How To Increase Punching Speed!? Our Top 6 Tips!

Speed is an essential quality to have in all facets of boxing and one of the most important traits you may possess. The quicker you are in a fight, the more chances you have of coming out on top, and while this is not the only factor, it is a significant one. If you can improve just one of these crucial talents, you will have a far better chance of winning, despite the fact that the best boxers also need to be skilled in various other areas related to the sport.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a good example of a boxer who made the most of his speed and used it to devastating effect. However, he may refer to himself as "The Best Ever," a term many people would question, and many others would agree with Mayweather Jr. Even though Floyd Mayweather Jr. had reached the age of 40, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was still one of the most quick-footed fighters in the area and understood the significance of that fact. He slowed down a little bit as he got older.

If you watch his fight with Arturo Gatti again, you will see that his devastating speed was at its most brutal during that fight. Gatti couldn't see the shots until they hit him in the face, and there were points in the fight that were extremely difficult to watch due to the level of fear they inspired. Mayweather's victory in that fight was due not only to the speed of his fists but also to the punch selection, ring craft, speed of his body, and the many other abilities he possessed. But, of course, speed alone was not enough to win the fight.

However, Mayweather's success wouldn't have been nearly as impressive without his quickness; is this a quality you can improve? Indeed, that is the case. However, just like power, there is a limit to what can be done with it. You and I will never be able to beat the time set by Usain Bolt, but you can learn how to enhance your own sprinting pace and compete with others who do. You can put every trick you know to the test, but there's a chance you'll never be able to compete with Amir Khan. You can, however, improve, and the boxing instruction that we provide at our gyms is focused entirely on improvement. As part of our discussion on increasing punching speed, we will examine our top recommendations for throwing a quicker punch.

1. Fitness

Not fitness at all, I'm afraid. Fitness training is the first method that you may use to improve striking speed. Boxing is the sport that epitomises the concept that there is no such thing as a shortcut when it comes to competition. It takes a significant amount of work to throw a punch and considerably more effort to throw a punch quickly. If you visualise yourself punching the punching bag, you probably throw your jabs with around 80 per cent of the force you put into your larger punches, which you probably do with 100 per cent.

These 80% punches aren't delivering much harm, and those 100% punches could be delivered with too much windup, allowing your opponent to see them coming and preventing them from being effective. It is simple to fall into a state of complacency with your jab because there are moments when it seems like it is not that vital, and you can get away with slacking off a little bit. However, if you have the necessary level of conditioning, snapping out that jab repeatedly can become a powerful weapon during a battle.

Aside from having the physical fitness to throw punches with maximum effort continuously, you also want to be able to throw punches late in the rounds with venom, in addition to having the fitness to throw punches with maximum effort constantly. Fatigue is the single most important factor in your overall performance. It is of no use to be able to throw a flashy jab in training if, in Round 2, your lungs are unable to supply you with the oxygen you need to stay alive. If you want to be able to move quickly, you need to be fit. Therefore make sure that you are engaging in high-intensity exercise.

Naturally, one of the best ways to accomplish this is to strike your bag quickly. There is no better way to train to have the physical fitness to throw rapid punches than to practice throwing them repeatedly. So when you're in the gym, you should make sure that you're giving it your all and resisting the urge to throw those 80% shots because they won't serve you well in a fight if you do.

A summary of fitness:

• Perform vigorous physical activity.
• Ideal training consists of rapid punches on the bag interspersed with brief rests.
• Give it your all in the gym.

2. Forget About Muscle

It presents an alluring proposition. You have the goal of becoming a skilled boxer, and you believe that the best way to do this is to bulk up so that you can easily knock out your opponents. You might also believe that the larger the muscles are, the faster you'll be able to move your arm to the punch, but this is not necessarily the case. Both of these presumptions are incorrect, and if you follow them, you could end up competing in the wrong weight division, which would put you in a precarious position.

