Beginner, please give tips and advice

[FriedRice]

Hey guys so I bought a punching bag and I've been hitting it for about 2 months now and I thought why not post a video and ask for some tips from more experienced fighters. So please give me some constructive criticism, tips and advice.

This is pretty good for someone with no training. You probably fought in the streets. There are a lot of things wrong, but who cares.....just watch some YouTube videos from Boxing and Muay Thai or go take some classes and they'll correct them. You can still knock someone out with street experience.

The roundhouse kicks annoys me the most, so when you kick, get on the ball of your standing foot (off the heel) and pivot your hips & foot to where your heel points almost towards the bag....bend the kicking leg a little and keep it limp...landing on the bottom of the shin (since it's a bag).... while swinging the same side hand that's kicking, downward.....and leaning your body a little back & diagonal ....all in 1 motion.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Keep your hooks tighter, keep your guard up, and don't cross your feet when you kick/recover (that last one may just be camera angle)

 

[Kaspow]

This is pretty good for someone with no training. You probably fought in the streets. There are a lot of things wrong, but who cares.....just watch some YouTube videos from Boxing and Muay Thai or go take some classes and they'll correct them. You can still knock someone out with street experience.

The roundhouse kicks annoys me the most, so when you kick, get on the ball of your standing foot (off the heel) and pivot your hips & foot to where your heel points almost towards the bag....bend the kicking leg a little and keep it limp...landing on the bottom of the shin (since it's a bag).... while swinging the same side hand that's kicking, downward.....and leaning your body a little back & diagonal ....all in 1 motion.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks bro!

Keep your hooks tighter, keep your guard up, and don't cross your feet when you kick/recover (that last one may just be camera angle)

Will do sir

 

[Kababayan]

After only two months of bag work, your on the right track. As a former kickboxer, let me share some technique analysis with you. First of all everything that has been said so far by Wab25 and pdg, as well as others, has been spot on.

- Keep your hands up and your head down to protect your chin. I don't always believe in the "hide your face behind your hands" philosophy because it will open you up for low counters, but you will definitely gain from keeping your elbows in, fists up about cheekbone level and around 6-8 inches from your face.

- When you jab, step into it with your forward leg. The step and the jab should land together. That will increase your power and your speed. Plus you won't bend forward when you punch. Good opponents will make you pay if you bend forward (or reach) too much because you will need to came back upright before launching a good counter.

- The same "step in when jab" advice will be the same when you throw a cross. Look for some good Youtube videos on how to throw a jab and cross. I know that it seems like the most basic punch, but it could be your most effective when done properly. Look for videos by boxing coaches. They tend to teach technique well.

- Snap your punches back as soon as you make contact with the bag. Snap them back as fast as you punch. A good counter-puncher will tear apart someone who pulls their punches back slowly.

- Rotate your planted leg when doing a roundhouse kick. If not your knees will be shot over years of kicking. Plus round kicks are not that powerful without rotation. A perfectly performed round kick is devastating.

- Don't practice spin kicks on heavy bags. It can tear up your knees over time because of your foot suddenly stopping. This sends all of the impact back on your knees. You may not feel it now, but later on in life you may feel the impact. Spin kicks are great to practice on a bag that has some give (focus mitts.)

- Like others have said, tighter up your hooks. A good youtube tutorial will help with all of your punches.

- Learning effective combinations will be a great next step. This will be the beginning of fight psychology. You will learn how to use your jab to set-up your other punches, etc.

- Your space seems limited, but if you can focus on using distance, that would be a great next step as well. Keep distance from your bag, and then shoot in with a combination, and then step away. Again, a good boxing tutorial will help.

- One final thing, and I say this as respectfully as possible, not all kickboxing coaches are the same. You said that you will be taking kickboxing classes soon. I've noticed a wave of kickboxing coaches who don't have a solid foundation in the art. There are many "cardio-kickboxing" coaches out there who just teach "hitting the bag" and call that kickboxing. There is a huge difference in coaches (just like any martial arts). I guess what I'm getting at is try to find a respected coach who has produced good fighters...if that's what your goal is.

Hopefully some of what I am suggesting will help. Good luck.

 

[Kaspow]

After only two months of bag work, your on the right track. As a former kickboxer, let me share some technique analysis with you. First of all everything that has been said so far by Wab25 and pdg, as well as others, has been spot on.

- Keep your hands up and your head down to protect your chin. I don't always believe in the "hide your face behind your hands" philosophy because it will open you up for low counters, but you will definitely gain from keeping your elbows in, fists up about cheekbone level and around 6-8 inches from your face.

