Boxing Training Workout for Speed

As a boxer, speed is undoubtedly one of the most important qualities you can possess. Your opponent won't be able to touch you if you have fast hands, and you'll be able to land more powerful punches thanks to this advantage. The hands of many of boxing's greatest fighters in history, like Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather, are legendary for their lightning-fast speed.

But how did you get your hands to move so quickly?

Understanding the fundamentals of how to punch faster is the first step in improving your speed. After that, you must ensure that you are practising the appropriate drills.

When it comes to boxing, the fighter who is the last man (or woman) standing is typically the one who possesses the most quickness, agility, and, most importantly, SPEED! Indeed, punches delivered with power and muscle pack a greater wallop.

In addition, the technique is undeniably helpful when protecting oneself while throwing punches (or avoiding them). And there is little question that cerebral prowess and physical tenacity are essential components of the equation. However, when everything else is held constant, speed is typically the most important element in determining the outcome of the abovementioned factors.

How exactly does one become faster? Is there room for speed improvement? Many athletes indeed have a natural gift for speed, but it is also true that speed can be developed with the right training. It won't come easily, but it will come with time, as your hands and legs move just a bit faster with each passing week. The most important thing is to train the muscles that move your hands and legs and give you the stamina to keep up that pace.

How to Punch Faster: Boxing Hand Speed Drills & Tips

CAN YOU TRAIN HAND SPEED?

As a boxer, you must educate yourself on improving the speed and power of your punches. If you're working out on a punching bag, shadowboxing, or sparring and want your strikes to be more effective, doing hand speed drills can help you get there.

To one's relief, various punching workouts boost their speed. You may perform most of these hand speed drills in the convenience of your own house, for which you will need very little to no equipment. You may begin training once you have a fundamental understanding of boxing form and the appropriate way to punch.

To boost your punching speed, here are some punching techniques and hand speed drills:

3 TIPS TO INCREASE PUNCHING SPEED

Although there are a great number of specific hand speed drills that can assist a fighter in developing their punching speed, there are also a few general training advice that can assist in this endeavour:

1. Use Hand Weights

When shadowboxing, beginning to use hand weights as a form of resistance training can be an efficient method for boosting punching speed. When punching, you can use a variety of hand weights, such as velcro wrist weights or a light dumbbell weighing between 2 and 5 pounds in your hand.

2. Use Focus Mitts

You should begin training with focus mitts if you have a friend or family member ready to assist you. When practising mitt work, one partner will hold the hand mitts in a precise position to direct the punches that the other partner will throw when doing glove work. It would help if you began by having your partner shout out combos to you, but ultimately, your goal should be to reach a point where you can detect the strikes without the aid of vocal cues.

3. Start With Technique

Concentrating on one's technique is additional useful advice for accelerating punching speed. For example, when throwing jabs or crosses, ensure your elbows don't flare out and keep your blows close to your body. Also, make sure to snap your punches back into a guard stance every time you strike. Developing better techniques is the first step toward increasing your speed.

Exercises To Improve Your Hand Speed In Boxing

You can improve your hand speed by using these workouts designed specifically for that purpose.

1. Using Speed Bags

Regarding boxing, speed is everything, so most professional boxers would agree that speed bags are their closest allies. Once you've mastered punching a speed bag, you won't be able to get enough of it, even though it may take some people longer than others to get the hang of it.

They offer a unique exercise that focuses solely on developing your skill and speed in your hands. When you have mastered using a speed bag, try punching it as quickly as you can throughout each cycle.

Your hands will get faster proportionately to how quickly you hit it. Therefore, boxing training on a speed bag is an important and effective instrument for improving punching accuracy, timing, rhythm, and hand-eye coordination. It is why speed bag training is one of the most effective tools for improving boxing skills.    

2. Weighted Shadowboxing

Shadowboxing is a basic form of training to increase one's hand speed. In addition to getting you accustomed to the movements of battle, it also trains your body to be ready at all times.

Utilising a lightweight dumbbell and increasing the resistance in your shadowboxing sessions is one of the most effective strategies to improve your workouts. If you are just getting started, it is recommended that you begin with a lightweight and carry out your shadowboxing drill while holding the dumbbells in your hands.

Gradually increasing the difficulty while working out the punching muscles is a good strategy. In addition, it is an excellent method for building muscle memory, which is critical for developing actions that will be used in the actual battle.

