Effective Speed training

[red5angel]

Does anyone do any speed training that has or had obvious results? It doesnt matter how long it took you, just wondering if it works. I have heard a lot of things and would like to start working on this.

[fa_jing]

I have found that link-chain punches have improved my speed considerably. Although I don't think much of them as a fighting tactic. You just put your two vertical fists one on top of the other a couple inches from your body, the top one being about the level of your solar plexus, as if you were gripping a thin pole with two hands. You bend your wrists so that the fists face forward. Counting off, you first throw one punch out, then two, then three, alternating fists, until at least 10 punches, then you count down 10, 9, 8 until you get to one. Punches are nose level, every time you do the require number of punches you leave the punch out and do not retract until you begin the next number of punches. Key points: the path of the punches is oval, every time you punch it travels over the top of the retracting arm. I try to do each number of punches within one outward breath. You do them as fast as possible. You don't want to snap your elbows. Keep your fists vertical and your elbows down.
To make the exercise more challenging, I usually work out beforehand so my arms are already tired. It's not as easy as you may think, when you start out. To make it more difficult, you can go up to 15 or do 2 sets of the version that goes up to ten.
-FJ

[fa_jing]

Hmm, looking at your profile, I'm sure you know about the link chain punches already. Well, others might benefit from my explaination.
-FJ

[red5angel]

I am familiar, havent tried your method yet so I will have to try it this evening! thanks!

[Sharky]

the punches should not be oval.

[premier]

I think it's important to analyze your technique and see which part is the bottleneck. Are you slow because of your waist movement, footwork or don't your arms extend fast enough? It's usually the turning of the waist and footwork. So naturally you should start working on your waist movement and footwork. First get them right and then do it fast.

It's the same with kicks. Are your kicks slow because you can't bring your knee up and turn your waist fast enough or do you lack the explosiveness in your quadriceps etc.?

So. Work on the things that are slow and make sure your technique is impeccable. It's amazing how much speed you can get by just doing the technique correctly. I've done some of my form bit by bit and worked on the explosiveness in each technique separately. This has helped me a lot. If it's only one technique like a punch or kick that's slow, you can practise that movement as fast as you can, as relaxed as you can and in small sets (5-15 reps). Take a good break between the sets and make sure you don't tire your muscles. This developes the speed also.


premier

[Brett Again]

I got noticable results with a double-end speed bag... the kind with the bungee cord attaching it to the floor and ceiling.

You start with it really loose, then when you can nail it about ten times in a row without missing you begin tightening up the cord, which gives you a shorter faster response from the bag.

Good for speeding up hands as well as feet and eyes.

[red5angel]

Good reply Premier! Very true, I am still working on my form and technique, my arms seem to be the bottleneck, I have never been very fast, I am one of those solidly built guys that doesnt seem to be very fast but hist hard? Anyway, I will heed your advice and pay much more attention to my form, I am sure my Sifu will probably tell me the same thing when I ask him this saturday!

[Syre]

In 8-step mantis we call these sun punches. They start out not just oval but completely circular. Otherwise they are basically as you described.

The concept is to punch through the imagined target and focus on pulling back.

Then you do them for a number of minutes, gradually speeding up until you do them as fast as you can for the last minute or 30 seconds.

Eventually you are supposed to be able to do these for an hour at high speed, while keeping relaxed (shoulders relaxed).

Try it for 5 minutes and see if you can keep it up!

[IronFist]

every time you do the require number of punches you leave the punch out and do not retract until you begin the next number of punches.

Uh, hey fa-jing. What does that mean? Can you please reword that part? I know how I interpreted it is wrong :)

Iron

[IronFist]

ttt

[jesper]

You need to divide your speed into two very distinct areas
1) true speed
2) percieve speed

Now some hard facts:
you cant really change your true speed that much, although if you use speedballs it will improve. So will doing common strength training and good old airpunching/kicking

So in order to improve your speed dramaticly you must focus a lot more on percieved speed.
One of the ways to do that is to stand in front of a mirror or better yet, in front of a camera, and carefully look at your technics. Do some punches and observe your reactions carefully.
Most people have some quircks before hitting, such as lifting shoulders, tensing, or maybe just flinching a little. Check yourself.
Now work on removing your quircks.

Next ask a partner to hold a focus pad, while you hit it as fast as possible. It will then be your partners job to try and avoid you hitting it, by stepping back or removing the pad just when you try to punch. Whenever you fail to hit, he must tell you what gave you away.
I garantee you this will make you hit much faster :)

But remember it takes very hard training to get it right

Good luck

[fa_jing]

Sharky - your right, the punch itself travels a straight path going out, then coming back a lower path so your two fists (on the centerline) do not interfere with one another. As you prepare to punch again the fist rises a little before it goes out.


IronFist: 1, leave your fist out - pause briefly
1 2, leave your fist out - pause briefly
1 2 3 leave your fist out - pause briefly
1 2 3 4 leave your fist out - pause briefly
Etc. Up to 10 and back.

Got it? The pause is very little for the lower numbers of punches, it's more like if you need to breathe in. The less pause the more challenging. You always end up with your arm hanging out when you stop punching, basically, rather than retracting the last punch.

Happy training - FJ

[IronFist]

Thanks fa_jing. I got it now :)

Iron