1st timer in Boxing Gym & speed bag help

I just signed up at a good boxing gym here in Atlanta, Georgia @ the Art of Boxing gym headed by founder Johnny Gant the man himself.

I'd have to say it was quite intimidating as some of the boxers in there said they were professionals and all.

It wasn't quite what I expected, the trainer, Mr. Johnny Gant got me to do 3 sets of jump roping (3 minute rounds), some sort of side stepping and punching technique, then speed bag (3 minute rounds), then situps and crunches. It was a good first time in the gym workout I guess; he said he was training my muscles groups to get use to punching and all.

I can't hit the speed bag worth crap, and everyone else around me that was hitting it had no problem. Compared to them I probably hit it like a girl, so I was wondering those who are good at it, if you can give a few pointers for a noobie.

thanks,
JohnnyTinx

Keep going down... don't be embarassed... every one starts somewhere and everyone in the gym knows this.

It's amazing how much you can learn just buy watching and immitating the guys.

For a speed bag, start out slowly. Us your good hand to start. Hit it... let it do what it wants, then hit it again. Just keep doing this... with one hand until you get a feel for where and what your hand should do in between hits. Then hit it a bit harder...just hard enough so it can make  3 hits with the platform. Hit it a second time when you know you can. If you hit it every 5 bounces, fine. Do that until you get confortable with it. Then try hitting it once or twice AFTER it takes 3 bouces...ie, 2-3 strikes in a row. Hit, bang, bang, bang, hit, bang, bang, bang, hit... etc. At this point you'll f up, if not after the first time you hit it. Once you feel comfortable, incorporate your second hand. Then do 2 hits left, 2 right, with maybe 5 bounces in between. You just want to develop a feel for knowing when to put your hand in the way of the bag on it's way towards you.  You want to learn how to hit it every 3 bounces as slowly as possible. Don't think of it as a speeg bag at first. Think of it as a control bag. Pretty soon, the bag will appear almost as a blur and the only place your eyes will focus is on the down-swing after the 3rd bounce, at which time your hand will be there to crack it.

Also, a lot of guys hit it with the side of their hands, like a karate chop with a fist. Me, I do 2 left, 2 right, shifting my weight between feet and bringing my non-striking hand to just under my chin. Other ways are l,r,l,r,l,r etc. and only hitting it on one side of your head. ie, off to the side.

I don't think there is a short answer or magic trick - if there was it would be really easy to be a boxer (and it is not!)

Plug away at it mate, this is the best way fr you to see if you have what it takes.

Good luck with it.

but the beauty of a speed bag is that you don't have to be a good boxer (or a boxer at all for that matter) to walk into a gym and look and feel like the HW champ if you can hit one. Speed bags have the great ability to make you look and feel FAR better than you are!

ok ;D :lickish: for some reason i remembered this off million dollar baby but it seems to work good.
hit it with your good hand in a fist and hit the bag like normal then put all your weight onto your opposite foot liek you on 1 leg but got the other 1 there for balance and while doing this hit it with the bottom part of your fist. so the part where..ok just say you got your fist and its the side thats facing out.and hit it like on the movie an ice pick motionthen just do teh same thing with your other hand. its easier it might look so you should get it soon ;)

satori

^^^ about the speed bag by the way

Also in Atlanta, Johhny. Went last week to check out AAB. Looked like the perfect place. I work downtown so it would be fairly convenient. I'd like to talk w/ you more about the gym before I join.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyTinx

I just signed up at a good boxing gym here in Atlanta, Georgia @ the Art of Boxing gym headed by founder Johnny Gant the man himself.

I'd have to say it was quite intimidating as some of the boxers in there said they were professionals and all.

It wasn't quite what I expected, the trainer, Mr. Johnny Gant got me to do 3 sets of jump roping (3 minute rounds), some sort of side stepping and punching technique, then speed bag (3 minute rounds), then situps and crunches. It was a good first time in the gym workout I guess; he said he was training my muscles groups to get use to punching and all.

I can't hit the speed bag worth crap, and everyone else around me that was hitting it had no problem. Compared to them I probably hit it like a girl, so I was wondering those who are good at it, if you can give a few pointers for a noobie.

thanks,
JohnnyTinx

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Its hard to lyrically convey the steps needed to hit the speed bag correctly, its best hands on , I am sure your trainer at the gym will give you great advise, if you don’t get it and he’s busy with someone, ask fighters around you, they will be happy to help. But Don’t break someone rhythm ask someone that is cooling down.