Harry Greb and his speedbag

[them_apples]

I recently set up a speedbag and have been using it consistently and intensely over the past month. Physically, I've noticed some interesting changes.

The speedbag isn’t commonly used by modern fighters, and I suspect that’s because its purpose is often misunderstood—despite its name making it fairly obvious.

Here’s what I’ve found it really trains:

1. Rotator cuffs and deltoids: It works the rotator cuffs hard, along with both the inner and outer portions of the deltoid—especially when used aggressively.
2. Relaxed explosiveness: It forces you to stay explosive while remaining completely relaxed. As fatigue sets in, the real challenge is preventing your muscles from tightening up, which ruins the rhythm.
3. Timing and bag size: The smaller the bag, the harder it is to time. But smaller bags also require less effort to move, so the workout is easier. Larger bags are more forgiving on timing but demand more power and movement. This makes using multiple-sized bags worthwhile.

So what does this have to do with Harry Greb?

In the limited footage we have of him, he’s seen hammering away at a large speedbag with real aggression. That caught my attention. Keeping up a rapid rhythm on a large bag like that requires serious upper body power and fluidity. It’s not just about speed—it takes strength and range of motion to keep that bag going.

On top of that, ChatGPT mentions Greb reportedly climbed ropes for fitness. While I couldn’t find a source, having climbed ropes myself, I know firsthand that it works similar muscle groups to the speedbag

Maybe it’s this combination—rope climbing and intense speedbag work—that contributed to Greb’s legendary hand speed.

As for the claim that he was a light puncher, I’m skeptical. Much of his career was spent fighting larger, heavier opponents, which naturally lowers knockout rates even when you're winning convincingly. Yet he still managed knockouts against those bigger men. That says a lot.
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[Bronson66]

I recently set up a speedbag and have been using it consistently and intensely over the past month. Physically, I've noticed some interesting changes.

The speedbag isnâÂÂt commonly used by modern fighters, and I suspect thatâÂÂs because its purpose is often misunderstoodâÂÂdespite its name making it fairly obvious.

HereâÂÂs what IâÂÂve found it really trains:

1. Rotator cuffs and deltoids: It works the rotator cuffs hard, along with both the inner and outer portions of the deltoidâÂÂespecially when used aggressively.
2. Relaxed explosiveness: It forces you to stay explosive while remaining completely relaxed. As fatigue sets in, the real challenge is preventing your muscles from tightening up, which ruins the rhythm.
3. Timing and bag size: The smaller the bag, the harder it is to time. But smaller bags also require less effort to move, so the workout is easier. Larger bags are more forgiving on timing but demand more power and movement. This makes using multiple-sized bags worthwhile.

So what does this have to do with Harry Greb?

In the limited footage we have of him, heâÂÂs seen hammering away at a large speedbag with real aggression. That caught my attention. Keeping up a rapid rhythm on a large bag like that requires serious upper body power and fluidity. ItâÂÂs not just about speedâÂÂit takes strength and range of motion to keep that bag going.

On top of that, ChatGPT mentions Greb reportedly climbed ropes for fitness. While I couldnâÂÂt find a source, having climbed ropes myself, I know firsthand that it works similar muscle groups to the speedbag

Maybe itâÂÂs this combinationâÂÂrope climbing and intense speedbag workâÂÂthat contributed to GrebâÂÂs legendary hand speed.

As for the claim that he was a light puncher, IâÂÂm skeptical. Much of his career was spent fighting larger, heavier opponents, which naturally lowers knockout rates even when you're winning convincingly. Yet he still managed knockouts against those bigger men. That says a lot.
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On Greb's power,I don't think he set himself long enough to get full power into his shots,he was all about speed and volume.

[QueensburyRules]

- - Wouldn't use the traditional speed bag that limits movement of feet and limits bag movement. Boxing is all about hand and foot coordination, so my light bag I designed myself is wickedly spinning around with me needing to chase it.

My big bag is only 70 lbs, but it also moves a lot so I can do a lot of side to side footwork and reverse footwork on top of just pounding the F out of it. My trick was to elevate it at the start with uppercuts and then finish at the end the same way.

My best session was typical save I went longer than my usual 10-15 rounds straight to 27 2/3rd rounds. I could've gone longer but felt I'd already gone too long and was risking injury, so cut back to my usual 10-15 as I had plently of running, biking, and swimming to keep me conditioned.

[them_apples]

On Greb's power,I don't think he set himself long enough to get full power into his shots,he was all about speed and volume.

I totally agree, and because of this he isn't a puncher, and he used this style to beat larger fighters. However, I don't think he's a light puncher. he hurt too many fighters to be considered a light puncher.

Floyd Mayweather never really hurt anyone (for the most part) and especially not larger/sturdier fighters. Same with Paulie. For example the description by Tunney himself fighting Greb - he states his nose was broken in the first 30 seconds or so, and he suffered a brutal beating for most of the fight. swollen ribs and all that. This doesn't sound like a feather fisted individual. As I was watching that video of Greb hitting the speedbag, I don't think it's possible to be a light puncher and do that.

[them_apples]

- - Wouldn't use the traditional speed bag that limits movement of feet and limits bag movement. Boxing is all about hand and foot coordination, so my light bag I designed myself is wickedly spinning around with me needing to chase it.

My big bag is only 70 lbs, but it also moves a lot so I can do a lot of side to side footwork and reverse footwork on top of just pounding the F out of it. My trick was to elevate it at the start with uppercuts and then finish at the end the same way.

My best session was typical save I went longer than my usual 10-15 rounds straight to 27 2/3rd rounds. I could've gone longer but felt I'd already gone too long and was risking injury, so cut back to my usual 10-15 as I had plently of running, biking, and swimming to keep me conditioned.

you can move around a speedbag and hit it though?

[QueensburyRules]

you can move around a speedbag and hit it though?

- - You can move around a Maypole on May Day also, but it does nothing for your footwork and physical reflexes needed to react to a crazy spinning squarish bag.

[Willow The Wisp]

On Greb's power,I don't think he set himself long enough to get full power into his shots,he was all about speed and volume.

A successful approach, as it turned out; and one employed by others including Jake LaMotta some decades later.

Prolonged volume beatings is one approach, lending to the old apothegm that "boxing is not a martial art or style of fighting. It is simply a set or rules, and what a fighter does within them, is entirely his concern".

[Willie Pep 229]

A successful approach, as it turned out; and one employed by others including Jake LaMotta some decades later.

Prolonged volume beatings is one approach, lending to the old apothegm that "boxing is not a martial art or style of fighting. It is simply a set or rules, and what a fighter does within them, is entirely his concern".

Yes! But . . .

I think "boxing" is the Western World's martial art. All skilled unarmed combat is a martial art. **

But prize fighters deploy boxing skills as needed to win prize fights.

Prize fighting is not a sport, it is a fist-fight with rules. Boxing skills help considerably.

There can be 'boxing matches' they just wouldn't sell. The MQB rules promoted those kinds of events but failed to carry the day. In the end MQB boxing rules shaped how prize fighting occured, but didn't replace it.

The Sullivan-Corbett (a private club event) was advertised with the disingenuous tag line: "A Boxing Exhibition to the Finish."

So right from the start there never was anything resembling professional boxing. "Boxing" just appeared in prize fights (partly because Corbett made it a must have skill. But it is still remained a fight, not a match.

** The Yellow Press in the late 19th century named the anti-coloinal rebellion in China, the Boxer Rebellion, because it was led by a martial art/religious sect called the "Righteous and Harmonious Fists." Boxing was as close as the US press could get.