Fight Camp Perspective – Stuff I’m using this month

Like many of our customers I’m a semi professional combat sports athlete (MMA in my case) who needs a job alongside my fight career. Luckily for me I work for a company entrenched in the sport which gives me an unusual perspective on much of the gear you see in the gym. I thought I’d write a blog for people in my position who need the real deal on their kit for their Fight Camp. I’m 10 days out from my next fight against James “The Tie-Dye Samurai” Saville on Eiko 8 in Newcastle. He’s an experienced fighter who has fought on some of the top shows in the UK and was ranked 19^th in the UK in July. It’s an amazing opportunity for me to get my name out there. Recently I’ve been working a lot on my hands and have really enjoyed using the Boon Mini Curved Focus Mitts. These look strange when you first come to see them, almost too small to be useful for hard training but their true value is in the size. My coach and I first came across them while training out in Thailand where the trainer, Rajasak Sor Vorapin had me working my hands. My coach from back in Newcastle bought a pair soon after and we both quickly saw the benefit. There’s always the temptation when hitting big Thai pads to concentrate on power. Accuracy tends to take a back seat when this happens but these mini mitts don’t give you that option. The curve on them also means that although they are small you can still make a good, solid contact when punching. As an MMA fighter I find them particularly useful for working quick hand combinations and head movement as the pad feeder can move the pads quickly. These are a great training tool and a must have if you’re looking to improve your boxing whether for MMA, Muay Thai or Boxing. Paul “The Blacksmith” Gregson Fightstore Pro