(Kick) Boxing question

[brikis98]

I have a heavy bag at home and have been having a great time working out with it. After several months of training, I'm pretty happy with the power of my kicks & punches and my stamina is improving. however, there's no ignoring it: i'm pretty damn slow. i can get a few quick combos out, but it absolutely exhausts me (far more than adding more power to a combo) and i can't keep it up for long.

how can I improve my punching speed? will a speed bag actually help, or is that more accuracy/coordination? and what about kicking speed?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: brikis98
I have a heavy bag at home and have been having a great time working out with it. After several months of training, I'm pretty happy with the power of my kicks & punches and my stamina is improving. however, there's no ignoring it: i'm pretty damn slow. i can get a few quick combos out, but it absolutely exhausts me (far more than adding more power to a combo) and i can't keep it up for long.

how can I improve my punching speed? will a speed bag actually help, or is that more accuracy/coordination? and what about kicking speed?

A speed bag isn't called a speed bag for nothing The only way you're gonna get faster is by conditioning yourself. You condition through practice - so throw those combos hard and quick. You may have to take some breathers, but everybody starts somewhere. Do the same thing with kicking speed. Sometimes the answer is just in trying a little bit harder and taking breaks more frequently. Maybe do some rounds like 2 minutes on, 1 minute rest? If that's too much, you could try 1 minute on, 1 minute rest, and then slowly increase the time of your rounds.

 

[scorpio110367]

Speedbags develop hand eye coordination, period. They will help with speed somewhat, but to develop speed you must use plyometric exercises(exercises that does not involve weights, just explosive core movements against resistence). Another bag you might want to consider is the coordination bag( bag hangs between the ceiling and floor, it moves to and from and side to side). You see boxers use this bag to develop footwork and coordination, and sometimes you see them wear weight vests when they're on this apparatus. Good luck.

 

[wheresmybacon]

Are you simply unable to throw combos at what you consider a fast speed, or are you limited by your wind (i.e. gassing out)?

Everyone has an innate predisposition for having/developing quick or slow-twitch muscle fibers, so while you're probably never going to be like Roy Jones Jr. in his heyday, you can improve with what you've got. Once your cardio fitness is at a high level, hammering the bag with combos back-to-back quickly will be much much easier.

 

[conorvansmack]

One of the keys to throwing fast combinations is bringing your hands back quickly. My coach always says, "Bring your hands back twice as fast." While it may not be physically possible, it definitely adds snap to the punches.
Make sure that they're coming back up to your shoulders and not lower! Defense defense defense.

Kicking speed is a technique thing. The power is in the step and the snap and speed come from the hips. Throw the hip out there so your leg is like a whip cracking the bag. Then may sure that you bring it back with the hip first so you can land back in your stance.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: hungfarover
Are you simply unable to throw combos at what you consider a fast speed, or are you limited by your wind (i.e. gassing out)?

both, actually.

on the one hand, throwing punches as quickly as I can tires me out MUCH more than throw punches as hard as I can. near the end of a round (I do 2 minute sessions w/ the heavy bag), my speed drops off dramatically, while my power is still pretty decent.

and even when I am at full speed, my punch combos still seem to be fairly slow. i simply don't know how to train my body to move faster while still thrown punches with decent form. other than just doing it over and over again, i was hoping to learn some exercises/routines that can help with this.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

For developing your speed, the heavy bag isn't the best apparatus, but you can still work on your speed somewhat with one. If you are using bag gloves buy 12-16oz gloves and use those. You'll get worked out better from the extra weight, and after a few months of using them, and getting comfortable with them, you can put on the bag gloves and be astonished at how much faster and easier you can throw wearing them now. If you don't have a training partner, try mirror fighting, the old school shadow fighting/just throwing the technique is an alternative if you don't have a full length mirror where there is enough room to workout in: You won't be able to unload the same way you do on the heavy bag where you are actually striking something. It will force you to concentrate more on snap, form, focus, and balance. While it is fairly easy to get away with being sloppy on the bag, sloppy will feel bloody miserable when mirror fighting. You will also be able to analyze your own fighting stance, foot work, guard, ect.

The preferred method IMO, is to train with experienced instruction obviously, preferably someone faster, and do work with focus mitts. Done properly, this not only helps speed, but focus, timing, movement and footwork, and defense. I just like to throw out the experienced instruction advise in these threads, in case you end up getting serious, always better to learn properly initially than to have to unlearn bad habits.

 

[wwswimming]

i used to share a weight room with a retired full-contact tournament boxer.

one of the preparation routines he described to me was to get hyperbolically
angry at his opponent.

i'm not sure if that would work on an inanimate object, but it worked for
him in the ring.