Light Contact Sparring and DE bag work for timing speed VIDEO

[ssullivan80]

There seems to have been allot of talk about how to develop timing and hand speed. Personally, I have found that doing light contact sparring (hands open in gloves) and working the DE bag are a couple of the best ways. I do think it is necessary for a guy who is trying to compete to also work in a fair amount of harder sparring (80% or better), but for day to day training it can lead to injury if done too often. About 1-2 times a week is my preference. Either way, Light contact sparring is something that can be used daily and is a great way to work on different techniques, controlling footwork, feinting and throwing in combinations. In addition, light contact sparring really helps develop punch control, timing and coordination. It gives more opportunities to take risk and see if you can make certain techniques work in actual sparring, you still pay for mistakes (get hit) but the light contact lets you continue to try and "tweak" or refine those mistakes without ending up flat on your ass taking in a view of the gym ceiling..... The clip below may better demonstrate what I am describing. I am working on some light sparring with a couple of guys who are starting to compete in both Ammy Muay Thai (European rules, why you dont see knees/clinch) and MMA. As a trainer, it also helps you coach during sparring and better watch the student, without worrying about catching a hay-maker!

YouTube - Muay Thai, Boxing, light sparing and light contact drills



This second clip is just me doing some work on the DE bag. Trying to work from a couple different distances and vary up speed. I think the trick to the DE bag is to just focus on keeping your hands and head moving and getting a glove on it, still using proper technique, but controlling your shots. I try to make sure that after i miss the bag (and i do pretty often) i keep moving my head and get back to the jab, then work from there. Either way, here ya go. Any opinion/advice/criticism/tips are appreciated, so long as they are constructive

YouTube - Muay Thai, Boxing, Hand speed/timing drills double end bag.

 

[AdamL]

Amazing, a YouTube video that doesn't involve people trying to KTFO each other, and actually practicing technique in an intelligent manner. I figured as soon as I saw the garage it was going to be another double you tea eff video, but nope. Thumbs up.

 

[ECS123]

Good videos. It is refreshing to see someone who appreciates the values of exchanging techniques, and controlled light sparring, as opposed to two people holding their breath and trying to knock each other out. Anything that doesn't contain someone trying to break their hands punching a heavy bag, while wearing MMA fight gloves is a nice change. :icon_lol:

I watched them both, once each, and the only thing that I noticed (by you) was one cross over step in the first one, and some vertical hooks in the second one, but I am sure at your level, they are by choice or that you are aware of them. Thanks for the videos, good job man!

:icon_chee

 

[BOMB LEFT HOOK]

Wait did you say your a trainer?

 

[SAAMAG]

I think you and I should do some sparring! What's your height and weight? Because you look like your > 6ft. Regardless, I need to find someone that can hit me at will...and will be able to exchange without brawling.

You ever come down to the San Antonio area?

 

[ssullivan80]

I think you and I should do some sparring! What's your height and weight? Because you look like your > 6ft. Regardless, I need to find someone that can hit me at will...and will be able to exchange without brawling.

You ever come down to the San Antonio area?

yep, I am about 6ft 2in (180pds) and it would be my pleasure brotha.... i'll send you a PM, I get out that way once in a while.

 

[thirteen]

Great work.
Especially like the use of uppercut combo's on the DE bag.

 

[devante]

I think you and I should do some sparring! What's your height and weight? Because you look like your > 6ft. Regardless, I need to find someone that can hit me at will...and will be able to exchange without brawling.

You ever come down to the San Antonio area?

yes you do, cus im not even coming close to doing that; unfortunately the same cannot be said when discussing your ability to hit me...

:icon_sad:

 

[devante]

There seems to have been allot of talk about how to develop timing and hand speed. Personally, I have found that doing light contact sparring (hands open in gloves) and working the DE bag are a couple of the best ways. I do think it is necessary for a guy who is trying to compete to also work in a fair amount of harder sparring (80% or better), but for day to day training it can lead to injury if done too often. About 1-2 times a week is my preference. Either way, Light contact sparring is something that can be used daily and is a great way to work on different techniques, controlling footwork, feinting and throwing in combinations. In addition, light contact sparring really helps develop punch control, timing and coordination. It gives more opportunities to take risk and see if you can make certain techniques work in actual sparring, you still pay for mistakes (get hit) but the light contact lets you continue to try and "tweak" or refine those mistakes without ending up flat on your ass taking in a view of the gym ceiling..... The clip below may better demonstrate what I am describing. I am working on some light sparring with a couple of guys who are starting to compete in both Ammy Muay Thai (European rules, why you dont see knees/clinch) and MMA. As a trainer, it also helps you coach during sparring and better watch the student, without worrying about catching a hay-maker!

YouTube - Muay Thai, Boxing, light sparing and light contact drills



This second clip is just me doing some work on the DE bag. Trying to work from a couple different distances and vary up speed. I think the trick to the DE bag is to just focus on keeping your hands and head moving and getting a glove on it, still using proper technique, but controlling your shots. I try to make sure that after i miss the bag (and i do pretty often) i keep moving my head and get back to the jab, then work from there. Either way, here ya go. Any opinion/advice/criticism/tips are appreciated, so long as they are constructive

YouTube - Muay Thai, Boxing, Hand speed/timing drills double end bag.

excellent post, i have had this discussion during training w/van, who is a big proponent of this; an your right alot of people get so focused on going hard and being tough, that they take away from their own technical progression. Sparring is to work on things, but if your going hard all the time, the only thing your working on is what you are good at/have natural ability for; i speak from a firsthand experience as i sparred alot w/a myriad of random people w/diff b/g, but 9 time out of ten the sparring wasn't light. Meaning i developed a strategy instead of skills; because i needed to do what would keep me from getting koed, or just plain beaten up, so i came up w/an approach. Now it would have adjustments depending on who im facing their abilities and skills; but it was still the same approach cus for all intents and purposes i was fighting these guy, so trying new things was out of the question and developing new things was hard because it was done on pads or bags which are helpful. But not as helpful as using them against an actual person who can counter, def, attack; basically react to what your doing.

having gotten alot of opp to work light, maybe some med sparring in while working w/van; i feel i have gotten my offensive timing better, expanded on some tech and have learned to not rely exclusively on range/movement as much.

the reason i know this is when i spar other guys w/me to hard contact, esp guys who know me or have history w/me; they ask what i have been doing or who i been training w/cus they see the progression (i.e. throwing kicks instead of just punching/boxing, working in the clinch instead of just trying to avoid it or get out and more of an assertion offensively as well as the timing or staying in the pocket more).

now im not unfamiliar w/the concept of light sparring; as i have worked w/alot of tma types, but the theory-philosophy-application of skills is what seperates what you put in and get out of those two things.