I just started speed bagging

[tapsnapornap]

Hey my names Dave and I'm 15. Just got a speed bag for christmas and my dad and I put it up the saturday after. I've been hitting 3 or 4 times a day for about 30 minutes each since saturday due my winter break. I'm having some fun figuring it out as my only experience with speed bags are from the Rocky movies. I checked out speedbagcentral.com and found the basic rhythm which i have down decently well without picking up speed. I also have picked up the basic fist rolling down well and have started picking up good speed with that method. Now to tell you about my equipment. I have a 6-piece set with the platform, mounting set, gloves, wraps, jump rope and bag. The swivel is a plastic ball and s-hook model. The bag is vinyl and im pretty sure it is 11x8 from the picture on the everlast website. I have a few questions.

1. While searching on here earlier today i saw someone mention an adaptation for putting a metal ball in the plastic ball in the swivel to keep it more secure. Im asking this because one my plastic ball swivel i have to be very precise on my punches to keep it going.

2. Do the types of platforms or the type of material the bag is made out of affect the rebounds?

3. Are there any more basic/beginner rhythms besides front fist rolling and the basic rhythm?

4. I liked to also work on my speed. Are there any workouts that any of you use/d that target speed?

This great little forum, and i look forward to exchanging ideas about anything speed bags on here.
Thanks for all responses!

[Tim]

Hey my names Dave and I'm 15. Just got a speed bag for christmas and my dad and I put it up the saturday after.

Awesome, welcome to the forums. We love the speed bag

1. While searching on here earlier today i saw someone mention an adaptation for putting a metal ball in the plastic ball in the swivel to keep it more secure.

Alan prefers this combination of metal ball with plastic base. As a beginner, what you've got right now is pretty darn close to the ideal setup as far as a swivel goes (read on below)...

Im asking this because one my plastic ball swivel i have to be very precise on my punches to keep it going.

Yes, in my opinion, the ball hook swivel (metal or plastic) will make you work harder and be more precise than the other swivel types, such as chain link or u-bolt. Stick with it, and you will be a better bagger for it. Calm seas never made a good sailor.

The other major benefit of the ball hook swivel is that it provides the truest, unmodified rebounds of the bag. This will be important when you are hitting from the front, sides, and back of the bag! Some people don't care to progress to that level of hitting, but in my opinion, you'll be missing a great deal of the fun if you don't!

2. Do the types of platforms or the type of material the bag is made out of affect the rebounds?

To be honest some of my favorite speed bags are the cheapest ones I've got. I can't say the material of the bag affects the rebounds in any appreciable way. There has been discussion over whether a plastic or rubber bladder (holding the air inside) is better, but we haven't been able to come to a conclusion. The material of the bag will be harder or easier on your hands though. The softer leathers will keep the skin of your knuckles from getting too banged up. Most of the bags you find in retail stores are a rough, slick synthetic type material that will shred the skin on your knuckles quickly.

The platform will only affect the rebound of the bag in three ways 1) if you've got screws or bolts protruding in the rebound area and 2) If it is not installed properly (causing excessive vibration) and 3) if it is installed properly but just doesn't have the mass to keep vibration down.

Vibration will kill bag rebounds. The usual fixes are a) use a smaller bag (less mass, less inertia, less vibration) and b) add a bag of sand to top of the platform or add wood to the drum. Vibration is really bad on the free standing units, if you've got a wall mount unit, you're already headed in the right direction.

3. Are there any more basic/beginner rhythms besides front fist rolling and the basic rhythm?

I suggest you read every page and watch every video on http://www.speedbagcentral.com. There are actually 21 different techniques that can be put together into various combinations. Be sure to watch all of Alan's videos on YouTube as well.

Also if you can buy or borrow the Speed Bag Bible in book or DVD format, it is highly recommended.

4. I liked to also work on my speed. Are there any workouts that any of you use/d that target speed?

Control comes first, then the speed comes. When you can keep the bag going without problems, speed up a little bit (but just a little bit), keep it at that speed until you can keep it under control for an extended amount of time, then repeat. Once you have control the speed will come automatically.

Good luck and keep us updated on your progress!

