Try this out

[Tigerwarrior]

The other day I got a training idea. So I tried it out. Basically doing boxing or kickboxing shadowboxing low speed with the minimum tension needed to throw whatever punch or kick you are doing. Try to keep your arms as relaxed as possible with minimal tension, tell yourself no tension(which I don't think is possible, but it will get you doing this right) basically going at like a tai chi type thing. Slow but good form, and relaxed muscles. I'm not sure if this has any benefits outside of improving your form, but alot of people tense up more than needed when striking. I'm hoping if you did this once or twice a week it would stop over tensing when punching or kicking. Also I've heard of this on speed bags before from a kung fu instructor, I know for a fact that method works I've tested it myself before. Now I'm interested in if we can get the same benefit of that training drill with no equipment and shadowboxing. Let me know what you think and if you've ever did anything like this before.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I always start my bag routine with lower power, low speed. I concentrate on form. Hips (koshi) generating power, feet planted, fists relaxed until the bag closes them into a solid striking surface upon impact. There is still power, but minimal muscle involvement.

Slowly at first, with good technique, then slowly turn up the power, which also increases the speed. I keep my shoulders loose, relaxed, and I keep my breathing under control. I'm settled in my stance and relaxed as I can be. Knees bent, sunk into my stance. Everything in alignment and tenses only at the moment of impact (chinkuchi).

Power increases and I make the heavy bag dance. I never wear bag gloves; if it's too much for my hands, it's too much.

I stop several times and reset from lower power to high power over again.

I keep my hands up and guard my head even when punching the bag. I don't lead with my face.

 

[Buka]

The other day I got a training idea. So I tried it out. Basically doing boxing or kickboxing shadowboxing low speed with the minimum tension needed to throw whatever punch or kick you are doing. Try to keep your arms as relaxed as possible with minimal tension, tell yourself no tension(which I don't think is possible, but it will get you doing this right) basically going at like a tai chi type thing. Slow but good form, and relaxed muscles. I'm not sure if this has any benefits outside of improving your form, but alot of people tense up more than needed when striking. I'm hoping if you did this once or twice a week it would stop over tensing when punching or kicking. Also I've heard of this on speed bags before from a kung fu instructor, I know for a fact that method works I've tested it myself before. Now I'm interested in if we can get the same benefit of that training drill with no equipment and shadowboxing. Let me know what you think and if you've ever did anything like this before.

That’s a good exercise to have in your tool box. And it can be used equally well as a warm up or a cool down.

You can also use it as part of mirror work if that option is available.

You can also do it multi-directionally. Not just going predominantly forward, but straight back and backwards while evading and stepping out on either side. Or circling.

A few schools I’ve trained at also do it using this scenario - you’re a foot taller than your imaginary opponent so shadow box with your hands held with that height difference in mind. Or if you’re the one that’s a foot shorter.

I’d also suggest doing it with either side forward if that’s comfortable for you.

I used to live in Boston, so we’d occasionally do that exercise outside in the winter. Not to be rough tough guys, but to familiarize ourselves with the slippery surfaces we experienced on a lot of days, especially while wearing our every day footwear. It makes for shorter steps and different balance requirements. (It also sucks)

But, yeah, I think it’s a really good drill.

 

[drop bear]

Whenever you walk in to a new gym. Work all the bags at once.

Yell "multiple attackers"

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

basically going at like a tai chi type thing. Slow but good form, and relaxed muscles.

I like to train as I fight.

One drill that I like is to coordinate my punch with my leading foot landing (my back foot is in the air for simplicity). I want to make sure that my heavy bag punching sound and my foot landing sound is together as 1 and not 2 (grenade method).

Another drill I like to train on my heavy bag is to punch as hard as I can and as fast as I can. I will punch like a mad man non-stop until I'm totally exhausted. Last time, I counted the number was about 75. When I do this, I'll totally ignore my hand and foot coordination (machine gun method).

 

[Holmejr]

Good flow, good breathing. I like it. I do this with the weapons also. Very meditative…

 

[_Simon_]

Yeah a great drill and something I do often. Connecting with that relaxed natural feeling is important. And slowing everything down you can pay attention to and engage things much more consciously: where your weight is placed and being transferred, sinking your weight, moving from your centre, kinetic chains, synchronised whole body movement, realising connection between certain body parts, breathing etc.

I have even have sessions at home where I'll set a timer, say 10-15 minutes, and I will just... move. Often it looks like dance haha but inevitably martial arts movements make their way in there. It's about breaking out of rigidity, exploring new movements and ranges of motion, connecting with and exploring different principles, honing in on even the essence and origin of movement, what actually produces movement, stuff like that, I highly recommend it! Don't worry if you feel or look silly doing it, do it when alone and just enjoy the movements and movement patterns you discover. You learn alot about your body and mind, and all the ways things are connected. Sometimes I even find myself on the ground rolling around, spinning, pushing off walls, crawling, Ido Portal sorta stuff too.

Even in the dojo we will do something called yawara kumite, which is veeery slow motion kumite. You're trying to simply flow with everything really slowly and in a relaxed manner, and trying to override your need to 'win' and get a shot in (which is very very challenging actually! You notice those moments where there's an opening and you unconsciously speed up to hit). Key is to go slow so you actually give or offer your partner the chance to react to it. Forces both people to hone in on not doing that staggered start-stop-start movement, keep constantly moving, creating openings and looking for them, and on learning, feeling body connection and in staying calm.

Thanks for the reminder @Tigerwarrior , I may just do that today!

 

[Tigerwarrior]

Whenever you walk in to a new gym. Work all the bags at once.

Yell "multiple attackers"

This reminded me of an old youtube video I saw years ago. I don't even know if it's still up. The title was like "master Joe doing what he loves, hitting stuff!" He was teaching karate out of his living room, he had like 4 or 5 of his students all holding mitts, and they said go and he just unloaded on them at one point he hit the one to his left with a right cross or right hook, the one in front of him with a backfist, the one to the right with a karate chop, and the one behind him with a donkey kick. He was fast but I wasn't impressed other than the fact he had good speed. In real life they all would of mauled him. They would of piled up on him like when someone gets tackled in American football and the whole team jumps on them. It looked like a fun time though. I sometimes do stuff with no benefits just for fun. But I've done what you described I just didn't yell what I was doing, the whole gym was empty and I had it to myself, my teacher had so many heavybags and other bags hanging it was like a maze. I just went through hitting as many as I could and ran through. Probably little practical value but it was good fun. And I had the gym all to myself. It made me feel like daredevil from the comics