can also check out.
Also, if you're using sand to fill the base I would recommend putting newspapers on the floor. This will make filling the base a lot easier and massively reduce the mess.
Size & Weight
- Weight: Approximately 250lbs. (when filled with water)
- Size: From 54"-55"
*When you're filling the base with sand, the weight of the bag will depend on the amount of sand that you use.
What I like:
What I Don’t Like
How to Set Up the Everlast Powercore Freestanding Bag
Here's a video walking you through the different steps in setting up the Everlast freestanding bag.
See the Bag in Use
Having read our review, have a watch of the video below to see the bag in use and see what you can expect.
Alternative Option: Century Wavemaster
At the beginning of our article, I said I'd mention another free standing bag that's more suited for hard hitters and explosive kicks.
...and that bag is the Century Wavemaster. Century are a highly reputable brand of martial arts equipment that have released some pretty incredibly freestanding bags. They've got a few different Wavemaster models, all of which you can check out in our Century Wavemaster review.
For you hard hitters out there, pay special attention to their Wavemaster XXL, as that thing is a beast!
Everlast Powercore Freestanding Heavy Bag Review: The Verdict
So, what do we think about the Everlast Powercore bag?
It's great! Only if you're not planning to unload on this thing with a flurry of explosive, high powered strikes.
If you're looking for a bag suited towards cardio-based work outs, then there's no denying this is the bag for you. Even if you are a boxer or martial artist, but aren't too bothered about throwing strikes at full force, again this is going to be great for you.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comment section down below.
