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Benefits Of The Double End Bag In Boxing – Must Read Guide

Written by KingKun in Boxer Training

The double end bag is one of my favorite bags to workout on and I think every gym should have one. This is also often known as a floor to ceiling bag and when you hit this it will swing around on it’s axis coming back towards you quickly. This makes it a perfect moving target and means it is difficult to hit consistently as it might even hit you back if you’re not concentrating and sharp enough.

It is a leather-covered ball that comes in various sizes, regular or Mexican style, although it is usually circular, quite small and it is attached to the floor and the ceiling by 2 pieces of elastic string.

The double end bag offers plenty of benefits for beginners and professionals alike as it can offer a fast pace workout and it is elusive and hard to hit, forcing you to concentrate on every punch that you throw to improve your technique as a beginner.

Every bag in the gym serves a purpose, the heavy bag will allow you to develop your power and stamina, the speed bag is for speed and endurance and the double end bag allows you to work on timing, accuracy, defense, and reflexes. It’s also great for trying out new combinations and new ways of starting attacks as you have to have the accuracy to land each punch and you need to avoid the bag as it swings back.

Benefits of the Double End Bag For Boxing     

Works On Hand-Eye Coordination

Just like skipping works on the coordination between the hands and the feet, the double end bag works on the coordination between the hands and eyes which is just as important, if not more.

It’s one thing being able to see the target but hitting it clean every time is easier said than done. The first time you hit the bag it will start to spin around uncontrollably and you have to get your hands and eyes in sync to hit the bag again once it’s moving and this is a great way to develop that hand-eye coordination for boxing.

A good opponent isn’t going to leave their head just lying there unprotected for you to hit so this is a more realistic workout for facing an opponent that is actually moving and trying to evade your punches

Work On Head Movement And Defence

Just like it’s hard to hit the double end bag once it starts spinning around uncontrollably, this also offers you the perfect chance to work on your head movement.

Floyd Mayweather does this to perfection where he will hit the bag with a 1 – 2 to and then slip it to either side as it swings back towards its head.

The Heavy bag is great for building power and stamina but it teaches us bad habits like keeping our hands low as it doesn’t come back to hit us, so no defensive element.

The double end bag keeps us on our toes and always thinking about defense as if you keep your hands down and your head not moving, it can easily come back and smack you in the face and everyone in the gym will start laughing at you.

 

Work On Blocking

Just like it helps us to move our head, we can also practice landing our combos and then anticipating where the bag is gonna swing back to and blocking it with our hands.

If you hit the double end bag with a hook it will swing back towards your head like a hook and you can raise your glove to the side of your head to block it and then try to hit again as quick as you can.

If you hit it with a straight, it will come back and hit you like a straight so you can dig your hands into your cheeks and block that as well on the gloves.

 

Improve Accuracy

As you work on the double end bag over time, you will start to build up your accuracy. You will get tired of missing the bag quickly and you will learn how to be more accurate with your shots which will then transfer into being more accurate in the ring when you’re sparing and your opponent is moving their head. You will be able to telegraph where they’re going to move and throw your punch to where you expect their head to be with more precision.

 

Improve Your Speed

Another way that pros like to hit the double end bag is by hitting is constantly every time it rebounds and this can help you to develop your speed, hitting the moving target as fast as you can is really good for improving your overall skills.

Hitting the double end bag constantly every time it swings back is like a treadmill for your hands and arms and the more you put into sprinting with it, the more you can develop the speed at which you are punching.

This can help you to develop your speed, accuracy and reflexes all at the same time.

 

Get Used To Missing Shots

If you are only working on the heavy bag, you will likely never miss a shot and that is also a bad habit to get into as when you move into sparring, you’re going to miss your own shots plenty of times especially if the opponent moves their head.

The double end bag is perfect for getting you used to missing shots. The worst thing you can do if you miss is leave yourself open to a counter and by missing shots, on the double end bag, you will learn to protect yourself much more quickly when you miss, roll your head and return to your proper stance more quickly, where you are protected and without eating a counter punch.

 

Develop Rhythm

As you get more used to hitting the double end bag, you will develop a rhythm that you can carry into the ring when you are sparring, and you can develop this by getting used to how the double end bag moves and building muscle memory to anticipate where it’s going to be, so that you can hit the bag every time, no matter how it is swinging around.

You willalso develop a rhythm for the different combinations that you throw and trying to land every punch as your accuracy improves on the bag over time, making the double end bag one of the best ways to improve at boxing in the gym without a partner or a coach.

 

Work On Combinations

As this bag moves every time you hit it, you will quickly learn what punches and combination of punches are the best to throw so you can land on your opponent every time when you do step into the ring.

The double end bag also allows you to be adventurous, so you can try out new things on a moving target without the risk of being hit with a very hard counter punch although you might end up being hit by the bag as it swings back towards you.

 

Learn How To Initiate Attacks And Land The Lead Hook

Initiating an attack is probably the hardest part in boxing, this is where you’re going to either land your punches or get hit by a counter and this is where all the exchanges are going to start.

The double end bag offers a Moving Target so you can come up with new and creative ways to start your attacks, respond if you miss the first punch and improve your ability to initiate attacks with out being countered when you miss.