Most people know that muscle weighs a significant amount, and the more muscle you have on an arm, the slower it will move. Therefore, there is a fine line between having power and being overwhelmed by others. If you have no power, you might be easily defeated. If you want to get a sense of the form you should be in, you have to look at an exceptional non-heavyweight fighter and see that they don't have the largest muscles. It is the shape you should be in.

Heavyweight boxers can afford to carry a bit more muscle since power is more crucial in that division, and due to their stature, no one has lightning-quick hands. Heavyweight boxers can also afford to carry a bit more muscle because they can afford to. We are now living in an era of monster large heavyweights, but if you want to see a lethal fighter who wasn't muscle-bound, all you have to do is think back to Muhammed Ali. Even Deontay Wilder will be lifting a few big weights shortly.

Stay away from the gym and resist the urge to put on muscle. You probably weren't expecting to see Sir Isaac Newton in this post, but he provided us with the law that states that force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. To put it another way, the total force is simply the product of the object's speed and mass. So if you have less muscle but can throw that shot a lot quicker, the actual force applied will be larger than it would be if you had more muscle. So if you already have large arms, you should quit doing bench presses and switch to working out with hand weights and concentrating on explosive pushups instead.

It may seem counterintuitive to not have the biggest arms in a boxing bout, but all one needs to do is look at the greatest fighters in history to know this is not the case. They were all nimble, and none had particularly large muscles for their size. In boxing, having the largest arms in the gym is pointless if you also have the slowest punch since you won't get very far.

A Summary of Muscle:

• You will become less agile as you add more muscle.
• Avoid lifting weights that are too heavy.
• Reduce your muscle mass if necessary.

3. Increase Your Core Strength

Well, I just told you to forget about muscles, and now I'm urging you to focus on them, but this time I'm referring to the muscles that aren't on your arms. I hope you understand. When you throw a punch, your entire body needs to move, and the action starts in your legs and continues through your hips, across your back, and finally through your shoulders before your arms even begin to move.

If you have a sluggish body, your punch will also be sluggish. Building up the strength of your legs, core, and back are essential boxing muscles that will get you through the battle if you focus on improving them. You should avoid lifting big weights slowly, just as you should avoid doing so with your arms. Instead, it would be best if you focused on developing your muscles through activities that require more explosive movement, such as sprinting, sit-ups, and skipping.

How to increase core strength:

• Remember to give your legs some exercise.
• Therefore, a significant amount of abdominal workout.
• Make sure that your workouts are concise and intense.

4. Perfect Your Technique

Because you want your punch to travel from point A to point B as quickly as possible, you need to ensure that you use the appropriate technique when you throw it. No matter how rapidly you move, your advantage will be nullified if your opponent can see your shots coming. There are some telltale indicators you need to avoid to boost your speed and to do so. It would be best if you read this article.

When we talk about speed in this context, we're referring to the time that elapses between when you decide to throw a punch and when it connects with your opponent. For example, if you take a huge wind back with your arm, your opponent knows you are about to throw one before your arms start moving forward in the direction you want them to travel. When it comes to your jab, the proper technique is throwing it in a direct line from where you are positioned. If, before you jab, you point your elbow or pull your elbow back, your opponent can anticipate the blow.

The same thing holds for throwing a huge dominant hand punch as well; there is always the temptation to wind this back to throw your most powerful strike; however, there is little use in doing this if your opponent is aware that it is coming. They will either defend it by putting their gloves on it or punch you back. Again, you want to convey your speed in the most effective manner possible. If you find your arm back, throwing a jab out directly from your stance will reach your opponent much faster than throwing it out directly.

Combining your punches is especially useful in this situation because it allows you to conceal the power of your true blow behind fakes and dummies. For example, you may throw a punch that is fifty per cent to the right and fifty per cent to the left, then close the distance to the side and allow your lightning-fast speed to come over in a hook that will be devastating. It is not enough to possess the necessary speed; one must also know how to put that speed to effective use.

Technique tips:

• Refrain from pointing out your elbow. You a jab.
• Please don't give away your dominant punch by telegraphing it.
• Combinations are the key to delivering your most devastating blows.

