Boxing Equipment for Beginners

Boxing has always been considered somewhat of a poor man’s sport, and therefore boxing equipment for beginners is not that expensive to obtain. If you’re just starting out, you might be tempted to borrow a buddy’s gloves or hand wraps, but for hygiene purposes I recommend you get your own. Hands get super sweaty inside gloves while you’re training, and the last thing you want to do is put your hands into a wet, sweaty glove someone else just got done with.

Hand-me-downs will work okay as far as gloves go, and you might even find other equipment you’ll need down the line at a second-hand store. Definitely check places like used sports shops and thrift shops for deals. If you do decide to buy brand-new equipment, find gear that’s comfortable for you.

Most of your choice will simply come down to personal preference. You don’t need to go all-out and get the best of the best or the most expensive gear when you first start out. If you can, try out some different stuff and see what works best for you.

Check out my list below to see what I recommend as boxing equipment for beginners.

Athletic Attire

This includes shoes, shirts, shorts, socks, sweatpants, etc. People often overestimate the type of athletic attire they need. You honestly don’t need anything fancy, just clothes you feel comfortable working out in. As far as shoes go, try to get something lightweight with a little bit of arch support. You’ll be moving around quite a bit and bouncing on the balls of your feet. I find that running shoes work just fine for boxing.

There are shoes out there that are specifically made for boxing. They’re extra light weight but are typically very flat soled and don’t provide a lot of padding, which make them bad for every day training purposes. Sure, they will help with mobility, but training every day on flat soles and hard surfaces can lead to pain and issues over time. I don’t really recommend them as boxing equipment for beginners. You can hold off on those for a while.

Boxing Gloves

Boxing gloves are the second-most important item of protective gear you can purchase for boxing (the first being headgear if you’re sparring). Since you’ll be hitting things with your hands throughout your boxing training, I recommend you start protecting them as early as possible. Limit what you punch with a bare fist. The sooner you start protecting your hands, the better off you’ll be in the long run.

Like I mentioned earlier, a lot of your equipment will be based off of personal preference and gloves are no different. There are TONS of brands out there at varying price points. Here’s a list of factors that you should consider when making your glove choice:

• Appearance
• Price
• Design and padding distribution
• Velcro vs. laces
• Weight/size
• Protection and comfort (the most important factors)

If you decide to buy brand-new gloves, I recommend you look online (brick and mortar stores generally have terrible selections), read plenty of reviews and make sure that the gloves you’re considering aren’t poor quality and won’t fall apart too quickly. Check out the design of the glove and see if the padding is distributed like you’d prefer and if you think the cuff length will be comfortable for you. As far as laces go, string laces tend to hold up longer than Velcro (the Velcro loses its “stickiness” over time).

When it comes to weight, I recommend 16 oz. gloves as part of my list of boxing equipment for beginners. These are best for every-day training and will provide you with more protection and support than lighter gloves.

Like running shoes, aim to find gloves that fit well for your hands and build and provide sufficient protection for your hands, wrists and knuckles.

Here’s a great option for gloves if you’re a beginner and aren’t sure where to start looking.

Handwraps

Just like you need socks for shoes, you need handwraps for gloves. They play a HUGE factor in increasing the lifespan of your gloves and protecting your hands in the long run.  

Handwraps protect your hands, wrists and knuckles from damage. Since you can’t fully close your fists when wearing boxing gloves, handwraps help to fill in the space to get you closer to a closed first. The additional firmness will also help to align your wrist so it doesn’t bend when hitting things at odd angles.  

Even though handwraps are incredibly important, they’re also very inexpensive and come in a wide variety of materials, colors, lengths and brands.

These handwraps would work great.

Jump Rope

Technically you can start boxing without a jump rope but this is a very effective way to warm up and also help you develop footwork and coordination. I recommend jumping rope to each of my students as a way to start their training sessions every day. In addition to helping with coordination, the jump rope also helps train a boxer to get comfortable being on the balls of their feet.

Jumping rope can be hard and very frustrating when you first start, but keep struggling through it and you’ll get the hang of it eventually.

If you want to order a jump rope online, I recommend this one.

A Mirror

A full-length mirror is an excellent way to begin developing your boxing form. It allows you practice and correct your movements in real time. I recommend shadowboxing in front of a mirror as often as you can to improve technique and form. A mirror is absolutely one of the best pieces of boxing equipment you can buy and is easily found at thrift shops and big department stores.  

Additional Boxing Equipment for Beginners: Stuff You Need When You Start Sparring

As you saw above, you really don’t need that much equipment to get started! However, there’s some other equipment that you’ll need a little later on if you ever make hard contact with other people or start sparring. Some gyms will require you to use it, so it’s a good idea to get if sparring is a goal of yours.

A Heavy Bag

Obviously, this only applies if you have the space and ability to have one. A punching bag is a great piece of equipment to take your boxing further. Heavy bags are pretty cheap and easily found. You want to get one that weighs about 100lbs and is able to be secured onto a beam.

I don’t recommend freestanding punching bags. When a bag hangs, it moves around which allows you to develop your footwork. You won’t get good at hitting moving targets if the only thing you ever practice on is a stationary object. People move and so should bags. Anyone can hit a still target.

Headgear

While this isn’t necessary until you start making hard contact (like sparring, for example) it’s a very important piece of equipment. Headgear protects your face and head from cuts and bruising while also limiting damage from impact. Most gyms will require headgear when sparring so even though you won’t be needing this right off the bat, it’s a good idea to purchase it anyway. Make sure you find headgear that fits your head perfectly.

Mouthguard

Similarly to headgear, this isn’t actually needed until you start sparring, but is very important at that point. You don’t want to go breaking or losing teeth! Using a mouthguard also trains you to keep your mouth shut which protects your jaw.

Cup/Hip Protector

This one is self-explanatory. Protect your family jewels and don’t be an idiot.

I Want to Learn More

Additional Information on Boxing Equipment

If you want more in-depth info on the stuff I recommend as boxing equipment for beginners, I urge you to check out my book. Budo Boxing – The Martial Way of Boxing is available on Amazon and is a culmination of my 15+ years of experience. If you’re looking to learn boxing, I guarantee it’s an excellent resource for you.

If you enjoy this blog, have any questions or suggestions for future posts, please don’t hesitate to contact me at budoboxing@gmail.com.