Sean C. Cunningham - Story Teller

Boxing Mitts, Thai Pads, and Shields: The Best in Partner Training Tools

Boxing Mitts, Thai Pads, and other strike training tools form the cornerstone of partner training. In the hands of a skilled coach, these devices help a fighter hone their technique.

The type of strike training tool you choose will depend a lot on your experience level, your sport, and your training goals. A curved punch mitt is critical for a training boxer, but may not be as useful to a Muay Thai fighter. A kick shield can help train a variety of attacks, but doesn’t offer the accuracy training of a focus mitt.

holding the boxing mitts for a fighter in the ring

We’ll break down the different striking targets and which one is best for your needs.

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Best Boxing Headgear: How to Choose the Right One

Two fighters wearing sparring headgear square off in the ring.

If you intend to spar or compete in the world of boxing, you’ll need some headgear to protect your noggin.

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a very complicated decision. You pick out one that looks good and you go about your day.

But then you get to thinking, this is something that’s supposed to protect my face and my brain. Maybe I should put some more thought into this.

If you’ve ever had questions about how to choose the best boxing headgear for your needs, then read on.

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Best Boxing Gloves For You: 7 Things to Look For

Best boxing gloves: black quick-tie training gloves hanging from the ring ropes.

You might not be surprised to learn that we are commonly asked about how to choose the best boxing gloves. With so many options, narrowing it down can feel overwhelming.

Do I need a bag glove or a sparring glove? Leather or synthetic? What’s IMF Tech? There are so many things to consider.

And then you have to figure out what size you need to get.

With all these choices facing you, how can you make sure that you’re picking out the right pair of boxing gloves for you?

We’ve put together a guide that will walk you through the seven things you need to understand when choosing your first (or your next) set of boxing gloves.

Interval Training for Boxing and MMA

interval training bag work with free-standing heavy bag

High intensity interval training (also known as HIIT) is perfect for boxers, MMA fighters, and other fight sport athletes.

Interval training can help fighters increase power and improve endurance. In addition, HIIT routines mirror the pace of a typical bout by incorporating multiple intensity levels over the course of the workout.

For fighters looking to give themselves an edge over their opponents, or just a way to add some variety to their training routines, consider HIIT and other interval training options. Continue reading “Interval Training for Boxing and MMA”

Boxing Drills: Agility Training for Boxing Footwork

agility training for boxing - athlete doing side step with resistance bands at ankle and holding medicine ball

A lot of boxing training is oriented on what’s in front of you. Running, jumping rope, shadow boxing, bagwork–all of it tends to focus primarily on linear movement forward and backward.

But when you’re in the ring, you don’t just move up and back, you step in all directions. And that’s where agility training for boxing comes in.

Agility training teaches your feet to step quickly and smoothly out to the side, without losing your balance. It also builds up the muscles that support these movements to reduce the risk of injury.

If you want to be able to slip and slide in all directions around the ring, then you need to incorporate some form of agility training into your routine. Continue reading “Boxing Drills: Agility Training for Boxing Footwork”

Boxing Drills: Plyometrics for Boxing Footwork

plyometric box jump for improving boxing footwork

Plyometrics have become an increasingly popular training option in recent years. It’s hard to find gym that doesn’t have a few boxes for people to jump on top of.

While it may look like a way to have fun in the gym, plyometrics are serious exercises, based on a fair amount of science with a very specific goal: to improve your power.

Despite what it may look like, there’s more to plyometrics than just jumping up, down, and around the gym. True plyometric exercises have some very specific requirements. And you’ll need to be more mindful of rest and recovery in order to get the best benefits.

Plyometrics, performed correctly, could significantly increase your power output. More importantly, plyometrics could be the key to improving your boxing footwork.

Read on to find out more about how it works, how it affects your boxing footwork, and some key exercises you’ll want to incorporate into your training. Continue reading “Boxing Drills: Plyometrics for Boxing Footwork”

Boxing Drills: How to Improve Your Boxing Footwork

In the sport of boxing, all of the attention is focused on the hands. In a fight, success depends on how often those gloves land and how hard they hit. And knowing how to hit is essential for anyone wanting to step into the ring. But good boxers know that, in fact, victory flows from good footwork.

boxing footwork balls of feet stance

Good boxing footwork allows you to keep moving and keep your balance. It means never standing where you opponent’s punch ends up. You maintain control over your spatial positioning and stay hyper-responsive to your opponent’s moves. You can quickly step in and take advantage of an opponent’s mistake, deliver powerful, controlled punches, and then slip out of range again.

There’s a reason why the best fighters in the world put hours into perfecting their boxing footwork. Read on to learn about some ways to help perfect yours. Continue reading “Boxing Drills: How to Improve Your Boxing Footwork”

Workout While Traveling: How to Keep Training when Away from Home

Working out tends to be easier when we have a plan, a routine. But what happens when it’s time to travel away from home. Whether it’s a vacation or a work trip, we often fail to keep up on our workouts while traveling. If you’ve got a trip coming up, though, don’t worry about throwing a wrench into your training plans. We’ve got a few tactics that will help keep your training on track when you’re off your beaten path.

workout while traveling - shadow boxing on the beach — SOURCE

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