How to use a reflex ball or boxbollen reflex balls use
Today we're going to learn how to use the reflex ball. We're going to go through beginner level; we're going to work our way up to intermediate, and I'm going to show you some advanced things you can do to just have more fun with this tool, which will help develop your accuracy, your eyesight, and timing, and just be a way to have fun.
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| How to use a reflex ball |
It's super simple, and I just walk you through the steps, but today we're focusing on how to utilize this.
How reflex ball we learn to use it?
Because most people, when they start off, they're missing it; it's hitting them in the face. So today, a beginner, intermediate, and advanced breakdown of how to use the reflex ball. All right, guys, when you first start
utilizing this, if you just grab it and you just start trying to hit it and just freestyle, be aware that it can come back into your face. I got introduced to the reflex ball from my brother. He was in a boxing gym back in Ontario, the one that Lennox Lewis trained out of when he got his Olympic gold medal, and everybody there had one of these. These guys are one of the best boxing gyms in the whole country. They have Olympic athletes coming out of that gym very frequently, and the fact that they utilize these just made me want to actually try and
See if it helps me. I like using it at the end of training sessions just to focus on timing. I like using it during weight cuts. You throw your sauna suit on in between doing your runs and cutting weight, and you just play on the ball. It's just a fun way to, you know, sweat and lose some weight, so we're going to have some fun today.
FAQ: How to use a reflex ball
Question 1: What is a reflex ball and how is it used?
Answer: A reflex ball is a training tool designed to improve hand-eye coordination, timing, and reflexes. It consists of a lightweight ball attached to an elastic cord, which rebounds when struck. Users practice hitting the ball to enhance their reaction time and focus.
Question 2: Who can benefit from using a reflex ball?
Answer: Individuals at all skill levels—beginners, intermediates, and advanced athletes—can benefit from using a reflex ball. It's particularly popular among boxers and martial artists for improving timing and coordination.
Question 3: What are the common mistakes beginners make when using a reflex ball?
Answer: Beginners often swing wildly at the ball without proper technique, leading to missed hits or the ball rebounding back into their face. It's important to start slowly and focus on controlled movements.
How to use a reflex ball for beginner
Let's get started here. Now, the first thing that I learned very quickly with this ball is getting it started can be difficult if you're always trying to, you know, start it here, hold out, and try to start punching. It's very easy to miss it, so the beginner way, or that I start every time, which you guys can do as well, is just let it hang. Now when you're starting from here, Throwing a proper punch with a straight wrist is very difficult. Try folding your wrist just a little bit, a little bit of a fold, and then from here you can just tip your head forward, get the ball a little bit away from your body, and just start popping it nice and light.
and just stick with one hand at the beginning. This is going to be their entry level; keep it nice and low; it doesn't need to be up to head level; just tap it super lightly, so once we get the ball going up about chest level and we're consistent, maybe 10 or 15 in a row, then we can start trying to put a little bit more power. This is as entry level as we can get on this drill, but start putting a little more power; it'll start to pick up more to head level. Don't try and switch hands until you get one arm down; use your dominant hand.
First, then from there you can move to the other side. Again, you can start it off just hanging away from your body; just start popping it and just try and get used to the timing of the ball, watching the ball. When you're ready, you can then alternate between arms. I would say the hardest thing is to alternate constantly, so oops, I messed up there. You got to make sure you keep your thumbs wrapped up really tight; there my thumb got caught. If you let your thumb sort of dangle out even a little bit, it's going to get caught, so try to keep your thumbs.
very tight now it's easiest when you're starting to maybe go like one two three four five one two three four five you're alternating just to your weak arm occasionally when you get better and better then you can start going one one or two one two focus on the left hand a little bit that's gonna be as entry level we can make this is the most beginner thing you can do focus on the eyesight focus just a little fold of the wrist hitting with the correct knuckle positioning and don't try to bash it you don't have to hit this hard it's
Just tap; this is all I'm doing. That's about the extent of the motion right now. Once I start getting more advanced and intermediate, then from there you can start adding footwork, you can start adding full punches, and you can start having this band stretch out completely because you're hitting the ball really hard, but for the beginner stage, start it low, tap away on it, and just work nice and light. Now, guys, moving on from the beginner to intermediate, the beginner part is just so basic.
FAQ: How to use a reflex ball
Question 1: What is a reflex ball and how is it used for beginners?
Answer: A reflex ball is a training tool designed to improve hand-eye coordination, timing, and reflexes. For beginners, it's recommended to start by letting the ball hang and lightly tapping it with one hand to get accustomed to its movement.
Question 2: How should I position my wrist when using a reflex ball?
