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EVERY GYM SHOULD HAVE THE STRIKER The Striker will be the only training device the fighter and coach has which will not only measure but will also develop the reach, speed, acceleration, leverage and weight (mass) of a fighter's punches The force of a fighter's punch is what knocks another fighter out. The formula for force is mass x acceleration. MASS = Fighters weight. To maximize weight, a fighter trains to syncronize hips, shoulders, and arm movement to improve leverage and maximize weight (mass) transferred from his body through his fist. The Striker measures and improves the amount and efficiency of the transfer of mass (leverage). ACCELERATION = Rate of increase in speed. The Striker measures and improves acceleration. FORCE = Mass x acceleration. The Striker measures and improves force. The Striker also improves a specific kind of conditioning specific to fighting, anaerobic power. ANAEROBIC POWER = Ability to apply maximum force over a short time period (3-5 minutes). The Striker measures and improves anaerobic power. THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEED AND ACCELERATION CURVES A fighter whose punch has an acceleration curve which is exponential, i.e., it reaches its top speed in a dramatically steep gradient very quickly, is the ideal characteristic of a short punch which will knock you out. Punch acceleration is especially critical for a fighter who is short for his weight and has to get inside, especially if he's fighting a taller fighter who has trained to achieve his maximum acceleration gradient at the end of his punches. You can often tell by watching the fighter shadowbox. Most trainers and fighters are under the misconception that it's only important to snap (accelerate) your punches at the end of the punch. Force is what knocks you out, and force is mass x acceleration. The quicker you develop it, the better. Mass is the fighter's weight. Acceleration is the rate of increase of the speed of the fighter's punch. The ideal acceleration would show a very steep curve when measured, indicating that he approaches his maximum punch speed with a very short punch. A fighter with great speed and an exponential acceleration curve can knock you out with a very short punch, as opposed to hitting an opponent by achieving maximum acceleration at the end of his punch with an almost fully extended arm (in the case of a straight punch). The fighter who takes the full stroke to reach maximum speed with gradual acceleration will only hit his hardest at the end of his punch. The fighter with maximum acceleration in a short punch has a big advantage when he has his opponent up against the cage or ropes. He is a very dangerous fighter inside. He has maximum power inside with very short punches. This is especially true in the case of a heavyweight, since mass is half of the equation for force. Force is mass x acceleration. Mass is an advantage. It is half of the equation for force. That's why you have weight classes MEASURING SPEED AND ACCELERATION Developing reach and maximizing the syncronized application of all of the components of force requires resistance which will be provided by the Striker. Measuring speed and acceleration, two critical components of force, does not require resistance. It can be easily measured by a coach in the gym using reflective wristbands worn by the fighter and a specially programmed optical sensing camera while filming shadowboxing or sparring. Measuring speed and acceleration of a fighter's punch is as important to trainers and fighters in MMA and boxing as a stop watch is to a track coach. How hard an fighter can strike is critical. I've always told boxers, "If you can't hit, play tennis." I tell trainers that if you have no way of measuring and improving a fighter's speed and power, your system is sorely lacking. The best way to measure a fighter's speed and the length and shape of his acceleration curve is with an optical sensing system (patented). This method will measure specific speed, acceleration, and punch rates for each fighter for each round. A trainer can track and record periodically the development and improvement of speed and acceleration as well as punch rate and averages for each round over several rounds. This will determine the number and length of rounds the fighter is ready to go without fading in his punch rate, speed, and acceleration. DEVELOPING SPEED AND ACCELERATION The UBE Ergometer The closest training device to the Striker design is called a UBE Ergometer. There used to be one at the Olympic Boxing Training center in Colorado Springs, at the Top Rank Boxing Gym in Las Vegas, and one in my former gym in Las Vegas which is currently in my garage in Las Vegas. Similar versions made by Cybex with limited application for fighters are at a few 24hr Fitness Centers. The UBE Ergometer made by Cybex: Visualize sitting and grabbing and holding on to the pedals of a bicycle and pedaling as fast as you can with your arms. Using the UBE, you sit on a seat and set the crank speed at which you can turn the pedals (handles) with your arms. There are four speed settings - slow has a high resistance, and the fastest setting has the least resistance. There is a dial in front of you which indicates the rpm you're achieving when turning the handles. You can watch the dial to see what your top rpm is and to see how long it takes you to reach your maximum rpm. Boxers only use them in a very limited way -- to condition their arms and shoulders. Using the UBE develops incorrect form and poor neuromuscular patterns. A fighter wants to develop force in throwing straight punches, pivoting and simultaneously turning his upper body, developing maximum reach and force, and bring his hands back quckly in a straight line. THE STRIKER Our Patented Power and Speed Training Device The device explained below