Crazy Fast Baggin' by Ataraxis

[MsDeville]

When SpeedBagAtaraxis (Matthew) posted his first punch drumming video in July 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=JIyHHJqinTA (punching to a very fast-clipped Jesse Cook song), most of us were blown away by it. The ability to perfectly complement the song with his punching style is truly impressive.

Well, folks, get ready to see where Matthew has taken his punch drumming skills a year later. I have so much GREAT footage from SpeedB.A.G. III and this is no exception. I think most will agree that Matthew has a gift for speed, rhythm and technique. And this video (all 5-1/2 minutes of it) is a perfect example of his skills. (If you want to see the highlight of the video, jump to 2:56 – that's what I call his drum solo. If that segment doesn't convince you of his skills, well, I guess nothing will!

Mind-blowing.

PLEASE NOTE: If you listen to the last 20 seconds or so, you will hear just the audio from his "drum solo" on the video clip. No visual to distract you from hearing the complicated combinations that Matthew is using to make beautiful music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWMF3t0Vg1Q&feature=plcp

[paranday]

Convinced, sister!

[Speedbag]

he seems to really like that title 5x7 atomic bag and i can see why, it is the fastest bag outta the bags i own. sick baggin btw...ralph

Yep, that is a fast bag and to me the amazing thing was doing that on a plastic ballhook. Not an easy swivel to control, but no problem for a bag buster like Matt. His Punch drumming speed and "on beat" groove is second to none. You cannot truly appreciate the speed and power of that punching until you experience it LIVE in Person. Video simply does not do it justice.

[Zaza]

You think that's fast....checkout this little 'warm-up' from my shoot down at his place!

[paranday]

You think that's fast....checkout this little 'warm-up' from my shoot down at his place!

Zaz, either you're getting pretty good with the CGI or that guy has some amazingly fast moves.

(You're looking damn good Matt.)

[Tim]

Very happy to say I was able to witness this first hand myself in July. definitely some amazing punch drumming.


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[speedbag4life]

Very happy to say I was able to witness this first hand myself in July. definitely some amazing punch drumming.


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Wow. Very sad to say I WASN'T able to witness this first hand myself in July! Watching this is better than coffee in the morning.

[PunchDrummer]

Outstanding Matthew! I still can't "see" what you're doing in the first few seconds (even in slo-mo) - except maybe some high-speed "over/under elbow phantoms" (which I recognize from Ebozyn and still can't get right). Looks great and sounds amazing!

I've got to study what you did and write it down. Have you developed notation for that yet Alan? (I personally do better with pictures/visual.)

Great finish also! Love that Title Pro Black. Light as a feather - but then again, it's half plastic (patent leather - which is so much more expensive than the regular kind lol. Title did do a nice job on this bag though).

Thank you for the performance and thanks Z. for posting it.

Not to detract from the props., but I miss being mesmerized by Ebozyn too. Both of you are very technical, well-timed, and creative.

Happy Thanksgiving!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC6LQum2WpQ&feature=player_embedded

[Dutchman]

Everytime I watch your latest vid my jaw just drops. You're pushing the art to a whole new level.

[Zaza]

You got it right... they are over/under phantom elbows!

[paranday]

You got it right... they are over/under phantom elbows!

Matthew's day job is as a pretzel baker.

[Speedbag]

[QUOTE=PunchDrummer;36496]Outstanding Matthew! I still can't "see" what you're doing in the first few seconds (even in slo-mo) - except maybe some high-speed "over/under elbow phantoms" (which I recognize from Ebozyn and still can't get right). Looks great and sounds amazing!

I've got to study what you did and write it down. Have you developed notation for that yet Alan? (I personally do better with pictures/visual.)
....

Watching this clip of Matt and many other clips of amazing speed bag skills of Skunk, Tim, Justin, TommyT, Ebozyn and others only highlights the need to have a reliable and reproduceable way to write down speed bag combinations. PunchDrummer, Now you know how I felt many years ago, say mid 1980's, watching videotape of me, pale by comparision to these guys, and wondering how to sort all those fist, elbow and bag movements into some sort of systematic method to (1) learn the basic movements and (2) write down what you did in a reproduceable fashion to either remember it yourself, or give it to others.

There are several combinations and punching skills displayed by a bunch of baggers that I personally did not do, or some even think of, until I saw them done proficiently by others - and some of these add new wrinkles to my system of notation, but do not change the core of it. For instance, I always talked about the "Outward-Triple Elbow Strike" (O-TES) as being done in one method, Leading Elbow - Fist of same arm - fist of other arm, or three parts in an "E-F-F" contact order. It was not until I really watched Dee Pooler, Ebo and Skunk do this technique leading with a (1) "shadow" Front Straight Punch, (2) Outward Elbow of other arm (3) Fist of Same arm, or three parts landing in a
"Fist-Elbow-Fist" f-e-f, that I now see there are several variations of performing the Outward Triple Elbow Strike. Actually, the lead fist (shadow FSP) can also hit over the elbow, not under, and it would still be an Outward Triple ES because the movement and contact of the elbow doesn't change, just the position of the fist on the other arm, as well as the order in which the elbow hits. I've written a couple of samples of these below, using the Under the elbow shadow FSP: both of the samples below indicate the very same combination, just written a bit differently depending (for me) on how I want to indicate the shadow punch. For me, it is easier to isolate the shadow contact as it's own and use the standard E-F / F notation, but it just depends on how well you can see combinations as "individual techniques" and write them yourself.

Of course, it helps to understand the core system of techniques, abbreviations and writing combinations described in The Speed Bag Bible. I haven't seen one yet that can makes more sense out of what many do on the speed bag.

By adding a few extra notions in my core system of technique abbreviations and combinations it is possible to write down what he does in this video. And the more advanced the combinations the more ways you can write it down. It just depends on how well you understand the system. The more complex combinations using Side-Double Punch (SDP) and Side-Triple Elbow Strike (S-TES), as well as shadow Front Straight Punches

So, to anwer your original question: "...Have you developed notation for that yet Alan?"

Yes, I ( and YOU) can write down pretty much any combination on the speed bag using the system explained in the SBB Book and a few added notations for more of these even more advanced variations of fists and elbows.
Even though I can write 'em, doesn't mean I can do 'em nearly as fast as these guys....(sad face)

[spinsmashpop]

Awesome awesome awesome! Such a nice thing to watch and listen to!!!
BAG ON!

[G-Town]

Smooth

Ateraxis - That's how its done. Nice work my bag brother.

[deano]

great routine Mat, smooth fast and plenty of combos