- When you jab, step into it with your forward leg. The step and the jab should land together. That will increase your power and your speed. Plus you won't bend forward when you punch. Good opponents will make you pay if you bend forward (or reach) too much because you will need to came back upright before launching a good counter.

- The same "step in when jab" advice will be the same when you throw a cross. Look for some good Youtube videos on how to throw a jab and cross. I know that it seems like the most basic punch, but it could be your most effective when done properly. Look for videos by boxing coaches. They tend to teach technique well.

- Snap your punches back as soon as you make contact with the bag. Snap them back as fast as you punch. A good counter-puncher will tear apart someone who pulls their punches back slowly.

- Rotate your planted leg when doing a roundhouse kick. If not your knees will be shot over years of kicking. Plus round kicks are not that powerful without rotation. A perfectly performed round kick is devastating.

- Don't practice spin kicks on heavy bags. It can tear up your knees over time because of your foot suddenly stopping. This sends all of the impact back on your knees. You may not feel it now, but later on in life you may feel the impact. Spin kicks are great to practice on a bag that has some give (focus mitts.)

- Like others have said, tighter up your hooks. A good youtube tutorial will help with all of your punches.

- Learning effective combinations will be a great next step. This will be the beginning of fight psychology. You will learn how to use your jab to set-up your other punches, etc.

- Your space seems limited, but if you can focus on using distance, that would be a great next step as well. Keep distance from your bag, and then shoot in with a combination, and then step away. Again, a good boxing tutorial will help.

- One final thing, and I say this as respectfully as possible, not all kickboxing coaches are the same. You said that you will be taking kickboxing classes soon. I've noticed a wave of kickboxing coaches who don't have a solid foundation in the art. There are many "cardio-kickboxing" coaches out there who just teach "hitting the bag" and call that kickboxing. There is a huge difference in coaches (just like any martial arts). I guess what I'm getting at is try to find a respected coach who has produced good fighters...if that's what your goal is.

Hopefully some of what I am suggesting will help. Good luck.

That's tons of useful info bro, thanks a lot I'm gonna put all this in my sticky note on my PC haha

 

[marques]

After only two months of bag work, your on the right track. As a former kickboxer, let me share some technique analysis with you. First of all everything that has been said so far by Wab25 and pdg, as well as others, has been spot on.

- Keep your hands up and your head down to protect your chin. I don't always believe in the "hide your face behind your hands" philosophy because it will open you up for low counters, but you will definitely gain from keeping your elbows in, fists up about cheekbone level and around 6-8 inches from your face.

- When you jab, step into it with your forward leg. The step and the jab should land together. That will increase your power and your speed. Plus you won't bend forward when you punch. Good opponents will make you pay if you bend forward (or reach) too much because you will need to came back upright before launching a good counter.

- The same "step in when jab" advice will be the same when you throw a cross. Look for some good Youtube videos on how to throw a jab and cross. I know that it seems like the most basic punch, but it could be your most effective when done properly. Look for videos by boxing coaches. They tend to teach technique well.

- Snap your punches back as soon as you make contact with the bag. Snap them back as fast as you punch. A good counter-puncher will tear apart someone who pulls their punches back slowly.

- Rotate your planted leg when doing a roundhouse kick. If not your knees will be shot over years of kicking. Plus round kicks are not that powerful without rotation. A perfectly performed round kick is devastating.

- Don't practice spin kicks on heavy bags. It can tear up your knees over time because of your foot suddenly stopping. This sends all of the impact back on your knees. You may not feel it now, but later on in life you may feel the impact. Spin kicks are great to practice on a bag that has some give (focus mitts.)

- Like others have said, tighter up your hooks. A good youtube tutorial will help with all of your punches.

- Learning effective combinations will be a great next step. This will be the beginning of fight psychology. You will learn how to use your jab to set-up your other punches, etc.

- Your space seems limited, but if you can focus on using distance, that would be a great next step as well. Keep distance from your bag, and then shoot in with a combination, and then step away. Again, a good boxing tutorial will help.

- One final thing, and I say this as respectfully as possible, not all kickboxing coaches are the same. You said that you will be taking kickboxing classes soon. I've noticed a wave of kickboxing coaches who don't have a solid foundation in the art. There are many "cardio-kickboxing" coaches out there who just teach "hitting the bag" and call that kickboxing. There is a huge difference in coaches (just like any martial arts). I guess what I'm getting at is try to find a respected coach who has produced good fighters...if that's what your goal is.

