Hey everyone! Sensei Jimmy here with a fun and effective karate speed timing drill you can try right at home—no fancy equipment needed! All you need is a hacky sack (or even a tennis ball) and a little space to move.
This drill is great for sharpening your reaction time, speed, and timing—essential elements in karate, whether you’re executing a block, a strike, or a kata move.
🎯 What You’ll Need:
- A hacky sack or tennis ball
- A partner (optional—but helpful)
- A strong, focused mindset
🥋 How the Drill Works:
For this drill, I worked with one of our students, Zach. Here’s how it goes:
- Start by holding the hacky sack (or tennis ball) above your partner’s reach.
- When you’re ready, drop the ball straight down.
- Your partner’s goal is to execute a forward low block (gedan barai) fast enough to beat the ball to the floor.
That’s it! It sounds simple, but don’t be surprised if it’s harder than it looks.
💡 Coaching Tips for Better Speed
As your timing improves, lower the drop height to make the drill more challenging. Encourage your students (or yourself) to think about:
- Are you pushing off your rear leg for speed?
- Are you engaging your inner thighs to launch forward?
- Are your hips helping drive the block?
These little adjustments can make a big difference in how quickly and powerfully you move.
🥊 Add Variations
Once the low block starts to feel smooth and fast:
- Add a reverse punch (gyaku zuki) after the block.
- Try different techniques like mae geri (front kick) or movements from your kata.
- Keep your body sharp and alert—this drill can be used for almost any karate motion!
👤 Training Solo? No Problem!
If you don’t have a partner, don’t worry—I’ve recorded a few ball drops you can follow along with in the video version of this post. Just rewind and repeat the video as needed to practice.
You can challenge yourself by gradually lowering the drop height:
- Chin level
- Chest level
- Belt level (good luck beating it from here!)
🧠 Why This Drill Works
This is more than just a reflex game. You’re training your brain to recognize visual cues and translate them into explosive movement—a crucial skill in both sparring and self-defense.
📹 Ready to Try It?
Be sure to watch the full drill demo on our YouTube channel. Use it to follow along and challenge yourself. The more you train with drills like this, the sharper your technique and timing will become.
Train hard, stay sharp, and keep having fun!
– Sensei Jimmy