How To Replace a Speed Bag & Double End Bag Bladder – TITLE Boxing Blog – How To Change a Bladder
How To Replace a Speed Bag Bladder
When it comes to speed bags and double end bags, you know well enough that they come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and dimensions. You have a wide selection. You also have a variety of bladders and that’s good because at some point in time, either the bladder is going to stop maintaining air or it’s going to outright bust. Although you and I know, TITLE bladders last forever. But, in the case that you do have to change one, I will explain to you how, so you are armed and equipped to make that change on your own.
If the bag still has air in it, you’ll need to take the air out and deflate it. You may need to use needle nose pliers so you can grab the laces to get it unlaced. Once you have the bag unlaced, reach into the speed bag and grab the bladder and basically turn the speed bag inside out from the bottom up until you can see where the air nozzle is on the bladder in relation to the speed bag.
Once you get the bladder exposed, you will see that it is glued. You will want to take the pliers to loosen that, to pull the glue away from the bladder itself. Then you’ll just want to pull the bladder from the bag.
In some instances, you’ll run into where the speed bag bladder, or the double end bag bladder, is actually sewn into a small flap on the inside of the bag. There are two things you can do in this instance. One is use a seam ripper, which is a sewing tool, and you can tear out the thread from the bag to release the bladder. Or you can use a box cutter to do the same thing. You just want to be very careful with it. Don’t cut your fingers or the bag! Just pick up the thread from the bag and cut it.
Once you untie the bag and expose the opening, you’re ready to insert a new bladder. You can use a traditional rubber bladder or the new Quik-Tek bladders. Either one works; it just comes down to personal preference. In this case we’re going to use a traditional rubber bladder and insert it into the bag. (Rubber cement or glue can be applied to both surfaces to create a more secure fit, but it is not necessary.) With your thumb or fingers, try to line up the bladder nozzle with the hole in the bag. Once you see that you’ve lined up the two holes, you insert the needle from the pump to keep the two holes in line with each other so you don’t lose the bladder when you begin filling it.
Before you do that, you’ll want to wet the needle, either with Vaseline, or let’s be honest, most guys spit on it. But, you want the needle to be moist so that when you insert it into the bag, it’s not making small tears in the rubber.
Attach the pump back to the air nozzle and begin filling. Once you get the speed bag about 70% inflated, stop and tie the laces up. If you wait until you get the bag fully inflated, there’s too much pressure and it will be harder to tie the laces on the bag. Go back and tighten the laces so they’ll be nice and secure when you pump the bag all the way back up and tie it up. Begin re-inflating.
All speed bags, double end bags and the type of bladder you use will present specific nuances to inflating them and changing them out. This is the most basic, simple way of going about it.