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The most important thing in developing speed is that it is specific to the action required. That is to say, if I want my punch to get faster I need to make sure that the action (the mechanics) of punching remain the same.
Consider the following: A regulation baseball weighs 148 grams. Training with both a lighter ball (57g) and a heavier ball (184g) provide improvements in throwing the regular-size ball. However, only the lighter ball gives the added benefit of increased precision when throwing the regulation ball (Egstrom et al, 1960). Research further shows that any ball heavier than 184 grams changes the mechanics of the throw so much that the groove of the pattern is lost and no skill increase - whether increased speed or accuracy - can be found at all.
Let's put this in martial terms: a 148-gram ball is roughly equivalent to a six-ounce glove. So, if I'm looking to increase my hand speed for MMA, where the regulation glove is four ounces, I will do some of my training with slightly larger eight-ounce gloves and also look for a way to minimise the weight on my hand, perhaps choosing to go with just wraps sometimes.
1-arm Ball-throw
Research on shot-putting shows that slight differences in the weight of the shot by as little as 250g yields great results in increasing force output and distance thrown, yet disappears when the weight used is changed by 500g. So it is very important to stay close to the weight used for that sport! For this reason, mimicking strikes with either ankle or hand weights will not help to develop speed or power in the strikes. While these may be a useful tool to develop strength endurance in the shoulder muscles, it is important that drills using these items be different enough from the action of striking that there is minimal resemblance to punching itself. This is to avoid confusing the body, which will actually decrease punching skill.
For MMA fighters this has special context as it may mean that by using bigger (e.g. 16oz gloves) for sparring they may actually be harming the development of skill in striking for their sport. While it helps to reduce impact on the fighters in sparring, it is doing nothing to increase striking skill. This is a prime reason for individual training plans when looking to help a fighter, as some will need increases in technique, others in speed or power. Using one method or tool will only work for some and will be detrimental to others.
It should be remembered that the increase of speed is achieved through training at optimal speed and that the speed of movement decreases over a long period of training. For this reason it is best to work speed during a fresh state and for short durations (Korobkov, 1953; Monogarov, 1958). Speed skill must be trained first in a session before fatigue sets in, otherwise the fighter is only learning how to throw punches at sub-optimal speed. Exercise modelling for speed development has shown that working a maximal strength exercise prior to the movement has had a positive increase in the explosiveness of the movement. Three sets of three repetitions with 80 per cent of an athlete's one-rep maximum weight (1RM) in the barbell press sees increases of up to 40 per cent in the distance thrown (with a 10-minute rest interval between the pressing and throws). This method, often called Complex Training, was used with great success by sprint guru Charlie Francis in his work with Ben Johnson, who would perform a set of nearly maximal squats and then, after a rest, sprint 100m. It is rumored, although Francis denied it, that Johnson squatted 600lbs for three sets just 20 minutes before a world-record run. However, this method is best reserved for athletes who are advanced in the gym as well as in their sport. For this type of training to have any real effect they need to be able to maximally recruit muscle during a short, all-out set of three repetitions. A better option for most would be to use exercises that are relatively low load - approximately 20 per cent of the 1RM alternated with exercises of up to 40 per cent of 1RM in a ratio of five-to-one. A good example of this might be the use of single-arm bench-press for 10 reps, combined with medicine-ball throws for two reps.
1-arm Kettlebell press
For a great example of this type of cyclic training for speed, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPDVEWWP4KU to see UFC champ Georges St-Pierre working with strength coach Jonathon Chaimberg. Although they are using heavier load/slower movement to explosive movement/lighter load, the principle is the same. While this volume of work may be low, the accumulation of fatigue will only serve to teach the body to operate at lower speed. Remember, training is to build the body, not to feel like you're being smashed or worn out. While there is some necessary degree of fatigue from performing these exercises, it's essential that it's built upon slowly. When speed is the goal, quality of movement is king, not quantity. To tie this back to my previous article, all the research shows that the initial development of maximal strength is key to ongoing improvement with any speed-training method. While an initial increase can be seen by the early introduction of speed methods, such as plyometrics, this tapers off quickly and no further gains can be found. It therefore makes more sense to work primarily on maximal strength to create a solid base for all intended speed work.
This also applies to specialisation of sport. The Russians say that anyone who is a junior world champion never usually amounts to much as an adult. If you think back to what I wrote about ‘block training' two articles ago, you'll see that I designed the program to maximise the learning process that comes with frequent re-learning and detraining of a skill. When it comes to sport, you will find a massive and sudden increase in skill level when first beginning a new sport, but this quickly tails off. Advanced athletes such as Ian Thorpe took advantage of this to extend their careers and their skill level by deliberately staying away from their sport after big events to ‘soften up', not just physically but mentally as well, to maximise the increase in sport skill when returning to training.
This means that you basically get just one chance to see a massive jump in sport skill. The earlier you start, the earlier you get the increase. But the bigger your level of general physical preparation (GPP) - meaning your base of strength, mobility, etc. - the higher your eventual level of sport skill will be. The same can be said of speed training. First you should get strong, then when you have approached your peak levels of maximal strength (like a double-bodyweight deadlift), start thinking about adding in speed-strength training.
Super Speed: Do’s and Don’ts
- Maximal strength is the most important aspect of speed development. Train it until gains start to taper off — research shows that this is once you’re able to squat and deadlift double your bodyweight.
- Add small volumes of specific speed work into your training only when fresh, and keep the volume low.
- Trying to increase speed by using heavy objects such as dumbbells in the hands, or even much heavier gloves, will alter your punching mechanics so much that no gains in speed will be seen, but injury risk will increase.
- Use complex-training methods involving slow/heavy to lighter/faster to develop speed. The loads lifted must be of significant enough difference to get the body attuned to higher levels of force development, allowing it to remain fast from one exercise to the next. (Try the kettlebell swing, alternating from a heavy bell to a lighter bell).
- Avoid sport specialisation in training for as long as possible to gain the most benefit.
Andrew Read is the head of Dragon Door Australia and is certified by Pavel Tsatsouline in his kettlebell system and CK FMS. As a strength and conditioning coach, Read has worked with BJJ champions, Olympic judoka and stand-up fighters. He can be contacted at
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