How To Improve Reaction Time In Boxing? 20 Tips

Each athlete is an individual and has certain levels of skill and ability that have been developed over the years. The point is that reflexes can be improved, no matter how bad they are. Special exercises can help with it. Reflexes are known to deteriorate with age, making our reactions slower.

This hurts daily life, and for a boxer, this fact has very negative consequences. That’s why athletes do special exercises to improve their reaction times.

Double End Bag

If this is your first experience with a punching bag, there is no need to do complex combinations, the classic 1-2 punches are enough. This will allow you to get used to the equipment and perform the exercise without mistakes.

The main thing is to correctly approach the process and not to hit the punching bag with all your force. Concentrate on speed and accuracy. Then the speed bag will return good results in the form of reaction, timing, and punching accuracy.

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Speedbag

The difference with the previous equipment is minimal. The speed bag will not bounce back from you but will require good coordination of movements. Work at a high tempo. Avoid excessive force in the punches. Keep attention to the right exercise technique.

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Fight Ball

Athletes used to make equipment from a rubber band, a cap, and a tennis ball. Today you can buy this equipment for a small price. Here everyone can decide for himself whether to buy or make it himself.

The main thing is the length of the rubber band. If it is too long, you will not be able to reach the ball. If it is too short, then the range of the ball will be minimal, which will not allow you to work properly on the equipment. Ideally, the ball should be at navel level.

This length of the rubber band will be optimal. Consistently execute straight punches, gradually increasing the power. This way will improve the reaction and accuracy of the punch.

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Juggling

A fun and entertaining exercise that improves balance, and coordination of movements. Also, it stimulates better brain function and improves motor skills and reactions. Of course, this exercise can be performed by someone who knows how to juggle.

But those who don’t know should learn how to do it. The benefits of this are worth to spent time on learning this exercise.

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Coin Catch

The master of this exercise, world boxing champion Kostya Tszyu, did the exercise with three coins. But Vasiliy Lomachenko beat his record and did this exercise with 4 coins. But I think that Vasiliy threw them too high and that’s not exactly correct in this exercise.

You have to start with one or two coins. Holding your hand at navel level, put one, two, or three coins on the back of your palm. Then with a quick motion toss them up not too high and catch them as quickly as possible with the same hand.

Reaction Ball

The difficulty with the ball is its unusual form. It has convex areas, which allows it to bounce in random directions when it hits the ground. It is almost impossible to predict its trajectory, so you have to use your reflexes.

Take a squatting position, and extend your arm with the ball in front of you. Then release it and catch the ball after hitting the floor, not allowing it to touch the ground again. You can also throw the ball at the wall.

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Striking Sticks

Striking sticks are no replacement for pads work, but they are a great additional exercise. They are lighter, faster, and have a greater range of motion. You should start at a medium tempo, then gradually increase the tempo and make the punching combinations more difficult.

Throw punches from different directions and angles.

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Slip Bag

To perform this exercise, you will need a rope and a small bag filled with sand. Its weight should not exceed 0,7 lbs. You can also buy a slip bag online. This bag should be suspended. The exercise is divided into three parts. In the first stage, the athlete should stand in front of the bag at a distance of about 20 cm and push it forward.

The task of the boxer is to dodge the bag flying at his head. This exercise is given 5-10 minutes a day. The second stage involves not only dodging but also a counterattack on an imaginary opponent. This part of the exercise, as well as the first, takes no more than 5-10 minutes a day.

In the third stage, the boxer must dodge not only the moment when the bag is flying at him but also when it comes back from behind. During this time the boxer must throw a combination of 3-4 punches. It is recommended to spend 5-10 minutes practicing the exercise.

The drill seems simple, but only until the athlete reaches the third part of it. Lateral dodges help to improve the muscles of the back and the side abs. Since sometimes a person cannot dodge quickly, this is very important. The problem, in this case, is not just bad reflexes.

The fact is that in everyday life people make almost no sharp movements, so the muscles are not prepared for them. This exercise helps improve the athlete’s muscles and reaction.

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Hand-Eye Coordination

Athletes who have just started boxing are advised to start training their reaction speed with this method of exercise. To perform it, a boxer needs only a tennis ball. The exercise consists of three parts. First, the athlete must throw the ball at the wall and catch it with the same hand. He performs this exercise for about 10 minutes.

Then the boxer does the same with the other hand. In the third step, the boxer should throw the ball with one hand and catch it with the other. In this way, the boxer alternates both hands. The exercise helps to develop attention and reaction to moving objects.

Shadow Boxing With Tennis Ball

In this exercise, the athlete is doing a typical shadow boxing drill, but also to this, he is holding a ball in his hand. During shadow boxing, the athlete should periodically toss the ball not too high and catch it as quickly as possible without letting it fall. Besides, catching the ball should be in the form of a punch.

This means you throw a punch and at the end of the action, you open your fist and catch the ball. Catching the ball in this exercise can be the same hand or alternate them. For example, the ball is in your front hand, then you toss the ball and throw a punch with your backhand to catch it.

Dodging Tennis Ball

A good exercise that imitates the punches of an opponent. You will need a partner and tennis balls for this exercise. It is also possible to use a tennis ball machine instead of a partner. But here you must be careful because if you do not dodge the ball, you can get some injury.

