WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED TO START BOXING? Once you have decided that learning how to box is a personal goal of yours then you should start looking at investing in Boxing Equipment for the home that will help you achieve this goal. WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED TO START BOXING? Boxing Hand Wraps Provide wrist protection and gives knuckles a first layer of padding Boxing Gloves Provide the ultimate padding for safety for you to learn to hit like a pro Punching Bag Hitting an object that simulates the human body allows you to take out the day's stressors (without hurting your buddy!) WHAT TYPE OF BOXING GLOVES SHOULD I GET? Heavy Bag Gloves (non molded thumb): Pros - Light, small, easy to carry around Cons - No thumb protection, less protection Boxing Training Gloves (molded thumb) Pros - Full protection, cheap, large variety of styles Cons - Cheaper quality don't last, large to carry around Competition Boxing Gloves (molded thumb) Pros - Best protection, best quality, best materials used in production Cons - Expensive, not needed for regular workouts on bag, large to carry around MMA (or Mixed Martial Arts) is more popular now than ever, with the stars of the sport occasionally crossing into both other sports and mainstream media. Unlike sports like Boxing or Kickboxing, MMA requires you to train all aspects of fighting, from exhilarating striking on your feet, to the more nuanced grappling on the ground. This means that there's a little more MMA Equipment needed to make sure you're safe. We're here to walk you through all of the equipment you might need. Because MMA incorporates striking, with knees and elbows also allowed, it's crucial that anyone training has the correct protection, to ensure that they avoid injury and get the most out of their training. The level you train at will affect how much equipment you need, however there are some items which are an absolute necessity. MMA Gloves are one of the most important items of training equipment for Mixed Martial Arts. The gloves are what protect both your hands from getting damaged and your opponent or sparring partner from getting injured, so it's important to get these right. Unlike Boxers, MMA fighters use a small light weight glove which offers a little less protection, but allows you to use the hands for grappling as well. The open palm and fingerless make means that the right areas are protected without them feeling too bulky. While they may not look like much, the amount of protection compared to a bare fist is a big difference. Harder strikes like elbows and knees are often not used in sparring at a beginner level because of the dangerous nature of the hard bones and how easy it is to accidentally hurt your sparring partner. For anyone looking to incorporate elbows into their sparring it's a good idea to use protection to keep your training partner safe. Elbow and knee Boxing Pads and Gear are both similar in design and consist of a padded layer over the joint to reduce the impact of the blow. One of the most physically-demanding workouts going, boxing is tough to beat as a fitness all-rounder, requiring stamina, balance, coordination, aerobic endurance and muscle strength in equal measure. Going blow-for-blow with a dead weight might sound easy, but bag work – that is, drills on a punching bag – is as demanding mentally and physically draining as a round in the ring. Punching Bags might not be able to punch back, but they can still cause some damage. So before you start swinging, cover your mitts. "Having boxed for 10 years I would definitely not recommend anyone to hit a punch bag using bare knuckles," Reven continues. "Being able to hit the bag correctly and safely is paramount. Using hand wraps and gloves allows you to hit the bag with power while avoiding serious injury to the wrists, forearms and shoulders." With so many punching bag options available, where should the aspiring home boxer begin? Heavier bags will allow for greater strength benefits, Reven explains, helping you develop powerful shots, while uppercut punching bags, being much smaller and lighter, are ideal for working on combination punches (and, as the name suggests, a more accurate uppercut). Over the past few years, sportswear has become increasingly more popular. With professional athletes endorsing and using top brands, almost everywhere you look someone is wearing a form of Sports Wears. More recently, it has become 'trendy' to wear sports brands as a fashion statement. Often seeing people strolling around the city in their branded fitness gear. Specific Sportswear Your everyday clothing such as cotton t-shirts, fashion tracksuit bottoms and hoodies are all designed to look good, be comfortable, and to keep you warm. They're not designed for high-intensity activities such as cycling, running, or gym workouts. We've all been in the situation where we've worn an everyday t-shirt for exercise. Very quickly it becomes soaked through and weighs you down, causing unnecessary distractions and harder work for you! Technically, a gym bag is designed for transporting necessities to and from a fitness center, studio or gym. Today, however, gym bags are used for so much more. They can double as an airline carry-on bag, overnight bag, backpack hiking, or anywhere else active people go with items to carry. By investing in pieces that we really love and have affection for, we are bringing attention and excitement to our workouts themselves. The Gyms Bags of the old days are no longer. The diverse offerings of bags have become elevated and excitable – they aren't just for the gym anymore. Prior to making a purchase, consider the possible uses and frequency of need. Decide whether the bag will fit in with your lifestyle and what you are looking for. Determine how important a designer label may be, fabric, colors textures, and the potential for extreme wear and tear.