Hopefully some of what I am suggesting will help. Good luck.

This is great stuff, out there for free! I hadn’t the patience to go into the details...

The only thing missing (says the guy that wrote the lazy post - me) are the links for that good YouTube videos, because a genuine beginner will just get lost there. Plenty of rubbish videos made by “experts” or cute ladies in brand new fully equipped gyms. I would not know what is good there about... flowers, for example. Or even wrestling.

 

[pdg]

I've noticed a wave of kickboxing coaches who don't have a solid foundation in the art. There are many "cardio-kickboxing" coaches out there who just teach "hitting the bag" and call that kickboxing

While a cardio-kickboxing coach won't be doing much toward actual kickboxing, anyone reasonable or better should understand structure and form.

Not exactly a long term solution to "get fightin' bro innit" but not always a waste either.


Edit: If I was just starting, I'd rather have a decent cardio-kickboxing coach than a crap fighty one...

 

[Kaspow]

Update:

Here's some of the stuff I trained today, I tried the kick technique and tried to keep my hands up which was kinda difficult as I was getting really tired later on so they kinda started going down more. Footwork is still **** but I'm trying to improve it.

 

[Martial D]

Im actually impressed. You actually took advice to heart and implemented it.

Such a rare thing these days.

You still have a long way to go, but I feel like with actual training you could progress into some real skills rather quickly.

 

[Kaspow]

Im actually impressed. You actually took advice to heart and implemented it.

Such a rare thing these days.

You still have a long way to go, but I feel like with actual training you could progress into some real skills rather quickly.

wow thanks dude, you really motivated me here posting here was a great idea because I learned so much just in few days thanks to all the experienced bros giving me advice and important info

 

[pdg]

That kick is a lot better imo - still needs work, especially on the return, but a big improvement. Also a bit more of a fluid motion - but that'll come with practice.

When you retract, try:

Come back to the chamber position, standing foot back to facing forward and your knee raised - it'll improve the balance and stop that twist of the standing knee. Also, you're then placed for another kick if you want.

Or, land with the kicking foot forward and drop into a punch - you don't need to bring the standing foot all the way back for that.


Personally, I'm not a big fan of swinging the arm down when you kick - many recommend doing it for power generation but I find no difference whatsoever. It can get your arm into a nice position for a shovel punch or a wide hook, but that's just not me (I prefer to keep it in front of my body and follow with a backfist or similar instead).

Oh, and keeping your hands up - yes, you should - until you're confident you can slip or otherwise react to incoming punches at least

 

[Martial D]

wow thanks dude, you really motivated me here posting here was a great idea because I learned so much just in few days thanks to all the experienced bros giving me advice and important info

It's just good to see a thread like this work out for a change. Generally when people ask for critique and GET it things get ugly lol.

 

[Kababayan]

While a cardio-kickboxing coach won't be doing much toward actual kickboxing, anyone reasonable or better should understand structure and form.

Not exactly a long term solution to "get fightin' bro innit" but not always a waste either.


Edit: If I was just starting, I'd rather have a decent cardio-kickboxing coach than a crap fighty one...

Update:

Here's some of the stuff I trained today, I tried the kick technique and tried to keep my hands up which was kinda difficult as I was getting really tired later on so they kinda started going down more. Footwork is still **** but I'm trying to improve it.

Great job! No joke...you've even got the "boxer's bounce" going on. Impressive.

 

[Martial D]

Oh, and keeping your hands up - yes, you should - until you're confident you can slip or otherwise react to incoming punches at least

That's when you REALLY need to keep your hands up

 

[wab25]

Here's some of the stuff I trained today, I tried the kick technique and tried to keep my hands up which was kinda difficult as I was getting really tired later on so they kinda started going down more. Footwork is still **** but I'm trying to improve it.

The fact that you are trying to change, how you do things, to do them better is great. For someone training himself based on what the internet tells him... good progress.

First off I want to reiterate, get a trainer/coach/sensei... to learn from. Thats the best and quickest way to learn. And if you respond half as well to a real instructor as you did to us folks on the net... your instructor will love teaching you and you will progress.

