Does Lifting Weights effect handspeed?

[Machine Gunz]

When i first started boxing 7 months ago, i had pretty good handspeed for a HW., i started lifting weights (moderately heavy) about 4 months ago, and have noticed now that i have gained some extra muscle i have slowed down a bit with my handspeed, is that because my body needs to get used to the extra muscle first, then my handspeed will slowly come back to how it was as my body slowly adapts to my new weight/muscle?

[them_apples]

its fine, you will only be slow when your muscles are swelled.

Unless you body build its not an issue, I usually find that once I stop lifting weights for about 4-5 days I feel fine.

massive bulk will slow you down, but lifting weights is something almost all modern boxers do nowadays, as long as its done properly.

Roy Jones Jr lifted weights, he was one of the quickest boxers to have graced the ring.

[Machine Gunz]

Roy Jones Jr lifted weights, he was one of the quickest boxers to have graced the ring.

Lean muscle would have to eventually improve your handspeed, faster muscle twitches in the arms?

p.s just say i had an amateur fight coming up in 2 months, would it be best to stop lifting weights around 2-3 weeks before the bout?

[Flab]

I also have extremely good hand speed for a Heavyweight. My left isn't as fast as my right, but it has more power. So I thought it would be good just to lift weights with my left.

I don't know if it made me more powerful, but it did give my left more pop.

[fraidycat]

Lifting weights will not slow your handspeed.

More or less.

If you are not stretching before and after you lift, you may lose some flexibility, which will affect your handspeed.

If you are only lifting in one direction -- doing, say, bench press but not hanging rows -- you will develop strength in only the concentric or eccentric direction. To throw a proper punch in boxing, you need both; you must be able to return the punch as fast as you throw it out. Balance your lifts.

The common mistake that many boxers make when lifting weights is not having a strength coach who understands kinetics and the sport of boxing. Big muscle is not necessary to hit hard; a good punch is like a good golf swing -- it takes every muscle in your body, working in perfect coordination. Boxing is more a sport of control and coordination than of raw power; boxing is closer to ballet than it is to football.

Muscle hypertrophy -- getting fratboy / musclehead big -- will slow you down in the ring after a time; it takes more oxygen to feed more muscle, so there is definitely a point of diminishing returns. Realistically, though, if you are continuing boxing training while you lift, there is very little chance that you will gain the kind of muscle that would make this an issue. Boxing training, if you're doing it well, is catabolic.

In my experience, the best lifts you can do to augment your boxing training are squats, deadlifts, and -- if you learn to do them properly -- full cleans. These lifts train your entire body to work in concert. A properly-performed squat works 75% of the muscles in your body, from the arches of your feet to your neck. A full clean, performed with strict form, uses close to 90%. Olympic lifts build balance, grace, stability, and explosive power. Get a good gym trainer, learn these lifts, and lay off the dumbbell curls, the leg sled, and the bench. You don't need them.

[Equilibrium]

I'm a heavyweight too, i lift once a week, not counting the push ups/sit ups/pull ups i do everyday. I only lift to gain strenght, not muscle or mass. I used to lift twice a week but i didn't like being sore and having to train the day after, so i started to lift on fridays since i practically never train on saturdays.

As far as losing speed goes never happened to me. I guess gaining a lot of mass would do it though.

What i would suggest to do is shadow box with really small weights in your hands, like 2-3 pounds. Helps hand speed a lot.

[Flawless]

Depends what kind of weight training you are doing. If you just doing one massive rep possible at one time that call developing muscular strength hence you gain more mass and you slow down due to mass on your body. If you training is mainly focused on muscular power which means as much reps as possible at high intensity you develop Muscular power which results in faster hands. If a skinny guy puts on muscle mass he more likely get faster due more muscular power. A fat should lose fat first then weight train.