In general, shadowboxing with weights is an excellent workout to increase your hand speed in boxing; you can be certain that you will immediately experience favourable effects from this type of training. 

3. Stimulating The Core

When your core muscles are strong, you'll be able to throw punches in rapid succession. Working out your core daily ensures that your blood circulates properly and that your muscles receive the oxygen and nutrients they need, which is vital for keeping your body in good shape. Boxing requires frequent movement of the upper body. Hence this ability is essential to the sport.

Therefore, you should undertake exercises such as leg lifts, oblique crunches, and sit-ups to strengthen your core. In addition, it would help if you gave some thought to breathing exercises because they help condition your body to use energy effectively and economically.    

4. Using A Jumping Rope

Using a jumping rope as part of your workout routine can efficiently increase your hand speed. It is because jumping rope helps develop the muscles necessary for throwing powerful and quick punches. Increase the speed of your jumps as you get into a rhythm so that you can condition all relevant muscles to work and react faster than they normally would.

You can improve your hand speed and endurance by using a jumping rope. In addition, you can develop your hand speed. It is important to remember that jumping rope is a skill that can only be acquired through consistent practice and effort, so try to stay encouraged if you are not very good at it. If you consistently practice and keep your mind clear, you will quickly learn this technique and improve your punching speed.

It is okay to challenge your body to perform something on the first day it is not accustomed to. However, establishing some basic patterns to start would be helpful. 

5. Performing Fast Push-ups

One of the most important things you can do to teach your muscles to respond more quickly is to perform push-ups at a faster pace. You will be able to generate more punching speed as a direct result of the specific strengthening of the shoulder and pectoral muscles to fire frequently and rapidly. However, it is necessary to maintain proper form when executing quick push-ups. 

6. Resistance Training

Clapping push-ups are one of the most effective strength training exercises for building fast hands because they require you to push yourself as quickly and forcefully as possible. The goal is to establish a physical barrier between your hands and the earth below you. If you can raise your arms to a point where you can clap between repetitions, that's even better.

The push-up with a medicine ball is another key exercise. A medicine ball push-up is performed by placing one hand on a medicine ball and the other on the ground. Bring the hand placed on the ground up to the ball as you reach the highest point of your movement.

Then, bring the hand previously put on the ball down to the earth's surface. After that, lower yourself and then carry out the previous steps again.

Remember that having swift hands involves not just being able to throw punches quickly but also recovering quickly from such punches. When you throw a punch, your hand should return to its starting position as quickly as possible so that you can deliver another blow. Therefore, to train muscles for speed, you need to include a tugging exercise done in a plyometric method.

The plyometric body row is an exercise involving motions quite similar to those used for punching. To complete this exercise correctly, you must hang from a bar in a horizontal position, with your arms in front of you and your feet on the ground. You may pull with explosive force and then release your grip on the bar as soon as your chest is at it.

As you are about to come down, grab the bar one more time so that you may maintain control of your descent to the starting position. If you want even better results from this workout, you may perform it using resistance bands.

7. Partner Drills

Learning how to respond in unanticipated circumstances is one of the essential components in training fast hands. And certainly, there is nothing more beneficial than having another person assist you in preparing for the unexpected. When we talk about partner drills, the most popular type is target training, and the punch mitt is typically the target recommended by coaches.

To maximise the benefits of your speed training, it is important that your partner continually throws you a variety of unexpected targets. As soon as you contact the target, he is obligated to take it away from you and promptly provide you with a replacement target, preferably in a different area. It will considerably enhance your reaction time if you ask him to make you respond in quick succession, so make sure you do that.

8. Work The Heavy Bag

If by the third round, you are unable even to move your hands, it will not matter how fast your hands were in the first round. Hence, it's vital to acquire endurance. One of the most efficient methods for increasing one's endurance is to perform interval training on the heavy bag. However, it is essential to remember that selecting the appropriate punching bag requires careful consideration and patience.

Training structured around intervals is an effective technique to simulate the beginning and end of a boxing round. Prepare your timer for three-minute intervals, with a break of either 30 seconds or one minute between each round.

Next, have your training partner move to the other side of the bag and stand there. One partner should keep hold of the bag while the other should punch it continuously for twenty seconds with all their energy. Then make the change.