5. Use Speed Training

Various methods can increase your physical velocity, and you can choose the best option. If you train specifically for speed, your body will adapt and become more agile. Your muscles change in response to the exercises that you perform. Therefore if you bench press extremely heavy weights at a leisurely pace, those will be the muscles that you have. If you bench press lighter weights explosively, then your muscles at that position are at that level. After that, it becomes very evident which types are superior for boxing.

You are looking for a small amount of resistance that your body will fight against, and as it fights against a small amount of resistance at speed, your body will develop muscles that will make you quicker. So you are looking for a small amount of resistance that your body will fight against. Utilizing heavy gloves is one of the most effective methods for accomplishing this goal. It is done as a matter of course in the industry, and it's not only about speed; having larger gloves will protect your hands while you're working out, so it's a win-win situation.

You can wear larger gloves, but you can also shadowbox using hand weights, another wonderful method to speed up your hands and build muscle. Shadowboxing is one of the best ways to do both of these things. You can also utilize ankle weights, which can assist you in improving the pace of your footwork. Using lighter weights is likely your best bet when trying to increase your speed. When you've gotten used to wearing them for a while, you'll also find that lighter gloves feel terrific on your hands.

Next, we will move on to a different exercise equipment called a speed bag for a good reason. The speed back is an excellent workout that not only teaches you how to time your movements but also how to move faster. You used to see videos of Floyd Mayweather doing it effortlessly with one hand while we weren't looking, and while it may take a very long time to get to that level of prowess, using a speed bag is a great idea. You used to see videos of Floyd Mayweather doing it effortlessly easy with one hand while we weren't looking. In addition to improving your timing and hand-eye coordination, the double-end bag is an excellent piece of exercise equipment for speed that you can find in many gyms.

There are also tried-and-true methods that will assist you, such as performing exercises with a jump rope (click here to read about some of the finest boxing jump ropes), resistance bands, push-ups, and sit-ups. If you perform any of these activities with a burst of energy, you can enhance your speed while in the ring.

The best exercises for speed are:

• Put on bulky gloves and train with hand weights.
• Make use of speedballs as well as double-end bags.
• Use basic resistance workouts.

6. Breathe And Relax

Being comfortable in the boxing ring is easier to say than it is to do, but how does being uptight affect the speed at which you punch? In that case, you won't be able to throw punches as readily and effectively since your muscles would be tight. You need to make sure you are loose to be able to throw those punches with all of your speed, so make sure that you stretch out.

Exhaling with each punch is something you should do to ensure that you are breathing appropriately, which will also affect your timing and fitness levels. For example, after you have released that hand, it is important to take a breath before you throw the next one to maintain the same momentum level. Boxing requires proper breathing because if you breathe incorrectly, either in terms of how you breathe or when you breathe, it can put your life in danger and cause you to become weary much more quickly.

Advice about breathing:

• Exhale completely between each blow.
• Do not take breaths with your mouth wide open.
• Instead, make an effort to inhale and exhale via your nose.

Putting It All Together

In boxing, being a great fighter requires combining several components to succeed. Most of these are mental since you will need to train your mind to master the proper technique, ring craft, defence, courage, composure, and a wide variety of other qualities.

There are ways to improve one's power without sacrificing the other's speed regarding the physical components of power and speed. When it comes to deciding which one is more important, though, it is easy to make the argument for speed being more significant. Boxers like Floyd Mayweather Jr. never possessed the best power, particularly in his later years after suffering hand problems. However, he kept his spotless record because he never slowed down during the race.

He lacked strength, but he made up for it with his swiftness. If, on the other hand, you take a boxer who is fast but lacks power, you will end up with a competitor who is much simpler to defeat. Because it is so much more difficult to execute an effective battle plan against an opponent with blistering hand speed, working alone is of the utmost importance.

