How to Build an Amazing Boxing Gym at Home
Boxing is one of the most enjoyable ways to burn calories, get stronger, and learn a new skill. But boxing gym memberships can be expensive, and it can be hard to justify paying so much. Luckily, there is another way to learn to box and save time and money- by building your own home boxing gym. This article will provide a detailed guide for building a boxing gym at home, covering everything from equipment needed to potential workouts. So, let’s get started!
How does a boxing gym differ from a weights gym?
A boxing gym at home is surprisingly different from a weights gym for several reasons.
Firstly, a boxing gym uses different equipment. While a weights gym will be packed with barbells and machines, a boxing gym is full of heavy bags and other boxing equipment. Most boxing gyms don’t use weights but focus on cardiovascular endurance and boxing-focused exercises.
Secondly, you’ll find that boxing gyms are much less equipment-dense than weight gyms. Lifting weights doesn’t require much open space, as most movements are static, so you can afford to cram as much equipment into one area as possible. But, because boxing involves a lot of movement, space over equipment is prioritized.
What equipment is needed for a boxing gym?
Here’s a list of all the equipment you’ll need for a fantastic boxing gym at home:
Hand Wraps and Boxing Gloves: It’s essential to protect your hands and wrists when boxing. Your fists are your tools, and if you don’t take proper care of them, you’ll get injured and regress rather than progress at the gym. A good set of hand wraps and boxing gloves will provide excellent protection when you’re hitting the heavy bag or pads and are essential pieces of equipment. 14-ounce gloves are perfect for a boxing gym at home.
Heavy Bag: A heavy bag is at the heart of every great boxing workout, professional or fitness-focused. Heavy bags allow you to train power punches, find your range and make for a great HIIT workout. If your home gym allows, get a heavy-hanging bag, as it will be easier to maneuver around and punch than a standing one.
Skipping Rope: A skipping rope is one of the cheapest yet most effective pieces of equipment for your boxing gym at home. Skipping makes for a great warmup, helps with coordination, improves footwork, and even trains your calf muscles. Regular skipping, speed, and even weighted ropes are great options.
Slip Bag: Many people neglect defense when it comes to boxing workouts, even though it’s arguably more important than offense. While training with a partner is generally the best way to train defense, a slip bag is also a good option. It will help you develop good timing and muscle memory to avoid punches. It’s also a fun way to burn calories.
Pads: If you have a training partner, investing in a few different boxing pads can be a great idea. Hook and jab pads are the most popular and can help you develop timing, range management, and combinations. Body protectors are another great choice, allowing you to change your punching levels. Finally, slip sticks are a great way to train defense, such as rolls, slips, and pivots.
Speed Bag: No boxing gym at home is complete without a speed bag. They’re cheap yet highly effective, allowing you to develop your timing, reflexes, and coordination. They’re also small, and you’ll be able to fit one even if your boxing gym at home is cramped.
Timer: Boxing workouts are structured in rounds. Generally, these rounds are 2-3 minutes long, with a 30-second to 1-minute rest. Therefore, a good timer will be invaluable during your boxing workouts, as you won’t have to take your gloves off every two minutes to reset a timer on your phone.
How Can I Make a Boxing Gym at Home?
Making a boxing gym at home might seem like a real challenge. But it’s actually pretty simple. Follow these steps, and you’ll have a great boxing gym at home in no time!
Flooring: The first thing to consider is flooring. It’s well established that rubber gym mats are the best flooring option for weightlifting home gyms. And the same is true for a boxing gym at home. Rubber mats provide enough bounce to protect your joints and are firm enough to allow you to develop power in your shots.
Mirrors: It’s also a great idea to install a few mirrors before equipment goes into place. Mirrors can help you improve and critique your boxing form and provide a ‘virtual opponent’ when shadow boxing. If you can afford some wall-mounted mirrors, they’ll take your boxing workouts to the next level.
Set Up: Next, it’s time to put the equipment in place. Generally, your boxing gym at home should be centered around the heavy bag because it requires the most room. Putting it in the center should give you enough room. If you’re tight on space, you can always unhook your bag and put it in a corner when you’re not using it.
Your speed bag and slip bag can go anywhere where there’s room along the edges of your gym. It’s also a great idea to install some storage shelves on one end of the room. Make sure there’s enough room for your skipping ropes, gloves, wraps, and pads.
Finally, mark an area for pad work, skipping, and shadow boxing. If your boxing gym at home is too small for this, you can always skip and shadowbox outside. Just make the most of what you have, and your home boxing gym will be fully functioning and looking flawless in no time!
Is boxing at home a good workout?
As a boxer myself, I advocate boxing workouts to anyone who will listen. Boxing workouts come with many benefits to your physical and mental health.
Firstly, boxing is one of the best full-body workouts available. When performed correctly, punching uses nearly every muscle in your body, from your legs to your shoulders. So, if you’re only able to work out a couple of times a week, a boxing workout is a great option.
Boxing is also one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to increase cardiovascular endurance. Working with a partner, or smashing the heavy bag to pieces, makes it easy to forget that you’re doing cardio. Therefore, if you’re looking for a way to get fitter without going on boring runs, consider boxing workouts at home.
Finally, boxing workouts can positively affect your mood and mental health. For instance, boxing can give you more confidence, reduce stress, and help you sleep. These factors are vital for ensuring you’re mentally healthy, making home boxing workouts incredibly valuable.
Boxing home workout routine
Here’s a great boxing routine to try in your boxing gym at home:
- 5 Minute Warm up- Light jogging, arm circles, dynamic stretches
- 3 x 2-minute skipping rope with a one-minute rest (try different skipping steps to make the workout a little more interesting)
- 3 x 2-minute shadowboxing with a one-minute rest (keep moving after every punch, and focus on form over speed and power)
- 3 x 2-minute heavy bag rounds with a one-minute rest (round one- Jab + Cross then move out of range, round two- inside hooks to the head and body, round three- ten seconds high intensity, 10 seconds low intensity)
- 3 x 2-minute rounds speed bag
- 2 x 2-minute rounds slip bag
- 4 x 10 reps of push-ups
- 4 x 15 reps of sit-ups
- 4 x 10 reps of superman’s
- 4 x 15 reps of crunches
- 4 x 1-minute plank
- 5 Minute cooldown
This workout will really push your cardiovascular endurance to the max. Make sure to focus on your punching form over speed and power. A well-timed cross with great technique will be much more effective than a sloppy overhand.
As you become more experienced with boxing workouts, increase the intensity by upping the rounds and lowering the rest. For example, once you can do eight two-minute rounds with a 30-second rest, move up to 3-minute rounds. Trust me; you’ll feel every added second!
Final Thoughts
So, that’s everything that you need to know about building an amazing boxing gym at home. Boxing workouts are some of the most enjoyable yet effective exercises on the planet. Half the time, you’ll be having too much fun to realize you’re burning thousands of calories, and the other half, you’ll be too tired even to comprehend what’s happening around you. So, if you’re looking for something a little different yet challenging and highly effective, build a boxing gym at home. You won’t regret it.
About the Author
James is a freelance writer with a passion for fitness. He has written for multiple businesses, and takes great pride in producing high-quality articles. When he’s not pounding away at the keyboard James is sweating it out at the gym, boxing, watching tennis, and playing video games
