It is a fact that some people naturally possess greater punch speed than others. For example, boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr and Floyd Mayweather are known for their natural hand speed, whilst boxers like Marvin Hagler, Julio Cesar Chavez and Roberto Duran are not particularly considered as blindingly fast punchers (although this didn't seem to hold them back!) What I'm not going to do in this article is pretend to be a physiologist and begin discussing how fast twitch muscle fiber, genetic pre-disposition and so on play their part. However, something that I can say with certainty is that both as a boxer and as a coach, I have witnessed (both in myself and others) a significant improvement in punch speed as a direct result of some simple measures taken in the gym. In this article I'll outline 5 elements that can help you to significantly improve your punch speed. You should feel this improvement after no more than a couple of weeks, so stick with it!
The 5 'Things':
1. Ensure Proper Technique
The object of improving punch speed is to increase your success rate of landing shots, pure and simple. You can possess the greatest punch speed on the face of the earth, but if you have poor technique in terms of delivering your punch, this speed is next to useless. Poor technique will mean that your opponent will spot your shot coming! A shot should make it's presence known to your opponent only when it lands and no sooner! Therefore, make sure that your technique is perfect so that improving your punch speed will bring benefits!
2. Speed in the Mind!
Take a gentle stroll around the gym. Breath deeply, relax. As you are gently strolling, think of super-fast objects, such as:
A fighter jet
An Indy or Formula 1 car blasting across the start/finish line
A bolt of lighting.
At a given moment (ideally someone other than yourself shouting 'Now!', or providing some other signal), switch to your boxing stance as fast as you can and throw a 4 or 5 punch combination, again at top speed. Use short, mid and long range shots...don't restrict yourself! Recommence your stroll and repeat for a couple of rounds.
3. The Joy of Hand Weights
Set yourself up for 4 x 2 minute rounds of shadow boxing. In rounds 1 and 3, use 1 or 2 lb hand weights. Shadow box normally, ensuring that you mix in a good proportion of mid and long range hooks and uppercuts. During rounds 2 and 4, dispense with the hand weights and feel the instant increase in punch speed!
4. Speed Focused Gym Session
Do a full gym session that focuses solely on speed. Now, if you are a competing boxer, these sessions should be targeted during the final stages of your training cycle (unless you're experimenting in which case you should do it whenever.) If you are not competing, then they can be completed at any time.
For shadow boxing, bag work and skipping, complete 6 x 1 minute rounds with just 15 second rest periods. Aim for maximum speed and multiple variations of punch combinations.
When completing the groundwork (e.g. the classic 'ton-up' of 10 x 10 ground exercises), do so with a focus on maximum speed, with quality of exercise being secondary.
Perform short sprints during running e.g. sprint from one street-light/lamp-post to the next, then jog to the next, then sprint etc. When you jog, do sol slowly and breathe deeply. When sprinting, do so at 100% effort!
5. Stay Chilled!
If you are tense, then you will not maximize your punch speed. A simple way to do this is to ensure that you do not clench your fist until the split second before the shot lands. Keep you shoulders loose and breath in a controlled manner.
Grace have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for Car Videos and great passion and knowledge for Muscle Car Videos and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here CarVideoSpot.com
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