However, you will only be able to maintain that pace with fitness. Therefore the first thing you need to do to ensure that your punches remain swift is to ensure that you are in top physical condition. Once you have achieved the necessary fitness level, the next step is getting rid of unnecessary muscle. Your body should be slim, and all you have to do to get an idea of the ideal body form is look at a world-class boxer.

Once you have achieved your ideal body form and fitness level, the next step is to refine your technique to ensure that you can deliver your speed in the most effective manner. This speed may be improved using gym techniques and short, explosive exercises; not only will they develop your muscles to be great for boxing, but they will also improve your speed.

After achieving that, you want to avoid throwing it away by entering the ring with excessive tension and tightness. Keep in mind all you've discovered, focus on your breathing, and get ready to demonstrate your newfound speed to your next challenger.

Our Top Tips For How To Increase The Speed Of Your Hands

Manny Pacquiao, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roy Jones Jr., and Muhammad Ali come to mind when discussing boxers with the greatest hand speed. Other names that come to mind include Roy Jones Sr. and Sugar Ray Robinson.

Even at the amateur level, it is crucial to perfect all of your talents, including hand speed, so it is optional to aim for the professional level to be concerned with hand speed. However, increasing your speed gives you a better chance of getting the first hit and makes your moves more unpredictable.

It makes your performance look better in front of the judges as well. However, hand speed does more than make a fighter look spectacular; it also makes them a dangerous opponent in the ring. If your punches are faster, they are more likely to produce a cut.

Persistence Brings Perfection

If someone is faster than you and able to jab, hook, uppercut, counter, and cross in the blink of an eye, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise.

Training your hand speed will make it easier for you to throw punches and better prepare you to protect yourself as quickly as possible if you find yourself in a dangerous situation.

Hand speed does not just come into play with offensive movement; as we have indicated, it is just as vital for defensive movement. So if you still believe it is unnecessary at this point, let's acknowledge the reality that it is important for both types of movement.

Handpicked?

There is no denying that hand speed is one of the most important qualities a boxer can work on improving. Suppose you want to have a devastating effect in the ring. In that case, you need to pay this ability a lot of attention in your training to mix it with other features such as precision, power, stamina, and several others. Only then will it be genuinely effective?

The fact that so many excellent boxers, on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ring, rely on their hand quickness is a testament to this quality in and of itself. However, even at the lower levels of the sport, where speed is emphasised above all else, a boxer should strive to become as unexpected as is humanly feasible.

Check out some of our best advice if you want to learn how to increase the speed of your hands.

Learning The Basics

When it comes to boxing, having a quick mind means having quick reactions, and everything in the ring begins with your boxing brain. If you are overly tense, your hand speed will suffer; being stiff is counterproductive. If you load up too much on your punches, you are more likely to leave yourself vulnerable to attack.

You will not improve the sharpness of your intellect or response speed by tensing up; instead, you should engage in activities that will help you develop your hand-eye coordination.

Speed Bag

Remember that we are only discussing the improvement of one ability here. Therefore the speed bag should serve as the primary focus of your hand speed training rather than the entirety of your overall program. Although you might believe it was developed specifically to facilitate increased hand speed, this is not the case. Instead, it takes it a step further, develops your motor abilities, such as hand-eye coordination and timing, and forms a habit of keeping your hands up.

When you have achieved a high degree of time, which is essential for a successful puncher, you will know that you have succeeded when you have learned to perfect the hitting symphony of the speed bag. In addition, because it gets your complete body moving in time to the beat (they don't call it to dance for anything), it's good for your overall health.

Benefits of the speed bag

• Improved neuromuscular connectivity.
• Enhanced hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
• Encourages more coordinated movement throughout the entire body.
• It is recommended that you keep your hands raised.

The Double End Bag

You can further improve your reflexes by using the double-end bag, which enables you to train with a target that moves at a high rate of speed. To complete this task, you must maintain vigilance and concentration while also relying on your timing and reflexes.

Do not immediately attempt to imitate the techniques used by professionals; rather, practice throwing single punches or combinations of one and two blows. Rather than setting yourself up for failure by attempting sophisticated patterns for which you still need to prepare, it is preferable to practice the fundamentals until they become automatic.

