You like boxing, and you're designing a home gym, but you're not a professional decorator or boxer. What exactly is the best way to outfit a boxing gym for the best quality training and the most enjoyment? We've got some Home Boxing Gym Ideas to help set you up with the basics while giving you some creative ideas, as well.
1) Speed Bag
A speed bag is one of the most basic tools a boxer needs in their arsenal, and if you enjoy boxing, you'll want a speed bag to practice with. A bag like this will help you keep your hands up and practice for when you're in a real boxing ring, whether it's with friends or in an actual boxing match. You can bolt this one to the ceiling, so you can use it in an unfinished basement gym without finished walls.
2) Double End Bag
In boxing, timing is essential, and you'll want a double end bag to help you improve your timing and hand speed. This bag from Amazon is made from leather, but you can also make your own bag if you're on a budget. Either way, you'll need to get a mounting bracket of some sort. Since it doesn't have a set type of mounting bracket, you can easily hang it from the joist or beam of an unfinished ceiling if you need to.
3) DIY Uppercut Bag
Uppercut bags are valuable for….well, uppercuts. If you want something you can play with or practice your uppercut with, but you don't have the money to buy an expensive piece of equipment or can't justify the cost for a hobby, you can make an uppercut bag easily with items you probably have lying around. All you need is an old flat tire, and you can make an uppercut bag using this tutorial by Lance1Woods.
4) DIY Corner Gym
If you don't have a lot of space, or if you're trying to fit as much as possible into your home boxing gym, you'll want to use every little bit of space. This means that corners are probably your enemy, but there are ways to make use of corners as both storage and functional areas. Check out this instructable by browneaction to see how you can make a neat boxing gym in a corner. If you don't want your heavy bag in the corner, you can put any style bag that works for your needs instead.
5) DIY Speed Bag Platform
Speed bags are an essential part of a boxing gym since they're a great way to practice for a real boxing match, and quite frankly, they're one of the most fun bags to play with if you're an amateur boxer or boxing enthusiast. That said, you can make a homemade speed bag fairly easily and use this video by csquaredboxing to build the platform instead of buying an expensive bag and platform online or in a store.
6) Water Bag
If you like boxing but don't like the wear and tear on your body, there are ways to set up your home boxing gym with equipment that won't cause as much strain. If you're getting older or want to reduce stress on your joints, try using a water bag like this one. The bag is heavy since water is one of the heaviest things you can fill a bag with, but the water absorbs the impact and makes it more comfortable to use.
7) Hanging Uppercut Bag
An uppercut bag is a valuable part of a boxing gym since it lets you practice your uppercut, but there are various types of bags you can use. One standard do-it-yourself solution is a wall-mounted uppercut bag, but building your own bag can be more than you have the time or skill for. If you have unfinished walls or concrete walls in a basement gym, you might not have an option for a wall-mounted bag, so you'll want one that hangs from the ceiling like this one from Amazon.
8) DIY Slip Bag
A slip bag is a great way to practice head movement if you're training for a real fight. You can make one on your own using this tutorial from Brother's In Blood and hang it on the same hooks as your heavy bag. This will help you improve your defensive game, and if you make it using this tutorial, it'll cost almost nothing. This makes it excellent if you're trying to build a gym on a budget.
9) Heavy Bag
Your heavy bag is one of the most common tools in a boxing gym. If you're an amateur just looking to have some fun, and you like the feel of pounding on a bag, then the heavy bag is the one you want. A heavy bag like this has a lot of weight to it, and you can feel a strong impact when you hit, as if you were doing body blows against an opponent. It's great for stress relief and essential for training.
10) Mats
Most gyms have mats, but they have a different purpose in every style of gym. In this case, the padding will save your ankles when you dance around during a sparring match, and they'll make bodyweight exercises like pushups more comfortable. A large mat could fit your needs best, but if you have a concrete floor, such as in a garage or basement home gym, you'll want thick mats like these. There is a balance, though, since you don't want mats that are so thick that you'll trip on them.
11) DIY Speed Bag
Almost any boxing gym will have a speed bag. If you're training hard, you'll want the speed bag to help you practice keeping your hands up and protecting from blows. If you're just in it for fun, you can get a great workout with a fast little bag that's fun to hit, but you probably don't want to spend a ton of money. To save money, you can use this video tutorial by Mac Paverick to make a speed bag instead of buying one.
12) Wall-Mounted Uppercut Bag
Uppercut bags are useful for practicing uppercuts, and if you're just in it for fun, there are a variety of ways you can beat up on them. You can hang them from a ceiling, but wall-mounted bags provide a different feeling; ultimately, you'll have to decide whether you prefer an uppercut bag that hangs or a more stable one like this that mounts on a wall. Then, you can buy it from Amazon with this link.
13) DIY Tire Bag
If you like boxing but don't have a lot of money or can't justify spending a lot on a hobby, tires are your friend. Tires are a versatile boxing tool since you can make uppercut bags or many other styles of boxing bags with them. Try using these directions by Ross from rosstraining.com to make a heavy bag using several old tires. This trick makes a neat bag that you can use in an outdoor gym since tires are, of course, weatherproof and waterproof.
What's missing in your home boxing gym? Do you have the basics, and you're looking for neat ideas like tire bags, or are you still hunting for the right heavy bag? Tell us about your home gym in the comments below!
