How to develop speed?

[Melissa426]

Tested yesterday and passed with only two minor mistakes.:ultracool
(Our GM is somewhat lenient with the lower belts.) Anyway, I am now a yellow-belt w/ stripe.

He mentioned the importance of speed for power.
My problem is I am just not genetically gifted for athletic speed.
When I try to speed up, my forms look bad, my feet and kicks don't end up in proper position, and my punches look like I am flailing at ghosts.

Any suggestions on how to get faster without sacrificing form?

Thanks,
Melissa

 

[TigerWoman]

Speed in form. Well form should be done to a cadence, rhythm flow. But when you step and when you punch should be at the same time. Punches and kicks are fast but movement is cadenced and not particularly fast. In order to kick fast and hold it at the apex for moment, you need strength. By doing alot of front kicks 100-200 per leg you will build leg strength. By doing a lot of front long stances, you will build leg strength. By doiing alot of straight punches, they will become faster. Practice your punches and stances together ending at the same time. It helps to practice in front of a mirror or tape yourself too. It's really alot of practice practice practice. And congrats on your promotion! TW

 

[jfarnsworth]

I would suggest doing your forms slowly. Execute each move as slow as possible while maintaining proper balance, body mechanics, timing, breathing, and the list could go on. When settling in your stance make sure your body is properly aligned, weapons are formed, weapons placed and aimed in the right direction then take a moment to evaluate that movement before moving into the next movement of the form. Then after a while speed the form up slightly while keeping in mind the same principles each time going through your forms. One time through the form sync. the breathing while settling in the stance. Other times think about stances, or blocks, punches, kicks, etc. Eventually you will be able to execute the forms faster and faster with good control. :asian:
Maybe this perspective can help.

Where's my head at?
Congratulations on the promotion.

 

[Miles]

Congratulations on your promotion!

I agree w/JFarnsworth-get your movement correct before you start trying to add speed-then I would add drills for timing.

Also, if you are concerned about performing your form too quickly, as TigerWoman has pointed out, too much speed in a form may be inappropriate if the form calls for a certain cadence/rhythm. For that, listen to your instructor and watch your seniors.

Miles

 

[TX_BB]

One of the things as a Martial Artist you'll have to learn is that strength is an asset. The stronger you are the easier many things are for you. Flexibility also plays an important part. The combination determines much of your speed and explosive power.

Luckily, it is also the portion that you can do the most to change. Try this check list:
a) Proper eating plan.
b) General Full Body Weight program.
c) General Supplementary flexibility program.

At your stage of training this generally what is missing from those who want to progress faster. Since most of us don't live at the DoJang we generally have to supplement our training with weight and flexibility programs.

Here's what should happen:
Eating program helps everything.
The strength program should increse your stability both in motion and at a stop.
The flexibility should work with your range of motion and ease of execution.

Good luck, Merry Christmas

 

[Melissa426]

Thanks to you all. I very much appreciate your suggestions.

Peace,
Melissa

 

[Whitebelt]

one of you have probarbly said this already but i'll say it anyway...For speedyer kicks try kicking slowly and stop with you'r leg streched out for whatever kick you'r doing and just try and keep it there for 15 to 30 seconds with a streight back and our leg at where you'r target would be and then take it back slowly.Not recomended fo back kicks

 

[TigerWoman]

one of you have probarbly said this already but i'll say it anyway...For speedyer kicks try kicking slowly and stop with you'r leg streched out for whatever kick you'r doing and just try and keep it there for 15 to 30 seconds with a streight back and our leg at where you'r target would be and then take it back slowly.Not recomended fo back kicks

Repetition is better for speed--do 100 or more--faster- per leg to belt level.

For strength, most definitely recommended for back kicks otherwise known as spin side kicks...just don't do the spin, lift up and hold... heel up, toes down. Hold on to something at first.

Need to do both, speed with out strength, ineffective. TW

 

[Marginal]

Outside of exercises and drills, it's also helpful to remember that you can't force speed really. The harder you try to ram a technique through, the greater the likelyhood is that you're way too tense and actually hurting your technique and speed in the process.

