In my boxing gym we often have very long combinations to do on the heavy bag. It takes a bit to remember to do them but in sparring it is all forgotten (as usual). Even the next day I battle to remember them. What is the purpose of practicing them? Would it not be better to learn and use the shorter fast combos like L-RHook -L Upper-step back. Or am I missing something? Thanks.
Maybe the long combos on the bag are used to get you to shift your weight, pivot, etc. while punching, so that you won't get into a position where you can't punch? I read in an old boxing magazine an article about Bill Slayton/ The Main St. Gym in L.A. They had their own 7 punch combo, or at least the article said it was called the "Main St. Gym Combo." It was 2 jabs, a cross, hook, uppercut, hook, cross. The combination interested me, I read the article a long time ago and I practiced the combination and still remember it. I added a hook at the end to get me back into my stance. I doubt that many Main St. fighters ever completed the whole 7 punch combo in the ring, but practicing it on the bag would teach balance, give the fighter a "flow" with his punches, and the fighter could use it in parts. Go slow and make sure you are doing the punches right in the long combos and when you are, do them faster.
As explained above. Furthermore, amateur boxing encourages longer flurries and the mental and physical capacity to pull them off, even if they are broken midway for a defensive maneuver or repositioning.
I had the same thing in my gym, the head coach at my gym tried to teach everyone the strengths of his own style (plus his bad habits) . In this case too he would be upset if anybody disagreed with him. I know one of his fighters that was a very good sharpshooter on the outside (long tall guy for weight class) who was coached to flurry and exchange after he got rocked rather than to reposition and find his range which was no bueno. On the other hand, some coaches like to throw long combinations because its flashy or cool or a part of their gym culture, but it wouldn't be the main reason its fighters are good, intentional heavybag work combined with active visualization is almost always better, and learning to fine tune single techniques and fundamentals. Short combinations with a purpose with microadjustments to your opponents responses and single shots are far less risky in a fight because they leave you open for far less and allow you to get back to your defense far faster.
