Adding some of the best home gym equipment to your abode can be motivating enough to get you off your feet, but oftentimes, these treadmills, exercise bikes, and ellipticals turn into glorified coat hangers after just a few uses. Enter FightCamp - a high-intensity, punch-filled modality to help you conquer a sedentary lifestyle.
FightCamp’s boxing and kickboxing bundle offers a unique workout discipline for home gym enthusiasts. While not as versatile as other home gym staples - like free weights, functional trainers, or other profiles - the connected training modules and affordable price point make it a great pick for those that find more traditional at-home workouts somewhat dull.
As you can expect, FightCamp’s focus is on home boxing and kickboxing workouts, but the online workout program also features strength-, core-, and recovery-based sessions with more modules added weekly.
Recently, the brand updated its boxing workout bundle so that FightCamp packages now include a punching bag, non-slip bag ring, heart rate monitor, punch trackers, quick wraps, and premium boxing gloves sized to your needs. You can also order bundles with up to four pairs of boxing gloves and quick wraps, perfect for active families with multiple FightCamp users.
FightCamp combines cardio and bodyweight exercise to generate a calorie-burning fitness regimen. FightCamp can be a fun way to burn 100 calories or more each day, but those haymakers and jabs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.
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Before you finalize your cart, though, it helps to treat FightCamp as you would any other piece of home gym equipment. Take some measurements, look at your budget, and really think through your preferred fitness interests.
FightCamp comes with a 30-day return policy, which can be helpful if you suddenly realize that boxing workouts aren’t your favorable discipline of choice. Additionally, FightCamp offers a 1-year warranty for any defects in workmanship and materials.
FightCamp bundles - which include the bag, trackers, heart rate monitor, and boxing gloves - start at $999. At the time of this writing, FightCamp does not offer a package that solely includes the wraps and trackers, so you’ll need to purchase the FightCamp-branded bag if you want to take part in this workout discipline.
The FightCamp app does offer beginner courses designed for novice athletes just getting used to the discipline. Additionally, your first few workouts within the FightCamp platform will automatically offer up tutorials for how to wrap your quick wraps into position as well as how to stand to throw the correct punch.
The platform features instructor-led workouts led by world-class instructors and offers real-time progress tracking similar to the in-studio feel you’d see on such silhouettes as the Peloton Bike. Of course, this service does require some additional financial planning.
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What We Like About FightCamp
One of the first things our tester noted when getting FightCamp set up for training was that it’s fairly plug and play.
In previous iterations of the service, you needed to connect the included punch trackers via Bluetooth to a smart device such as your phone or tablet, subsequently streaming the connected workouts through that device. The all-new FightCamp console, on the other hand, essentially works like an Apple TV docking station, giving you a more streamlined pathway to follow workouts through your television screen.
The Bluetooth-enabled punch tracker sensors are what turn FightCamp into its own connected boxing gym. The sensors allow you to track your punch counts through each session as they tally up across your screen. Plus, we like how FightCamp has given these combos a sense of competition in live workouts.
Moving from the tech features to the more utilitarian side of the bundle, the FightCamp punching bag features a topple-free design with padding tall enough to support both boxing and kickboxing sessions. You can also purchase add-on accessories that aren't included in the starter kit, like a tile to protect your floor or a noise-reducing sleeve that goes around the bag.
Plus, I like how FightCamp also includes a non-slip bag ring in the base kit, which serves as a sort of guide rail for your bag’s base.
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The included boxing gloves and quick hand wraps are available in small (for those 5 feet, 7 inches and under) and large (for those 5 feet, 8 inches and over), giving you some room to customize your boxing equipment to your specific body type.
FightCamp is amazing. All the trainers are awesome and their workouts is helping me a lot in learning Boxing at home. Loving FightCamp, perfect for ADHD, gets you moving around where no workout is the same or redundant like being on a bike or treadmill. Perfect for letting out steam and frustration at the end of a long day!!! I absolutely LOVE FC workouts. There's amazing variety for all types of goals and intensity levels. Being able to get my stretch and recovery routines in the same place as my workouts and being able to "stack" them to play automatically is GOLD. The one IT issue I had was handled very thoroughly and gracefully to my complete satisfaction. My only hope is that android systems would be updated to all features more in sync with apple iOS. There's a big lag between OS features.
Per the brand, “We bundle our boxing bag, gloves, wraps, console and trackers together to confidently deliver the best possible FightCamp experience.
I found the process pretty easy and straightforward - and I'm no tech whiz.
One of the aspects of FightCamp that I really liked was the accuracy of the tracking compared to other interactive workouts I've tried. During boxing and kickboxing, the number of punches/kicks you throw and the power you put behind your movements is reflected in a score at the corner of the screen. Both numbers seemed accurate and popped up without delay.
FightCamp has a multiplayer element. You can complete a workout then send it to another FightCamp member and see whether they beat your score.
3 WAYS TO FILL YOUR FREE-STANDING BOXING BAG BASE | At Home | Easy to Do
What to Consider
We did rate the assembly process at 4 out of 5, though, given the filling process for the bottom reservoir.
The brand states that water or sand should be used in quantities of 250 pounds or 350 pounds, respectively. Sand is the better option from a logistics standpoint as it won’t slosh around during heavy hits. I’ve had free-standing punching bags before and definitely prefer the convenience of water. For one, it’s readily available and doesn’t require a trip to your local hardware store.
Per FightCamp, you’ll need roughly 250 pounds of water or 350 pounds of sand to fill the vessel. You can complete a workout then send it to another FightCamp member and see whether they beat your score.