It is impossible to locate a piece of equipment quite like this in any other sport; you may use it to practice a variety of various punches and combos. Of course, attempting to replicate real-life fight sequences or starting combinations is meat and potatoes, but doing it here gives you more room to be creative in your approach.

Hand speed is meaningless without precision, but the double-end bag enhances your accuracy and understanding of how to make the most of your power. There are better methods to conserve your energy to throw aimless shots with rapid hands; instead, utilize the double-end bag to learn how to use your hand speed efficiently and manage your energy responsibly.

Work on throwing quick combos and breathing appropriately. It can vary the rebound elasticity, providing various training punching skill sessions. Last but not least:

Focused Breathing

You may have noticed that the professionals breathe in a certain cadence as they throw their combinations, and this observation has a purpose. When applying force with a punch, it makes sense to exhale as the force is applied.

When you watch a boxer grunting or making noises while they punch, they are likely using one of several different exhaling methods. Still, it also enables them to put more aggressiveness into their strikes.

Proper breathing is necessary to ensure that your activities receive the appropriate amount of energy.

What Do We Mean By This?

When you are going quickly or very quickly, it does not offer your body enough oxygen or nutrients for you to be able to maintain a healthy speed if you try to breathe slowly and deeply at the same time. Therefore, it would be best if you made it a point to train yourself to breathe in various ways so that you have a diverse toolbox at your disposal for various strategies in the ring.

Under these specific conditions, one of how you can improve your overall performance is by synchronising the rate at which you breathe with the speed at which you move your hands. (If you try to throw punches while breathing slowly, you'll notice that you run out of air very soon and that you won't be able to keep this up for very long). Contraction of the muscles, the pace of the heart, and respiration all function together.

Practise Shadowboxing

Imagine someone standing right in front of you, all you need is a little bit of creativity. The objective is to throw your opponent off guard with a series of punches that they won't be expecting and that will catch them off, guard. The martial art of shadow boxing allows you to practice making a trade-off, exchanging speed for power.

Practising short hooks and snap jabs is the most effective training approach if you want to improve your hand speed through shadow boxing. Looping shots will be seen from a mile away, consuming too much time and energy and leaving you vulnerable.

You can truly put your hand speed training to the test by using small hand weights such as dumbbells or weighted wrist straps. It will allow you to push yourself to your limits. Switching back and forth between the two will provide your muscles with a diverse range of stimuli.

After you have adjusted to the additional weight, your hands will feel as light as a feather, and you will observe a substantial boost in speed. Try doing rounds of three minutes, but give yourself a respite of one minute and a half between each set. When it becomes too easy, add sets or increase the weight.

The ability to maintain hand speed requires a high level of muscle endurance. It will enable you to continue throwing effective punches longer without becoming fatigued.

The many advantages of shadowboxing

• You can do it wherever.
• Allows you to improvise and express your creativity.

Resistance Bands

Resistance Bands can be purchased for a low cost and are highly adaptable; in addition, there is a good chance that your gym or coach already has some that you can use. They offer resistance to the pressure or elasticity present in tight places.

Resistance training may sound generic, but it is an essential component that must be present to acquire new skills. Not only will it cause your muscles to grow and become stronger, but it will also increase your ability to recuperate. When you practice your punches, increasing the resistance in your arms will improve your whole range of motion, resulting in greater power and speed.

Resistance bands may readily follow the motion of your natural movement patterns; nevertheless, you need to focus on the body as a unit from the ground up to maximise your hand speed and punching strength.

Concluding Thoughts

You play rugby, basketball or tennis, but nobody plays boxing because it requires the ability to integrate various skills. If you want to become a great boxer, you need to be able to mix all of these skills.

If you want to become the greatest that you can be at one of the sports that are simultaneously one of the most difficult and one of the most rewarding to master, then apply our advice and mix them with the other material that is available on our website.