How to Choose

4 fantastic boxing focus pad alternatives

By April 13, 2021No Comments

4 fantastic alternatives to boxing focus pads

Boxing Focus Pads are typically the number one tool you see on a trainer’s hands inside any boxing gym.
Focus pads/mitts are the staple item for catching punches, giving proper feedback to the boxer’s punches, and protecting the hands and arms of the pad holder.
However holding focus pads for round after round, over long periods of time can produce strain & injury to the holder and boxer, even when good technique is present.
Thankfully, there are brilliant focus pad alternatives that bring with them a variety of features and benefits to both users!

1. KICK PADS

Not quite a boxing focus pad and not quite a Muay Thai pad.
While kick pads are built primarily for kickboxing-based drills, they are incredibly supportive & protective to the trainer.
As Kick Pads are built and held similar to Thai Pads, their handlebars are easy to grip, the overall shock is evenly dispersed across the trainer’s arms instead of the hands and wrists.
They are incredibly lightweight and are easy to maneuver thanks to their pull-back forearm straps locking you in comfortably, throughout every round.
A pair of kick pads are a truly excellent substitute to focus pads when injury prevention is a top priority!

2. BOXING STICKS

You may have seen boxing coaches and trainers use pool noodles as an effective and cheap boxing-based catching tool, pool noodles however are flimsy & can break easily as they aren’t built to handle the shock of a boxer’s punch.
A pair of boxing sticks on the other hand are purposefully designed for boxing & combat sports-based pad holding and training.
Like kick pads, boxing sticks can take a tremendous amount of shock away from the coach’s joints, making them a great tool for a coach’s safety.
The additional reach from a boxing stick stops a trainer from overreaching, making movement-based drills easier than ever before to perform while keeping the risk of accidental collision to a minimum.
The boxing stick is a phenomenal tool for injury relief as well as precision, defensive and movement-based boxing combinations.

3. BOXING PADDLES

Boxing paddles bring some of the best features to pad work training.
A paddles large, flat target face provides cracking feedback to the boxer and keeps the shock on their hands and arms to a minimum.
As the target has nothing behind it to catch, the boxer feels minimal resistance on their body, yet feels a great pop on their boxing gloves.
The same applies to the pad holder as their hand simply swats the punches to catch rather than pushing their arms against the force of a punch.
Boxing paddles are also a stunning tool for speed-based boxing, their lightweight frame, shaping and ability to angled in any direction allows coaches to keep their boxer on their toes and always on their guard.

4. COACH MITTS

A classic boxing tool, built for the best of both worlds.
Purposely built as a combination of a boxing glove and a focus pad, this boxing tool provides the most realistic pad work experience for a fighter during training.
With the additional padding of the boxing glove, a trainer can safely strike back at their boxer, keeping their boxer’s attention on their offense, footwork, and defence at all times!
While not the focus pad alternative we would recommend for fitness based boxing,
This tool is a great alternative for coaches looking to walk their boxers into the ring.