Powell Combat Arts

One of my pet peeves is watching folks stand stationary in front of a heavy bag and slug away.  I am not sure how that is helping their boxing skills.  The way to use the heavy bag for more than just a conditioning tool is to view the heavy bag as a live opponent.  In order words, pretend that the heavy bag can hit you back and move your body accordingly.  Intersperse your punching with defensive maneuvers and footwork.  See the short clip below for an example of using this approach to heavy bag work.

No doubt you have seen video of boxers jumping rope.  The flashy and mesmerizing moves.  It is not all for show.  Jumping rope is one of the best ways to improve your footwork for fighting; whether in boxing, kick-boxing, or MMA.  It helps your rhythm, balance, coordination, and endurance.  The exercise strengthens your calf muscles.  Jumping rope is great for a warm up exercise before you engage in more strenuous work in the gym. The basics - rotate your wrists, not your arms and try to just clear the rope with your hops, and look straight ahead and not at your feet.  Now grab a rope and start skipping!

There are many "how to" books out there that demonstrate various boxing or mixed martial arts techniques.  On the other hand, there are very few books available that discuss fight strategy.  To fill that glaring void, I decided to put my thoughts on fight strategy down on paper.  The result is my new book "Winning in  Combat Sports:  Strategies & Tactics."  It is now available in print and kindle versions on Amazon. Fight Strategy Book

I was pleasantly surprised when I heard that the classic movie "The Karate Kid" was being spun-off into a series called "Cobra Kai."  I started studying Karate at the age of 10 and was a real-life karate kid.  I was very skinny and an easy target for bullies.  Sensei "Pop" Winn was my Mr. Miyagi.  The skills and confidence I gained from studying karate have stayed with me all of these years.  When I found out that "Cobra Kai" was filming near me, I could not resist the opportunity to get involved in the production.  I have been involved in the Film and TV business for quite a while, but I usually work behind the scenes.  I moved from my usual place behind the camera to being what they call in the biz a "special skills" extra in "Cobra Kai." Looking forward to seeing the new show next year!

There is a big difference between strength and power.  Strength is exemplified by a boxer who can knock you out with a single punch; assuming he can land it.  Power is when a boxer can close the distance quickly with footwork, beat you to the punch, and knock you out with that punch.  In other words, power is a combination of strength and speed.  Power can emanate from the legs, upper body, and both.  When I think of power, I think of explosiveness.  A boxer or martial artist with explosiveness is very tough to contend with.  So how to you develop explosiveness?  The secret is plyometrics.  Upper body plyometrics usually involve throwing or slamming a medicine ball.  Even old school clapping push-ups can be done.  Lower body plyometrics include exercises like the box jump or any vertical or horizontal jumps.  Kettlebell swings is a great all-around plyometric exercise.  Click below for examples of some of my favorite plyometric routines. Upper Body Plyometrics Lower Body Plyometric