“When you need that realism of punching a bag with boxing gloves, FightCamp replicates it at home.”
- Sturdy, professional-grade equipment
- Plenty of boxing classes to choose
- Accurate punch trackers
- Doesn't track for proper form
The home gym experience is more diverse than it ever has been. While workouts like high-intensity training and biking have been popularized by the Pelotons and Mirrors of the world, there are others that have received little to zero exposure. Boxing is one of them.
If you’ve exhausted your fill of those other exercises, FightCamp may have something to pique your interest with its boxing and kickboxing workouts. Naturally, you can expect some level of tracking and guidance to whip you into boxing form, but can it really replace that one-on-one, personal trainer experience? Well, at the very least, you’ll be hitting a real punching bag.
Setup and installation
FightCamp consists of three different packages to tailor to your preference: Connect ($439), Personal ($1,219), and Tribe ($1,349). I tested out the Personal, which included punch trackers, quick wraps, free-standing bag, workout mat, and premium boxing gloves. Shipping is free on all packages.
It has all the essentials to give you that boxing workout at home, but if you don’t need the bag and simply want to track your punches, you’ll want to stick with the Connect package to save yourself a considerable amount. The Tribe package has everything in the Personal, but comes with additional boxing gloves.
Now, the toughest part about setting up FightCamp is figuring out a place for it — just because once it’s been set up, you really can’t move it. That’s because the base is filled with either water or sand, which allows the free-standing bag to remain in place while you’re punching away at it.
It ended up tipping the scales over 300 pounds, making it nearly impossible to move later on unless the sand is emptied. I ended up setting it all in my makeshift gym in my garage, but I can see how this might present a problem inside the home if you’re looking to store it away somewhere when it’s not being used.
The last piece of the setup process was pairing the punch trackers to my iPhone SE via Bluetooth. After that was completed, I was ready to start using FightCamp.
Boxing gear
Despite being immovable, the free-standing bag looks and feels like something you’d actually use in a boxing gym. Since the sand inside of the base keeps it from moving, I’m able to kick and punch it with full force. It feels well-made and gives me confidence that it’ll hold up in the long term. I’ve punched and kicked with a decent amount of force, so I’m glad that it’s able to withstand everything I give it.
The included boxing gloves also seem like something that professionals use. They’ll help protect your knuckles, especially if they begin to feel sore from punching the bag. The punch trackers are placed into a pocket on the quick wraps that you put on your hands, which allows FightCamp to monitor how many punches are delivered each workout.
And finally, there’s the heavy workout mat that again seems like something you’ll find in a gym. It’s large enough to accommodate the punching bag and myself on it, but dirt builds up pretty quick. There were workouts that had me sitting on the mat or my palms touching it, so you’ll want to clean it up frequently to prevent footprints from building up and becoming tough to clean.
Overall, I’m impressed by the gear here because it’s not toned-down whatsoever from what you’d find in a traditional gym.
Workouts
If you have never boxed before, then you’ll appreciate how FightCamp’s classes will whip you into boxing form with the basics. Instructors are informative and offer guidance on the various punches, with classes also mixing in some high-intensity interval training that had me doing burpees (my poor knees). Not surprisingly, I found myself sweating by the end of the workout classes, which is expected whenever you try something new.
If you’ve never tried out boxing or kickboxing, it can definitely give you a cardio workout.
Currently, FightCamp is compatible with iOS devices — so you’ll need to have an iPhone or iPad in order to follow classes. There’s an Android app on the way, but there’s no time frame on when it’ll be released. While classes can be filtered through the app between boxing, kickboxing, and core, the only distraction I had using FightCamp was trying to look at my iPhone while doing the exercises. I just wish there was a spot on the bag where I could snuggly keep my iPhone to follow instructions, just because it’s tough looking at my phone in a nearby spot while focusing on where to hit the bag.
Through the course of the workouts, the punch trackers accurately monitored the amount of times I’ve thrown punches. Goals are set at the start of each class, but what’s missing here is the ability to monitor for proper form when it comes to hitting the bag. Yes, there’s a difference between throwing a hook, jab, or uppercut, but what I’d like to see is for FightCamp to tell me if I’m hitting the correct areas on the punching bag. It doesn’t, nor can it distinguish the power behind my punches. Although, they track a form of it through output, which is measured by the speed and technique of punches.
Still, if you’ve never tried out boxing or kickboxing, it can definitely give you a cardio workout. FightCamp makes it easy for beginners, with various beginners classes and tips to get anyone up to speed. I would just like to see iterative improvements that could track for proper form and the ability to determine the power behind my punches.
Subscription service
FightCamp’s subscription service costs $39 per month, which is in line with other connected fitness services like Peloton, Mirror, and Temp,o to name a few. This subscription service gives users access to 1,000-plus workouts, but since it’s focused on boxing, you won’t find the same diverse and robust classes found with Mirror or Tempo.
FightCamp’s classes cover the gamut, from beginners to advanced.
But at the same time, FightCamp’s classes cover the gamut, from beginners to advanced, so that you receive more informative guidance around boxing than the other platforms that simply have you shadowboxing.
Our take
Biking and hgh-intensity interval training (HITT) exercises have become the dominant at-home gym experiences, which is what makes FightCamp appealing. It’s certainly different, focusing exclusively on boxing, but I really do love the hardware. I just wish it were smarter, especially given the cost of the gym-quality punching bag and gloves. Then again, FightCamp’s realism and ability to track punches automatically is still better than just shadowboxing someone you’re watching on video.
Is there a better alternative?
Liteboxer is the only other similar alternative to check out. It costs more at $1,695, but it gamifies the experience in a way that makes it engaging.
There are also other fitness services out there that offer some kind of boxing classes, like Apple Fitness+, but while the subscription cost is extremely affordable compared to FightCamp, it doesn’t match the tracking or advanced classes offered by FightCamp.
How long will it last?
I’ve mentioned numerous times that FightCamp’s equipment looks and feels like gear that you’ll find at boxing gyms. So far, there doesn’t seem to be any issues in terms of build quality in the two months I’ve been using it, but it’s tough to say how long it’ll hold up in the long term. At the very least, there’s a one-year limited warranty against defects in workmanship and materials.
Should you buy it?
Yes, but only if you’re tired of all those biking and HITT workout services and equipment. Boxing isn’t for everyone, but it doesn’t hurt learning a few moves and combos.
