Knockout Power With Hand Targets
When it comes to improving your speed I think hand targets are a great training tool. They are light weight and easy to transport because of their size. I like the double clapper version because they give you audible feedback and let you know if your striking with power. In these drills I will explain a one target drill and the others will require two hand targets.
The initial drill I prefer involves using one hand target and picking one technique. What you need to do is have one person hold the target and the other person will be the striker. In this drill you will work the fast twitch muscles by seeing how many times you can hit the target in half a minute. Do the left side, then the right, after which switch holders. I suggest you do at least 3 rounds each and build up to 1 minute rounds with 3 sets each.
Your next drill entails two hand targets held together. By holding the targets as one you create more resistance for the striker. In this drill we work the slow twitch muscles by doing the same technique 20-50 times back to back, one after the other. On this drill we’re focusing on power without any break. Once again, do the left, then the right, and then switch partners.
With this next drill we are going to use two hand targets, one in each hand. The striker will choose one technique to perform twice or a combination with two techniques. As an example, lets say your doing the roundhouse kick, you can do left, right, and then backup and repeat. Every time you complete the combination, that’s one count and I recommend you do 10 each side and then switch holders.
These drills are pretty straight forward theoretically but you will certainly get a great workout once you perform all three of them in a single session. The more focus you’ve got and vigor you put in to each technique, the more improvements you will see. Begin slow and build up to higher speeds and more power. Good luck with the drills and remember to train hard!