You may be wondering why the positive notes expressed above generated a mid-range rating. Well, that’s due to the punch trackers not necessarily picking up every jab and strike during our full-body workouts. According to our tester, there were a few hits that failed to register with the service.
While FightCamp can be a fun, intriguing way to get your heart pumping, and the entire bundle is some of the best compact exercise equipment for athletes in small spaces, admittedly, it’s far more niche than other training staples.
After all, your pace and intensity are directly related to the sessions you take, and there are few alterations you can make to your workout outside of choosing a non-boxing session from the library. FightCamp also doesn’t feature any means to employ resistance training like you’d see with free weights or cable machines.
We also rated the versatility at 1.75 out of 5, as the kit relies entirely on your buy-in to the brand’s library of connected sessions. If you’re an athlete well-versed in combat sports and are just looking to hit the bag for a few minutes each day, odds are you understand which combos to throw to generate a caloric burn.
One of the most obvious downsides of at-home boxing is that you miss out on the personal form critiques you'd get from in-person instruction. Although, to be fair, I've also been to high-volume boxing classes where the instructors didn't provide any individual feedback.
I'm still convinced that the most effective way to learn boxing technique is to work with an in-person coach who can watch you and correct your form in real-time. But FightCamp has the most in-depth instruction I've seen in an at-home alternative.
FightCamp does have programming that covers the fundamentals, allowing beginners to learn the basics of form. There are tutorials on the app that break down things like the mechanics of stance and how you should generate momentum or transfer your weight at every point of a given maneuver.
Who Is FightCamp Best For?
While FightCamp has beginner workouts and tutorials, I still think it's best reserved for people who have taken at least a few boxing classes.
Some people prefer to work out with the encouragement of a trainer or instructor; others favor self-motivated workouts. FightCamp is best suited to the latter group. It does have an element of gamification - you can compete against a bot during workouts - but you have to hold yourself accountable.
That said, if you're a self-motivated queen and prefer home workouts, FightCamp provides a great workout, detailed instruction, and just as much fun as some in-person classes.
Just make sure you have enough room in your house before purchasing. FightCamp is better for people with extra office space or a more spacious home gym. If you live in a quaint studio apartment like I do, a punching bag occupies a lot of precious real estate.
If you buy a FightCamp bag, you'll need to fill it with sand, water, or both. The base can fit 350 pounds of sand or 250 pounds of water.
Is FightCamp Worth the Splurge?
The FightCamp Starter Kit ($799, originally $999) is not cheap. If you want to save some money, there's also a $400 package that includes everything but the bag. Upfront cost aside, you'll also need to pay $39 per month for the membership in order to access the workouts.
According to my girl math, if you're in the habit of booking one-off classes at boutique boxing gyms (which can cost $35+ in cities), and you see yourself transitioning to more home workouts in the long run, FightCamp is probably worth the initial spend. I also think FightCamp makes financial sense for those who really enjoy boxing/kickboxing but prioritize convenience and/or don't live close to a boxing gym or studio.
FightCamp Vs. Alternatives
Okay, so comparing FightCamp to other home gym silhouettes can be a little tricky - there aren’t multiple combat-related products to choose from.
So, to give you something to compare the product to, we’ve taken the different principles of the package and stacked them side-by-side to relative profiles. For the connected fitness aspect, we’ve compared FightCamp to Tonal.
In terms of versatility, Tonal can be a great option for athletes looking to bring their workouts home. The plethora of accessories and multiple resistance-training sessions make it a go-to for calorie-burning sessions.
When it comes to free-standing punching bags, I cannot recommend Century’s Wavemaster lineup more. The 52-inch pad height is tall enough to support kickboxing endeavors, and I’ve yet to see a Wavemaster topple over after a hard hit or connection. However, you do need to have some sort of game plan together when training with this profile. There are no connected features like an on-screen instructor with this pick.
| Feature | FightCamp | Tonal | Century Wavemaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workout Focus | Boxing and Kickboxing | Resistance Training | Boxing and Kickboxing (Manual) |
| Connected Features | Yes | Yes | No |
| Versatility | Limited | High | Limited |
How to Assemble FightCamp
Assembling the FightCamp bundle is as simple as connecting the padded bag to its base and filling the bottom reservoir with water or sand.
We’ve yet to set up the all-new FightCamp Console, so we do not have notes on that process yet.
Purchasing FightCamp
FightCamp bundles can be purchased directly from the brand’s retail site. Currently, You have the option to purchase boxing glove pairs for up to four people.
Before you finalize your cart, though, it helps to treat FightCamp as you would any other piece of home gym equipment. Take some measurements, look at your budget, and really think through your preferred fitness interests.
Final Thoughts
As home gym equipment, FightCamp can be an excellent bundle for those wanting to mix up their daily workouts. Plus, this best treadmill alternative can be more affordable than the running-oriented profiles with packaged prices starting at $999.
We’re not here to say that FightCamp isn’t a worthwhile home gym option. However, we recommend that you think through your personal fitness goals before signing up for the service and acquiring your gear.
When working through the steps to building your home gym, you need to think of a few factors along the way, regardless of whether you plan on adding FightCamp to your roster or not:
- Fitness Goals: What you want to accomplish in training can greatly determine which gear you need to support your performance.
- Product Dimensions: There’s no sense in ordering fitness equipment that won’t even make it through the door. Take some measurements within your training space and ensure your picks can fit comfortably.
- Training Interests: Your home gym equipment should serve as tools you don’t mind using day in and day out.
- Price: No piece of fitness gear should compromise your budget.