[QUOTE]Originally posted by Soujiro:
I increased my hand speed by using hand weights (they were like 4 pounds) or wrist weights both work but use hand weights there better, if you use the weights and throw punches your hands will get use to holding the wieght and you'll start building strength and speed with them. when you don't have them in your hand and you throw a punch your punches will be faster and stronger [/QUOTE]
DO NOT DO THIS METHOD, it will lead to long term injury because you are hyperextending your auxilliary muscles. While it will lead to an increase in punch speed it could lead to problems later on in life.
Building hand speed is the same as building leg speed. If you were an Olympic racer the following advice should be familiar:
The best way to increase muscle speed is with plyometric exercises. This involves doing explosive movements against resisting surfaces (such as a heavy punching bag or a sparring partner). Combine this with a mixed plyometric/isometric bench press where you raise the bar you are lifting as quickly as is safely possible and lower it slowly. Training with plyometric tricep curls will agument this nicely. These exercises are designed to strengthen your tendons and small support muscles.
Combining this with weight lifting and bungee work in a 3:1 ratio will improve your punch speed and strength significantly in a relatively short period of time. Same goes for any other striking technique.
For more detailed information see:
http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000662.html While I am not a doctor or health professional I can safely tell you DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU MAY BE INJURED, this is counter productive.
[This message has been edited by Leo_E_49 (edited 04-13-2005).]