Alan's tips on performing the R-ROLL (Reverse Fist Roll)

[NABALCHI]

I NEED SOME ADVICE IN CONCERN TO A EXERCISE. I CAN DO TRIPLE RITHYM, FRONT ROLLS -SIDE PUNCHES (NOT TO GOOD AT IT THO)-
AND ALOT OF COMBINATIONS IVE PICKED FROM FROM ALAN AND THE OTHERS ON THE VIDEOS BUT......
I CANT SEEM TO GET THE REVERSE PUNCH ROLL, I JUST CANT GET IT GOING. THE BAGS GOES EVERYWHERE AND CAN GET GOOD BOUNCES AND ITS KILLING ME.. IT LOOKS SO EASY!!
I TRIED SLOWING DOWN AND FOCUSING, RLAXING ETC. BUT....
ANY TIPS I WILL APRCIATE IT

[Speedbag]

I NEED SOME ADVICE IN CONCERN TO A EXERCISE. I CAN DO TRIPLE RITHYM, FRONT ROLLS -SIDE PUNCHES (NOT TO GOOD AT IT THO)-
AND ALOT OF COMBINATIONS IVE PICKED FROM FROM ALAN AND THE OTHERS ON THE VIDEOS BUT......
I CANT SEEM TO GET THE REVERSE PUNCH ROLL, I JUST CANT GET IT GOING. THE BAGS GOES EVERYWHERE AND CAN GET GOOD BOUNCES AND ITS KILLING ME.. IT LOOKS SO EASY!!
I TRIED SLOWING DOWN AND FOCUSING, RLAXING ETC. BUT....
ANY TIPS I WILL APRCIATE IT

To stand and maintain a long Reverse Fist Roll (R-Roll) takes good hand movement and force control, that requires you to produce equal force with each punch. It is THE hardest technique to learn for most people, and is by far (my opinion....) the hardest to control.

There are several reasons for that, the biggest being you are normally blind to the contact points of the fists, particularly when you start the technique, and you have to lean back while doing it (on most bags, not all), and - the worst part - (the big secret here - ) it is actually "not a revolving fist-over-fist Roll", like the Front Fist Roll. The technique is easier IF the fists actually move next to each other.

Without seeing how you are (1) getting into the roll (2) doing the R-Roll and (3) when and how you break down (loose control of it....), I can only offer a few suggestions, which will be practice skills to focus on.

Eliminate the need to Pass the fists through the bag and start after 2 rebounds, by doing the following few exercises starting with the hands behind the bag in the "reverse position".

1. Do "short Rolls only" of 3 punches. Start from the Reverse Single Punch (RSP) with your dominant hand (say - Right), do RSPx3 to get the bag moving, (hold the left hand up ready...) and after three RSP, start a 3 punch R-Roll, R ' L ' R, then go back to RSP with the right fist. Notice you started and ended the Roll with your right fist, which hits on the "odd" number 1 & 3. Here it is:

R-RSPx3 ' ' ' R ' L ' R ' ' ' R-RSPx3

Do this starting with the Right Fist, Then do a few starting with the Left, changing the fist order above. This will develop your non-dominant hand (left) control, and help you begin to control each hand separately behind the bag.

Then, when you can do a 3-punch R-Roll with control, starting with either fist - add another punch. Now do a four punch R-Roll. This EVEN number will mean you start with the Right Fist and exit the Roll on the Left fist, which is a little harder than using and ODD beat.

R-RSPx3 ' ' ' R ' L ' R ' L ' ' ' L-RSPx3

Again, change lead hands and start with the Left Fist. Do this until you can do a 4 punch R-Roll starting and ending with either fist. NOW add another punch, making it a FIVE Punch Roll. (Five punches is usually where it starts feeling like a "real" Roll technique). Notice it is an ODD number of rebounds, so it will start and end on the Same Fist.

R-RSPx3 ' ' ' R ' L ' R ' L ' R ' ' ' R-RSPx3

Again, do this starting with a RIGHT then Left Fist to develop control with either hand.

2. You can keep adding "one more punch" for as many punches as you need until you can stand and do a R-Roll for 10-15 punches if that is what you want.

One tip might be to separate your fists a little more. Trying to Roll them over each other might get them clanking together. move then apart about a half inch or inch to clear their area and set a better rebound angle of the bag. Another is to try do the Rolling/punching movement a little "faster". The R-Roll is VERY HARD to do slowly.

3. After you can do a 5-7 punch R-Roll with control starting from the RSP, then start trying to do it after a fist linking pass-through. There is too much going on in the link-to-Reverse Roll to try and do it any other way.

Good luck and hope it helps.

[NABALCHI]

Thank You So Much

Thanks Alan I Recently Tried Out Your Advise And Started Getting Results In Minutes./ One Of My Biggest Problem Was That My Hands Were Gettin A Litle Tangled Up When I Was Doing The Reverse Roll But Now Im Spreading My Fist A Litle More Like You Said And Its Working Out Fine. Also Ive Been Practicing The Exercise You Posted And Its A Big Help Thanks Again Alan You Are The Best!!!

[Speedbag]

Thanks Alan I Recently Tried Out Your Advise And Started Getting Results In Minutes./ One Of My Biggest Problem Was That My Hands Were Gettin A Litle Tangled Up When I Was Doing The Reverse Roll But Now Im Spreading My Fist A Litle More Like You Said And Its Working Out Fine. Also Ive Been Practicing The Exercise You Posted And Its A Big Help Thanks Again Alan You Are The Best!!!

Spreading the fists apart really does make it easier, particularly if you can "angle" the fists inward to get a better rebound angle of the bag for the other fist.

I'm glad it's helping you out. Getting control of the Reverse Fist Roll (R-Roll) can really help your skill and confidence when punching from behind the bag, and can really open up some pretty cool combination and rhythmic patterns.

There are also many songs that you can use the repetitive Front-to-Back 3-punch Fist Rolling echo's. But you have to be able to start and end the rolls with either fist quickly. The above exercises will help you learn that control with the R-Roll.