Speed

Now try this:

• Get into your sparring stance and guard position again.
• Move around some and then pretend you are facing a tough opponent who attacks with powerful combinations.
• Now stop, relax your entire body, and let your arms relax and drop to a hanging position.
• Now raise your arms back to the guard position, but do not hold them there. Pretend they are falling and all you are doing is preventing them from falling. You are not holding your arms up; you are just not letting them fall.
• Now move around again while thinking about staying relaxed and fire a few quick hand combinations.
• Notice how much quicker your hands move.

Some effects of staying relaxed other than your hands being quicker are that you will move your body quicker, your will avoid and block quicker, you will kick higher and quicker, you will react quicker, and you will not tire as quickly.