 

Build Shoulder Endurance & Cardio

Building endurance in the arms is one of the most difficult challenges facing beginners to boxing. Once you start hitting the bag and doing pad drills your arms will become easily tired as the lactic acid builds up, making your arms fell tired and needing a rest.

By getting into the rhythm on the double end bag and hitting it fast and consistently for 3 minutes, it is a great cardio workout and also builds the endurance in your arms so that you can take  your pad drills and sparring to the next level without gassing out 1 minute in.

 

Great workout and good fun

One of the main reasons people take up boxing because it makes you fit and it’s a good fun workout.

The double end bag is great fun to work on, building up your coordination, getting used to missing, building up your rhythm, hand-eye coordination and library of combos on a bag that constantly moves and swings around testing you and forcing you to improve your skills, it’s one of the most enjoyable workouts that you can have in the boxing gym and one of the best ways to improve at the game

 

Two Types Of Double End Bag

There are generally two types of double end bags that you can choose from:

There is the regular style with one normal circular-shaped ball that you can hit and it will swing around fast and there is the Mexican double end bag that has a body and a head component allowing you to mix up your shots upstairs and downstairs. It won’t swing as fast as the regular bag but it will provide a good moving target for you to practice your body and headshots on.

 

To find out more about the different types of punching bags check out our buyers guide.

If you are looking to buy a double end bag for your house or gym check out our best double end bag list here.

 

Is boxing With Headgear Safer – Should I Wear One For Sparring

Written by KingKun in Boxer Training

The words safe and boxing rarely go together but it makes sense that if you’re going to get involved in the sport that you would like it to be a safe as possible.

Wearing headgear is something that’s very common in the game, all amateur contests wear headgear and it was even a mainstay of the Olympics until 2016 when they removed the headgear to make it more like the pros and to get more people watching. As far as safety goes, opinion is very much divided on the effectiveness of headgear for reducing concussions and long-term brain injuries but it definitely does have some value it’s just a question of how much does it really protect the boxer and what can you do to insure but you don’t end up suffering a long-term injury.

 

Does Headgear Prevent Concussions In Boxing

Boxing Headgear 8

The jury is very much out on whether headgear will prevent the number of concussions in the sport, with some studies suggesting that it actually can increase the number of head injuries. The amount of cushioning on the headgear will soften the blow to an extent but if you are involved in heavy sparring or even fights using headgear, you can easily still suffer a concussion while wearing the protective head guard.

The brain is like the contents of a jar and if you shake it, the contents will rattle around and hit the edges. This is similar to your head where if you receive a punch, your head will move back causing your brain to knock against the skull which is what will cause the concussion, swelling and brain injuries, which can lead to even more problems further down the line.

 

Does headgear reduce knockouts?

The cushioning provided on a headgear can definitely take some of the impact off the punches. You should always spar in 16-oz gloves so that knockouts are not a common occurrence but if you do end up eating a big shot or you’re a bigger guy, sparring heavier hitting guys in the gym, the cushioning on the headgear will help to prevent the knockout.

Wearing headgear can make the fighter feel safer so they can take more risks and this may actually lead to them getting hit more and getting hit with bigger shots as they leave themselves open lunging in so you need to take this into account when deciding why there might be as many knockouts with headgear as without or even more.

 

Does Boxing Hurt With Headgear

Boxing Headgear 1

If you are a beginner worried about whether boxing will hurt when you’re not used to getting hit, then the answer is yes, it will hurt unless you were just going lightly with a partner and then it should be fine.

The headgear won’t cover your nose most times unless you have a full face headguard and taking a solid jab to the nose can always sting and cause the eyes to water, taking a reasonably strong shot on the chin will also cause you to lose focus and become a bit ‘buzzed’ as they say in the industry.

Body shots will often hurt more than the punches to the head and once you get into your sparing, you really shouldn’t notice the strikes hurting too much.

 

Should You Wear Headgear In Sparring

I’m a big believer in only going heavy in sparring 3 or 4 weeks before a fight and if you’re just going lightly with your partner’s and working on technique then there is no real need to use headgear. If you’re going hard in sparring then I would recommend that you wear headgear as it does offer benefits.

 

Main Benefit Of Headgear

The main benefit that you’re going to get from wearing headgear, especially one with cheek protectors or a full face headguard, is that it will prevent you from getting black eyes, cuts on the face, bruises and other marks.

Nobody wants to go into work sporting a black eye so if you are sparring quite hard it might be a good idea to wear a good set of headgear.

 

Removal Of Headgear From Boxing In Recent Times

Boxing Headgear 3

Boxing headgear is being removed from competition more and more in recent years. Most famously it has been removed from the 2016 Olympics and the qualifiers but this has not gone down well everywhere.

It is said by many that the Olympians are only trying to increase viewing numbers and revenue by removing the head guards and when boxers have to fight on consecutive days in qualifying, if they suffer a silly cut, they will be eliminated and that means that the best fighters are not even making it to the Olympics anymore.

Guys that have put a lot in, aiming for a gold medal have their dreams dashed, not because of skill but because of a silly clash of heads, elbow or punch landing on dry skin.

For these reasons, many boxes are now skipping the Olympics all together and going straight for the pros. They argue that if they are getting punched in the head with no headgear that they may as well be getting paid for it.