Continue going back and forth like this until the conclusion of the round comes around. There is no need for concern over the completion of the precise 20 seconds. When you feel it is the appropriate time, you should pause and grab the bag from your spouse. After sufficient training, the muscles in your arms and back will build the necessary stamina to punch quickly during a real battle.

Boxing Hand Speed Drills to Punch Faster & Harder

Concentrate mostly on workouts that use only your body weight and target specific muscle areas. For example, training with your body weight and participating in punching speed drills are two of the most effective methods for learning how to develop remarkable speed without using a heavy bag. 

EXERCISE 1: PULL-UPS AND CHIN-UPS

• Lift your body using a pull-up bar until your chin is at the same height as the bar.
• Gradually relax your grip until your elbows reach their full range of motion.
• Repeat.

Pull-up Hand Grip

• Maintain a shoulder-width distance between your hands as you grip the bar.
• Make sure that the palms of your hands are facing away from you.
• Maintain the straightest possible position for your wrists.

Chin-up Hand Grip

• Maintain a shoulder-width distance between your hands as you grip the bar.
• In contrast to a pull-up, you should ensure that your palms are facing inward and wrapped around the rear of the bar.
• Maintain the straightest possible position for your wrists.

Holding your body at the top of the pull-up or chin-up for ten to fifteen seconds before gradually lowering yourself will provide additional exercise. To execute a wide-grip variation of pull-ups that will challenge your back muscles even further, position your hands on the bar so that they are almost twice the width of your shoulders apart.

EXERCISE 2: PUSH-UP VARIANTS

While working on your chest will help you develop punching strength, working on your arms will help you improve your punching speed. Therefore, exercises such as push-ups can be beneficial for the chest as well as the arms. Because acceleration is the name of the game, explosive push-ups are an important exercise variation to focus on; more specifically, clapping push-ups:

• Position your hands so that they are shoulder-width apart, and push up into this position.
• You should start by lowering yourself into a push-up position, and once you reach the bottom of your movement, you should immediately push yourself back up.
• It would help if you keep your feet on the ground throughout this exercise; however, as you explode upward, bring your arms above your head and clap before lowering yourself back down into the traditional push-up posture.
• Continue in this manner for another two sets and 15–20 reps.

EXERCISE 3: CLASSIC SHADOWBOXING

Shadowboxing is one of several hand-speed drills and is a playful way to learn how to punch quicker. While the previous two workouts concentrated on building muscle, shadowboxing is a fun way to learn how to punch faster. When shadowboxing, put all of your attention on increasing your quickness rather than your strength.

Strength can be built by working out on a punching bag and practising combos and power strikes. However, since no resistance is involved in shadowboxing, training speed combinations rather than power combos can be more successful in the long run.

The following boxing punch combos can enhance your punching speed:

• Jab - Jab - Cross | 1 - 1 - 2
• Jab, the cross, and the lead hook | 1, 2, 3
• Jab - Jab - Jab - Lead Hook - Cross | 1 - 1 - 1 - 3 

Regarding shadowboxing, the three sample combinations discussed above are particularly beneficial since they emphasise quick strikes rather than powerful ones. You can improve your speed by training with a combination of the cross and the jab. The cross is a devastating punch in its own right.

Boxers need to take things slowly at first and concentrate on developing crucial combos that use swift punches as they learn how to punch harder and faster. Combined with power combos, the following combinations can provide a boxer with an effective arsenal during a sparring bout.

How To Throw A Faster Punch

Let's take a moment to quickly go through the mechanics of throwing a faster punch before we move on to the drills.

When it comes to throwing a rapid punch, there are three main components:

1. First, the flick of your wrist is sufficient.
2. How quickly you move your arm is the key factor.
3. The shift of your body weight from your legs.

The Snap Of Your Wrist

Your punch gets its force from the snap of your wrist, which is a very quick movement. When you throw a punch, you should extend your arm and then rapidly snap your wrist so that your hand is at a right angle to your forearm. It will help you land the punch more effectively. Your punches will have additional power as a result of this.

Shadowboxing is a great way to perfect this skill since it forces you to concentrate on the snapping motion after your punches.

The Speed At Which You Move Your Arm

The next factor is how quickly you shift your arm from one position to another. The speed with which you can flex the muscles in your chest and shoulders will determine this. Therefore, you must perform exercises focusing on these muscle groups to boost your punches' speed.

