Improving speed

[Liam888]

Anyone know how you can improve speed in free fighting i.e front kicks and revese backhand. I am quick but wanted to know how to improve speed

[Dobbersky]

Anyone know how you can improve speed in free fighting i.e front kicks and revese backhand. I am quick but wanted to know how to improve speed

Yes - One word

"PRACTICE"

[Zaine]

Doing those things until you're tired, and then continuing to do them. Speed as far as striking goes is governed by tendons, and by doing those things until you're tired your working those tendons more than when you're going from an at rest situation. Also you can always do the conventional wrist and ankle weight training, that does well to work the same tendons.

[Zaine]

Also, as an add on, when you're doing it, make sure that your technique is tight even when you're tired. You don't want to develop bad habits, and exercising when your body wants to stop is a really easy way to develop bad technique.

[brickshooter]

Anyone know how you can improve speed in free fighting i.e front kicks and revese backhand. I am quick but wanted to know how to improve speed

Try bicycle inner tube training.

https://www.thejks.com/Docs/Articles/Tube%20Training.doc

[shinobitribe]

think about hikate....think about your pulling hand with respect to punches and when your kicking think about trying to get your leg back faster to your basic stance than kicking....

[Dobbersky]

Would recommend some books from Amazon on this very subject.

Also work on timed striking

Using Thai Pads or smaller hand held bags do 10 or 20 second time intervals using say jab/cross do say 4 rounds then do the same but sit-ups etc. Work on the. Technique for a few weeks then change the technique and so on and so forth say after 5 techniques doing 1 round ;ab/cross, round 2 hooks, round 3 uppercuts etc

OSU

[Catfish]

Speed as far as striking goes is governed by tendons, and by doing those things until you're tired your working those tendons more than when you're going from an at rest situation.

That makes a lot of sense - we had a continuous kumite session 2 weeks ago, only 34 rounds but enough to shake off the cobwebs, and I really noticed the difference.

[Zaine]

Speed as far as striking goes is governed by tendons, and by doing those things until you're tired your working those tendons more than when you're going from an at rest situation.

That makes a lot of sense - we had a continuous kumite session 2 weeks ago, only 34 rounds but enough to shake off the cobwebs, and I really noticed the difference.

I wish I knew more about the mechanics of this, but all I can really say for sure that it has to do with the speed of extension that your limbs have.

[tallgeese]

Anyone know how you can improve speed in free fighting i.e front kicks and revese backhand. I am quick but wanted to know how to improve speed

Yes - One word

"PRACTICE"

This is, I think, the most important piece of advice on the matter. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Perfect repetition at a pace that you can the rep perfectly will build proper intramuscular conditioning. This will let your comfort and thus your relaxation with the movement build. Those factors will increase the speed of your movements as your skill progresses.

Remember too, that there is a limit to attribute driven fighting for all of us. Some have a higher ceiling than others. Depending on who you're comparing yourself to, you may or may not ever achieve equity.

Raw speed is only part of the equation. Distance, timing, and tactic selection go a long ways to closing the attribute gap.

Second to the above advice I'd add always relax. If you think you're relaxed, check yourself again and relax more. Muscle tension, especially early in the belt slog can be difficult to overcome.