The hands stayed up more, definite positive there. Yes, you have to condition yourself to do it and they do get heavy, its not just a saying. However, when you kick, you are dropping your hands. Watch the kicks you do in the beginning (after you went through the steps of the kick), watch your left hand. It starts at your chin, then you start to swing it down, when it gets to your hip almost, you start stepping into your kick. With that kind of telegraph, if I am in range for your kick... I will step in with a straight right as your kicking foot leaves the ground. Watch how much time there is between you left hand dropping and the kick coming around to the bag. Fun, time one the straight punches you show later in the video, and see if those punches would have beat your kick, if you start the punch when your left hand drops. (the guy telling you to drop a hand when kicking, was talking about the other hand: right kick - right hand. I prefer to keep both hands up, I will trade any small increase in power it may provide, to keep my guard up while kicking... but thats me... he will probably disagree)

Also, don't switch stance so much... or at all for now. Work one side, finish your combo then step away if you want to try the other side. If you switch stance like that in the middle of the combo or anywhere where he can reach you, you will take a seat when he hits you mid switch.

Concentrate more on the footwork. Your punch starts from the feet. If your feet are not right, your punch will be slower and have way less power.

Keep up the work! And get a trainer!

 

[Kaspow]

Great job! No joke...you've even got the "boxer's bounce" going on. Impressive.

thanks a lot dude

The fact that you are trying to change, how you do things, to do them better is great. For someone training himself based on what the internet tells him... good progress.

First off I want to reiterate, get a trainer/coach/sensei... to learn from. Thats the best and quickest way to learn. And if you respond half as well to a real instructor as you did to us folks on the net... your instructor will love teaching you and you will progress.

The hands stayed up more, definite positive there. Yes, you have to condition yourself to do it and they do get heavy, its not just a saying. However, when you kick, you are dropping your hands. Watch the kicks you do in the beginning (after you went through the steps of the kick), watch your left hand. It starts at your chin, then you start to swing it down, when it gets to your hip almost, you start stepping into your kick. With that kind of telegraph, if I am in range for your kick... I will step in with a straight right as your kicking foot leaves the ground. Watch how much time there is between you left hand dropping and the kick coming around to the bag. Fun, time one the straight punches you show later in the video, and see if those punches would have beat your kick, if you start the punch when your left hand drops. (the guy telling you to drop a hand when kicking, was talking about the other hand: right kick - right hand. I prefer to keep both hands up, I will trade any small increase in power it may provide, to keep my guard up while kicking... but thats me... he will probably disagree)

Also, don't switch stance so much... or at all for now. Work one side, finish your combo then step away if you want to try the other side. If you switch stance like that in the middle of the combo or anywhere where he can reach you, you will take a seat when he hits you mid switch.

Concentrate more on the footwork. Your punch starts from the feet. If your feet are not right, your punch will be slower and have way less power.

Keep up the work! And get a trainer!

yeah im starting to realise how super important the whole ''keep your hands up'' and ''footwork'' thing is also I really like to move around and switch stances but maybe you are right about working only one side for a while, I'm definitely going to try that

 

[pdg]

That's when you REALLY need to keep your hands up

I rarely keep both hands high, never have.

To begin with it did lead to maybe more punches than most would deem reasonable

But I'm not a puncher really, to me a punch is a setup/distraction for a kick or to make distance - for a kick

I prefer kicking...

 

[pdg]

also I really like to move around and switch stances but maybe you are right about working only one side for a while, I'm definitely going to try that

While I do kickboxing, where I get told to stick to a stance, my primary is TKD where I switch a lot.

I find switching works, others don't...

Be aware though, if you always switch just before you attack it'll get picked up on really quickly.

 

[wab25]

thing is also I really like to move around and switch stances but maybe you are right about working only one side for a while, I'm definitely going to try that

Its not about stopping you from switching stances. Its about having good stances that work on both sides. Also, its about developing the timing for the switch. You are move vulnerable during the switch. Once you develop a good stance on both sides, and understand distance and timing better, you will be able to safely and effectively switch. But get a good base foundation on each side to switch to. Right now, many of your switches are too close, they are robbing your punch of power and speed, and you are switching to a worse stance on the other side that you have to fix up before throwing the next punch. Walk first, then run...

 

[Kaspow]

Its not about stopping you from switching stances. Its about having good stances that work on both sides. Also, its about developing the timing for the switch. You are move vulnerable during the switch. Once you develop a good stance on both sides, and understand distance and timing better, you will be able to safely and effectively switch. But get a good base foundation on each side to switch to. Right now, many of your switches are too close, they are robbing your punch of power and speed, and you are switching to a worse stance on the other side that you have to fix up before throwing the next punch. Walk first, then run...

ok now I get it 100% thanks a lot dude I will keep all this in mind