Quote Originally Posted by HerbM View Post
+1 on good form and balance, and all the other suggestions


In addition:

RELAX the opposing muscles. E.g., If you biceps is tense or firing too early then you will be fighting your straight punches which does several things:


  • Slows the punch
  • Reduces the punch power
  • Tires you quicker by using both more energy and more oxygen

Even if you are relaxed, stopping your punches before they hit or even as they hit takes out power. Let the punch GO into the bag or your opponent. When the obstacle STOPS the punch START the retract....

A simple immediate trick for speed: Focus on RETRACT speed not punch speed -- the punch will increase and keep up.

Long term: Practice punch combinations 1000s of times starting at slow speed to perfect both the mechanics and the TRANSITIONS between individual strikes. Concentrate slow work on SMOOTH UNBROKEN transitions staying at exactly the same speed (no faster and no slower) from first punch to last.

THen as you speed up keep the smoothness.

As they say in the "gun world": Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
Thanks Herb,

I read the advice about focusing on retract speed in some other thread a little while ago, posted by you, and it truely does help. I've passed that advice on to other guys in the gym as well and they all felt the immediate difference. Thats a great tip for anyone trying to improve speed.

My issue isnt throwing a quick shot out, its more about putting them together quickly so as you and others have mentioned the good balance and form will be vital to achieving this.

Also your long term advice is great, I will keep practicing combos over and over again, no matter how redundant it may feel. But you're right, for me to really get good at the combos I need to keep repeating them over and over again, slow first and steadily pick up the pace as I can without losing technique and balance.

Thanks