Speed...Your definition????

[Detroit101]

just curious....what is your definition of speed???????

Bruce Lee's definition was....having the ability to move from a defensive position into offensive range quicker than your opponent...


I took a lot of heat in a forum i posted a while back...it was about wind sprints and speed....I know that hand speed plays a part but, I have always thought that you have a huge advantage if you can catch your opponent off balance or while shifting his weight in a certain direction and geussing his patterns ( I used this effectively throughout my wrestling days )....but in order to do so you must be able to move all of your body weight efficiently...and hitting a speed bag isnt going to get you there alone.....

[Darkstranger]

I don't understand why people would give you heat for wind sprints to be honest. They're excellent for improving your speed in the ring.

I see speed as being able to get in and out of range quickly, and changing angles quickly.

[fraidycat]

The speed bag was originally called a "control bag," and it's best to think of it that way. I don't think it builds speed as much as it builds timing and consistency, which are the keys to control.

Speed is largely a function of perception. Strip away excess motion and you'll gain speed. All the little giveaways -- telegraphs, weight shifts, eye movement, changing up your guard before a flurry -- cue your opponent in to what's coming, even if he doesn't consciously notice. The more "tells" you strip away, the faster you'll become.

I recently discovered a BAD habit, one that's so subtle that no one noticed it for me: I move, shift my weight, and THEN attack. It's just a little bob, half an inch maybe -- maybe less -- "settling" myself into a comfortable position after each pivot or retreat. But it's enough to throw my footspeed off and make me appear like a Clydesdale on the canvas. (I'm told I fight like an armored personnel carrier in boxing trunks.) When I get to where I can move and throw at the same time -- i.e., hit my launch point with every step -- I'll have effectively doubled my footspeed in the ring. . . by stripping away excess motion.

Just my $.02. Your mileage may vary.