[Speedbag]

Hi Dave, and welcome to the forum. Tim gave you some great answers. From what you posted you're on the right path, and I'll add a little more to your questions.

1. While searching on here earlier today i saw someone mention an adaptation for putting a metal ball in the plastic ball in the swivel to keep it more secure. Im asking this because one my plastic ball swivel i have to be very precise on my punches to keep it going.

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking but I imagine you are alluding to putting an everlast metal ball inside the plastic housing of the newer plastic ballhook model. I'm probably the biggest proponent of that, and have done it several times. I like it because it is quieter than the metal housing. I find the action of the metal ball and the plastic ball are pretty much the same, but the plastic ball seems a bit more difficult to control. As Tim says, that will eventually increase your bag control. I suggest you superglue the metal shank into the plastic ball (it screws in an out of the ball). scroll down the page in that link to see this.

2. Do the types of platforms or the type of material the bag is made out of affect the rebounds?

Every bag, board and swivel has it's own personality. I've hit very inexpensive, "bottom of the barrel" setups as well as very expensive "top of the line" setups. And if each was stable and secure on the wall I couldn't tell that much difference between them. The board in this clip cost $49.00 from a local department store. It also appears in my teaching video's. I always worked pretty well, and I still use it today.

Stability of the board clearly has a major influence on the rebound. shaking and Vibration of the board kills the rebounds. As Tim said, the bag material will have more influence on the hands IF you hit barehanded, but the air pressure will also have a bit of influence also. A very full or overinflated bag is hard on the hands and also a bit harder to control, for it will not forgive slight mis-hits.

3. Are there any more basic/beginner rhythms besides front fist rolling and the basic rhythm?

There are actually various "rhythms" possible on the speed bag, but it helps to separate (1) techniques (basic movements) and combinations (joined movements) from (2) Rhythms (the sound the make). As your ability to create various combinations improves, you will hear the sounds they make, some of which can have a definitive "beat". The beat of some combinations is very distinctive. That is why "the basic rhythm" (also called the Triplet Rhythm) is created when single punching from the same side. The first rebound is accented, the next two are not. The Front Fist Roll (F-Roll) has it's own beat, as does continous Front Double Punching (FDP).
I also find the continuous Single Fist Linking (Front Circle Punch to Reverse Single Punch - FCP ' ' RSP) creates a distinctive beat, as does continuous Double Fist Linking (Front Double Punch to Reverse Double Punch - FDP ' ' RDP). These happen with only two rebounds inbetween the techniques, and create a noticeable beat that sounds cool. But the secret to unlocking these sounds and rhythms is knowing how to perform the techniques that create the combinations that bring them out.

Some of this is discussed on this page

4. I liked to also work on my speed. Are there any workouts that any of you use/d that target speed?

As Tim said, Control is the most important thing. As control increases so will speed. But there are some targeted workouts for speed. However, control will be an issue as you try and do these on a smaller bag. If you try to go as fast as you possibly can on a small 8x5 or smaller bag, you will have to have control.

*by the way, "control" means control of your movements, your force, eliminating wasted motion and poor position. We often refer to "bag control" but the bag only reflects what we did to it. It is typical for us to say the bag "races out of control" when the real problem is how we hit it. the bag does not have a mind of it's own, and is no more than a hanging mirror, reflecting our ability to control the movement, power and timing of our fists and elbows.

Personally, when I seem to have lost control, I blame the swivel, even though I know better.

Good luck and train safe. You will be amazed at how quickly you can progress.

[tapsnapornap]

Sorry for being so delayed on this response, been a bit busy but have been able to hit the bag everyday though!, Thanks for all the help with the questions Tim and Alan. Now i am definitely going to stay with my current swivel. Also my board is attached to a wall frame, like the kind for a room being built, so it vibrates some, my guess is its in between a free standing and a setup attached to a full wall. So im looking into putting a sandbag on top. I am looking into all the techniques to hitting now on speedbagcentral and I'm planning on trying some reverse punches soon. Thanks for the speed workouts, I tried the first one and I can get it going for roughly 30 seconds before I lose control. I do like them but I think i need a bit more control before I can consistently do those workouts for a minute. I'll keep you guys posted on my improvements.

Thanks for all the help!