punching speed

“	Originally Posted By: Sifu Chuck Kennedy TM I was not trying to argue with you, or put down how you are practicing. I was just trying to warn againt some of the mistakes that I have seen others make and giving my reasons for it. Training is a personal journey and we all take different paths to get to our destination. Enjoy your journey.	”

No prob Sifu, didn't mean to come off as defensive. I see what you are saying also

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This thread needs more challenges and eyeball poking imo. Way too civil. =p

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"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

Many people give their opponents cues about the attack they are about launch. Maybe moving the head or shoulder before the punch. pulling their hand back etc. Most commonly people shuffle. lean or step before kicking. Video yourself whilst sparring and see what cues you give your opponent, eliminate those cues and you will find your perceived speed increases drastically

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Senior Instructor
Geoff Bennett Martial Arts International
Progressive Protection Systems
www.martialarts-int.com

Nice post, Alvin.

Working on actual speed, is very important ( ie: taking the same movement and through repitition getting faster ). The other side is what you called "perceived speed", which I think is just as important.

If you can take any technique/movement and refine your body mechanics to tighten it up and make it more efficient, you have created more speed in a different way. Like if you are driving somewhere, and you normally take a long winding drive through the suburbs, then you start taking the Highway and you get there faster, even driving the car at the same speed on both routes.

There are certain "giveaways" you will probably be able to minimise, but not eliminate altogether. Certain limitations of weight shifting and physics that cannot be avoided. It is always useful to remember that these little signs can be used as feigns, set-ups and distractions. Even a weakness can sometimes be turned into your advantage with some work.

I wanted to start a thread about the perception of time and it's relevance to combat, but I can't think of a good way to start it off yet :P

Anyways good stuff.

I guess you could say some of the main keys to increasing speed are:

1) Practice ( repitition )
2) Refine ( improving technique and body mechanics )
3) Mental Development/Attitude ( training visualisation and positive reinforcement of training )
4) Time ( Manipulating the reactions/timing of your opponent through feign/trickery/deception to "create more time" for you to move and react )

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"To alcohol ! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson

Was doing some stuff on changing movement patterns today. One thing they were saying is that a common tool is to move more slowly. The idea was that establishing a pattern of movement is like skiing. If you are the only skiier on a slope after a heavy fall you can follow any path you like the first time you descend. The second time you will tend to follow the tracks you made the first time and be quicker when you do. It's the same with learning to move optimally and quickly. First you slow right down so you can choose the exact path at every point. Then you keep following that path slowly by choice at each point until the new pattern is so engrained you can do it quickly.

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High mountains are a feeling
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Basically it comes down to Practice, practice, practice! I think the last three posts where right on. I would also imagine an opponent every time. Visualize someone you have sparred with before (more than one preferable) and remember how they reacted and how you reacted. Video taping yourself is a great way to be able to see what they did and how you reacted also and if it was bad work it out if it was good ingrain those reactions. Personally only reasons I see to spar is to let out some needed aggression and to test your skills (or lack of skills).

“	Originally Posted By: Alvin Kan Many people give their opponents cues about the attack they are about launch. Maybe moving the head or shoulder before the punch. pulling their hand back etc. Most commonly people shuffle. lean or step before kicking. Video yourself whilst sparring and see what cues you give your opponent, eliminate those cues and you will find your perceived speed increases drastically	”

been a while since I checked up on this thread, but I love this post. You see this a lot with muay thai folk, who are taught to do a sort of bounce shuffle thing to stay loose (I'm sure you all know what I mean). It is very common to see "bounce-bounce-strike! bounce-bounce-strike!". Most of the time, folk don't even realize the bounce has become a part of their combo.

The bounce movement is actually a great way to force your shoulders to relax which increases speed and power of your strikes, however the way I was taught to strike every attack is generated from the hips. so I've been experimenting with just shaking my hips. not only is it keeping me loose, increasing speed and power and all that good stuff, but it's got a great side benefit of distracting my opponent.

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1. Research your own experience
2. Absorb what is useful
3. Reject what is useless
4. Add what is essentially your own

Is that what you gonna do with all that junk, all that junk, all that junk in your trunk?

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"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

Snap!

“	Originally Posted By: WraithAlcon Is that what you gonna do with all that junk, all that junk, all that junk in your trunk?	”

yes. yes it is.

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1. Research your own experience
2. Absorb what is useful
3. Reject what is useless
4. Add what is essentially your own

a good way to train punches is to have a cue that is not in your control

eg a dog barking - during your workout whenever you hear a dog bark punch

sounds easy?

it will definitly give you an apprieciation of how quick/slow your reaction time is

(curtesy of sifu ward)

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Nice idea Wingy, I will try it outside with the heavy bag. Normally, there are so many sounds going on outside I will be spoiled for choice.

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"To alcohol ! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson

if your doing this with partner training make sure you know when that part ends..you dont want to start class doing that drill then move on to other partner training have a dog back and your partner punch you in the face!

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~Me

“	Originally Posted By: Kuli how do you increase the speed of your attacks? i know shadow boxing is a good way.but any other helpful tips? thanks.	”

I just started to use some exercises to improve my striking speed:

- Speed punches with elastic training band

- Punch as fast and hard as you can in water (water to neck-level)

- Isometric punch in rope (hold the rope behind your back with your non-striking hand, grab the other end of the rope with your striking hand. Press against the rope for 5 - 10 seconds. This will help on both striking power and speed. BTW: Bruce Lee did this for striking improvement.)

Hope it helped

The Dragon,

I should add, with the exercise you described, as with most isometric exercises, you have to practice with your arm at different points of extention. For example, a close range punch where your arm stays very bent, then a half extended punch, then a fully extended punch. Otherwise you will not gain the full benefit of the exercise.

Here is the actual instructions from "THE POWER OF THE DRAGON
Develop Strength Bruce Lee’s Way.
By: Justin Frost and Ted Wong."

“	"This is isometric training for power punching," Wong says. "It was one of Lee’s favorite drills because it built speed and punching power at different ranges." To do this, you can use a jump rope, a karate belt or a strand of rope. To begin, assume a fighting stance and hold the rope in both hands. Place your left hand behind your back, wrap the other end around your shoulder and throw a short-range punch. Hold it for five seconds, extend your punch to ¾ distance, hold it for five seconds, extend it to full range and hold. For each arm, do five sets of five reps.	”

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"To alcohol ! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson