Heavyweight here with a question on hitting the heavybag. I was recently at a boxing clinic and my coach, who was an extremely good one, recommended we not lay in to the heavybag, but instead use it as a conditioning tool. The coach at my home gym, who is great too, thinks you should hit the heavybag with full force to work on your power, speed and strengthen your wrist. What do you guys think? I generally only throw light punches on the heavybag as throwaway punches and punches at full speed and power the majority of the time. Am I doing shadowboxing right? I go to a gym that mainly caters to amateurs and some pros, but sometimes the occasional novice will train there if they are super young. All the skilled guys at my gym seem to only work on offense when shadowboxing. Hell, even established belt holding pros do this. In my mind this is a completely unrealistic way to shadowbox. When I shadowbox I try to literally imagine I'm boxing and opponent and not thin air that can't hit me back. I bob & weave, duck, parry and try to throw realistic punches (majority straight) not short hooks followed by 6 alternating uppercuts that most amateurs and pros throw when they shadowbox. My coach shadowboxes the same way I do, do other folks know something we don't?
Heavybag: Tool that tell you when you throw punches with good distance, timing, technique and power (like a fight) OR practice some skill in particular (stamina, power, speed or certain combination). Shadowboxing: Same as you do, a realistic simulation of a fight, including defensive moves, footwork, feints and breathing besides offense. Way too necessary when you want to prove new tools or strategies. My thoughts.
When it comes to training for boxing everyones got their own way... Hitting the heavybag I think its best to do a little of everything. When I was training for fights I'd almost everyday at the gym put in rounds on the bag usually 6. A lot of the time I'd work on my combinations throwing them at various intensity usually going more for speed but at times working power. I'd at times work on endurance on the bag and throw constant punches kinda like how Mayweather works on the bag. Often I mix in power shots when doing that. At my gym a buzzer goes for the last 30 seconds of a round often during this time I'd throw continuous punches sometimes everything, sometimes just straights and sometimes uppercuts, hooks or body shots. Personally now when training I don't do as much bag work anymore its hard on the body. I think its good to do a lot of bag work at times when training but its important to give your body breaks from it especially leading up to fights. Shadow boxing like bag work everyone has their own thing. The way you describe it is how I do it and the best way I think to do it. Visualize an opponent and work on stuff. I used to when preparing for fights if I knew who I was fighting I'd picture fighting them if I didn't know who I was fighting I'd come up with an image of them in my mind and work all different scenario's. I also like to shadow box in the mirror usually do a few rounds in the mirror before stepping into the ring. Shadow boxing in the mirror is good for practicing technique. Shadow boxing to me is next to sparring and maybe pads the best workout for boxing. I no longer belong to a boxing gym but I still spar with pros here and there and do fine, pretty much all I've done to maintain my boxing is shadow boxing, runs and the odd sparring sesh here and there.
I'm getting into the double-end bag at the mo after a long absence. Great for getting the fluidity of punches since double-end bag great for straights, hooks and upper cuts. Good for timing, speed and accuracy.
Interesting questions, you seem to do most things i like, changing from fast but light punches, punches in bunches, and both heavy and power work. These two exercises are the greatest exercises for "learning your trade". My way of doing this, if we look at shadowboxing first, is: In the first coupla rounds im loosening up and getting my bodytiming working, basically meaning planting foot and shifting weight in proper order and rytm. Getting my balance sharpened up. Turning shoulders properly. I also like to take a short time working on each punch like 20-30 times in a row, just on main body movement and punch. If there´s anything i´d like to focus on in that trainingsession i start out here by attempting to get the proper mechanics. First 2-3 rounds the pace is gradually increasing but not at the expence of timing and balance. Personally i work almost 50/50 offence/defence, sometimes more or less but always keep a good portion of both in there. When i was active i usually did 5-8 rounds after warming up properly, the last 2-4 in close to full speed and pace. Today i do 3-5, last 1-2 at full speed BUT STILL NOT AT THE PRICE OF LOST BALANCE AND TIMING, BASICS IS KING. Heavybag i work almost the same principles, mechanics, moving, turning the bag, altering quick, power and heavy punches. Always working with big gloves (heavy, not sizewise). Keep working!!!
Use it for both. Not every punch has to be your hardest. Throw a combination of light punches then make the last one full power. If you are going to throw light punches make sure you keep punching. Definitely mix it up though.