Throws with a medicine ball are one type of exercise you could undertake. To begin, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and grab a medicine ball with both hands. It will be your starting position. After that, toss the ball as hard as you can for as far as it will go. This exercise can also be performed with a partner, in which case you should have them pass the ball back to you after each repetition.

The Weight Transfer From Your Legs

The final step is transferring your body weight through your legs. To get the most out of your punch, you should shift your weight from your rear foot to your front foot. It will help you create greater speed while giving you more power overall.

You can put this into practice by doing lateral hops. To begin, balance yourself on your right foot while keeping the knee of your left leg bent. Next, jump to the left from here, and make sure to land on your left leg when you do so. After that, make a quick hop to the right and land on your right leg when you land. It should be done in the next thirty seconds.

6 Boxing Drills That Improve Your Hand Speed

Now that you understand throwing a rapid punch let's move into the drills. You may improve both the speed and power of your punches by practising the following drills:

1) Shadowboxing

Your hand speed and accuracy will increase as you engage in shadow boxing. To be successful at shadowboxing, you need to be nimble on your feet and fast to respond to the actions of your imaginary opponent. In addition, your punches will become more powerful as a result of this since it helps grow the muscles in your arms and shoulders.

To get started, find a mirror, stand in front of it, and practice punching your reflection while paying attention to your developing technique. Beginning slowly, you should gradually increase your speed while maintaining good form. You can also punch the mirror from different angles by moving around the mirror and changing your position. 

2) Punching Mitts

Training your hand speed, reflexes, and accuracy with punching mitts is an excellent approach to improving these aspects of your game. Training using hitting mitts improves a wide variety of boxing skills, including footwork, slipping, ducking, and combo punching. In addition, your hand speed and reaction time will improve as a result of having to respond swiftly to your trainer's callouts in this activity.

First, you should face your trainer and throw punches at their mitts while following the correct technique. Then, stand in front of them. During the exercise, your instructor will provide feedback and help you improve any areas of difficulty.

3) Double-End Bag Drills

One of the most effective strategies to improve your hand speed is to use a bag with two ends. This bag is suspended from the ceiling and responds to blows by darting back and forth when it is struck. You'll need to be nimble on your feet and quick to respond to the shifting position of the bag as a result of this.

To begin, position yourself in front of the double-end bag and punch it while concentrating on snapping your wrist. Do this for a few rounds. Then, as you become more comfortable with the timing, gradually pick up the pace. You can also punch the bag while moving around and coming at it from various angles.

4) Reflex Bags

A reflex bag is another fantastic strategy to boost your hand speed significantly. This bag style is comparable to a double-end bag; however, it is bulkier and springs back to its original shape more easily. It indicates that you need to be even more rapid with your punches.

To begin, locate the reflex bag, then stand in front of it and throw punches at it while concentrating on the snap of your wrist. It would help if you began your punches slowly and gradually increased their speed as you got more comfortable. You can also punch the bag while moving around and coming at it from various angles.

5) Speed Bag Drills

Using speed bags as a training tool can greatly improve hand-eye coordination. However, to get the most out of hitting a speed bag, you need to time your punches, so they land in the middle of the bag. Because of this, you need to be quick on your feet and precise with your punches.

Locate the speed bag, step in front of it, and begin throwing punches at it while ensuring you snap your wrist before every one of those strikes. As you get the time of the speed bag down, gradually increase the speed at which you punch the speed bag. You can also punch the bag while moving around and coming at it from various angles.

6) Heavy Bag Drills

Working out with heavy bags is an excellent way to increase your punches' power. To move a heavy bag after hitting it, you need to create a lot of force in your swing. Your punches will become more powerful as a result of this since it helps grow the muscles in your arms and shoulders.

To get things started, you should position yourself in front of the heavy bag and punch it. Be sure to punch with the correct form, and after each blow, bring your hands back to the place they were in before you started punching. You can also punch the bag while moving around and coming at it from various angles.

Hand & Leg Speed Training Drills for Boxers

Hand Speed Drills

Clap Push-Up

Boxers require quick hands to be successful. You can create fast, explosive strength in your body by doing pushups (with a quick clap as you leave the ground at the top of each pushup repetition). It will also help you improve your coordination. You should keep your elbows at a broad angle of 90 degrees throughout all four sets and maintain the same number of repetitions, anywhere from 8 to 10.