Do the exercises, do the drills, but concentrate on execution. When the proper mechanics fall into place, the other elements will line up as well.

 

[ghostdog2]

Have to agree with Marginal. Tension will rob your techniques of speed. Ditto to what everyone else has said, but try to " Relax and let it fly " ( something my instructor has to say over and over again since I am a bit speed deprived myself. )
In golf , they talk about " letting go " and not trying to hit or guide the ball. In baseball, my coach used to tell me to quit aiming and just throw the **** ball.
I think this echoes Marginal's point: tension will take away speed.
p.s. I've tried it all, and I'm still as slow as paint drying. Let's hope we surprise them.

 

[bignick]

congrats on the promotion...

Just like everyone else said, just keep working, working hard and don't expect overnight results...

 

[shane23ss]

I would suggest doing your forms slowly. Execute each move as slow as possible while maintaining proper balance, body mechanics, timing, breathing, and the list could go on. When settling in your stance make sure your body is properly aligned, weapons are formed, weapons placed and aimed in the right direction then take a moment to evaluate that movement before moving into the next movement of the form. Then after a while speed the form up slightly while keeping in mind the same principles each time going through your forms. One time through the form sync. the breathing while settling in the stance. Other times think about stances, or blocks, punches, kicks, etc. Eventually you will be able to execute the forms faster and faster with good control. :asian:
Maybe this perspective can help.

Where's my head at?
Congratulations on the promotion.

This is exactly what I would suggest. The only thing I would like to add is when you start speeding up the movements, pay close attention, if you notice yourself making mistakes, then slow it back down a little, this will allow your body to develop "muscle memory" to the movement. Once that happens, then you should be able to move fast and correctly because your body knows what to do. Bascily it boils down to repetiveness.

 

[Tae Kwon Doughboy]

That is how it was for me too. In addition I could do it on my own but trying to keep cadence just messed it all up.

This is what I do before doing the form in class. First I bought the Taegeuk Poomse DVD at http://www.turtlepress.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=48. I learn the sequence in slow motion and focus on technique and balance. When I have that down I gradually speed it up until I think I have the correct cadence. Then at the end of each session I try to do it way faster than cadence. I feel this helps me with confidence by knowing I can do it faster just in case.

When I do it in class I don't try to keep every step in cadence or I would be in big trouble. I have a one-track mind and don't multitask very well. I check to see where I am on the turns. If I turn when everyone else does I won't be too far off.

I've learned and done about 99% of my forms on my own outside of class. I think the first time I did Sa Jang with the class was testing. I wish our school spent more time on forms not just two weeks before testing. It takes me about two months, two or three days a week to get a form polished enough for me to be comfortable in testing.

Hang in there!

 

[XxTKDPenguinxX]

I have to say that all the advise here is useful and well placed.

Speed is something that will develop when you practice, practice, practice, practice.
I can't say how many times I have drilled and had drilled into the head this importance. I am a form compitition person. And at the risk of tooting my own horn, competitors dread me in the weapons and poome-sae catigories. I have not walked away with anything less than 2nd place in traditional poome-sae and have always placed in weapons.
What your GM wants is waht you sould obviously do. If it is the overall speed of your form, then you need to work with him to figure out what exactly he/she wants. If its a technique thing... find out which one(s) that need to have the speed.
You have to know what to work on in order to improve what needs it... but don't forget to keep working on what is already good. What is good can always be better.

As jfarnswoth had mentioned... do the form slowly, but be relaxed when you do it. Concentrate on proper technique, placement of it, stances and balance. You will find the more you do this, the better the balance will be. The better the balance, the technique will look sharper. When these start clicking in, the power will follow.
Tiger Woman's points on 100-200 kicks, punches, etc is true as well. THe muscles will develope and before you know it, the technique will flow.
Always, ALWAYS remember to do these all with proper technique... as mentioned about muscle memory; doing it over and over, the body will remember for you, but if practiced wrong, it will remember wrong.