Newbie questions

[Herr Otto]

I have had a speedbag for years but never really learned how to use it correctly. I purchased the Speedbag VHS tape , and it is great, but unless you have a VCR next to your speedbag it is difficult to use. My questions are, should I be concentrating and focusing on the bag or my hands?
I believe I made a solid platform from a 1 5/8"soild core exterior door, mounted with unistrut to a concrete foundation wall and to the bottom of 2"x16" floor joist. I am using a new Everlast #4214 bag. The platform does not move at all but the bag seems dead, I have the correct air pressure in it. Any suggestions?
Thanks

[Chris M]

I have had a speedbag for years but never really learned how to use it correctly. I purchased the Speedbag VHS tape , and it is great, but unless you have a VCR next to your speedbag it is difficult to use. My questions are, should I be concentrating and focusing on the bag or my hands?
I believe I made a solid platform from a 1 5/8"soild core exterior door, mounted with unistrut to a concrete foundation wall and to the bottom of 2"x16" floor joist. I am using a new Everlast #4214 bag. The platform does not move at all but the bag seems dead, I have the correct air pressure in it. Any suggestions?
Thanks

Concentrate on the bag and the sound. It won't take very long until you won't be able to see the bag and the sound is all you have to go by.

What I did when I first started out was to just work on one thing and one thing only. I spent several days, sometimes several weeks (especially when I was trying to learn the rear fist roll) for maybe just 45 minutes per day, just working on one thing. As you progress you can work on the next thing and what you already know.

I would watch the video but only parts at a time. If I remember correctly, it took about a month before I watched the whole thing. I would watch up to the point that I wanted to learn and then stop it and go right to the bag and work on that part. When I could comfortably do what I wanted to learn, I would start from the beginning and watch it all up to the point that I wanted to learn and stop it and go back to the bag. Every time I learned something new and I would pick up pointers from things I had already learned.

In your case, I would simply concentrate on getting the triplet rhytym down very slowly while alternating hands.

After that, work on the basic rhythym, RSP'''RCP'''LSP'''LCP and repeat.

As has been said before, don't worry about speed. As you practice, you will naturally get faster without even trying. Don't let it frustrate you, just concentrate on learning one thing at a time. Don't expect to go full speed right away. You have to crawl, then walk, then run.

Is there any way you can upload a video?

[Herr Otto]

Upload a video

At this point I am not sure if or how to upload a video. My son tells me my wife's camera can do so but neither one of us know how. I will look into this and keep you posted. Thanks for the feedback.

[Speedbag]

Newbie questions

I have had a speedbag for years but never really learned how to use it correctly. I purchased the Speedbag VHS tape , and it is great, but unless you have a VCR next to your speedbag it is difficult to use.....

...and that is exactly why the book was written. You can take the book under the board with you. (Actually, the speed bag bible book was published over a year before the video's were shot..) Having taught many people, and demonstrated techniques and combinations countless times, people could not remember a "simple" four or five technique combination 10 minutes after it was shown to them. Often there is just too many parts. The book and written exercises helps you remember. Imagine watching Gene Krupa play a 30 second drum solo, then go to a set of drums and remember what he did - and then do it. It is much easier with Drum Music.

... My questions are, should I be concentrating and focusing on the bag or my hands?

Chris said to concentrate on the bag and the sound. That is correct when you are at the bag. I suggest you practice away from the bag, (while watching the video...) make the movements with your hands. If you concentrate on practicing the movements of the hands without the bag, then it will be easier when you get to it and you should not have to worry about your arm / hand motions.

Just dropping the weight of you hands onto the bag will give you 3 or more rebounds. As a beginner, hit very lightly, letting just the momentum of a light, small swing move the bag. Punching with force will make it run away from you.

Don't worry about 3 rebounds when punching from the same side. Use 5 rebounds if necessary. You may also find the FOUR STEP PROGRESSION helpful.

...I believe I made a solid platform from a 1 5/8"soild core exterior door, mounted with unistrut to a concrete foundation wall and to the bottom of 2"x16" floor joist. I am using a new Everlast #4214 bag. The platform does not move at all but the bag seems dead, I have the correct air pressure in it. Any suggestions? Thanks

Several suggestions: Try another bag. The Everlast 4214 is a narrow 7x10 bag. I have had several and never liked the "dead" rebound. ( I had the Red model and the Brown models...) I also have: The pro-model and it is a much better bag.

Try several different bags on the board to see if it is the board or the bag. If Every bag you try seems "dead", then it is your board. If the other bags jump off the board, then that bag is dead. Or you might try slighlty overfilling it to make it a bit harder and faster. But if you are a beginner, That can be a shock to your hands, and cause control problems.

Good luck and hope this helps.

[Herr Otto]

Thank You

Thanks for all the great tips