Answer: When starting with a reflex ball, it's important to slightly fold your wrist rather than keeping it straight. This helps in delivering better punches and maintaining control over the ball.
Question 3: What is the best way to start practicing with a reflex ball?
Answer: Begin by allowing the reflex ball to hang away from your body. Use your dominant hand to tap it lightly at chest level until you can consistently hit it 10-15 times in a row.
How to use a reflex ball for intermediate:
You just basically have your legs. In a tiny little fighting stance, your shoulders square, you're not moving; you're just trying to get used to being able to hit this ball and not have it come back and smoke you in the face or constantly miss it and have to restart. Once you get past that point, and you want to advance it, I would say get into a nice stance. I bend my knees a little bit more; I take a proper stance, and now, as you're hitting it, you can start moving around; you can start taking angles; you start pressuring forward and backwards, and this right away is just going
To make things a little bit more complicated, elongate your punches a little more. The ball is going to go a little further; it's going to come back a little faster. The next thing you can do at an intermediate level is not only throw straight punches; the straights are going to have the ball go straight out, straight back out, or back, but as you start hitting it, you're going to notice sometimes you clip it wrong, you miss it, and it starts to take a different angle; it starts going up or down. If you want to force it up, you can throw a little uppercut; don't bash it hard.
because the ball is going to flip right over to the other side, but you just tap it, so I start with my straight punches and just little tiny uppercuts occasionally, which is going to make the ball rise up, and then I've got to a chaser. Realistically, you're going to spend somewhere between probably a week and a month just trying to get this part down, just a small, small little stance, just trying to be able to do maybe like 100 of these in a row without stopping. Once you're there, then take your stance; you can start taking angles; you can start
pressuring forward backwards now, like anything, guys, for the basics, we start off doing as simple as possible, simple, no footwork, no nothing, just hit the ball back and forth. From there, intermediate, we move on to our stance; we use forward motion, backwards motion; we can take angles; we can try and keep the ball going a little bit further out, and we can add some little uppercuts or some hooks if you want.
For the hooks, you've got to actually chase the ball that is going to go off the side, so if I'm working away here and I get ready to throw a hook. I better be ready to angle and pivot.
How to use a reflex ball for advanced:
Now, when we get up to an advanced level on the ball, it's actually very similar to martial arts in general. The basics are key; the basics are the most important. Basics are going to help you the most.
The advanced things are more fun; they add a little flair to it, you know, spitting hook kicks or something. They don't land loads of times, but when they do, it's really cool, really fun. The same thing here, so when I'm hitting the ball, I can work just catching the ball, throwing it back out, hitting it in.
between just playing around with something a little different, so when I start getting it going faster and the ball's all over the place, catching it is not as easy as you might think. We can also do really fancy things, like when the ball comes and it's coming right back towards my face, I take an angle. Change my chest from square to sideways; the ball passes through, goes all the way to the other side, and then when it bounces back, I hit it, so I start hitting the ball when I feel like it's coming straight towards me; I give it a good thump.
and I let the ball pass through. What I'm trying to utilize here is my footwork and my ability not to blink when I see that ball rushing towards my face, and then from there I can even start doubling up on my angles. You know, I have the ball come towards me, I attach it, I throw it, I catch it, and I can let go two times if I want—one, two. It's been a while since I've done those. They come right towards your face in the last second you're going, and this is going to be just such a fun way to just challenge yourself on your eyesight. I like this more than a double.
end bag. Personally, I have way more fun with this, so there you go, guys: reflex ball beginner, intermediate, advanced. Start playing around with it. Remember, knuckles are going to get a little sore. It's been a couple years since I've had one of these in my house. The last one ended up breaking after I used it for probably three years quite consistently. The band got a little bit too extended, a little bit too stretched out, and didn't have the same bounce back. The ball got much softer, and I didn't really know how to go about making another one.
because my brother made the last one, but then after a little bit of talking with him, I went, Okay, it's not that hard to do; it's actually very easy to do, and it's just super fun having this around, playing around with it at the end of a training session, just taking some time to target and use your accuracy eyesight and just develop those skills in general.
How to use a reflex ball for consolation:
So, guys, I hope you're going to have fun with your accuracy ball once you get one made; once you actually manage to get past the beginner level point, the beginner level point can be
very frustrating. Don't let yourself get discouraged. Like I said, one week to four weeks to get it down took me about 10 days until I started feeling comfy with it, and now, like I said, it's been two years since I hit. This is the first time in two years, and I just sort of have, like riding a bicycle, I just remember how to do it. I'll get better, much better, once I get another week or two in, but overall still feeling fairly sharp with that.
