I know Steve emphasized hitting pads as a way to take off the stress, but I don't mind suggesting, if you don't object to a few bruises (and jambed fingers and a scrape or three) actual sparring with a live body is twice as relaxing as hitting the bag. Nothing like getting your licks in on another individual. You just have to be willing to take a few too.

BTW, thanks to the work I did for Andy, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed finally relented and let me buy a gas powered hydraulic splitter. It's still a lot of work, but not nearly as stress relieving as swinging the maul was.