Speed - The Mental Factor

[Kung Fu Wang]

The movements are fast, yes — but they don’t adapt through listening.

If you play defense/counter, speed will have a different definition. I just worked on this with my student today.

- I have left side forward. My opponent has right side forward (mirror stance).
- I throw a left jab, my opponent uses right comb hair.
- I throw a right cross, my opponent uses left inside out block and then wrap my right punching arm.
- My opponent moves back by left stealing step, pushes his right hand on my neck, uses his right leg to spring my left leading leg.

In this case, my opponent's speed is to blend in with my speed. If he is slower than my speed, or faster than my speed, both won't work.

 

[Fungus]

Perceptual – how fast it feels to the observer

Perceptual speed. If they can’t see it coming, it’s too late.

This is good key point from tactical perspective. You can use both non-telegraphing and deception (or feints) to reduce perception, and this I think one can train regardless of age age fitness. This is something I try to compensate with as well.

The problem I see, is that non-telegraphing often implies that you need to minimize charging with hips, tors etc, ie power generation and rely on more snappy stuff. OR use deception, to disguise the charging as something else. The latter is likely what would work better for me, as slower than average, but it requires finding the clever setups and train them; which is more mental effort than physical.

 

[Badhabits]

The perceptual speed and how it appears to the observer is very interesting to me. Timing plays a large part. Our instructor is an older guy with tons of points sparring/tournament experience. Where you're the one sparring him, he's able to pretty much hit you at will, he appears to be moving super fast. Then you watch him spar someone else..... He doesn't seem so fast, it leaves you thinking how the heck was he able to hit me at will like that. His timing is just that good. You start to throw something at him, he knows what's coming- he's already moved and hit you before your punch or whatever is halfway out. The guys in his early seventies and won't even be in second gear sparring the likes of us lol.

 

[drop bear]

The perceptual speed and how it appears to the observer is very interesting to me. Timing plays a large part. Our instructor is an older guy with tons of points sparring/tournament experience. Where you're the one sparring him, he's able to pretty much hit you at will, he appears to be moving super fast. Then you watch him spar someone else..... He doesn't seem so fast, it leaves you thinking how the heck was he able to hit me at will like that. His timing is just that good. You start to throw something at him, he knows what's coming- he's already moved and hit you before your punch or whatever is halfway out. The guys in his early seventies and won't even be in second gear sparring the likes of us lol.

Yeah. That is what I try to work on.

And training good timing is, in part, a mental component of speed because you are making the decision to act in that fluid moment. And then act again.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Yeah. That is what I try to work on.

And training good timing is, in part, a mental component of speed because you are making the decision to act in that fluid moment. And then act again.

Exactly, speed is essentially having good timing/rhythm, and the coordination to execute instantly on or between beats. Somebody that excels at this always seems to be faster than they actually are. That’s why controlling the rhythm can offer advantage.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

speed is essentially having good timing/rhythm,

If you have done this partner drill over 10,000 times, when your opponent throws a full speed punch at you, can you wrap his arm and then take him down? IMO, you should be able to. This is what MA training is for.

The question is whether an average person is willing to devote that 10,000 partner training time.

 

[HighKick]

Yeah. That is what I try to work on.

And training good timing is, in part, a mental component of speed because you are making the decision to act in that fluid moment. And then act again.

This is a Huge part of twitch drills that seem to be overlooked.

 

[Fungus]

Our instructor is an older guy with tons of points sparring/tournament experience. Where you're the one sparring him, he's able to pretty much hit you at will, he appears to be moving super fast. Then you watch him spar someone else..... He doesn't seem so fast, it leaves you thinking how the heck was he able to hit me at will like that. His timing is just that good. You start to throw something at him, he knows what's coming- he's already moved and hit you before your punch or whatever is halfway out. The guys in his early seventies and won't even be in second gear sparring the likes of us lol.

This is ultimate mastery! To make the diffucult look easy, and to pull of what is hard with minimal effort.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

If you have done this partner drill over 10,000 times, when your opponent throws a full speed punch at you, can you wrap his arm and then take him down? IMO, you should be able to. This is what MA training is for.

The question is whether an average person is willing to devote that 10,000 partner training time.

I don’t know how many thousands of reps I have on my drills. The answer to your question IMO is no, an average person will not devote the time it takes. I tell people 10 years, but that’s so subjective that it’s really just a guess at averages. I’m nearly 3 decades in and still have lots to learn and I could be better at everything than I currently am. I don’t really think about it too much, I just get on my hamster wheel and grind.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Yeah. That is what I try to work on.

And training good timing is, in part, a mental component of speed because you are making the decision to act in that fluid moment. And then act again.

The last part you said is huge, but easily overlooked, lots of people will stop or pause instead of immediately act again. That part is also a key component.

 

[windwalker099]

The "1, 2, 3" — also known as Aou, Lau, Chio (拗、摟、撨手) a foundational combo in Northern Mantis. Represents a three-part flow: Intercept, Control, Disrupt.

Though it's three moves, trained as one beat — a single burst of action. Fast, logical, seamless.

I remember training with the group, working this combo against a punch.
Because of my Taiji background, my instinct at first contact was to yield slightly — to go with the flow.

The result? My partner lost his balance.

Mr. Lai came over and said, “That’s not how you do it,” and asked me to punch again.

His touch was very light —precise. He didn’t resist, he followed my motion slightly in a way that was stable, connected, and hard to shake. Something not very obvious in his demos. Not something I think one would get, most focusing on the distinctive mantis hooking hand it self..

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I don’t know how many thousands of reps I have on my drills. The answer to your question IMO is no, an average person will not devote the time it takes.

Let's take a simple punching combo that we can all understand. If someone can spend training time to drill this jab-cross-hook-uppercut combo 10,000 times, what fighting ability will that person have?

If you can do

- 4 punches within 1 second, you have good speed.
- 5 punches within 1 second, you have excellent speed.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The "1, 2, 3" — also known as Aou, Lau, Chio (拗、摟、撨手)

I stole this 8 moves combo from Brendan one day when he taught his students in the park. Even today, it's still one of my favor training drills. It makes me to feel young every time I do it.

It contains:

- clockwise switch hands.
- counter-clockwise switch hands.
- linear switch hands.

It's a good 3 dimensional hand striking combo.

This video has 5 combo moves which is similar to the previous video except the punches are linear.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Let's take a simple punching combo that we can all understand. If someone can spend training time to drill this jab-cross-hook-uppercut combo 10,000 times, what fighting ability will that person have?

If you can do

- 4 punches within 1 second, you have good speed.
- 5 punches within 1 second, you have excellent speed.

I don’t worry about teaching speed in particular, I’m far more concerned with full body balance, posture, and coordination. If they have those connections, increased speed will be a by product of efficient, connected movement. Without those foundational skills, building speed is unlikely to be productive in a meaningful way. I’m speaking from personal experience.