Speed Timing
The “speed” bag should really be called the “control” bag. You can’t go fast until you can control the force of your punching and the size of your swinging movements. The speed bag helps you learn to create and control punching power, which is a direct result of movement speed rather than strength. Punching hard and punching fast are NOT the same thing.
You can hit the bag with great force, but most people will use a larger swing movement to punch hard. And if you hit close to full power you won’t be able to do this very fast or repetitively, because the size of your movements may prevent you from getting back to the bag in time. Once you can control your swinging motions and punch with equal force with each contact, you can start working on your punching speed.
Equal force in each punch is important to keep the bag going at a constant speed. Punching harder or softer will affect the bag speed. If the bag slows down or speeds up, it will change the timing needed for the next technique. This happens incredibly fast, so equal force in each punch is a key factor to keeping it going.
As you punch faster you will not be punching harder, but will be punching more efficiently with smaller movements. One of the secrets to speed is to make smaller circles with your fists. For example, if your fist hits the bag and makes a 12 inch circle, then it will return to the hitting zone faster if it only makes a 9 inch circle. Another secret to speed of movement is to relax. Creating stiff muscular tension in your shoulders and arms as you punch will only make you stiffer, not faster. Remember that a loose flexible whip can travel much faster than a stiff cane of wood. See the workout section for specific workouts to increase speed or strength.
|
|
|
This refers to getting your fists on the bag at the correct moment. And you have to do this many times in succession. The secret is controlling your punching force and swinging speed to make it all happen when it is supposed to. Since all of this is happening rapidly, you will quickly find your ears are the greatest help in timing. Unfortunately, your eyes are way behind the bag. Pictures of what that bag looks like at normal speed are shown at right. Even at only one-quarter of your full power, there appears to be 3 or more after images of the bag! Always swing at the one in the middle. The bag sound will be your cue to speed and timing. That is the single most unique feature of the speed bag. Trust the sound.
|
|
|
|
|
It is suggest here you read the page on Hitting The Bag.
- © SpeedBagCentral.com 2010
-
