Litesport vs. Traditional Boxing Workouts: What’s the Best Option for You?
Boxing is an addictive full-body exercise that offers something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a cardio and strength workout to add to your current regimen or you’re craving a fun new way to stay in shape. Not only can boxing build strength and improve your cardiovascular health, but it can also act as a great outlet for punching out any anger, frustration, or stress.
Better yet, there are plenty of options for you to get in an effective boxing workout at home, thanks to traditional boxing equipment and VR fitness options like Litesport. With VR fitness, there’s no need for an intimidating boxing gym or restrictive fitness class schedule.
But how does Litesport compare against traditional boxing equipment? Here we’ll list several at-home boxing options and their pros and cons so you can find the right one for you and your space.
Shadowboxing
Shadowboxing is the most basic at-home workout solution because it requires minimal to no equipment. Throwing punches in the air is a great way to practice your boxing technique while challenging your cardiovascular fitness. However, its minimalism could result in a boring workout with very little engagement.
Pros
Requires zero equipment
Helps practice your technique and learn new punches or boxing combinations
Great cardiovascular workout
Cons
Without a target to hit, it’s difficult to develop any kind of power, strength, or accuracy
Boring, very minimal engagement
No way to measure or quantify your progress
Heavy Bag
There are several types and sizes of heavy bags you can buy including free-standing heavy bags, hanging bags, wrecking balls, body opponent bags (BOB), uppercut bags, maize bags, teardrop bags, and more.
With a fabric exterior and often sand interior, they’re great for landing punches, building strength, and practicing form. But as a big and bulky sandbag, they tend to make more sense for a boxing gym than an at-home workout.
Pros
Great for developing power and strength and practicing different punches and boxing combinations
You can use them for almost any type of martial arts such as MMA, kickboxing, and Muy Thai
Its movement can help mimic the feeling of a real fight making it easier to practice your footwork, timing, and defensive moves
Some are great for practicing specific skills like the uppercut, making it easier to perfect your technique
Cons
Often expensive, especially if you want a high-quality bag (canvas bags, for example, are cheaper but less durable whereas leather bags can take a beating but come with a steep price tag and require maintenance)
Often big and bulky and can take up a fair amount of room
Difficult to install depending on the type of bag and structure of your home
No engagement with the bag telling you where, when, and how to punch
Easy to get into bad movement patterns or learn improper boxing form, especially without a trainer guiding you
No way to measure or quantify your progress
Water Bag
The water bag is a type of heavy bag that’s usually hung from the ceiling and, as the name implies, filled with water. Usually requiring minimal maintenance and coming in a wide variety of sizes and options, they're a great piece of boxing equipment. However, their price tag, installation, and risk of water leakage might not make them the best for your home.
Pros
Punches are much easier on the hand than a heavy bag, resulting in fewer injuries
Gives you the same feeling as hitting a real human body, which some boxers training for the ring can appreciate but for your average at-home boxer isn’t much of an advantage
Easy to fill up in your sink and needs little to no maintenance, unlike a leather heavy bag
More rebound with your punch, making it easier to practice movement, footwork, defensive moves, and accuracy
Cons
Runs the risk of leaking or cracking and getting water all over your home
To avoid leakage you’d want a durable water bag, often coming with an expensive price tag
Installation might not be possible depending on the space and structure of your home
No engagement telling you where and when to punch
No way to measure or quantify your progress
Speed Bag
The tiniest of the bag options is the speed bag. Hung from the wall in a teardrop shape, it’s designed to quickly bounce back with every punch, perfect for speed training and hand-eye coordination. It’s an excellent tool for the boxer in training but for the average person trying to get in a good workout at home, it doesn’t make sense as your primary piece of equipment.
