Speed Bag Usefulness

I've heard it said that it is the most useless bag in the gym.

I use it because its seems to work out different muscles than the other bags, and build hand hand speed.

Recently I was watching a pro in our gym use it and he would occasionally step into it while he had it going and practice slips and head movement. I'd never seen anyone do that, and thought it was interesting.

Something I read recently said something like speed bag builds hand speed, double end bag builds rhythm/timing and the heavy bag builds power.

Dunno if that helps, but that's my 2 cents.

 

My hand speed improved when I started using the speed bag.

 

I also think its a nice rest between rounds if you are doing an interval workout.

 

hand eye coordination and hand speed.

I really think the speed bag increases hand speed. I mean try to get a bodybuilder to keep a small speed bag moving. doesn't work cause their muscles don't work like that.

 

i disagree, its just takes practice, rhythm and timing to keep it moving.

 

Hand eye coordination, hand speed, shoulder and neck endurance, and it can be used like the double end by hitting it with combos, uppercuts, etc...

 

I have a speed bag at home but because the platform gives such a poor rebound I almost never use it. Also, the 3 boxing gyms I vistited were all without the speed bag and from earlier therads, I got the impression that many on ESB felt that it was very useless.

 

Yes, here's a video of Gato Figueroa "popping" the speedbag (start at 3:30). I thought what he was doing was very clever and I've seen vids of other pros doing something similar.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbglWvJe1Jg[/ame]

 

Hand eye coordination? Well I can do it with my eyes closed as well. It does build your shoulder and neck endurance, handspeed, i´m little unsure here cause you actually don´t hit it the proper way that you throw punches. it is a fun thing to work at but i know that some boxers never used it, as well as some never used the double end ball

 

I second this. I can do the little bag with my eyes closed no problem too; dispelling the hand-eye coordination myth.

 

Seriously who can't use the speedbag with their eyes closed?
Anyway you gotta be dumb to think that speedbag work doesn't improve hand eye coordiation.

 

i don't think it's useless. it definitely has benefits. but it's probably the least necessary.

but it's fun so i don't think boxing gyms will abandon it en masse any time soon.

 

my trainer never uses it says its useless im not going to argue wit a 2 time olympian :good