The Ringside Blog | Tips and Advice from Ringside Boxing

Fight Preview: Andy Ruiz, Jr vs. Anthony Joshua – The Rematch

This guest blog comes from the folks at Tauro Sports. They reached out and said they wanted to do a profile of this rematch for our blog. See if they think history will repeat, or if the former champ will take back his belts.

Andy ‘the Destroyer’ Ruiz shocked the world a few months back when he dropped Anthony Joshua in the 7th round.

But, Andy Ruiz is locked into a rematch with Anthony Joshua due to a contractual clause on the part of AJ. The boxing odds heavily favor Anthony Joshua in the second iteration of this fight, and most experts and pundits think that Joshua, being the great – former– champion that he is, will adjust and destroy ‘the Destroyer’ when they face-off once more. Continue reading “Fight Preview: Andy Ruiz, Jr vs. Anthony Joshua – The Rematch”

Core Strength Training – Boxing from Your Center

Preparing for core strength training Core strength is the unsung hero of a fighter’s physical development. It is the link in the chain that transfers strength and power from the legs to the arms and fists.

It is the central platform that provides stability to a fighter’s defensive movements.

It is the engine that powers a fighter through round after round of constant motion.

In every aspect of the game the success of a boxer relies on core strength.

Read on to learn how core strength fuels your in-ring performance. You can also see what kinds of exercises will help you build your core for maximum benefit in the ring. Continue reading “Core Strength Training – Boxing from Your Center”

Shadowboxing Fundamentals – 6 Tips for Improving your Training

For new fighters, shadowboxing looks kind of silly. You don’t hit anything, you make weird sounds, and you seem to be bouncing around at random. Shadowboxing with black hand wraps in the ring.

But if they really paid attention to a fighter who takes shadowboxing seriously, they’d see a fighter that is focused. They’d see a fighter that moves with purpose and precision. They’d see a fighter honing their technique like a pro.

Shadowboxing forms one of the foundations of boxing training. Everything you want to do in the ring, you’ll perfect, by yourself, punching the air. Continue reading “Shadowboxing Fundamentals – 6 Tips for Improving your Training”

Bagwork Fundamentals – 6 Important Tips when Hitting the Bag

We asked our friends at FighterCulture.com to write up their thoughts on some of the fundamentals of bagwork for us. This is a pretty good outline on some of the key concepts to making sure you’re getting the most out of your Heavy Bag work.

Hitting the heavy bag, commonly referred to as bagwork, is one of the most essential drills in combat sports like boxing, Muay Thai, or MMA. However, using the punching bag properly is a skill on its own.

man hitting heavy bag during bagwork training

In this article, we are going to talk about bagwork fundamentals and will give you some tips on how to utilize the punching bag the best way possible. Continue reading “Bagwork Fundamentals – 6 Important Tips when Hitting the Bag”

Conditioning Fundamentals for Boxing and Martial Arts

female shadow boxing in ring

Before a match, we often compare fighters based on their power and their reach. We tend to break opponents down based on how hard they hit.

What often gets left out of that discussion, because it’s hard to quantify, is a fighter’s overall level of conditioning. And a fighter’s level of physical endurance is often a more critical indicator of success than any other factor.

But it doesn’t matter how hard you punch, if you can’t last long enough into the fight to land it. Continue reading “Conditioning Fundamentals for Boxing and Martial Arts”

Picking the Best Shin Guards for MMA and Muay Thai

shin strike against thai pads with shin guards on

After gloves and hand-wraps, shin guards are the most important piece of protective gear for MMA and Muay Thai fighters.

You use these to protect your shins, ankles, and feet during training. In sparring you’ll also be using them to protect your partner. So it’s important to pick a pair that are right for your needs. Continue reading “Picking the Best Shin Guards for MMA and Muay Thai”

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.

Continue reading “Boxing Mitts, Thai Pads, and Shields: The Best in Partner Training Tools”

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.

Continue reading “Best Boxing Headgear: How to Choose the Right One”

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”