will measure and improve the reach, mass, leverage, acceleration, speed, and knock-out power of a fighter's punches. The Striker is different from the UBE in major ways which are very important for developing a fighter's form to maximize the fighter's punch speed, acceleration, and mass behind his punches: 1. With the UBE, the motion is rotary. Your right hand is pushing in a circle while your left hand is pulling in a circle and vice versa. The paths of both hands are circular. In using the Striker, you're pushing straight out horizontally (simulating a straight punch with one hand) while you're pulling back the "punch" you just finished with the other hand. 2. With the UBE, the user sits and turns the "pedals" of the UBE with his arms and it measures arm and shoulder speed with no ability to pivot or turn the shoulders. Using the Striker, the user stands (simulating a fighter's stance), enabling him to turn his whole body (mass) behind the punch. The Striker is attached to the wall and is adjustable for the height of the fighter. 3. With the Striker, the fighter is forced to turn his hip and shoulders in sinc with the maximum forward extension of the arm throwing the punch. He neurologically "learns" to pivot, maximizing the mass of his body in accelerating one fist while simultaneously pulling back on the other side, simulating a series of correctly executed one-two punches. 4. The horizontal mechanism, set with similar speed settings, would be mounted on a vertical apparatus adjustable for the height of the user. 5. The UBE has a timer attached to the RPM meter which enables the user to perform interval training, consistent with the principle of specificity. A similar timer will be attached to the Striker, but the purpose would be different. Once the fighter's maximum speed was established by the RPM meter, a timer would be designed to measure the time it takes the user to reach his maximum speed, i.e., the length and gradient of the acceleration curve. The RPM and the time would plot a power curve for the work intervals which could be shown on a readout for the user and trainer. The Striker has several advantages: 1. Once the height of the device is adjusted for the user, the neuromuscular patterns (grooves) established are identical to straight punches executed by fighters. 2. To achieve maximum force, the Striker forces the user to train the large muscle groups of his hips and torso to work in sinc with the smaller muscle groups of his shoulders and arms, (turning or pivoting his body with his punches) as opposed to "arm" punches, increasing the mass half of the equation for force. 3. The position of the user is standing on his feet, pivoting and shifting his full weight behind each punch as in fighting, not sitting, developing inefficient neuromuscular patterns as with the UBE. 4. The RPM and timing software and technology would be designed to provide a power curve readout with a detailed performance analysis, an extremely important part of fighting. 5. Using the Striker, the fighter is forced to develop more initial acceleration in the pivot, or turning, of his body to compensate for the reduced mechanical advantage of his arms at the initial part of his punch. As a fighter pivots and his arm is extended, he has more strength because of the mechanical advantage. This is similar to the added strength he has at the top of a benchpress compared to when he is at the bottom, pushing the bar up from his chest. 6. The power curve readout would record performance over time in an interval training routine. The Striker would measure and record the user's performance when he throws a series of right-left punches in five second bursts with a five second rest in between for three or five minute sets with a minute rest in between sets. The computer readout would indicate his performance during each set or round. The coach could evaluate his recovery rate between rounds by observing the round when he begins to fade. This would indicate the number of rounds his conditioning would enable him to compete at his max before his power begins to fade. 7. With the Striker, the motion is back and forth in a straight line, horizontal, and the handles are designed so that the fists can be turned over, or pronated, at the very end of the stroke. 8. With the Striker, you can work one arm at a time in a series of straight punches, practicing a series of jabs or a series of straight right hand punches to achieve balance in power. It's important to measure and develop symmetry in a fighter's power in both hands. OUR PATENT Hardware - Striker "The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assessing athlete performance characteristics uses an ergometer-type athlete performance evaluation device comprising: an adjustable base support; an upper assembly module associated with said adjustable base support, said upper assembly module comprising a resistance varying assembly, a control center, and relaying technology; extension arms extending in opposing directions from said upper assembly module and outward toward a user, said extension arms moving in a resisted bi-directional manner to simulate straight-line punching of an athlete." Video GymCam "A method of providing quantitative assessment and relaying of athlete performance, said method comprising the steps of: assessing athlete performance characteristics using an optical sensing athlete performance evaluation device to obtain athlete performance information, comprising: measuring the acceleration of a punching motion; measuring the maximum velocity of a punching motion; and measuring the time it takes to reach the maximum velocity of a punching motion; quantifying said athlete performance information; and relaying said athlete performance information to an intended beneficiary using relaying technology." FightersOnline Home FightersOnline Television Technology Home |