Can you train to punch and block faster?

[scors09]

This may seem like a dumb question but I'm just now getting into this stuff. I want to start training when I lose some weight because I'm overweight right now for my height. Is there any training, workouts or exercises I can do to improve my speed when I have to punch or block? And how about to improve speed and agility overall? Mainly I'm concerned about the arms when I punch and have to block a punch. I got into an argument with my friend who said you can't train for speed. I'm not really sure if you can either so I thought this would be the best place to come and get an answer.

[Sagacious Lu]

Your friend has no idea what he's talking about. Heavy bag, heavy bag heavy bag. You need a coach to make sure you're using proper form but the way to hit harder and faster is to spend lots of time hitting a heavy bag. You will feel a dramatic improvement if you start using one regularly. You'll also burn a lot of calories this way which will do wonders for your goal of losing weight. You also need a coach to feed you focus mits. A coach will use them to teach you head movement (to avoid the punches) as well has how to smother them and counter punch. Honestly your timing is more important than speed but training this way will improve both.

[scors09]

Your friend has no idea what he's talking about. Heavy bag, heavy bag heavy bag. You need a coach to make sure you're using proper form but the way to hit harder and faster is to spend lots of time hitting a heavy bag. You will feel a dramatic improvement if you start using one regularly. You'll also burn a lot of calories this way which will do wonders for your goal of losing weight. You also need a coach to feed you focus mits. A coach will use them to teach you head movement (to avoid the punches) as well has how to smother them and counter punch. Honestly your timing is more important than speed but training this way will improve both.

Alright, thanks for the advice. Is there anything I can do to improve my reaction/blocking speed also?

[Sagacious Lu]

Alright, thanks for the advice. Is there anything I can do to improve my reaction/blocking speed also?

Well, the floor-to-ceiling bag is also a useful tool but the heavy bag needs to come first, and I did mention getting a coach to feed you mits. That's also why you need to be sparring against other fighters. Your ability to block punches is much more dependent on seeing them coming and keeping a good guard up than it is how fast you can move your arms. In order to recognize that your opponent is about to throw a punch you have to spend a lot of time in front of opponents. Getting in shape will go a long way, and heavy bag work will help you get in shape but you will also want to tone your muscles with push ups, tricep dips chin ups and the like. However, I can't stress enough that what you're asking about is a skill that can only be obtained through experience against fully resisting sparring partners and opponents. If you want to learn to throw and defend against punches what you really need is a boxing coach, or alternately a muay thai/kick boxing coach. The skills you're asking about cannot be learned by yourself; you have to train them with aliveness against other fighters and you need a coach to teach you how.

[scors09]

Well, the floor-to-ceiling bag is also a useful tool but the heavy bag needs to come first, and I did mention getting a coach to feed you mits. That's also why you need to be sparring against other fighters. Your ability to block punches is much more dependent on seeing them coming and keeping a good guard up than it is how fast you can move your arms. In order to recognize that your opponent is about to throw a punch you have to spend a lot of time in front of opponents. Getting in shape will go a long way, and heavy bag work will help you get in shape but you will also want to tone your muscles with push ups, tricep dips chin ups and the like. However, I can't stress enough that what you're asking about is a skill that can only be obtained through experience against fully resisting sparring partners and opponents. If you want to learn to throw and defend against punches what you really need is a boxing coach, or alternately a muay thai/kick boxing coach. The skills you're asking about cannot be learned by yourself; you have to train them with aliveness against other fighters and you need a coach to teach you how.

Got it. Thanks for the advice again.

[Sagacious Lu]

Sure thing, good luck

[Scott Bolinger]

creating speed, just takes a bit of time. I have a set up at my gym with a speed bag, double end bag and a heavy bag and I set a timer at 3 minutes with a 30 second break and I run between 9 and 15 rounds. You should always try and get in a minimum of 8 X 2 minute rounds. Do that on a regular basses and your speed with grow. But to increase your blocking ability. Doing the drills on the bags will help, but the bet way i've done is working the coaches mitts. With those I usually teach in segmeints for offensive drills , then go into defense, then block and counters. And that'll pump up your reaction time. I have alot of that kind of drills in my second book.