There is now also pro-am boxing, where Amateurs will compete with bigger gloves and without headgear which is probably better experience before going for the pros than going to the Olympics anyway.

 

Different Gyms Have Different Styles

Some gyms that you go into, especially Muay Thai or Kickboxing gyms will focus almost 100% on sparring and hard drills with your opponent, where you will constantly be getting hit in the head, even if your hand is blocking 99% of the blows.

Other gyms will focus a lot more on pads and bag work with less of an emphasis on drills and heavy sparring reducing the amount of trauma to the brain over time.

All gyms will usually have sparring and drill work so if you are worried about picking up brain injuries, try to find a gym that focuses more on pads and bags and you could also find a gym that promotes lighter sparring.

If you go to a gym where are all the fighters spar heavy all the time then you will definitely take blows to the head sooner or later, choose your gym wisely and pick a good coach.

 

Different types of boxing headgear

If you are in the market and thinking of buying headgear for your sparring, don’t forget to check out our boxing headgear buying guide for plenty of handy tips and tricks.

 

There are generally three types of boxing headgear picture:

Open Face Headgear

This is what has been traditionally used in amateur contests and the Olympics, the covers are on the side of the head, protecting from blows to the temple, behind the ears or to the chin, but it leaves the nose and the cheeks exposed which can lead to cuts, bruises and marking.

 

With Cheek Protectors

Meister Headgear

These are the most common, most popular version of headgear and the one that we would recommend if you are in the market, it’s like open face headgear except the cheeks are protected by 2 pieces of padding that fit tightly against the cheeks preventing any cuts around the eyes and bruising, black eyes and marking.

The extra padding also adds more weight and you need to make sure that your visibility isn’t impaired by the extra protection.

 

Full Face Headgear

RDX T1

Full face headgear attempts to cover all of the head, it usually has a protection strip across the front of the face to protect the nose as well as covering the cheeks and eyes from getting cut, marked and bruised as well.

If you can find a good full face headgear, then these are great, but they do add weight, slowing down your movement so you might get hit more and it can make a bigger for your opponent to hit.

Don’t forget to check out our best boxing headgear of 2020 for more information

 

Conclusion

Boxing Headgear 4

Wearing boxing headgear is never going to make boxing a completely safe sport but it can help to take some of the impact off the punches.

We would recommend using headgear where possible because it stops any cuts and bruises and it can reduce the amount of knockouts that can happen in the gym.

The jury is still out on whether or not it will reduce concussions, swelling and brain trauma over time and we recommend that you find a gym that doesn’t always go full force in heavy sparring all the time and find one that focuses more on pads, bags, light drills, light sparring and improving your technique tobecome a better fighter over time and not take too much needless damage.

10 Best Boxing Audiobooks Of 2020 – Must Listen Books

Written by KingKun in Boxing Books

Boxing Kings Audiobook

Looking for a good boxing book to read but don’t want to sift through snorers? We were in the same boat. We love boxing. In the ring, only the world’s most elite athletes survive and over the years, we have seen legends rise that never seemed like they were going to come back down.

So when they do, it’s all the more shocking. The world of boxing isn’t just about pugilism on stage. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes, long before and long after every single bout and all of these guys live colorful lives with more ups and downs than a rollercoaster.

So we thought we’d share a list of the 10 best boxing audiobooks that, in our opinion, will captivate the mind of any boxing fan.

1. Ricky Hatton’s Vegas Tales

Ricky Hattons Vegas Tales

We start off with an audiobook in the biography/memoir genre.

Written by the UK’s own Ricky Hatton himself, this book chronicles some of the outlandish experiences Ricky had in Las Vegas Nevada – both the exploits outside of the ring and the triumphs and defeats inside it. This is a book that we feel really has it all.

If you are titillated by scandalous tales of the Vegas strip, drama that cannot be fictionalized and tales of the highs and lows that only Sin City can afford a man, this would be a great book to start with.

Plus there are a bunch of legendary boxing counterparts of Ricky’s in this book giving firsthand accounts of their experiences with Ricky. Some are downright shocking while others had us laughing in our cars so hard, we almost crashed.

While some of the anecdotes definitely don’t fit the grandiose nature of the book as a whole (we refer you to the one where Ricky cobbled together a proper English breakfast as best he could stateside), most of them really make an impact.

Overall it is a very honest look into Hatton’s character as a boxer and an individual. You almost feel like your friends with the man.

Overall Rating: 4.9/5 

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2. Undisputed Truth: My Autobiography (Mike Tyson)

So we’ll be upfront. We are huge Mike Tyson fans. Not just because of his dynamism and domination in the ring, but for the honesty with which he has always lived his life.

Mike Tyson is a polarizing figure – from drug charges to electrifying performances in the ring. But one thing you can’t take away from him is that he has always been a seeker. As a young man, he knew there was something more as evidenced by his brief stint with Islam.

As an older man, he is still seeking something beyond the physical (we refer you to his appearance on the Joe Rogan experience podcast). Undisputed Truth gives you a good look at the early life of Iron Mike and chronicles his whirling rise to stardom – warts and all.

