How to Work a Boxing Speed Bag

Video Transcript

"In this clip we're going to be advancing to the actual speed bag workout. This is where I'm going to teach the new kids hopefully how to work the speed bag. Normally it takes a day or two before they really get good at it, and then maybe a week before they get proficient, but everybody learns at their own speed. What I like to have them do is to get into their boxing stance so that we can always be practicing that same boxing stance at the same time. So I'm going to be adapting to a right-handed orthodox stance here. I try to get them to keep their left hand in their cheek, their right hand under their chin, their elbows tucked in and knees bent a little bit. The speed bags hopefully should be about your height when your chin or your nose is about even with the speed bag. This one's a little bit high for me. But what you want to simulate is you're punching somebody in their chin, so hopefully the speed bag should be about your height. Then what I try to get them to do is punch through the speed bag the first time, and then catch it with the heel of the hand the second time. Ideally, when you first step up to the bag, if your hands go past the bag, then you're too close and you'll end up being too close to the bag, your hands will be folded. If you're stepping away from the bag and if you bring your hands up and they not reach the bag unless you lean forward, then you're too far away. So the first thing you do is get to where your hands are in the dead center of the speed bag."