Here’s a quick review of the Burn Machine Speed Bag. Popularized in MMA by Anderson Silva and Brock Lesnar, this spinnymajig is made of steel and chrome and comes in weights between 4, 8, and 12 pounds. Here’s a compilation of some notable athletes and their routines.

If you watch this video some of the others on The Burn Machine website, you’ll think it’s pretty easy to train with. In terms of usability, it is; in terms of the burn it produces, let’s just say I shouldn’t have got the 12 lbs. size!

How does this tool benefit martial artists? The most natural motion is to mimic hitting a speedbag by twirling it forward (or in reverse) in front of you. Unlike hitting an actual speedbag, your arms and shoulders will be fried in about 30 seconds. There are other punching and blocking motions to make as well. My advice is to be creative!

Obviously this will help you build upper body endurance, not unlike an UBE machine (see image below). Strikers and grapplers alike will quickly enjoy this piece of equipment as it helps them to keep their hands high and to pummel longer.

The Burn Machine is a nice way to balance a running or cycling workout. I’ve also done tabata intervals with it to but more emphasis on cardio.

Overall, I recommend this tool for martial artists and fitness enthusiasts. It works as advertised, and is much more challanging than it looks. Sure, you can approximate the motion with dumbells, but The Burn Machine has a better balance and smooth motion that keeps you pumping fast without smashing your hands.

There is one prohibitive factor, and that’s price. These babies start at $129 USD. I waited for it to go on sale on MMAHQ, and I got it for $50! If you can get a deal like that, it’s definitely worth it!