Handspeed is not dependant on genetics, undeveloped muscles, or an unknown punching secret.
The most important is the mindset, to punch faster is to focus on awareness. The eyes need to be trained to quickly recognize a target and passing the signal to your body, instructing it to throw the punch. The quickness of mind is vital. The person who recognizes the opportunity is going to strike first and get a headstart.
The first step to punching faster is to release your punches earlier, which is all to do with the quickness of mind. Practice everyday on punching fast moving objects. This will train the eyes and the mind to follow quick moving targets and to strike when the openings is presented. Watch the entire target and throw combinations in different locations quickly and accurately. Always watch the target carefully even when the oppeonent is not in range, never take the eyes off the target. The first step to acquiring faster punches is to train a quicker mind.
The Right Attitude For Punching Faster Having the right attitude is critical to building faster punches. When working on a punch bag do not train to destroy the punching bag with only vicious hard punches. Faster does not mean harder. Loading up punches for more power and more damage is not going to make the punch go faster. That attitude often makes the punches more telegraphic and waste more energy.
Punching faster does not mean putting more effort and force into the punch or with the intent to hurt your opponent even more. Having the right attitude for punching faster means that focusing on only speed.
Instead of focusing on punching an opponent, imagine trying to touch the opponent without your opponent seeing it. Imagine trying to move so fast that your opponent cannot see the punch. Do not try to hurt your opponent just try to surprise your opponent. Apply this attitude while practicing your buah or juru and on the heavy bag. This change of attitude alone can speed up the punches. The aim is not to try to smash your opponent.
Relaxing The Fast Punch This principle will be true for all sport or athletic endeavors. The only way to move at the fastest speed is to be relaxe. The most relaxed muscle has the most potential for moving at maximum speed. In all sports it is the most relaxed athletes that outperform their opponents.
There is a fine line between relaxed movement and lazy movement. To be relaxed in movement means moving with flow allowing the body movement to express freely without tension and stress whereas being lazy in movement means moving without control and purpose.
To relax a punch, the fist must not be constantly tightened. Instead keep those hands relaxed and tighten them into fists only at the moment of impact. Keep the shoulders loose and not hunched. Do not flex the biceps or tighten any other part of your body before the punch.
Releasing The Fast Punch Clear the mind when throwing fast punches. Do not think of destroying your opponent. That attitude holds tension in the arms and tightens the whole body, slowing your punches and wasting energy. Carrying tension like that also wears the body out faster. Exhale sharply when releasing the arm freely into the punch and allow the body to snap into the punch freely. As soon as the punch is extended, quickly breathe again returning the fist to throw the next punch. The most common mistake is to pull the hand back a little to load up their punch before releasing it. This slows down the punch because it moves backwards before going forwards. It also means that the person is pre-occupied with punching harder and not punching faster.
Quick Breathing For Quick Punches Quick breathing equals quick movement. Explosive breathing equals explosive movement. The body's movement is timed to the breathing. Work on breathing not just faster but sharper and quicker. When shadow punching, throw really short or half-length punches to work on faster breathing and faster punches. To have the ability to punch fast, the breathe must be fast.
Throwing Fast Combinations Let the punches flow when releasing the hands and the punch will be faster. Keep the mind focused on entire combinations and not individual punches and the combinations will flow out through your arms with blinding speed. Do not come at the opponent with a step-by-step plan of how the punches will be thrown. Approach the opponent with a combination in mind and let it flow. With time and training, the mind will naturally adjust your combinations during exchanges to counter the opponent's attackes.
Self-Defence in Hadith
Sahih Muslim
by Imam Muslim, translation by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui , Volume: The Book of Faith (Kitab Al-Iman)
259. Abu Huraira reported: A person came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, what do you think if a man comes to me in order to appropriate my possession? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Don't surrender your possession to him. He (the inquirer) said: If he fights me? He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: Then fight (with him). He (the inquirer) again said: What do you think if I am killed? He (the Holy Prophet) observed: You would be a martyr. He (the inquirer) said: What do you think of him (Messenger of Allah) If I kill him. He (the Holy Prophet) said: he would be in the Fire.
