Cain Velasquez talks about how Javier Mendez changed his punching style after being criticised for his “pillow hands”
Hard to believe that Cain Velasquez used to be teased for not hitting hard enough.
The former UFC Heavyweight Champion recently opened up about that old period in his career and acknowledged he did take the criticism to heart. He could throw a lot of punches, but they weren’t going as he planned. Some fans called him "Pillow Hands."
“I didn’t really hit hard. People started calling me pillow hands on social media, because I didn’t hit hard," Cain Velasquez began. "I didn’t knock people down. I hit them, yes, I hit them a bunch of times, but I didn’t hit them hard. With Javier, with Mendez, how are we going to get that from you? So we really started working on that, and that’s body placement, lowering your level, having your knees bent, throwing everything from your hips as if you’re chopping wood. You’re not letting your arms do the work, you’re letting your body do the work. It really helped me develop what it means to fully commit.”
Velasquez knew something had to change. He discussed putting more pop in his punches with coach Javier Mendez. Then he began to strike in a different manner.
It Wasn't About Using More Arm Strength
Velasquez learned from Mendez that the arms aren’t the only source of hitting power. At AKA he worked on his posture, stance and hip movement when throwing punches.
"I had to get my knees down, get my level down and put my whole body into the shot,” Velasquez explained. He compared the motion to the chopping of wood. He couldn't just flail his arms. He had to get the force from his body.
Cardio Cain had to learn how to put his whole effort into a punch rather than just trying to punch harder.
The Work Behind Cain's Striking Improvement
Velasquez was known for his relentless pace and wrestling skills. He was a fighter who could put opponents under duress for long stretches, but as his career went on, striking became another powerful part of his game.
He went on to become a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion and one of the most respected fighters in the division. It wasn’t just his strength, but his dedication to working on that part of his game certainly helped him succeed.
The story is interesting because he did not say that the criticism was unfair. He worked with Mendez to fix the fact that he didn’t get the punches off the way he wanted. The ability to get better at a weakness is a good indicator of a fighter who got to the top of the sport.