Jump Roping

In addition to increasing speed, interval training with a jump rope helps improve slow and rapid twitch muscle fibre and boosts lung capacity and greater muscle coordination. Perform double for the first half minute after jumping for the first minute (two rope rotations for each jump). Then, repeat the movement until you are completely spent, typically between two and four times. 

Dumbbell Shadow Boxing

Building muscle, striking power, and improving punching speed can be accomplished effectively through resistance training. After two minutes of punching with each arm, you'll notice that your hands feel considerably lighter and can move much more quickly when you finally put down the dumbbell. Repeat with both hands for a total of three to six sets.

Speed Bag

There is no need to wear gloves here. It will take four rounds of three minutes each to bring your hands to life and create the muscle stamina and speed necessary to make your punches come faster each time. There should be no fluctuation in tempo or shape from one punch to the next, and each punch should be the same as before.

Punchout drilling

Last, there is no substitute for good old-fashioned, all-out speed punching drills. This workout can help you improve your hand speed, as well as your general lung capacity and stamina. Of course, you don't want to punch with all your might in this situation.

Maintain a limit of approximately 40 per cent of your full power with each punch. The time spent punching should be followed by the same amount of time spent resting. Perform this step four to six times.

Leg Speed Drills

High Knee Jump Roping

Alternate between jumping rope the traditional way and jumping rope with high knees, in which you get your knees up to a level almost as high as your waist with each repetition. When you use this action, maintaining your balance will need more concentration from you than usual, but the payoff is increased leg speed as a result. Maintain rep ranges of 45 seconds on and 45 seconds off for the entire workout.

Water running

Running against resistance in water is an efficient technique to work the muscles in your core and legs. Additionally, like punching with dumbbells, it teaches your limbs to move more quickly after removing resistance. Depending on the amenities at your disposal, water running for longer distances is quite acceptable.

Jump squats

When doing this very efficient but possibly risky exercise, ensure the weight is light and keep your body under control. You will perform a conventional set of squats, but at the halfway point of each repeat, you will explode or spring forward. Before doing this action, you should always warm up completely first. 

Sprints

Compared to long-distance running, sprinting is distinguished by its emphasis on the fast-twitch muscle fibre, which is responsible for explosive and swift motions. When lunging into a punch or trying to shuffle your legs to escape one, this is the kind of power you want to have. Repeat the process of running for 40 meters and then walking back. Run at a speed close to your physical limit but not so fast that you become out of control and reckless. 

Additional Tips To Improve Your Hand Speed

To develop your hand speed most efficiently, the following are some additional pointers you can follow.

1. Don’t Throw Hard Punches

There is a widespread misconception among boxers that fast hands come from a quick punching style. Even though it's accurate to some extent, what matters while you're in the ring is how quickly you can process information and make decisions.

To begin, you should abandon throwing powerful punches, at least in the beginning stages of the fight. You will punch more slowly if you concentrate on how powerful your punches should be.

You have to work on getting the punch off as quickly as possible, connecting with your target with accuracy, and getting back into the guard posture as soon as possible. Instead of inflicting pain on your opponent, try to concentrate on sneakily touching them without their recognition. 

2. Stay Relaxed

The significance of maintaining a calm state cannot be overstated. Please note that being relaxed does not equate to being complacent or lazy; rather, it indicates that stress has been released.

Be careful not to round your shoulders, clench your fists, or tense the muscles in your biceps. Instead, maintain your joints and muscles as flexible and fluid as possible so that you are always prepared to spring into action and unleash powerful punches.

3. Trust Your Muscle Memory

In the end, but certainly, not least, you need to have faith in your muscle memory. Giving little thought to how you will protect yourself or what punch you will throw next when you are in the ring is important. That will make you move more slowly.

Your punch will be that much quicker the less you think about it. Therefore, we strongly encourage engaging in shadowboxing since it assists in developing healthy muscle memory.

Conclusion 

In boxing, speed is the most important factor. The ability to move quickly enables you to throw powerful punches that have a greater chance of connecting with your opponent. In addition, there are specific workouts that, when incorporated into your normal regimen, will help you develop faster hands.

Activities such as shadowboxing, jumping rope, punching a heavy bag, and resistance training are included here. Remember that speed, power, and endurance are all intertwined.

Therefore, if you want to increase the pace of your punches, you need also to work on strengthening your body, focusing on the muscle groups in your upper back and shoulders.