Written by the man himself, this autobiography/memoir audiobook was Mike’s first autobiography. But there would be many biographies to come after it. This is a great opportunity to hear Mike’s story in Mike’s own words.

With the help of writer Larry Sloman, Mike weaves a tale of intrigue that is so brutally honest; it will have you entranced from start to finish.

Overall Rating: 4.8/5

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3. Teddy Atlas From the Streets to the Ring: A Son’s Struggle to Become a Man

Teddy Atlas Audio Book

As a boxing fan, you have probably heard of the legendary trainer to champions and the stars, Teddy Atlas. In his memoirs, Teddy recounts his days as a youth up to his later career.

The audiobook is narrated by Teddy himself which we liked right off the bat. It goes into detail with his notorious association with Sammy Gravano: the infamous mobster who turned an entire organized crime family over to the feds.

This book has a lot of gears. It turns from a heart-rending account of a boy struggling to come to terms with the expectations of his father to organized crime documentary to philosophical ponderings that make the reader wonder right along with Teddy himself.

And all with a languid fluidity that doesn’t make it seem forced. This is a great book for boxing fans, fathers, sons, crime documentary lovers and anyone who has wondered about their own perception of themselves.

Overall Rating: 4.7/5

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4. Muhammed Ali: The Greatest

 

For those of us who weren’t fortunate enough to be alive to see the greatest boxer of all time fight in the ring, hearing firsthand accounts like the ones that bubble up to the brim of The Greatest: My Own Story is a bit of consolation.

This audiobook, narrated by Dion Graham and written by Ali and Richard Durham, tells many of the tales outside of the ring that shaped this man who became so much more than an athlete.

It really shows the birth of Ali’s legacy that would inspire so many subsequent athletes to stretch beyond their respective sports.

From his conversion to Islam, to his controversial relationship with revolutionary Malcolm X, and of course to his explosive rivalries with the world’s greatest boxers, Ali bares all in his autobiography.

Overall Rating: 4.7/5

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5. Tyson Fury – Behind the Mask

Tyson Fury Book

We were pretty blown away by this autobiography. We admittedly didn’t know the details of Tyson’s life. Just that he is a modern dynamo in the ring.

Beyond the Mask, which is narrated by Jake Wood, goes into detail from birth to the present day (published in 2019). We found out that Fury overcame staggering physical odds as a premature baby and that he was basically born to be a champion.

This is a romp through the rise, fall and rebirth of Tyson Fury. Tyson pulls no punches when it comes to the dark points of his life so listeners beware: this book isn’t for the squeamish, faint of heart or anyone easily perturbed.

In the end, though, this is a story of triumph. We hear about the meticulous training regimen of a man who is admittedly mentally unwell and of the ways in which he faced and conquered his demons outside of the ring.

Overall Rating: 4.6/5

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6. The Boxing Kings: When American Heavyweights Ruled the Ring

Boxing Kings Audiobook

Paul Beston deftly takes us through American boxing history, landmarked by some of the greatest champions in the sport: Rocky Marciano, Mike Tyson, Muhammed Ali, Joe Louis and more.

In this non-fictional foray into the history of the American side of the sport since the turn of the century, we are given detailed glimpses into the titans of the game. We hear about how they used their influence to affect changes they wanted to see in society.

Beston does a great job of interweaving the stories of seemingly unlinked boxers from 1908, all the way to modern pugilists like Mike Tyson.

And in the end, you come away with a sense of the greater legacy of the American boxer. You realize that Beston was not giving separate, unrelated accounts; but he was telling a single story the entire time.

Overall Rating: 4.6/5

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7. Cinderella Man

Cinderella man

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? In this biography written and narrated by Jeremy Schaap, we are told the almost unbelievable tale of one of boxing’s greatest underdogs.

We hear the story of James J. Braddock, a boxer of moderate repute in the times of the Great Depression. How he struggled to put food on his family’s table. And the story of his manager Joe Gould who ultimately helped set him up for one of the most memorable fights in boxing history.

The heart-rending tale of struggles in the face of economic disaster, huge career and physical setbacks and of the friendship of Joe and  James all lead up to the fight of James’ life. If you are a boxing fan, you probably already know the outcome of that fight against Max Baer.

Even so, Cinderella Man goes into obscure detail about what the fight meant to the American citizen. It wasn’t just David Vs. Goliath. It was flash against grit. It pitted the haves against the working class.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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8. I Am Duran – Roberto Duran

Boxing has always been an avenue by which determined athletes could raise themselves up from poverty. This is the story told in I am Duran, the autobiography of Roberto Duran.

The story begins in the streets of Panama where Roberto grew up and struggled against the challenges of poverty. Duran eventually is able to make a living as a pugilist and would ultimately rise to a level of stardom that few athletes reach.

One of the highlights of this audiobook is the recounting of the legendary “no mas” fight against Sugar Ray Leonard. You hear an account of that famous fight and phrase in Duran’s own stirring words. That fight was the turning point of Duran’s career and of his autobiography as well.

We thought we knew a decent amount about Duran’s life before hearing this book but we were not prepared for the details of his personal life as he shares them with the listener. This is a great book filled with triumph, peril, failure and redemption.

