Shadow Boxing w/Weights?

[Chris Nagel]

How effective is shadowboxing with weights? Every time I try it, I can really feel the burn after a bit, and once I'm done, my punches obviously feel a million times lighter and I can really roll out some extended flurries with great speed. I'm just wondering if this is subtly improving my everyday punching, or only immediately after using the weights (as a quasi psychological thing, with my body still punching like I'm holding the weights).

After you punch with a weight, your punches feel perceptively faster, while on the contrary they are not faster. If you want that same feeling without the workout, just punch once/arm with a 15-20 lbs dumbell once to get that same kind of quasi psychological effect.


Weighted shadow boxing is a good way to build up endurance in your deltoids, which will help you keep your arms up provided that you have a decent all around endurance level of fitness.

If incorporated in a progressive regimen-like fashion, it will also increase your punching speed. AT first I'd recommend you start with lower reps, 30-40, what ever you can handle, don't neglect technique, even if it feels like you can go faster. Increase the reps progressively, if possible, have a coach or friend count the number of punches. When you become hang of it, your technique (Punches) will get faster.

If a baseball pitcher neglects technique while throwing a weighted ball, he won't get the full benefit from training, this also applies to weighted shadowboxing, Technique must be emphasized to come as close to reality as possible. Bad technique will also help build your endurance, but the side-effects may be a slight decline in accuracy, and coordination. You can still go as fast as you can, while your technique is present, you can increase speed from there, and not before too long in the program, you can punch as fast as grease lightning.

My only objection, is that weighted shadowboxing tenses your muscles all over. In boxing tense muscle fatigue quickly, and compromises speed, thats not what I'de like to go out with.


Other exercises that will help you increase speed is:
-Immersed shadowboxing (shadowboxing shoulder-deep in water), Excellent for building stamina, while providing resistance that in turn will build punching power and strength.

-Isometric Exercises (See rossboxing.com "The Gym" for details) In combination with dynamic, and stressed forms of conditioning this will also supplement speed.

-Plyometric Exercises helps build your fast-twitch muscle fibers to act in a explosive-like fashion.


If you incorporate this in a regimen supplementary to your boxing one, this will provide your need for speed and with alotta elbow grease your hands will become fast like Gease Lghtning!

Perform these drills on days when you are not fighting/or sparring, and make sure you give your body enough time to recover. your muscles should be fresh and loose when you do your sparring and other boxing drills.


Regards, Rocky