The athlete stands with his back to the wall and his partner starts throwing tennis balls at him trying to hit him in the head. The athlete, in his turn, must dodge the ball. The distance and power of the throw can be adjusted depending on the fighter’s skills.

Bouncing A Tennis Ball

Another good exercise with a tennis ball. Here the fighter begins to move in a fighting stance over a specific area. He must divide a couple of square meters in the gym for this drill. At the same time, he needs to bounce the ball against the floor with his hands.

At first, it might seem like a simple exercise, but it requires good concentration during the movement. That is what makes the exercise difficult, especially if you do it for 3 to 5 minutes.

Catch The Ball

A good exercise to improve your reaction time and attention. In this exercise, you will need a partner. His task will be to throw you balls. They may be thrown directly or against the floor, thereby rebounding in a more unexpected trajectory in your direction.

You, in turn, must catch these balls and throw them back to the partner in the same way. In other words, if the ball is thrown straight to you, you throw it back straight. If it rebounds from the floor you throw it back the same way. Therefore, in this exercise, your partner can practice the reaction with you as well.

Catch The Ball (Harder Version)

This exercise is an advanced version of the previous exercise. Only now you have one ball in your hand already. Your partner will throw the ball in a straight line, and your task, as before, is to catch the ball. But there is a little nuance here.

At the moment when your partner throws you the ball, you have to move the ball from one hand to the other. Then to catch the ball with the hand that turned out to be empty. Also, this ball will need to catch, imitating a direct hit. In detail, you move the ball to your free hand and catch another ball during throwing the punch.

The task is one of the most difficult because here also works the coordination of moves. During the exercise, you will alternate your hands to catch the ball.

Catching The Ball After Turn Around

The goal of this exercise is the same – to catch the ball that your partner will throw at you. Only here you must stand with your back to your partner and wait for a prearranged signal from him. When your opponent gives the signal, you should turn around as quickly as possible and catch the tennis ball.

This exercise may also seem simple until you try it. The idea here is that you are not watching the ball from the beginning, and so your reaction has to be at a very good level.

Catching The Ball From The Partner Hands

This exercise is difficult to do because it requires a well-developed reaction time. The boxer and partner stand facing each other with the partner holding a tennis ball in his slightly outstretched hands. In his turn, the athlete, standing in a fighting stance, extends his arms and must stand at such a distance that his palms are above the palms of his partner.

Then the partner releases the balls from the hands in random order and the athlete must catch them sharply, not allowing them to fall to the floor. The partner may release one ball at a time or both at once, making the exercise even more difficult.

There is an additional difficulty in this exercise. To make it more difficult, the partner will not stand still, but will gradually move left, right, and around the room.

Spinning Boxing Bar

The spinning boxing bar is ideal for training in the gym and also for home training. The boxing equipment is designed for practicing basic boxing defense skills like dodges, slips, and blocks. It also improves the boxer’s timing, coordination, accuracy, and reaction time.

The equipment consists of a plastic base filled with water, a rotating bar on a bearing, and a punching ball on a metal spring. Because of the adjustable height this equipment can be used by all types of boxers. There is also equipment that can be attached to the wall.

The idea of the exerciser is that its spinning part acts as a target for side punches as well as an element of the opponent’s counterattack. When you execute a punch on the spinning bar, it quickly spins and hits you back. You, in your turn, must block or dodge the hit.

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Hitting The Numbers

Not a bad exercise for practicing reflexes, which is done with a partner’s help. Hitting the numbers is somewhat like the game “Whack the Mole”. Only in this exercise do you stick a set of numbers on the wall or draw them in random order.
Also, these numbers should not be too close or too far from each other.

Also, they can be pasted at the level of the head and body thus practicing punches to the head and stomach. These numbers should be between 5 to 10. Next, the fighter stands in a fighting stance at an outstretched arm’s length to the wall with the numbers on it.

The partner should call out different numbers as unexpectedly and fast as possible. The athlete, in his turn, must lightly but quickly hit the number. But please do not hit the wall, it is enough that your fist lightly touched it.

Throwing The Ball Against The Wall

This exercise requires two tennis balls and a wall. The athlete stands in a fighting stance against the wall with a ball in each hand. The boxer then begins to throw alternating straight punches together with throwing the ball against the wall.

So he executes, for example, a right straight punch and at the end of the punch, he throws the ball against the wall. The boxer’s next task is to catch the ball as quickly and accurately as possible. Since the ball is unpredictable, it can fly away from the wall on any trajectory.

So, the farther away from the wall an athlete stands, the harder it is to catch the ball in this exercise. As with other ball exercises, you will need to watch the ball very closely.

Rope Spinning

This exercise is also quite difficult. It works on the development of reaction, timing, and speed of the boxer. The exercise is done in pairs. You will also need a thick rope or a jump rope for this exercise. You stand with your partner facing each other.

Your partner, holding the rope in his hand, begins to spin it vertically in front of him at a short distance, and right behind the rope, he holds a boxing pad. Your task is to hit the pad as sharply as possible without touching the spinning rope.

Last update on 2026-02-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API