Overall Rating: 4.7/5

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9. Smokin’ Joe The Autobiography of a Heavyweight Champion of the World

This autobiography written by Joe Frazier, Phil Berger and narrated by Bill Andrew Quinn, really has a way of taking us back to the Golden Era of boxing.

Those glorious days of the late 60’s and early to mid-70’s when all eyes were on the boxing world and we had heavyweight greats like Ali and Smokin’ Joe Frazier.

While his autobiography lacks much of the audacity and scandal of some of the other audiobooks on our list, it is nonetheless one that captures the imagination of the listening boxing fan.

One of the key points of this book is Joe’s description of his friendship and ultimate rivalry with Muhammed Ali. He vividly paints the glorious picture of his Olympic triumph and of the inauspicious days when boxing first became a multi-million dollar sport – and a corruptible one.

It is a fun romp through the old days when boxing was in its heyday. But it ends up as a stark reminder that behind all the glitz and glamour, something grimy and dirty was going on.

Overall, it is a well-balanced and at times, funny recounting of one of the most memorable periods in the sport.

Overall Rating: 4.6/5

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10. Let Me Be Frank – Frank Bruno

Lastly, we round out our list with an audiobook that we were keenly interested in listening to. Mainly because we felt that the Frank Bruno story ended too abruptly. Publically, the whole story of the downfall of Frank Bruno had not been told.

In Let me be Frank we finally hear a detailed account of what happened to Frank Bruno’s career in his own words. Written by Frank Bruno, Nick Owens and narrated by Ben Onwukwe, this autobiography/memoir finally fills in the gaps of the Bruno story that we were lapping for.

Frank Bruno details his bouts with mental illness and how he went from one of the most promising athletes in the sport, to an almost obscure figure. Even as an inactive fighter, Frank still has legions of avid fans. And this book reminds us why.

Overall rating: 4.3/5

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Summing Things Up

We really loved making this list because we became privy to some of the most uplifting, scandalous, heart-wrenching and inspiring stories in boxing. These books will teach you a lot about the sport that you never knew.

They will give you insight into the characters of your favorite boxers. They will help you relive your favorite fights and take you right to the different eras of boxing that hold special places in our hearts as fans of the sport.

With interesting history and story-telling from angles you have probably never heard before, any of the books on our list will help you fall in love with boxing all over again. If you are a true fan of the sport, we highly recommend picking up any or all of these audiobooks.


 

Check Out Our Audible Review Here:

How Many Days A Week Should You Train Muay Thai

Written by KingKun in Muay Thai Training

Muay Thai Aidan Lehane

Muay Thai is one of the most rewarding sports that you can take up and the benefits are endless. One of the questions that comes up a lot with beginners is how many times a week they should be training and the answer really depends on what your goals are and what you want to achieve.

For each person, their goals could be completely different. If you are in the gym lifting weights and you just want to get ripped then twice a week will be plenty, if you are a full-time worker and you just want to increase your fitness, build muscle, burn fat and take on a new hobby, two to three times a week will be plenty.

If you’re someone that’s involved in another sport competitively, and you like the high fitness levels that Muay Thai training brings, then once a week might be enough if you have other training already. If you’re someone that wants to fight and you are a healthy young improver, I would recommend you train every day, except maybe Sundays so you can allow your body to rest and recover which as it is also very important.

 

Training One Day A Week

Training one day a week is for people with busy schedules who can only find time to make it to the gym once although you could still practice shadow boxing if you have some space and spare time or even practice on a heavy bag.

People who are committed to other sports like running, rowing, soccer or even boxing can benefit strongly because Muay Thai can burn upwards of 600 – 800 calories in a single session and it really blasts the anaerobic conditioning system.

It will take you a long time to pick up the high-level skills training only once per week.

 

Two Muay Thai Sessions Per Week

 

This is for beginners who are very interested in improving in the sport and you can build up the skills involved in becoming a Muay Thai fighter quite quickly by training twice a week in a good gym.

This is for people who also train three times a week in a weights gym and I want to get ripped when learning a new self defense skill they can put their muscles to good use.

 

Training 3 + times for Muay Thai

If you are someone that wants to take your Muay Thai to the next level or you just really love the training, you could easily train 3 + times a week.

If you are in Thailand, it is common to train twice a day 6 days a week, so if you’re young and fit you shouldn’t worry about overtraining too much.

If you want to fight in Muay Thai, you need to train in the gym at least three times a week and supplement this with your strength training twice per week and you need to get your cardio runs in as well, so you may even need to train twice in one day.

What I used to do to get the cardio and Muay Thai training in the same day is to go for a 5K run before work and then rest up during work in the office and head down to the gym for pads, bags, and light sparring in the evening.

Why you need to train at least twice is because Friday night for us was dedicated to sparing and all good gyms will have a dedicated sparring session once per week that you need to be going to if you want to fight. You also want to get two good hard sessions in on the pads with your coach or your partner’s where you can hit the pads and get all your bags and conditioning work in as well. There will usually be a dedicated strength and condition session for endurance circuits during the week as well for prospective fighters and fitness enthusiasts.

 

How long does it take to get good at Muay Thai

It depends on how often you train, how long it will take for you to get good at Muay Thai, but for a benchmark figure it should be 6 months at least and quicker if you put in your own training outside of the gym.

