Re: when hitting the pads
You never try to put power into your punches. When you are hitting the mitts or the heavy bag, especially starting out, your focus should be on the technique, throwing each punch properly. That brings both speed and power. Personally, I'd be telling you to throw a punch slowly, in pieces, until the motion and the feel was comfortable to you (and I thought you were doind it right), and then to pick up the pace gradually. There's no point in doing it fast and wrong, no more than there is is doing it too slow.
Re: when hitting the pads
Yeh I understand
Its probably just a habit ive picked up from hitting the pads with some gym owner(weight lifting gym what had a few bags) he used to just get me to do the basics and expect me to put full power into the straights.
Also when ever I use the bags (it was like 3-4x a week) I always end up punching them full wack,probably because I had no reason to practice combos and the fact that I just like to use it to revile my stress and use it for cardio.
And it feels good to beat the shit out of things;D