5 Pieces of Boxing Equipment to Get You Fighting Fit

5 Pieces of Boxing Equipment to Get You Fighting Fit : There’s no denying that boxers are some of the most well conditioned athletes on the planet. Fighting another person for up to 30-minutes is no easy task, therefore requires a rigorous training programme that would be near impossible for us regularly.

With that being said, we’re going to take a look at some of the different equipment boxers use to get in shape and how you can make use of that very same equipment.

Why Use Boxing Equipment?

There are a couple of reasons why I would recommend integrating boxing equipment into your work out routine. Firstly, doing the same work out week in, week out can get extremely monotonous.

Whilst a routine is always good, it’s equally as important to keep engaged and motivated with your work out, therefore changing it up every now and again could be the perfect way to keep things interesting.

Secondly, boxing equipment can provide an amazing work out, even if you’re not a professional boxer. The equipment we’re going to be taking a look at focuses on a variety of different muscle groups, as well as develops your cardiovascular endurance.

Let’s get to it.

Heavy Bag

As the name suggests, heavy bags are one of the larger types of punching bags and are designed to be struck with maximum power. Typically, heavy bags are hung to either a beam or a specialized stand and swing back and forth when struck.

As well as being an incredibly fun work out, heavy bags provide a ton of different benefits. Working the bag for 2-minute rounds provides a fantastic cardio work out, as each strike thrown should be done so with maximum power.

Maintaining such power through the work out is no easy task and is a surefire way to develop both your muscular and cardiovascular endurance.

What’s more, regular heavy bag work outs allow you to develop your core stability and coordination, as you transfer your weight from foot to foot whilst throwing a barrage of punches.

If you’re looking to work on your stamina, strength and endurance all in one work out, then the heavy bag could be your next best friend.

Speed Bag

The speed bag is probably the most iconic piece of boxing equipment in the world. Thanks to films such as the Rocky series, the rhythmic sound of a speed bag rebounding has become synonymous with the sport.

A speed bag is a small, usually tear drop shaped punching bag that is attached to a specialized speed bag platform with a swivel. When you strike the speed bag, it will rebound back and forth, usually as a high speed depending on how much force was use to throw the strike.

The aim is to continually strike the bag as it rebounds, maintaining a constant rhythm usually for 2-3 minute rounds. Whilst this may sound fairly easy, I can assure you that it isn’t. The bag must be struck in an exact spot and the right time, other wise it may rebound awkwardly and the rhythm will be gone.

So, what exactly is a speed bag good for?

Firstly, when working the speed bag, both hands need to be raised at all times in order to stand the best chance of hitting the bag at the correct moment. A typical speed bag work out will consist of hitting the bag twice with your right and, then twice with your left hand. This is then repeated for the duration of the work out.

Keeping your hands raised the entire time, and throwing strikes with alternate hands provides and incredible work out for both your arms and shoulders. As you begin to tire, it will be harder to keep your hands raised, and therefore more likely to miss hit the bag.

Secondly, these small, yet fast hand movements are sure to increase your heart rate, making the speed bag a fantastic piece of equipment for developing your cardio.

Skipping/ Jump Rope

Skipping is a fantastic, full body work out frequently used by boxers. A skipping rope is incredibly cheap, you can skip pretty much anywhere and it’s a brilliant way to change up your cardio routine.

Not only does skipping provide a solid cardio work out, it also utilises muscles in both the upper and lower body, providing a well rounded exercise that’s a nice change of pace from your traditional run.

While running is most peoples preferred form of cardio, it’s also extremely weather dependent. Unless you’ve got a treadmill at home, skipping can provide a way to get your heart rate pumping, without having to endure the outside weather.

Boxing Gloves

A solitary pair of boxing gloves may not seem like the best piece of boxing equipment, however when paired with a few rounds of shadow boxing, definitely qualify as a must have.

Shadow boxing is essentially imagining that you’re sparring with someone, throwing different punch combinations, moving around and having your hands up. This is actually one of the most common methods of boxing training if a heavy bag isn’t available and provides a pretty solid work out.

Shadow boxing is usually performed in rounds of 1-2minutes, typically for 4-5 rounds. When you’re moving around, throwing different punches wearing 16oz gloves, your arms start to tire very, very quickly.

As with a lot of these pieces of equipment, they provide a fun and entertaining way to change up your work out, and who knows, maybe even pick up a new hobby along the way.

Battle Ropes

Last we’ve got battle ropes, which until recently; I’d never really tried out before. My word, if you’re looking for an intense arm and full body work out, I think you’ve found it.

The original creator of battle ropes says that “the key to their effectiveness is that they work each arm independently, eliminating strength imbalances as they sculpt your muscle”.

Not only do they offer a unique work out for your arms, battle rope exercises involve a variety of muscle groups such as your back, chest, legs, and core.

Typically, these exercises involve holding a rope in each hand, squatting slightly and explosively moving your arms in a particular direction. This may seem like a ridiculous exercise, but once you give it a go, you’ll definitely understand their effectiveness.

Again, these aren’t exclusive to boxers, however many combat sport practitioners have taken to battle ropes due to their ability to develop explosive upper body power.

Conclusion

Well there we have it, 5 pieces of boxing equipment to get you fighting fit. Even if boxing or combat sports aren’t your thing, changing up your work out routine is a brilliant way to stay motivated and keep things interesting.

Thanks for reading.