Muay Thai is probably the most difficult martial arts to get good at because there is so much involved. It is the art of eight limbs and with boxing its just punches but in Muay Thai you have to deal with kicks, knees, elbows, punches and there is also the clinch which is a huge part of the game that you will also need to learn.

 

How to speed it up your progress

If you can get a heavy bag at home or even if you can just shadowbox three – 5 minutes every day you should see yourself improving much quicker. We become what we think about and if your mind is always on Muay Thai then you are bound to improve much quicker.

Common beginner problems and something I definitely struggled with coming from the field sports like I played a lot of soccer, my hamstrings and hips were tight and that causes problems with getting your kicks high enough up on to the pads.

I struggle for months with my kicks until I went to Thailand for 1 month training and then I started seeing rapid improvement when I returned to my gym in Dublin.

As with anything, the benefits of your training will compound quickly and you will probably see a period where you improve rapidly in the space of a month but it might take you 6 months to reach that point so be patient, consistent and stick to your training.

 

Can I train Muay Thai everyday?

You can definitely train Muay Thai every day, even if you do 3 or 4 days in your gym and you can train at home as well just with shadow boxing, hitting the bags if you have one at home or pads with a partner. Training Muay Thai everyday is something that they do in Thailand all the time,  so there is no problem with it if you have the time and energy to do that.

 

Muay Thai Overtraining

Overtraining is a bit of a myth but, if you overtrain, you should know it because you will have dull aches in all of your muscles and you constantly feel lethargic and tired. If you are really feeling bad and tired, you should probably just take a day or 2 off to rest recover and come back for the next day for some more punishment.

 

Things you need to be doing to improve at my time

 

Muay Thai Shadowboxing

Once you learn the basic techniques, then shadow boxing is very effective for improving your form, opening up the joints, helping you to put your combinations together, kicking higher with your roundhouse kicks & teeps and visualizing yourself as someone who’s improving at the sport or even stepping into the ring.

 

Drills With A Partner

Drills are very effective for improving, your opponent will hold up their gloves for you to punch and you will also be wearing Muay Thai shin guards so you can practice light kicks to the legs that your partner can catch with their own shin pads. Drills make Skills.

As you start off it should be opposite hand opposite leg, so if you throw a left punch you should follow it up with a right low kick and if you throw a right punch you should follow it up with a left low kick and then you could add a right knee after that for an effective muay Thai 3 hit combo.

 

Pads With A Coach

If you can get an experienced coach to hold the pads for you, they will help you to improve much quicker. They can point out where you were going wrong and make on the spot adjustments so that you can practice the right thing going forward in the rest of your training, whether that’s light sparring, bags or even shadow boxing.

 

Heavy Bags

The heavy bag is your best friend when you’re trying to improve, it is always available and provides a solid opponent that you can strike at will. When you’re just getting used to your techniques and trying to improve, time spent on the bag is invaluable. Focus on your form instead of your power and try to put your combinations together with the proper footwork.

 

Light Sparring

There is no better way to improve then to actually simulate a real fight even if you were only going 50% at the start, you will quickly learn how to block effectively and how to land your own strikes.

There is a lot involved with Muay Thai and any good coach will never throw you in at the deep end. Just remember not to be the guy that runs around hitting everyone too hard in sparring as the better Fighters will give it back to you with interest.

All in all, Muay Thai is a very rewarding sport but it is one that takes some time to master probably more than any other martial art just because of the amount of time it takes to learn and master so many different techniques.

 

Let us know about your progress in the comments below and we look forward to hearing from you

Venum Headgear Review 2020 – Must Read Before You Buy

Written by KingKun in Boxing Gear

Venom Elite Headgear

Venom are quickly becoming one of the leading boxing brands in the market, sponsoring athletes such as Katie Taylor, Jorge Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko and the gear is also becoming extremely popular boxing gyms all around the world.

Venum don’t just make gear for boxing but all fighting Sports including MMA and Muay Thai as well. I currently own the venum elite headgear and boxing gloves and I love the quality, comfort and fit of this gear.

Venom are quickly becoming my go-to brand for boxing Gear.

They have also stepped into the headgear market with a number of different options to choose from that are all vastly popular and very well-reviewed on Amazon.

Venum Elite Headgear

Venum Elite Headgear

After a couple of early versions with the champion and contender headgear, Venum have finally got it right with the elite set.

When it comes to boxing headgear, it is a game of trade-offs. You want the Maximum Protection but you also need the gear to be lightweight and to give you maximum visibility and we feel that the Venum Elite headgear ticks all of these boxes and more.

Comfort and fit

Venum Elite 3

The Venum headgear comes in a one size fits all version and this fits tightly to the head with advanced velcro strapping at the back.

It comes with cheek protectors that fit snugly against the cheeks for maximum protection from cuts and bruises whether are you are in boxing, Muay Thai or MMA and it’s got a durable chin strap that protects you from shots down the middle, while still remaining lightweight.

This one has got plenty of openings around the back and sides that enables you to stay cool and make sure it doesn’t get too sweaty when you’re in the middle of your spars.

A boxing headset that I had before used to get really sweaty on the forehead and then roll down into my eyes and if something like that happens with boxing headgear you are better off to not be wearing any headgear at all.

