2 part question: shadow boxing ? And portable heavy bag question

[MadelineGrace]

Hi! I’m now getting close to 6 months of training Muay Thai

i go consistently 3x a week and don’t miss class! 

I find myself wondering.... what should I do for shadow boxing - I typically just start throwing jabs and crosses ( Typical I guess) then I think - do a hook or upper cut. Then the more of the same same but I’ll throw in an elbow, a teep, a knee etc. 

I just do all that over and over til the trainor yells ‘ time’. I don’t feel I’m getting all out of it that I should.

are there any ... guidelines to how to choose what strikes to throw for shadow boxing?  I feel like I’m just winging it! Does everyone just wing it?? 

for that reason I don’t ‘ love’ shadow boxing But I can see that it’s important so I need to embrace it and get better!! 

——-

i bought a free standing heavy bag. (I have no place to hang a heavy bag in my home) ( also I saw many of them in master K’s basement that Sylvie used to train on in her early years... if it worked for her I’ll certainly try it too) 

 

I am opting to put TINY GRAVEL or pebbles  in it rather than sand or water.

Water I can’t risk using Bc of potential to *leak* in my home.  And sand I heard can get like ‘ cement’ if moisture gets in it???

My question is - Anyone have thoughts on filling  with gravel?? Good idea or am I complicating things and should just use sand.

 ( on the off chance someone here used tiny gravel or pebbles to fill it, where did you get it ? a landscaping place? Im in the USA ) thx 

 

 

 

[Jeremy Stewart]

There's no set thing to shadow. You have to imagine an opponent. Attack and defend. I'd just go with the flow and try things that you'd like to do in sparring.  Nail those things in shadow and they should transition to sparring. Are there mirrors at your gym?

[Oliver]

Am curious about that free standing heavy bag idea too - be interested if ppl have good experiences with them. In terms of the money bracket, it's either that, or those smaller tear drop bags that weigh like 40kilos that could work in my back yard. Not sure which way to go.

[Tyler Byers]

4 hours ago, Oliver said:

Am curious about that free standing heavy bag idea too - be interested if ppl have good experiences with them. In terms of the money bracket, it's either that, or those smaller tear drop bags that weigh like 40kilos that could work in my back yard. Not sure which way to go.

I much prefer the tear drop bags. I don't like how static the free standing bags are and they are really hard to work uppercuts or elbows on. That's just my opinion though

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

On 8/6/2019 at 2:26 AM, MadelineGrace said:

Hi! I’m now getting close to 6 months of training Muay Thai

i go consistently 3x a week and don’t miss class! 

I find myself wondering.... what should I do for shadow boxing - I typically just start throwing jabs and crosses ( Typical I guess) then I think - do a hook or upper cut. Then the more of the same same but I’ll throw in an elbow, a teep, a knee etc. 

I just do all that over and over til the trainor yells ‘ time’. I don’t feel I’m getting all out of it that I should.

are there any ... guidelines to how to choose what strikes to throw for shadow boxing?  I feel like I’m just winging it! Does everyone just wing it?? 

for that reason I don’t ‘ love’ shadow boxing But I can see that it’s important so I need to embrace it and get better!! 

——-

i bought a free standing heavy bag. (I have no place to hang a heavy bag in my home) ( also I saw many of them in master K’s basement that Sylvie used to train on in her early years... if it worked for her I’ll certainly try it too) 

 

I am opting to put TINY GRAVEL or pebbles  in it rather than sand or water.

Water I can’t risk using Bc of potential to *leak* in my home.  And sand I heard can get like ‘ cement’ if moisture gets in it???

My question is - Anyone have thoughts on filling  with gravel?? Good idea or am I complicating things and should just use sand.

 ( on the off chance someone here used tiny gravel or pebbles to fill it, where did you get it ? a landscaping place? Im in the USA ) thx 

 

 

 

Gravel is good. My first trainer, Master K, used gardening gravel in his heavy bags and that worked great.

As for shadow, it's awkward and limited and weird for a long time and then it just suddenly isn't anymore. It's like learning a language. At first you can only ask for the bathroom and say you are enjoying your food, over and over again. But gradually you start thinking, understanding, asking questions, etc. Just give it time. If you want to watch some fights and steal a few moves that you can throw in, that's going to be interesting, but it won't be "better" for you than just moving and letting the weapons come out of your own rhythm and flow. Better than coming up with "moves" or "combinations" for variety, is to get better at picturing an opponent and throwing weapons in response to whatever you're visualizing there. That's a much more useful skill.

[MadelineGrace]

Thank you! I’m definitely going to get gravel then!

And that is very helpful and reassuring about the shadow boxing. I’ll just keep at it!!!!

[Tyler Byers]

On 8/11/2019 at 3:24 PM, Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu said:

As for shadow, it's awkward and limited and weird for a long time and then it just suddenly isn't anymore.

This is 100% my experience. I couldn't even tell you when it happened. I used to have to mentally search for what to do in shadow and now it just flows out. Hahaha the gym, my kitchen, etc. It's basically like dancing, eventually you just find your rhythm and comfort zone. Just keep at it and enjoy it! It's your time to play, just keep adding stuff in that you like. I think the important thing is to find yourself in that moment and also keep a vision of an opponent in front of you. Focus on yourself (stuff you like) first though, then start mixing in defense and movement as well.

[MadelineGrace]

Glad to hear it’s not uncommon  

( I sometime practice footwork in my kitchen )