What to do when you've fallen in love with power?

[southpawed]

I'm sure this is an issue for many fighters who've developed at least a decent ability to crack. But lately it seems to me that i've been stuck on a mode where all my shots are thrown with force. Only stiff jabs to set up other stiff shots. Strong hooks to the body to set up strong hooks on top. I feel this on the heavy bag and during sparring. It's strange because i would always like to use my speed before, and be on my toes and flick jabs. But for what seems to be a long time now, i feel as if i've grown more complacent with wading inside, and throwing only two or three hard shots at a time. Or staying outside to counter with one or two hard punches. I think i may have drilled my body into this habit.

Today, when my gym mate told me from the ropes while i was sparring and inside on the guy "You don't have to throw every shot with power! Just throw the little shots and go up top with a big one." It just reaffirmed my beliefs that i have gotten into the habits of using force to set up my shots. Because i know what my gym mate was telling me, Yet i have a feeling i have worked it into my muscle memory. I don't feel as if i have it in me to throw a quick one-two or a pit-pat combination. It's kind of worrying me because i know soon enough, i'm going to have to change up my tempo against someone, and i feel as if i wouldn't be able to.

So do you guys have any advice on how to reverse this effect?

[Andre]

Probably fast free thought shadow boxing, fast combinations.

Do you still?

[southpawed]

Probably fast free thought shadow boxing, fast combinations.

Do you still?

I'm planning on dedicating training days to just purely tapping and using lighter punches. Fast free thought shadowboxing is a good suggestion. I haven't recently really put much emphasis on it.

[Andre]

Grey, Scrap and the other lads would have more of an idea.

[Scrap]

Only thing you should fall in love with, is Skill in Balance. Everything comes of it, also your Psyhcodynamics, will improve, the thought why and how.

[greynotsoold]

I think that, if you are in shape and your technique is good, you can't help but punch hard all the time. Which isn't to say that you set down and really turn on every punch. Watch the 2nd round of Arguello/Rooney; Arguello is countering with combinations, and every punch is hard, then he sets down on that last right hand.
Can you tell me what you hope to accomplish by throwing a lot of fast, 'flicking' punches? When you punch you are vulnerable to being countered, so why risk yourself to throw something irrelevant? Why do you believe that fast and hard are mutually exclusive? There is no reason, none at all, why that should be true. Also, in my estimation, if you are countering (executing a defensive move and punching back) effectively, with hard punches that are landing accurately, you're far ahead of way you would be throwing a bunch of punches, just for the sake of throwing them.
Now, if what you are doing is ignoring defense and taking punches to trade punches in the belief that simply punching harder will win out, then that needs to be addressed. But even then the answer probably isn't flicking punches or dancing about (in other words, robbing yourself of your ability to punch hard).
Try incorporating something like this into every aspect of your workouts: instead of wading into the heavy bag and throwing hard punches, imagine an opponent and what he is doing, how your are going to get in, what punches you'll throw, and then how you'll get out. Start working out in your mind what punches in a combination are going to be thrown harder (though none should be 'pitty-pat'), which will just be sharp.
I'm making a mess of this but what I'm getting at is that you need to train your mind to vary your approach and your tactics, because your body will follow that lead. If you traing on the bag just to lay in and punch you'll do it whether you punch hard or slap.

[WayneFlint]

I agree with all posts so far, balance/good technique is one in the same, it is what we strive for, balance is control and speed and power all in one.

[Andre]

You are right you dont have to throw every shot with all the power you got. That is over commitment and easier to counter. You dont take everything you do in training into the ring with you. My suggestion could well be wrong Im not sure to be honest, but I wasnt suggesting free flow to do in the ring for no reason. I was thinking more along the lines that speed does equal power if it has intention and correct technique on it. Just as power equals less speed if it has over intention and bad technique. None are correct but they are opposites, I wonder if one can balance the other out?

If it really is a habit, material habits are tough to break with thoughts alone, Im wondering how you could counter balance that by an action to practice out of the ring that your mind will grasp to bring you back in balance? There has to be one surely? I mean skipping is of benefit to footwork and fitness and coordination but we dont skip step into the ring either.

[Scrap]

Theres some very good Propreception stuff can be done Andre.