Expert: Alan Kahn - 2/23/2005

Question
Dear Alan:

I am a physician at the University of Washington and really love your book, which I have been using for about 1.5 years.

I have 2 brief questions:
- Are there speed bag competitions that one can enter for fun? This would motivate my training.
- Are there any scientific studies of the use and effects of the speed bag either in the rehabilitation literature, or in the mental health literature?

Sincerely,
Michael Astion, M.D. Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Laboratory Medicine
University of Washington

Answer
Hello Doc,


Let me start my answer with an apology, for this will be much longer than you anticipated. You may want to print it off, and please contact me privately via email if needed.

It is truly a pleasure to receive your contact - for several reasons. the First, because you obviously enjoy the speed bag, and envision it much like myself.  I too have long dreamed about some sort of nationally organized speed bag competitions. I imagine divisions for age, sex or ability, Meeting in perhaps local and regional competitions - all leading to the big show..... the finals of the "national speed bag challenge".  I have even designed the competition format: I see three divisions: First is FREESTYLE - hitting for 1 min non-stop. Second is a PREPARED MUSICAL DEMONSTRATION, where person hits to 1:30sec of any song they want. Third, and most difficult, is PUNCHING TO UNREHEARSED MUSIC, or hitting for 1:30sec to a song and music style chosen by the judges. Each competitor gets two attempts in each division, with his best score counting. Competitors could enter in any or all three divisions. (If you have seen and heard my videotapes, than the musical divisions make sense.)
In a perfect world there would also be "Pair competitions" where a team of 2 or 3 could punch one bag, switching off, OR synchronized punching, (like swimming) where they all have rehearsed the same punching routine for 30 or 45 seconds. There could also be a wild card division for "most original" presentation, which is based on some pretty interesting videotapes people send me from time to time...

...but alas, then I wake up and realize there is still NO organized contests. Now, if Oprah, who loves fitness activities, could just discover the speed bag and try to "Punch&Ride" on her show....  With a little star power, I bet the major speed bag producers and equipment companies would join with full support.  

We almost got the star-power with Blue Man Group. They entertained the idea of using the speed bag as an original percussion instrument in their music, and shows. Here is link to past into a brower:

http://www.speedbag.info/wst_page2.html

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So much for the fantasy. The second reason that I am happy to hear from you is the much more serious area of scientific research in the area of rehabilitation. Actually, this is my greatest hope and desire.

Personally, I think the speed bag could be very beneficial for ANY type of movement disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinsons, bradykinesia, spasticity and other Dystonias. In fact, the sight of the rebounding bag or the auditory sound of the rebounds could be a positive cue for movement initiation and guidance. There is currently a lot of positive research findings regarding "Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation" (RAS), using music or a metronome pacing sound as an external guide or cue for initiation and repetition of physical movement. It has been tested and used mainly for gait/walking therapy, but here is a link showing that

"Bilateral Arm Training with Rhythmic Auditory Cueing (BATRAC) will improve motor function in the hemiparetic arm of stroke patients.."

http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/31/10/2390
...and I'm hopeful there is more research available using the Upper Extremities.

Here are some more related links found on PubMed.

Goal-directed movements, such as punching....
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra...

Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation in Gait Training for Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra...


Effects of visual and auditory cues on gait in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra...
"...Gait velocity, cadence and stride length significantly improved (p<005) when cues were used. Visual and auditory cues improved gait performance in patients with PD, but they did so in different ways. Auditory cueing significantly improved cadence, but visual cueing improved stride length. The simultaneous use of auditory and visual cues did not improve gait significantly more than each cue alone."

Lots more PubMed links for movement disorders and cueing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Display&dopt=pubmed_...

This is extemely exciting stuff! I think The RHYTHM and REPETITIVE beat of the bag might be an excellent auditory cueing source for improvement of upper extremity fluidity and hand placement coordination. Particular since the user (puncher) gets to establish the Auditory Rhythm by their own punching. I have not found any legitimate research to back that up, but I personally believe that the sounds and sight of the rebounding bag are an untapped source for RAS research.  I also believe using the speed bag would be a great coordination and upper body workout for this group of people so underserved by our "well baby" society. Along wit our "national contest" we can raise money to "Punch out Parkinson's".

May I say I speak from a little experience, having gone through partial left arm paralysis and recovery with help from the speed bag. This happened long after I wrote the book and made the training videotapes. Here is an online story I wrote about that experience:

http://enabledonline.com/BackIssues/February2001/health2.html

Because of my own experience, AND because my education and work is in the field of rehabilitation I created the video: RHYTHM & REHAB. "Using the speed bag for rehabilitation"(Captioned for our hearing impaired friends). I personally want to see the speed bag become a legitimate rehab. activity, used by therapists in clinics all over this country, with disorders of every sort. People could learn and get help during their rehab. and then have an excellent and inexpensive home activity that needs no adaption to help them progress. Equipment companies could offer special reduced rates for those purchasing through clinics. We just need to prove it works, and teach the therapists the basics of how the speed bag works. My video R&R does that. I'll send you a DVD.

Anyway, I expect the only thing holding our little bag back in this area is the want of an insightful and motivated M.D. or Ph.D with an exercise physiology or movement lab available, some students with research ability and access to special populatons for research subjects. I'm think a location similiar to these location:
http://www.uwmedicine.org/Research/BiomedicalAndLifeSciences/
or here:
http://depts.washington.edu/rehab/research/index.html

Purhaps you have some proteges with the same vision. Of course, I would welcome any opportunity to be involved in such research, at whatever level possible.
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...by the way, I see you are presenting in
Hapuna Beach Prince Resort Big Island of Hawaii

Recent Advances in Laboratory Medicine
October 10 - October 13, 2005

There is quite a speed bag contingent in Hawaii.
http://www.speedbagcentral.com/PeopleEvents_SpecialPeople.html
If you're around Honolulu, you might check it out.

Well, I hope this has answered your questions. If I can help you in anyway "on the bag" or through research, please contact me:  punchfast@(remove)yahoo.com

thanks for your contact and questions!

sincerely,

Alan Kahn
author, The Speed Bag Bible
http://www.speedbagcentral.com