- Speed Bag Sounds
- The Triplet Rhythm
- The Double Punch Rhythm
- The Double Bounce Rhythms
- Fist Rolling
- The Rules of Rhythm
Speed Bag Sounds
Hitting the Speed bag creates a unique cadence of accented and unaccented beats as the bag is struck and rebounds against the board. This sound can be an integral part of the training experience and tells you what is happening. The accented or loudest sounds come directly after a fist or elbow strike the bag. The harder you hit the bag, the louder these accented sounds will be. The unaccented, or softer beats, are created by the bag swinging freely back and forth in-between each strike. The longer the bag swings without being hit, the lower these sounds will be. The bevy of sounds created by repetitively hitting the bag can be categorized into several distinctive speed bag rhythms
The Triplet Rhythm
This is the most common rhythm, created by repetitively hitting the bag after three rebounds. You will see and hear this during most boxing demonstrations or pre-fight interviews, and it is probably the easiest for most people to learn. There are three distinct sounds in this pattern The first is the loudest when the bag smacks the board quickly after being hit. The bag then freely swings to the other side of the board for the next rebound, and then swings back again for the third rebound, which is the softest. This puts the bag in the correct position to be hit again, and the pattern can be repeated. The word “triplet” reflects the three rebounds. You can count this rhythm as “1-2-3, 1-2-3”. When done rapidly it is a very pleasing and distinctive sound. Most people immediately associated this as a speed bag. In fact, this is often called the “Basic Rhythm”. The most important feature of the triplet rhythm is understanding that all the punches on the bag come from the same side, such as punching only from the front or only from the back The Triplet Rhythm or three rebounds, occurs between all techniques that strike the bag from the same side.
DOUBLE PUNCH
Double Punch Rhythm.
This rhythm is created by repetitively hitting the bag with two fists from the same side. You can use several Front Double Punches (FDP) or several Reverse Double Punches (RDP). They make the same sound. There are several distinct sounds in this pattern. The first is the lead fist and second fist hitting the bag. The second fist of a Double Punch is usually a little louder. Then the bag freely swings to the other side of the board for the next rebound, and then swings back again for the third rebound, which is the softest. This puts the bag in the correct position to be hit again, and the pattern can be repeated. Since both fist contacts have only one rebound in-between, it is best to count each as “one”. You can count this rhythm as “1-1-2-3, 1-1-2-3″
Double Bounce Rhythms
There is no requirement to always hit the bag from the same side. You may want to hit the bag from the front, and then from the back. To do this will create a totally different sound, and a unique rhythmic pattern called the double bounce rhythm. This name indicates that there are only two rebounds between the bag strikes. There are a couple of distinct variations on this sound depending on how many fists are involved.
1. Single Fist Pass through. A single accented pattern created as one fist hits the bag from the front and the back repetitively. This is a quick sounding rhythm, with the first “punched” beat being the loudest (accented), and then one swinging, or unaccented rebound. The bag is then hit from the other side, so every other beat is accented. An example would be a Front Circle Punch and then a Reverse Single Punch. This is distinctively different than the triplet rhythm, and sounds much faster, because there are only two rebounds between the fist techniques instead of three. You can count this rhythm as; “1-2, 1-2″.
Picture of Single Fist Pass Through the bag. Front Circle Punch (FCP) to the Reverse Single Punch (RSP) on two rebounds inbetween.
2. Double Fist Pass Through. This is similar to the Single fist except both fists hit the bag repetitively from opposite sides, and there is a distinctive double accented sound. You can also count this rhythm as; “1-1-2, 1-1-2″. An example would be a Front Double Punch and then a Reverse Double Punch. This rhythm sounds even faster than the single fist pass through, because are more accented beats. Note the position of the elbows. The secret is simply extending your fists out and back.
Fist Rolling
Fist Rolling This is the fastest sounding rhythm because every rebound is directly off the fist. There are no free swinging rebounds, and all the sounds are accented. This is creating by quickly hitting the bag in succession by either a Front or Reverse Fist Rolling technique. This sounds like a machine gun, and you can count it as: 1-1-1-1
Fist Rolling can be performed from the Front area of the bag, or the back area, or “behind the bag, called “Reverse Fist Rolling
Fist Rolling is “normally” done rotating your fists around each other in a “downward” direction, meaning the fist connects the bag and drops down under the other fist, and this is the easiest method. However It can also be performed rolling the firsts in “upward” direction, and advance users can alternate and change of their fists during the Fist Roll, so the sound remains the same but the visual display of the fist movement suddenly changes direction. It’s a great visual affect and reflects great control on the part of the user, but I would suggest beginners focus on the easiest method of rolling the fists in a downward motion. These distinctive rhythms of the triplet, double bounce and fist rolling can be used individually, but normally are connected to each other in a non-stop array of accented and unaccented sounds. It is easy to hear the stutter in the sound of the double bounce rhythm in comparison to the triplet rhythm, but the sounds can quickly run together until the untrained ear is lost to what is happening. This is very similar to a drum solo, where the constant connections of sounds hide the individual sticking rudiments that created them.
THE RULES OF RHYTHM
Most people do not hit the bag only once, but at least two or more times,
( hundreds of punches in a normal workout). The secret to the various rhythms can be broken down to three simple rules based on the direction of the “next strike”. ( the “next” contact on the bag might be and elbow strike, not a fist punch.”
Rule 1: If the next strike comes from the SAME side as the last one did, it must occur on an ODD number of rebounds. ( 1, 3, 5, etc. ) This explains the triplet rhythm, since three is an odd number. It also explains the Fist Rolling, which occurs after one rebound.
Rule 2: If the next strike comes for the OTHER side, then if must occur on an even number of rebounds. ( 2, 4, 6, etc.) This explains the double bounce rhythm. This rule covers hitting front-to-back and side-to-side.
Rule 3: If the next strike comes from DIFFERENT side than the last one did, it may occur on either and odd or even number of rebounds. We do not always hit front to back or side to side, but may hit with a front punch and then a side punch. Or a reverse punch ( from behind) and then a side punch. And many of the techniques have two fists or an elbow connecting the technique. It all happens very quickly. Rule 3 also covers some of the variations created by the angles of fist entry and bag rebound
It is suggested you next go to the page: Speed and Timing