What is the purpose of a speed bag?

[mozfonky]

Still haven't? Never said I would.
I said that because others may disagree what it's purpose is doesn't mean there isn't something practical with it.
Providing conditioning, which helps in boxing, isn't pure ritual.

as far as conditioning, ok but the reason given as it's to keep your hands up is kinda questionable and it really doesn't take much conditioning to go 3 rounds on it and i can't see how it provides enough resistance to strengthen your arms ability and resistance to fatigue, maybe they do, i don't know. I'd say just do it because that's what's always been done. It's probably the hardest of all the things they tell you to do to pinpoint what good it does though.

 

[LangfordBarrow]

Honestly I could do the speedbag for 10 minute's without moving my legs or breaking a sweat. What combinations were you throwing on the bag? Definitely not a jab or hook to the body....

Nothing fancy, just ice picking at it with both hands, and shifting my weight on my feet accordingly. If you're just standing in front of it with your weight balanced over both feet as you punch maybe you're doing it wrong?

 

[tommy_joe20]

Still haven't? Never said I would.
I said that because others may disagree what it's purpose is doesn't mean there isn't something practical with it.
Providing conditioning, which helps in boxing, isn't pure ritual.

Well that was the whole point of this thread, to find its practical application and so far you've provided non. Skipping and speed bag was always the 'resting' exercise during training, but at least skipping keeps you on your toes which you need to do during a fight. I told you just some training methods that I think are ritual, can you tell me what use the speed bag is when training for a fight.

 

[moosaev]

Well that was the whole point of this thread, to find its practical application and so far you've provided non. Skipping and speed bag was always the 'resting' exercise during training, but at least skipping keeps you on your toes which you need to do during a fight. I told you just some training methods that I think are ritual, can you tell me what use the speed bag is when training for a fight.

If his response to me was any indication, don't expect a valuable contribution from him.

 

[tommy_joe20]

Nothing fancy, just ice picking at it with both hands, and shifting my weight on my feet accordingly. If you're just standing in front of it with your weight balanced over both feet as you punch maybe you're doing it wrong?

If you can use the speed bag for a prolonged period of time, it literally is just finding a rhythm and maintaining it. You use heavy bags to gain power from shifting weight, floor to ceiling for hand eye and mits for combos. If you keep your hands the height you have them using a speed bag in a fight you'll get destroyed with body shots. Totally impractical IMHO

 

[LangfordBarrow]

If you can use the speed bag for a prolonged period of time, it literally is just finding a rhythm and maintaining it. You use heavy bags to gain power from shifting weight, floor to ceiling for hand eye and mits for combos. If you keep your hands the height you have them using a speed bag in a fight you'll get destroyed with body shots. Totally impractical IMHO

Throw a quick 4 or 6 punch combo while placing your weight over the foot that's on the same side as the hand your punching with when it's fully extended. When the punch from your other hand fully extends your weight should have shifted over to be over the other foot as well. Does that make sense? Do you shift your weight back and forth that way as you use the speedbag? Forget about it being about punching technique, power, bodyshots or anything else. Just your balance and speed. If that doesn't help then I suggest the next time you go to the gym take a flamethrower to that shitty speedbag and stop worrying about it...

 

[Sunfish]

If you can use the speed bag for a prolonged period of time, it literally is just finding a rhythm and maintaining it. You use heavy bags to gain power from shifting weight, floor to ceiling for hand eye and mits for combos. If you keep your hands the height you have them using a speed bag in a fight you'll get destroyed with body shots. Totally impractical IMHO

My understanding is that it strengthens ligaments and tendons, improves hand speed and coordination and gives a bit of cardio. Unless you're Andrew golota on riddick bowes balls I don't think it translates to a fight.

 

[tommy_joe20]

It's timine and like another poster said you're supposed to lightly shift your weight. My routine was going to 10 on each hand, then 9, then 8 etc til 1, then I'd go up to 20 and down alternating, then I'd switch it up maybe left left right repeat switch and just change it up. It has a purpose.

Sorry just seen your post and that is near enough the exact same sets i use on it
just gets abit methodical sometimes

 

[tommy_joe20]

Sorry folks I know it's only a bag and I shouldn't be bothered, but just feels like a waste of training sometimes. At least we all agree that it's a good warm up and looks cool as fuck

 

[MC Paul Barman]

Well that was the whole point of this thread, to find its practical application and so far you've provided non. Skipping and speed bag was always the 'resting' exercise during training, but at least skipping keeps you on your toes which you need to do during a fight. I told you just some training methods that I think are ritual, can you tell me what use the speed bag is when training for a fight.

I provided more than "non"... I said conditioning.

 

[tommy_joe20]

I provided more than "non"... I said conditioning.

Conditioning what? Have you ever used a speed bag?

 

[mozfonky]

it's rare for boxing to have be impractical, most of what you do has a good reason for it. I remember when I started in gung fu, the guys i was around did things like chi sao which is about as useless as anything, they would spend years on something that's completely useless but I guess if they liked the art or what have you, then it was ok, problem was, lots of the crap they did, they thought was actually useful. I remember they used to tell me not to tuck my chin because it made me easier to hit, ridiculous.

 

[MC Paul Barman]

Conditioning what? Have you ever used a speed bag?

Gets your heart rate up.

I don't take issue with someone not wanting to use one.
I take alittle issue with someone throwing around "pure ritual" when it's clearly not that. You shouldn't have gone that far.
Is it the 'best and most effective exercise that only confers advantage..ADVANTAGE.... ADVANTAGE!!!.... no, of course not, chowder-head.
It's not solely practical, anymore than a shadow provides a proxy for an actual opponent.

 

[Keygan04]

My understanding is that it strengthens ligaments and tendons, improves hand speed and coordination and gives a bit of cardio. Unless you're Andrew golota on riddick bowes balls I don't think it translates to a fight.

This is my understanding as well. My coach has us use it because it works the same muscles as when you box and it gives you the endurance and strenght to keep your hands up in a fight. Speed bag is my favorite part of training and it's very useful; not just a ritual like some have suggested here