260. It is narrated on the authority of Thabit, that when 'Abdullah b. 'Amr and 'Anbasa b. Abi Sufyan were about to fight against each other, Khalid b. 'As rode to 'Abdullah b. 'Amr and persuaded him (not to do so). Upon this Abdullah b. 'Amr said: Are you not aware that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had observed:" He who died in protecting his property is a martyr."
This hadith has been narrated by Muhammad b. Hatim, Muhammad b. Bakr, Ahmad b. 'Uthman Naufali, Abu 'Asim, Ibn Juraij.
Training the Muscle
Training the muscle is an advantage. The problem is the time it takes to workout every single muscle. Many of smaller muscles offer only a slight advantage. Much of the physical aspects of martial arts such as balance, power, and movement will come from the lower body. The more technical aspects of martial arts such as accuracy, defence, and landing punches will typically come from the upper body. Depending on the martial art style requirements, the most it is dependant on whether to focus on more power, speed and endurance or all of it.
The key to effective martial arts training is understanding how the muscles are used in combat and to be able to decide how to train them to best fit that purpose. Certain muscles should be given priority over the others.
Legs (Power) Legs are specifically referring to the quads and the calf muscles. All power comes from the ground because the legs are connected to the ground, the legs are most responsible for pushing off the ground to generate power throughout the body. The legs are the biggest muscles in your body, which is why all proper punches are typically thrown with the legs.
Hips (Balance & Lower Body Core) The hips hold lower body and legs together. The hips generate a huge amount of power by pivoting the whole body. Balance is another important function for the hips. The hips are very close to the body’s centre-of-gravity, stronger hips would mean better control of balance. Balance is one of the most important factors in any martial art. Balance essentially determines the effectiveness and efficiency of offense, defence, movement and overall fighting ability. The hips act as the body weight. By using the muscles in the leg to move the hips equates to pushing the entire body weight into each attack maximizing its power.
Abs (Frontal Body Core & Snap) The abdominal muscles are a very powerful set of muscles that hold the whole body together. Every limb in the body generates a certain amount of power individually but the abs allows the combination of force generated by every limb into one total force. The abs connects the force generated by all the limbs into powerful attack. The abdominal muscles also helps the breathe and protects the organs in the stomach region.
Back (Rear Body Core & Punch Recovery) The back functions as the total body core muscle by holding your body together and combining the power generated by all the limbs. The back helps a lot in striking recovery–which is the speed of how fast the limbs can pull back after a strike. By neglecting to workout the back and rear shoulder muscles, the arms will tire quicker because the limbs become very heavy.
Shoulders (Arm Endurance) The shoulders are most important for punch endurance. The shoulders generate power and snap for the punches but are most important for endurance. Typically when fighters arms become too tired to punch or hold up to defend, it is usually because the shoulders are tired. When the arms get tired, it is usually always the shoulder that is the first part of the arm to get tired.
Arms (Power Delivery, Speed & Snap) The arms are all about power delivery. It is the arm’s most important function is to connect the power to the opponent. The arm is not responsible for generating power. All the arms need to do is to connect the power generated by your body to your opponent. The arms need to just reach out and touch your opponent. It’s more important to have fast arms than powerful arms. Fast arms give speed and snap. The speed helps sneak that punch past the opponent’s guard. The snap helps that arm quickly to defend or throw another punch. More specifically the triceps are for speed of straight punches. The biceps are for the speed and snap of the circular punches. Let the lower body add power and the arms add speed.
Chest (Upper Body Core) The chest muscles are your upper body core muscles. Their most important functions are to connect the shoulders, arms, and lats into one combined force. They also generate the most punching power out of your upper body muscles.
Small Muscles The neck is for punch resistance. Many fighters strengthening their neck to reduce the chance of whiplashed. The forearm muscles are for tightening the fist harder when you punch. A tighter fist means a more solid punch. A tighter fist also means the hand is less likely to be injured due to the bones having less much room to move around and get misaligned.