FightCamp Home Boxing Gym Review

Quick Take

Peloton, Tonal, Hydrorow; the field of interactive streaming fitness training is more popular than ever. Though they haven’t gained the same kind of broad-reaching fame as their counterparts, FightCamp hit the market in 2018, bringing this much-loved approach to the boxing/martial arts scene. Following the same basic model, you have an equipment buy-in, as well as monthly subscription fees to access a plethora of training routines. As you’ll learn below, FightCamp isn’t without its flaws, but it’s also proving to be a very interesting fitness alternative for those who need that added push of training but aren’t interested in the treadmill, rowing machine, or exercise bike scene.

Features

It’s worth noting here that FightCamp started as a technology company, and one that saw great success in their early years. Initially launched by a team (including an Olympic level boxer), then-named Hykso launched their wearable punch trackers that were eventually picked up by the likes of MMA pro fighter Daniel Cormier, and Connor McGreggor (among others). The smart bluetooth sensors—an early versions of the ones used in FightCamp—fit into your wrist wraps (under boxing gloves in most cases) and use accelerometers and a gyroscope, capturing data 1000 times per second. This allows users to track how many punches are being thrown, how hard they’re being thrown, and even what types of punches are thrown. At both the pro level for refining technique, and at the amateur level when boxing is used for cardio training as it is with FightCamp, having good data is key so you’re in good hands here.

When looking at FightCamp’s buy-in packages, before we look at the streaming services, there are a few ways to go, but having done some math only one really makes sense. At a basic level, for $439 you can purchase the trackers and quick wraps, for $1,219 you also get a freestanding punching bag, premium boxing gloves, and a heavy duty workout mat. Now, we’re used to seeing package math on things like this, but even if you’re generous the added gear premium doesn’t really add up. For a $780 difference you can pick up a premium freestanding bag for $300 and pro-level training gloves for $150… You get the idea.

The other issue we have from a pricing standpoint is the cost of the trackers themselves. Here, you’re paying $439 of the trackers, quick wraps, and the ability to have the subscription to FightCamp. Consider a chunk of this more of an ‘initiation fee’ like you would pay when joining a gym, because that’s not cost associated with the technology itself. We know this on account of a key competitor; Corner Boxing Trackers cost a fair bit less ($139.99 on Amazon), and deliver supposedly equally accurate tracking capability via their own app—just no interactive training element to be had, which is the topic at hand here.

Ignoring that math for a moment, the ‘big picture’ with FightCamp is really about access to virtual training, which is something they are doing very well. As it stands, there are hundreds of available workouts available for streaming through the FightCamp app, which is currently only available for iOS—Android users will have to wait. Users can stream classes on their iPads, or push the programming to their Apple TVs for better viewing. Overall you don’t need a ton of space to set up for this. The punching bag on offer from FightCamp is less than 6 feet tall and has a 2-foot diameter base. When filled with either sand or water, the bag weighs between 270 and about 350lbs, so it’s not the kind that you could accidentally knock over even if you’re swinging like a pro. The included mat comes in 2-foot interlocking squares, meant to cover a 4-foot by 8-foot area, but in a pinch you can trim that down to 4 by 6 if you need to.

Classes in the app range from 15 to 45 minutes, set up in rounds with cool-down periods in between. As you cool down you’ll want to keep paying attention, as the instructor will be walking you through the punch combination needed for the following round. Pacing is key here, as part of your tracking and goals are based around how many punches you throw over the course of the workout. You’ll be using this as your goal metrics to improve your workout, as well as to see how you stack up in FightCamp’s leaderboard. This is a big part of how they’re tying into the Peloton movement—getting users to not only compete with themselves but also with one another.

Another element that FightCamp is leveraging to set themselves apart from the pack is their selectable curated playlists that go along with your workout. FightCamp partnered with Feed FM to accomplish this, which is an interesting option compared to other workouts where you’re subjected to a singular music option.

For people who are new to boxing, it’s highly recommended to follow FightCamps’s Prospect Path—a series of sessions that walk you through things at a more basic level. There’s also Boxing Base classes that are more focused on fundamentals. As you grow, you’re encouraged to modify your approach as you see fit, but to many its that competitive angle that will keep you on track—seeing how many punches you’re throwing in comparison to your counterparts, or going back and beating your past records to a pulp.