increasing power and speed of punches

[Sircnay]

I'm going to have to disagree with the weighted gloves to increase speed. Those will increase power for sure but not speed.

What I do to increase my speed is I use luggage straps that I tie to my wrists at one point and the other end to something that I can't pull out. (I.e. a tree, pillar of a building, another person, etc.) Set up a target where the strap is pulled to the point were it's giving you a LOT of resistance and you can still hit the bag. From there just punch away using the resistance of the rubber luggage straps. This is what I've found to increase my speed.

Weights on my arms just help me hit harder because my body has to learn to fight through the weight. The straps teach my body to fight against resistance. I believe there is a difference, no?

To put this into perspective, this is like the difference between rotational mass and sprung weight on a car. Removing more rotational mass will increase your speed because it's removing the weight from the actual drive train (much like using the straps because you're working on moving in the opposite direction of where you want to go.) while removing sprung weight will simply make the car lighter. (Like putting weights on your arms. You're simply adding more weight so you are trying to fight through the weight.)

Anyone want to contradict?

[HtTKar]

I actually agree with you on this. I know a lot of people keep saying to use weighted gloves, or hold weights while punching, but this leads to bad form. Using resistance like you do, resistance cables or bands, or using a bowflex, definitly helps much more. But that's just my opinion. Also a lot of the speed of your punch is gained by learning how to retract your punches faster so that they're back in position to be used again quickly. There are many tricep and forearm excercises that can help with this aspect.

[nitsuj2480]

245lbs at 135lbs???

The defies physics by this fact right here at your age if you were to be able to muscle wise to press 245lbs on a bench press (free weights) you would rupture your chest muscle or if you didnt do that say you had freakishly strong chest muscle like you were some super genetic freak then your ligaments if not your whole ribcage would cave in if you ever dropped that weight.So if you are bragging about doing that fine thats a great weight but for gods sake get some fat cushion on you before you destroy your spine or rupture your spleen.

[mikem20]

i only weigh 140 and i can get 235 on bench without rupturing anything.

[Oreomeister365]

there was a kid on my old high school football team...no more than 180...he could bench over 315...I was rather amazed

[Maidenfan]

The defies physics by this fact right here at your age if you were to be able to muscle wise to press 245lbs on a bench press (free weights) you would rupture your chest muscle or if you didnt do that say you had freakishly strong chest muscle like you were some super genetic freak then your ligaments if not your whole ribcage would cave in if you ever dropped that weight.So if you are bragging about doing that fine thats a great weight but for gods sake get some fat cushion on you before you destroy your spine or rupture your spleen.

WOW.... Learn of what you speak! I am a weight/powerlifter first, martial artist second and 245 is by NO means too heavy for anyone. If he has proper form and is strong enough he could safely lift 500lbs if he wanted(would need stronger tendons and ligaments built up from prior lifting though). Dude, there are people lifting nearly triple bodyweight quite safely. Proper form seems to solve everything, no?

[theprophet]

speed/power

heavy bag and speed bag

[bbbb]

speed...

heavy bag and speed bag

Try training when you are relaxed... like just before bed.

(Or when you are tired after work!!).

[Staple]

Like some say the weighted gloves are useful for two things.
It gives you a little more endurance for the shoulders.
It gives you more abuility to decelerate the punch.
It seems like it can hurt the form, but don't know for sure.

[Sagacious Lu]

I do plyometric push ups, hit a heavy bag and practice shadow boxing to improve the speed/power of my punches.

[Timmothy]

I do plyometric push ups, hit a heavy bag and practice shadow boxing to improve the speed/power of my punches.

Yes shadow box, it can improve your techinque alot. I also use 16 oz gloves on the heavybag for about 8 three minute rounds. Then use a smaller pair of gloves for 4 two min rounds. It seems to help me a little. I am a big guy and speed is hard to work on for me. But I really use the heavy gloves for endurance, so it is easier to keep my hands up and it gives my shoulders a good workout. The big thing I have a problem with is keeping my hands up, and keeping my chin close to my shoulder when I fight. I always think I can just eat the punchs. But I cant so I need to work on that.

[phenom]

guys if you want a particular muscle group to fire more quickly you must train it quickly example quicker reps push ups dips chin ups bench press this will increase speed in the muscle also pylometric exercises

[stimilus]

There are all kinds of excercises for different strikes, but for standard punching here's one dynamic or explosive excersize that will be sure to help. It's called a grasshopper. Start in push up position. Then lower self. Push your body into the air by using you're abs and arms and land. It may become difficult to keep you body from hitting the ground or falling over when you land, after you get going for a while. Dynamic excercise are made to increase speed, and athleticism starts at the core. This excercise strengthens your core, pecs, triceps, and anterior delt(front of shoulder). An important thing to remember is that you need to work on varying different parts of your excercise to continue to get results. Some factors to vary would be reps, resistance, grip, stance, range of motion, pauses(time), breathing, speed ect. Be creative, but be careful. Good luck, and I hope this gives you some insight to your training techniques.

[stimilus]

By the way, I'm 185, and I bench 315 max. On a good day. It isn't even close to impossible to bench as he says he does.

[Tom Yum]

This should be moved to the fitness thread.