My 2 cents worth

[JayCoe]

It depends what weight, how often and what exercises. I think you're better all doing what you consider a "low-medium" weight, lifting these and then slowly increasing it over a long period of time rather than say going up 10kgs each time you start to get stronger, maybe increase it like 2kg. It'll take alot longer to build big muscles but atleast you'll build most of them up and you decrease the chance of becoming a lumbering giant.

[Stormin' Norman]

Lifting weights will not slow your handspeed.

More or less.

If you are not stretching before and after you lift, you may lose some flexibility, which will affect your handspeed.

If you are only lifting in one direction -- doing, say, bench press but not hanging rows -- you will develop strength in only the concentric or eccentric direction. To throw a proper punch in boxing, you need both; you must be able to return the punch as fast as you throw it out. Balance your lifts.

The common mistake that many boxers make when lifting weights is not having a strength coach who understands kinetics and the sport of boxing. Big muscle is not necessary to hit hard; a good punch is like a good golf swing -- it takes every muscle in your body, working in perfect coordination. Boxing is more a sport of control and coordination than of raw power; boxing is closer to ballet than it is to football.

Muscle hypertrophy -- getting fratboy / musclehead big -- will slow you down in the ring after a time; it takes more oxygen to feed more muscle, so there is definitely a point of diminishing returns. Realistically, though, if you are continuing boxing training while you lift, there is very little chance that you will gain the kind of muscle that would make this an issue. Boxing training, if you're doing it well, is catabolic.

In my experience, the best lifts you can do to augment your boxing training are squats, deadlifts, and -- if you learn to do them properly -- full cleans. These lifts train your entire body to work in concert. A properly-performed squat works 75% of the muscles in your body, from the arches of your feet to your neck. A full clean, performed with strict form, uses close to 90%. Olympic lifts build balance, grace, stability, and explosive power. Get a good gym trainer, learn these lifts, and lay off the dumbbell curls, the leg sled, and the bench. You don't need them.

this is excellent advice from this man right here....

olympic lifting, combined with plyometic clap pushups, THEN jumping back on the bag and punching, is what I do.

and, I see alot of heavyweights in here... im not bragging but for a 275lb man, I can throw 4 punches in 1 second almost...3 of them being power shots... think im bull****ting look at my bag video. alot of guys steal **** from watching pros, and I do the same, but that is one combo I invented. i also think my jab is of professional caliber, but the only reason it's strong like it is is because when I had that hand surgery on my right hand, u could find me outside on my bag, with my left hand glove on only, ****ed up beyond recognition on Loritab 10s, (4 at a time to feel the effects) throwing the jab and left hook until muscular fatigue...on those pain pills you go way past your natural limits, ask j...that dude knows what the **** im talking about...its like you feel the pain but you keep going, it's wack...'

but i tell you what the next week when you are healed up and sober and hitting that bag, you'll notice a difference in speed and power in those punches you worked til muscular fatigue. just MAKE SURE you work proper technique if u do decide to get pain pilled out and practice one punch, like the jab, over and over.

every pound of unneeded weight is supposed to detract from your handspeed. but i think its all about how hard you train.

There used to be this heavyweight named Taz Titan. He had 1 bout I think. but this mother****ers handspeed was like a middleweight's . and he wasn't thin, he was sorta flabby. It's all about how much training you put in, and how much you work the technique right....

more punches you throw, on a daily basis, the better off youll be when it comes time for you and your sparring mate hear your coach say those words, 'BOX'

[PunchDrunk]

It depends what weight, how often and what exercises. I think you're better all doing what you consider a "low-medium" weight, lifting these and then slowly increasing it over a long period of time rather than say going up 10kgs each time you start to get stronger, maybe increase it like 2kg. It'll take alot longer to build big muscles but atleast you'll build most of them up and you decrease the chance of becoming a lumbering giant.

Do you know of anyone in the history of man, who became a 'lumbering giant' unintentionally? It takes dedication ánd singlemindedness to reach that goal, and, for most mere mortals, illegal drugs.