Pros
Helps build boxer speed, focus, accuracy, timing, and hand-eye coordination
An excellent way to build strength in your shoulders and arms
Helps train you to keep your gloves up at your chin the entire fight
Cons
Often used in tandem with other forms of training and might not make sense to have as your sole piece of boxing equipment at home
Focusing on speed means you’re not focusing on power or strength
Can feel very repetitive, with little variance in how you use it or the kind of workout it offers
Doesn’t teach you proper boxing technique
No way to measure or quantify your progress
Double End Bag
The double end bag is a basketball-sized ball attached to both the ground and the ceiling. The rebound of this double-ended bag means it bounces back at you, giving you the feeling of boxing with an opponent. And while it’s far more engaging than other bag options, it might not be the best choice for beginner boxers or those looking for more guided instruction.
Pros
Its movement simulates a real fight making defensive moves and footwork part of the training
Helps build reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and speed
Can help you train proper boxing form and technique
Cons
Not a beginner-friendly bag because it’s a lot harder to land punches on a moving target
No engagement telling you where and when to punch
Easy to get into bad movement patterns or learn improper boxing form, especially without a trainer guiding you
No way to measure or quantify your progress
Litesport
At Litesport, we’ve taken the best parts of an at-home boxing workout and paired them with virtual reality technology for an interactive, beat-driven experience. Our boxing workouts combine expert trainer instruction, top-charting music, and real-time tracking and results for an immersive and effective workout. VR offers benefits that boxing equipment can’t like motivation through gamification, accurate movement tracking, realistic simulations, and the opportunity to bring a real-world trainer right into your living room.
Here’s how we’re different from at-home boxing equipment:
Unlimited Beginner to Advanced Class Content
Unlike several of the solutions above, Litesport offers an unlimited amount of workout options, with 2,000+ classes and different levels of difficulty tailored to everyone from the beginner to the experienced boxer. You can sweat it out in trainer-led boxing workouts or switch things up with total body boot camp and strength training workouts. You can also adjust the experience to match your fitness level so your workout offers just the right amount of challenge for you.
Beat-Driven Workouts
Music powers the Litesport experience, challenging you to keep up with the beat as you find your rhythm. Our team of DJs and programmers work with the best labels and artists in the game, guaranteeing a wide variety of options from hip-hop to rock to dance remixes. With over 150 Punch Tracks and 1,000+ boxing classes in our Litesport Premium membership, there are options for everyone. And it’s not just fun to punch to the beat of your favorite songs, it’s actually more effective. So no matter what song you’re boxing to, the music is going to motivate you to punch harder and go for longer.
Real-Time Results
Thanks to the cameras and sensors on your VR headset, we’re tracking your every move and punch in your Litesport workout. This means we can tell you in real-time whether you’ve thrown an accurate hit, as the lights on our virtual Liteshield glow red or green. Then, at the end of your workout, you’ll see a results screen featuring stats like your final score and the number of accurate hits, calories, velocity, best streak, and more. Our performance tracking and results create an interactive and engaging experience that’s tough, fun, and super rewarding. Try and beat your best score, challenge your friends, and watch yourself get stronger with every class.
Community Competition
Shadowboxing or facing off against a stationary heavy bag can be a very isolating and repetitive exercise. With Litesport, you can compete head-to-head with family, friends, and other members of the Litesport community to see who gets the highest score (and bragging rights). You can also join our Litesport community for access to accountability coaching, fitness motivation, challenges and competitions, and the opportunity to connect with and get feedback from our Litesport trainers. This kind of community competition and support unlocks a whole new level of motivation, making it easier to fit a workout into your busy routine.
World-Class Trainers
Lastly, Litesport differs from at-home boxing equipment by giving you access to real-world trainers. Our trainers have years of fitness experience and come from a variety of backgrounds including boxing, MMA, dancing, and more. With these pros, you can get some of the best total body fitness instruction and feel more agile, stronger, and confident. Throughout each class, your trainer is calling out what to do as you strike the virtual Liteshield. It’s like having a personal trainer right in your living room, coaching you on correct boxing form and technique while pushing you to never give up the fight.
Ready to give boxing a try with Litesport? Find the right VR headset for you and get started today with our 7-day free trial.