Tips & Tricks - How to bust out of a plateau

[Tim]

How to bust out of a plateau
On occasion, I've experienced periods in my training where it didn't feel like I was making any progress. Here's a few "plateau busters" that can help you move forward again.

1. Try a smaller bag - Not everything is easier with a larger bag. In my experience any of the punches that involve the reverse or side of the bag are much easier with a smaller bag, compared to a larger one.

2. Check your speed bag platform - is it level? Is the swivel loose (tighten with a pipe wrench if necessary)? Is the bag too high/too low? Is the speed bag inflated properly?

3. Concentrate on using the most minimal arm/hand/elbow motion possible.

NOTE: This post is a work in progress. If you have anything to add, reply here.

[Speedbag]

Breaking the Plateau

Great topic.

Perhaps you're bored. Many people stay with what they know, and have no plan for advancement. They just do the "same old same old" There are several ways out of this: first, have a plan for your workout. (1) do a warmup, with what you can do comfortably, at 1/4 to 1/2 speed. (2). While you are fresh, experiment with some new techniques. If you are a beginner, then stick with the four punches from the front of the bag. They are Front Circle Punch (FCP), Front Straight Punch (FSP), Front Double Punch (FDP), Front Fist Rolling (F-Roll). most likely, you need to work on FDP or Fist rolling. Try mixing them together in various orders. ( * remember, there are three rebounds inbetween them, or five if three is too fast..) Front Fist Rolling is one of the easiet techniques to learn. click speed bag combinations and then Video #1

OR, try some elbow strikes, the outward elbow strikes are fairly easy. Click speed bag combinations, video #7

Try some alternating hook punches. They hit the side of the bag. Use four rebounds in between each punch. (hitting from the "other side" requires an even number of rebounds. ( review the Rules of Rhythm

Try hitting to music. Put on some easy, mid speed stuff like 1960's Rock & Roll. "Pretty woman" "I can't get no satisfaction" or anything with a heavy four count rock beat. Tap your foot to it. then just punch from the front of the bag, hitting the bag every time your foot taps. keep punching "on the beat" for the whole song. If you miss, just re-position and continue punching. Just like when a drummer drops a stick, he just picks up another and keeps going. It is a fun way to liven your workout, while training you to punch repetitively at the same speed (the music beat is your timer, telling you how fast to go). If you get good at this, go to some faster music. Try punching to "Wipe out", or "heat wave" or "your the one that I want" from grease. (I suggest you use a 9x6 bag or smaller for these)

Try hitting from a different side of the bag. Try the three reverse punching techniques. Do repetitive Reverse Single Punching (RSP) x5 or 7. switch hands. or try to go through the bag, "linking" front to back. (if this is hard, start from behind first. It will be easier that way.)

or, it all else fails, I normally just blame the swivel. They normally ruin more workouts than anything else...

make it fun, and you'll keep improving.

[Speedbag]

Tips: Adjusting your distance.

Sometimes your distance to the bag may be a problem.

Try adjusting your distance to the bag, either moving back away or stepping a bit closer to it. Stepping back away will put the bag contact more on the end of the extended arm, stepping in will make contact more with a bent arm.

People who are too close tend to swing straight up and down, in an inverted egg shape, for there isn't enough room to make a swing. People who stand too far back tend to make giant swings to reach the bag. Adjusting your distance in or out may help.

[Kaju Dog]

Bringing bag to the top:

As I have been trolling through some of the older posts, I ran across this one.

Great Thread!

I like to mix in circular footwork to the same side of the lead hand as if moving with the jab to keep the opponent cut off from getting out of the corner, etc. IE 10 jabs with left lead while moving left, switch to right lead with 10 jabs right.

Im not anything more than a novice SB'er but hope to improve thanks to threads such as this one.

Keep em comming everyone.

Mahalo Nui Loa,
KD

[metaldad]

Something I've started doing is spending one round working a technique; round 1) standard punching 2) fdp, 3)front fist rolling, 4) inward elbows 5)reverse punching 6) stopping the bag...sometimes I'll spend 3 rounds standard punching and at the last minute of each round I'll work a technique until the end of the round. I try to vary the speeds to build endurance