Getting noticeably slower after 1.5 years of training — anyone else experienced this?
Hey everyone, looking for some advice and hoping someone has been through something similar.
I’ve been training for about a year and a half now, and over the last few months I’ve noticed something frustrating: I feel significantly slower than before. Same training volume, same schedule — I even added specific speed/explosive drills (shadowboxing with bands, fast combo work, slip bag, etc.) but the feeling of sluggishness just won’t go away.
It’s not a fitness issue — cardio feels fine. It’s purely the hand and foot speed that feel off. My punches feel heavy and delayed, and my reactions feel slower too.
Some possible causes I’ve been thinking about:
∙ Accumulated fatigue / overtraining without realizing it
∙ Bad habits getting “cemented” in muscle memory over time
∙ Not enough rest/recovery
∙ Tension in my punches (punching “hard” instead of fast)
My questions for the community:
1. Has anyone hit a similar wall around this point in their training?
2. What actually helped you break through it?
3. Could this be a technique issue (too much tension?) rather than a physical one?
Any input from more experienced fighters or coaches is really appreciated. Feeling a bit demotivated honestly.