Visibility

With so much protection, you are going to wonder whether the visibility is impaired at all with this headset. This one has got a wide visor that enables me to see 180 degrees around and it offers perfect visibility for any hooks, uppercuts, knees and kicks that come in which is an absolute must in boxing headgear.

Style and design

Venum Elite 2

This one has got one of the best designs around. It’s open back and sides allow great breathability, it has ear protectors attached to give the perfect protection on the sides from hooks and punches around the side of the head and even for MMA wrestling and Muay Thai Kicks.

The way this headgear looks draws a lot of people in, and it is definitely something that caught my eye before I made the purchase.

It comes a whole host different colours, from Black and Gold, white and gold, blue and white to pink, green and grey.

This also has an ergonomic design that doesn’t turn your head into a huge target for your opponent.

Weight And Material

Venum Elite 4

The product weighs in at 13.1 oz making it one of the lightest models around for the amount of protection you get.

Venom Elite headgear is hand-stitched in Thailand and it is made of the trademark skintex leather making this a durable headguard that will last for years to come.

The product is lightweight, tight-fitting and it offers maximum movement, it is also packing triple density foam that will allow you to take the impact of big shots and come back quickly with your own punches.

Overall we have to say this is probably the best headgear on the market today and it ranks right up there with some of the best head guards that we’ve used through the years.

Make sure to check out all the reviews here:

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The Venum Iron Elite Headgear

The Venum Iron Elite Headguard offers even more protection than the elite version. It comes with a skintex leather protection bar that comes across the face and offers full protection for the nose and eyes.

These are hand made in Thailand and the thing that is so good about this, is that it is so much more compact the most of the full face protection headgears that we tried so far. It doesn’t turn your head into a massive target that your opponent can land on at will.

Visibility

The big thing you are going to be thinking about when buying full-face headgear is the visibility. If you can’t see punches like wide hooks and uppercuts coming in then you are much better off without any headgear at all. The same goes for kicks and knees in Muay Thai sparring or MMA.

Style And Design

This one comes with a velcro strapping underneath the chin and velcro strapping at the back to offer complete protection. It doesn’t protect the chin like the elite one does but it does offer protection for the full face so you don’t take any marks if that’s important to you if you work in an office or something like that.

It comes in a Neo pink color that will definitely stand out and a host of other bright colors like yellow, black, blue and green will help you to look the part in your gym.

Make sure you check out some more if you was here:

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Other Headgear To Consider

Ringside Competition Like Headgear

Ringside Mexico Headgear

This is a quality headgear, that comes in at around $50. It offers complete protection against cuts and bruising to the face with cheek protectors that fit snugly against the cheeks, protecting the eyes and preventing any marks from sparring.

The product is made from genuine leather ensuring durability and a long-lasting product. You can also get the competition ready version for an extra $20.

It has an open design at the top ensuring breathability and it comes in a number of different sizes so you can definitely get a perfect fit for your head.

What we really like about this one is that you can get cool different designs like the Mexico flag, the American flag and other cool patterns and designs.

You got a durable strap under chin making this a leading headgear a and good competitor to the venom elite.

Check out some more reviews here:

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Hayabusa T3 MMA head guard

Huyabusa T3 Headgear

Hayabua is another name that has become very well known in the MMA world in recent years and I have seen plenty of people in the gym that are covered head to toe in their gear from the shin pads, gloves, headgear and even the shorts.

The T3 is a full face headguard and it’s a one-size-fits-all design. With a patented T lock velcro strapping system on the back to ensure a perfect fit.

99 times out of 100, this one is going to fit perfectly without blocking division, but if you have a larger head and if you’re worried that vision will be impaired then make sure you do your research first.

This one offers good protection for the full face, with cheekprotectors and a chain guard blocking almost all oncoming punches, kicks and knees.

The Hayabusa costs $99 and you can get the full Italian leather version for $180.

We do prefer the Venom headgear but this one is definitely worth a look as well.

Check out some reviews here:

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If you want to know more about the benefits of boxing headgear then don’t forget to check out our buying guide and you can also check out our top 10 list boxing headgear here.


 

Do Boxing Gyms Have Weights – Better To Join A Commercial Gym As Well?

Written by KingKun in Boxer Training

MTK Global

Boxing and weightlifting are two different forms of training that all fighters should be doing and most boxing gyms will have some element of weights to accommodate this, although I have personally always liked to keep my weights gym and boxing gym separate and I would advise you to do the same.

The weights in a boxing gym will be mostly for conditioning and endurance, although plenty will have a squat rack and bench press as well.

The amount of weights boxing gyms have will vary greatly from one gym to the next, some gyms will split the premises in two and have separate weights and striking areas. Some gyms will only have all school barbells, eazy bars and some light & heavy dumbbells suitable for endurance and conditioning work during your boxing class or before it, but most of the time, they will not be sufficient for proper strength training.

 

Your goal in the boxing gym

Your goal in the boxing gym is to increase your skills, endurance and conditioning through pads, bags, sparring, drills and circuits and your goals in the weight gym should be to increase your bodies overall strength and power.

 

 

Strength training in the weights gym

Mayweather Weighted Dips

For strength training, you need to be 100-percent fresh so you can put everything you have in for heavy lifting and to get the maximum strength gains.

