All I can say is this, show me a world class champion or a legend in boxing that don't or didn't use the speed bag or jump rope. Then you might have a point.
For a long time every scientist in the world believed the world was round but then newton saw how round the apple was when it hit him on his head and all of a sudden we became egocentric and now everybody knows we revolve around the sun. The best we got sometimes can get better by challenging the fundamentals of what we think works. In this case, there's no science behind a speed bag. That is why they don't make old people use one to get things right because it's just a boxer thing. Nobody else uses it for cordenation or stanima or anything. They just do other stuff that works. This is more like a tradition like a christmas tree than a fact like water being made of hydrogen peroxide. (h20)
In that they don't make you faster, they don't make your reflexes better, they don't make your coordination better, they don't make you a better boxer, as compared to actually just boxing and non-speed bag ways of working on these things. They're an old wives tale with no wife. I mean, you can beat yourself off for the same period of time and it "works" on something like cardio or whatever but that's it.
The fact that many other boxers use it is the only proof I need. Sure, if you only worked on the speedbag, your boxing skills would be lame. But then again I don't see why you wouldn't do it on top of other things. If I had to train 10h a day for weeks during a 30 year career, even with the greatest discipline and all, I would want some variety in what I do. Skipping, working the speedbag, sparring... At some point I'm sure even pro boxers have more fun doing some exercises than others. And that certainly holds some importance to their performance even in the loneliest of all sports
Speed bags do work on things such as rhythm, but for my money the double ended bag is the one that really demands speed, accuracy and timing. Most anyone can look decent on the speed bag, not the case with the double ended bag.
If you hit a speed bag and dont keep your hands up, it hits you in the face! There's another lesson....
I can dance for rithmin. Hey, have fun and all but the point of my thread was just that they don't have proof that they're anything special to help you as a fighter. Loudon!
I know this is a joke topic, but, I have wondered this too. Speedbags do not replicate a motion that is used in a fight. I don't see their purpose. Sparring, hitting the heavy bag, shadow boxing, all of these things work because you are repeating things that you'll be doing in the ring. Builds muscle memory. Speed bag? Beats me. No one throws punches like that in a fight.
It’s not supposed to replicate the exact actions of a fight. It’s a training method to be used alongside others. It’s hand eye coordination that helps timing. It’s also a great cardio workout that strengthens your shoulders. It gets your body used to holding your hands up, even when you’re tired in the latter stages of a fight. If it wasn’t beneficial, nobody would do it. Everybody has old and new training techniques, and most fighters have a strength and condition coach. But this is done by every trainer across the board, both old and new. Fighters still skip today too.
I think it was the law of gravity in Newtons case and I for one won't even entertain the thought that I know what every scientist in the world believed at one point. What I do know is that regardless if it is physical or pyschological, world class champions and boxing legends past and present attest to it's benefits and that is good enough for me.
*its If you can guess what every fighter and trainer and everything thinks and does then you can do it for scientists too. Newtons are for figs but gravity is for everybody, Man. We all benefit from that.