Hey Ian
Punchout drills, yeah, they're what you've read from Ross Enamait's stuff. Basically, it's a timed interval where you throw non-stop straight punches at full speed/power. Really brutal drill but with some pretty obvious benefits too. You can use them in different ways for different purposes, too, such as:
- shorter punch-out drills can be used to increase speed/explosiveness (i.e. 15-20 seconds) because the shorter duration allows you to EXPLODE through the entire punchout instead of fading in a longer one
- longer punch-out drills can be used for muscular endurance, mental toughness, and conditioning (i.e. 30 seconds+, usually 1 minute, though you can go as long as you're able as long as you're keeping a furious pace). your technique will go to shit but you'll be reaping huge conditioning gains so it's worth it to end a skill session with them to "get the lead out"
I use other punch-out protocols like the 10 x 10 drill. It's pretty simple, you just throw a 10-punch combination (1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2, straight punches because the bag won't swing as much) on the bag/mitts, reset briefly (1-2 seconds MAX - no longer), and repeat 10 times. That is one round. You can do 4-10 rounds (400-1000 punches). This is a good drill because the brief second you get to reset allows you to throw SHARP, crisp, powerful punches throughout the drill instead of sloppier pawing punches that you'd be throwing as a longer punchout progresses.
My trainer has us do what he calls "situational punchouts", which are based around situations you'd face in the ring/cage/whatever where you'd be throwing hard, non-stop punches. This could be when you've got a man hurt, trapped him on the ropes, trying to steal a round, trying to knock out your opponent when you're behind on the cards, etc, and my trainer will construct the punchout to accomodate those circumstances. For example, to finish off a sparring session, he'll have my opponent lean against the ropes and for 1 minute I will have to throw everything I've got, mindful of defense because he'll counter if I falter or show an opening, mixing head and body shots, just never stopping the attack to simulate a situation where I've got someone up against the ropes and hurt. Then once the minute is up, I'll lean on the ropes and my opponent will do the same for me. This drill also teaches you to think under fire as you're sharp-shooting with counter punches and looking for openings while being flurried. We'll repeat this for 10 minutes.
Lastly, sometimes during my more traditional bagwork I throw in small punch-outs throughout the round (usually 3-4). Just little bursts of 30-50 straight punches thrown at eye-level to push myself into the "red zone" if I'm not there yet.
Hope that clears up some punchout stuff man
your log looks great, those burpees between rounds are a killer.