Boxing gyms clamp down on injuries with new equipment

Claudia Poposki tests out the latest equipment set to make recreational boxing more inclusive across gyms.

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A popular recreational sport is putting paid to injuries by swapping out potentially dangerous equipment with a more risk-averse alternative.

Aqua bags are popping up in gyms around Australia in a bid to encourage more people to take up boxing.

While traditional boxing bags are filled with sand, aqua bags are filled with, you guessed it, water.

Aqua bags are popping up in more gyms. Picture: Claudia Poposki/news.com.au

“All boxing bags have to absorb kinetic energy but the aqua bags just absorb that much more,” said Kes Commerford, founder and owner of Undercard Boxing, a Bondi Junction gym investing in aqua bags. “So it helps, especially if you are learning how to box and you do hit the bag wrong.”

Kes, who hopes the addition of aqua bags will make his gym more inclusive and welcoming for beginners, told news.com.au that the water reduces stress on the boxer’s joints and this helps prevent injuries such as wrist damage.

He said boxers don’t have to hit the bag harder, but the aqua bag can take a solid punch.

The gym owner added that a lot of boxing spaces are intimidating, and are predominantly occupied by men, but he wants his gym to be a space where all levels and genders can train together.

Kes Commerford is the founder of Undercard. Picture: Supplied

Road test

To see just how beginner-friendly the aqua bags really are, I attended one of the boxing classes at Undercard gym.

Put it this way, while the equipment may be safer, the classes are not for the faint of heart.

Fifteen minutes before the first class, all the newbies were shown how to perform basic boxing moves and told which number correlated with each move, a fantastic way to ease beginners into what is a challenging fitness class.

Not solely a boxing class, there is a lot of running and HIIT style weight training involved – and it is non-stop the entire time, with few chances to take a breather.

Running is a huge component of the class – not this reporter’s idea of fun – but there are plenty of people out there who would enjoy the running and the intensity of this workout.

Running and HIIT weights are key components of the class. Picture: Supplied

As for the aqua bags, they were a gamechanger. I’ve done a fair amount of boxing on and off for years. Usually I do sparring with a mate, where we take turns holding the pads for each other. Every time I’ve attempted using a boxing bag, I have been humiliated. The bag doesn’t move or I hit it wrong and end up cradling my wrist for the rest of the day.

In comparison, using the aqua bags was a joy. I felt powerful because the bags were actually moving for once and it was easy to keep up the sequence. The bags’ buoyancy – due to the water inside – made it easy for your fists to bounce off and move onto the next move.

If I had a spare $350 handy and somewhere to hang the bag, I would have purchased one online immediately.

I came away without any bruising or injury, and felt like I had achieved something.

I recommend finding a gym near you that has aqua bags and booking yourself into a class. If you’re new to boxing, this is the perfect introduction.