Boxing Focus Mitt Training

Training on the focus mitts is one the best ways to develop your fighting reflexes, punching technique, defence technique, and fighting strategy. Hitting the focus mitts is not only a great workout but also intellectually stimulating, and FUN! Mittwork is also the most realistic fight training simulation next to sparring.

The focus mitts are an incredibly versatile tool for boxing training and yet many boxers are only doing one thing on the mitts—which is hitting as hard and fast as possible. Focus mitt training is not only about speed and power. There’s also rhythm, timing, accuracy, strategy, style, etc, etc. There are so many different ways you could be developing yourself on the mitts. And by only thinking about power on the mitts, you cheat yourself out of developing the more refined slick “sweet boxing” skills.

Let’s go over some important concepts and methods of boxing mittwork training.

The Use of Focus Mitts in Boxing

From what I’ve heard, focus mitts are a fairly recent invention. “Hitting the pads” didn’t happen back in the days. Old school trainers didn’t use them with their fighters and many of them became champions without ever doing mitt drills. “Mittwork” was just something the new school guys invented. I never actually checked the dates and details of when the mitts became popular but that’s what I heard.

Benefits of focus mitt drills

As I’ve mentioned earlier, focus mitts are one of the best boxing drills you can do as a fighter. It allows you to practice more realistic fighting manoeuvres without you having to actually fight a live person. I would say it’s the next closest thing to fighting or sparring.

Focus mitt training can help you:

• improve punching skills (technique, power, speed, endurance, accuracy, timing)
• improve offensive skills (angles, combinations)
• improve defensive skills (blocking, parrying, slipping, rolling)
• practice moving against a live person (footwork, strategy, mimicking styles, counter-punching)

Advantages of mittwork training over other boxing drills:

• drill realistic fighting movements
• work on offence and defence simultaneously
• get used to moving around a live person
• get helpful feedback from your trainer
• mimic and practice for certain styles
• great flexibility to practice many different moves
• fun and challenging