If you go strength training after you’re tired from boxing and not at 100%, you might not increase any strength at all but just increase your conditioning.

That’s why we would recommend and to keep your boxing and weights completely separate.

You can train boxing and weights in the same day but we would advise to train weights in the morning when you are super fresh, rehydrate and get your sugars in after the first session and then move on to boxing in the evening as your body will adapt to being more tired for boxing and improve even more or in your boxing workouts.

 

 

Personal experience

Having been in a number of gyms all around the world and most will have some weights set up, but it won’t match that of a commercial gym almost every time.

 

Spike O’Sullivan’s boxing gym in Cork

Spike O’Sullivan’s boxing gym in Cork had a lot of weights but these were mainly used separately by bodybuilders and for conditioning and endurance for The Fighters during their workouts and I used to go to a separate fitness gym to do strength training.

 

Macklin’s Gym Marbella

Macklin’s Gym Marbella or MTK Global is one of the best boxing gyms in Europe, they have full-size boxing rings, and a very well kitted out gym with squat racks, machines, pulley machines, pull-up bars and a good range of dumbbells so it was possible to do some good strength training here but it is also quite small so if it was busy you might not get to use all the machines you wanted.

 

Sinbi Muay Thai in Thailand

Sinbi Muay Thai in Thailand is one of the best professional Muay Thai gyms in the world and they have a good weights set up where you can get all of your strength training in. The one thing about it was that all the weights were old and nobody really used them as there was so much technical training for Muay Thai going on that it wasn’t really needed and the receptionist was wondering what I was doing when I went in to lift weights.

 

Origins Muay Thai Dublin

Quality gym for technique, conditioning and sparring with some really good fighters and a very well laid out, cozy gym. The weights here are old school with a pull-up and dip bar, old school barbells, kettlebells and dumbbells with a bench press as well but weights wasn’t really the main focus here but getting the fighters ready technically and in condition for battle.

 

 

What you should use weights for in a boxing gym

Mayweather Weighted Shadow Boxing

 

Shadow boxing with weights

Shadowboxing with weights is a great way to build endurance in the arms, build up the shoulders and increase hand speed along with punching power. Mix these with your regular shadowboxing to get a great warm-up for your pads, bags, drills, conditioning and sparring.

 

As Part Of Circuits

Weights are excellent as part of endurance and conditioning circuits, you can have one station with push-ups and the next station with bicep curls so you don’t get a rest between the exercises increase the amount of time you can stay strong for.

The next exercise might be pull-ups, squat jumps, shoulder press with dumbbells are heavy lunges with dumbbells. The key here is that there’s no break between sets so it builds up your overall Endurance and it is a whole-body workout.

These types of exercises are great but they will only increase punching power and strength for beginners. Once you hit the wall with weights with your initial gains, you will really need to be turning to heavy lifting to increase your power and strength in the ring.

 

What to focus on in the weights gym

Weighted Pull Ups For Boxing

The goal is to get stronger without putting on useless bulk and that’s why strength training recommends heavy weights for only a few reps and more sets than traditional bodybuilding which is almost useless for fighting.

If you put on useless bulk, your body will need the fuel all that muscle and you will get tired much quicker and the muscle will make you slower, so if it doesn’t make you hit harder it has no business in boxing.

Compound lifting

Heavy compound is what you need with heavy accessories also to increase your full body strength.

You should be aiming for 5 sets of 5 reps on your main exercises, 3 sets of 6 reps on the accessories, everything heavy.

 

Squats

Squats are great for building up the glutes, quads and lower back. As your punches star from your feet and move through your hips, this is an exercise you need to include.

 

Deadlift

Tyson Fury Deadlifting

List is an overall strength movement that builds the hamstrings, lower back, forearms and biceps leading to an overall strength gain in your body which can easily be transferred into punching power in the boxing gym.

 

Bench press

The good old fashioned bench press is great for building power in the chest, triceps and the front of the shoulder. Going 5 by 5 on this should be a good strength then on its own.

 

Weighted pull-ups

Mayweather Pull Ups

Use a weight vest or belt so that you are maxing out in the 5 by 5 range and this will add strength to your biceps, lats and the rest of your back. It is the squat of the upper body.

 

Military press

Military press is the last of the compound lifts. It does your shoulders and the muscles in your upper back. The shoulders are the most active muscle in your punch so increasing the strength here is pivotal to increasing overall punching power.

 

Quality Accessory Lifts

Quality accessories like Heavy Lunges, Flies, Bent Over Rows and the Close Grip Bench Press should all also be kept heavy with 6 * 3 sets and if you want to exhaust the muscle at the end, go for a superset with around 30 reps without a break to really burn it out.

 

Why I keep my boxing and weights gym separate

Boxing Body Protector

It provides a different atmosphere, so if I am in the boxing gym 4 times a week I am seeing all the same people, whereas if I join a separate commercial gym it’s a new environment and you get to meet new people and it’s just more enjoyable to have two places where you can go. Most Commercial gyms will only cost you about $30 and month now anyway and they will have all the best equipment.

 

Most boxing gym owners will probably get sick of seeing you too much anyway if you’re in the gym all the time so you’re better off to keep them separate in my opinion.