Speed bags
My trusty speed bag
If you've watched boxing training montages, you will have seen the speed bag. It is a small, teardrop-shaped bag attached to a platform that moves with blurring speed. Some coaches question the speed bag’s usefulness. I don't buy the argument — and I am in good company. All the great champions, old and new, hit the speed bag.
The speed bag develops:
hand-eye coordination
rhythm
muscular endurance in the shoulders
timing — punching’s secret sauce
When working the bag, you are more squared, elbows pointing out. Maybe some coaches see this as being counter-productive. But there are subtle benefits to this old-school classic that people miss. The venerable coaches from boxing's golden era used the speed bag for good reasons. In those days, even some respected champions were almost destitute — they didn't have time to waste on fluff.
The first thing you learn when working this little gem is that if you are tense, it doesn't work. It demands smooth, fluid movement from relaxed fists, arms, and shoulders. These are all ingredients of efficient, powerful punching. Each minute you hit the speed bag is money in the muscle memory bank. It also trains you to keep your hands up.
If I have evangelised enough to tempt you into buying one, I will add one warning — these things are noisy! Using one in your home will drive your family and neighbours to distraction. If you have the wall space in an external gym, go for it!
Platforms come fixed or adjustable. Fixed platforms stay in one position. You must install it at the correct height, so the bag hangs at face level. I have an adjustable model that lets me move it up and down, so all my boxers can use it. It also folds away flush to the wall to create more space when not in use.
Using the speed bag
Watch footage of a pro hitting the speed bag, and it looks complex. With a bit of practice, you will soon have those moves down yourself. The secret is in the arm movement, staying relaxed and committing to the punch.
Stand close to the bag, so that you can hit it with both hands.
Relax your shoulders, arms, and fists and hold your arms at right angles to the floor.
In that position, hit through the bag with the side of your relaxed fist and watch the bag’s movement.
The bag:
travels backwards and hits the platform
rebounds forward to hit the platform again
rebounds back again to hit the platform once more
Those three hits are the rhythm of the speed bag. Keep hitting the bag once, until you are familiar with that pattern. Listen to its distinctive beat — bah — bah — bah. The key is to have your hand in position to hit the bag after that third beat. You must hit it before it returns to its starting, vertical position.
If your hands are there at the right place and time, all the bag can do is rebound. Your hands soon become faster, more relaxed and accurate. It won’t be long before you will have something that looks pretty damn good.
Concentrate on the movement of your fist. It should trace out an elongated oval shape. Hit through the bag — don’t jab at it — recycling it to repeat the sequence after the third bounce.
Start by putting two punches together with the lead hand, then two with the rear (LL-RR). From there you can develop different patterns. You'll find some excellent examples and demonstrations online.
Nobody can train like a maniac 24/7. The speed bag offers a less intensive interlude. It is useful and a lot of fun once you have the patterns down. You can use it to warm-up, warm-down, as a skills session.
Go on, showcase your skills. Dust off that Rocky 4 training montage and do a bit of showing off!
