40 year old desk worker getting into boxing - Need advice on a few things

[joeybags73]

Hi all,
40 year old office desk worker here getting back into boxing training after 3 years off. Three years ago, I took boxing classes at a boxing gym for 3 months but then moved away and wasn't near a boxing gym at my new residence. Moved again to Buffalo, NY and found a place that is mainly an MMA gym, but they offer boxing classes. Though boxing is definitely not their focus so I don't know yet about how decent the training is. I have only gone to a couple classes. I don't consider the place a true boxing gym, but for now it will serve the purpose of letting me train on the heavy bag and get in a good workout. I would like to upgrade to a "real" boxing gym within the next 6 months. I just feel that in order to get really good I would need more individualized instruction. Anyway, since I'm just getting back into the sport I have a few questions that I was hoping I could get assistance on.

1. The gym I go to has people train in bare feet, which I personally feel is not the right thing to do. I went to my first 1 hour class and 30 minutes into it I had a blood blister on the ball of the big toe on my right foot from pivoting so much. Then with everyone sweating on the mats I kept slipping on sweat when I would step into a jab. So, I decided to buy a pair of Nike boxing shoes to train in. They will allow boxing shoes, but prefer you train bare foot. Anyone have thoughts on the more appropriate method to train? I feel my feet are too soft and blister easily. I would rather train in comfort than worry about falling on my ass after stepping in a puddle of sweat.

2. I used to own a pair of 10 oz. Title bag gloves, but noticed that after 3 months the spaces between the bones in both hands were tender to touch. This time around I decided to do more research and I purchased a pair of 16 oz. Twins Special leather boxing gloves. I haven't used them yet, but they got decent reviews. I never heard of the brand but apprently they are decent for Muay Thai. I'm 6'4" and 230 pounds so I tend to punch a bit harder on the heavy bag. I figured to go with the 16 oz. gloves since I'm getting back into the sport. Any thoughts on this? Did I make a wise purchase?

3. Wrapping the hands....Seems like everyone I talk with has their own method of wrapping their hands. I've tried a few ways and eventually settled on a method that I used to use. But after being away from the sport I can't remember how to wrap in the style I was used to. So back I go to some online searches and find a few methods, but I'm trying to figure out which one is best for me. Seems like the youtube tutorials all get at least one person commenting that that particular method is incorrect. Anyone out there know of any decent tutorials on hand wrapping? As I mentioned earlier, my hands started developing soreness between the bones. It took about 1 month to go away once I stopped heavy bag training. I just want to make sure I wrap properly.

Thanks for reading. Any other advice that might be beneficial to an older guy like me just starting out?

Thanks,
Joe

[U_TALKING_2_ME?]

Hi all,
40 year old office desk worker here getting back into boxing training after 3 years off. Three years ago, I took boxing classes at a boxing gym for 3 months but then moved away and wasn't near a boxing gym at my new residence. Moved again to Buffalo, NY and found a place that is mainly an MMA gym, but they offer boxing classes. Though boxing is definitely not their focus so I don't know yet about how decent the training is. I have only gone to a couple classes. I don't consider the place a true boxing gym, but for now it will serve the purpose of letting me train on the heavy bag and get in a good workout. I would like to upgrade to a "real" boxing gym within the next 6 months. I just feel that in order to get really good I would need more individualized instruction. Anyway, since I'm just getting back into the sport I have a few questions that I was hoping I could get assistance on.

1. The gym I go to has people train in bare feet, which I personally feel is not the right thing to do. I went to my first 1 hour class and 30 minutes into it I had a blood blister on the ball of the big toe on my right foot from pivoting so much. Then with everyone sweating on the mats I kept slipping on sweat when I would step into a jab. So, I decided to buy a pair of Nike boxing shoes to train in. They will allow boxing shoes, but prefer you train bare foot. Anyone have thoughts on the more appropriate method to train? I feel my feet are too soft and blister easily. I would rather train in comfort than worry about falling on my ass after stepping in a puddle of sweat.

2. I used to own a pair of 10 oz. Title bag gloves, but noticed that after 3 months the spaces between the bones in both hands were tender to touch. This time around I decided to do more research and I purchased a pair of 16 oz. Twins Special leather boxing gloves. I haven't used them yet, but they got decent reviews. I never heard of the brand but apprently they are decent for Muay Thai. I'm 6'4" and 230 pounds so I tend to punch a bit harder on the heavy bag. I figured to go with the 16 oz. gloves since I'm getting back into the sport. Any thoughts on this? Did I make a wise purchase?

3. Wrapping the hands....Seems like everyone I talk with has their own method of wrapping their hands. I've tried a few ways and eventually settled on a method that I used to use. But after being away from the sport I can't remember how to wrap in the style I was used to. So back I go to some online searches and find a few methods, but I'm trying to figure out which one is best for me. Seems like the youtube tutorials all get at least one person commenting that that particular method is incorrect. Anyone out there know of any decent tutorials on hand wrapping? As I mentioned earlier, my hands started developing soreness between the bones. It took about 1 month to go away once I stopped heavy bag training. I just want to make sure I wrap properly.

Thanks for reading. Any other advice that might be beneficial to an older guy like me just starting out?

Thanks,
Joe

I think because it is an MMA gym they prefer people to train with bare feet because they fight barefoot, but if MMA is not your focus you made the right choice by wearing the Nikes.

And a man your size should wear 16oz gloves for more padding and a better cardio IMO (I am 45 years old 6'1 and 200lbs and I always use 16oz for bag work) and I have a pair of Twins bag gloves that I bought while on vacation to work out because I had forgotten mine, and they worked well but when I got home I returned to using my Cleto Reyes, but yes you made a good choice.

As For the hand wrapping I could not recommend a good YouTube tutorial but I am sure one of the members knows of one.

Good luck in your endeavors my friend.

[joeybags73]

Thank you so much for the information! I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I feel much better now that I made the right move on the shoes and gloves. I feel as I get older I'm more sensitive to how my body reacts to certain stressors and I don't want to take chances on getting injured due to improper equipment. Now, time to work on my form. Take care.

[Soju]

Those Twins are good all purpose gloves with lots of knuckle padding, I've used the same pair for a year without any issues.

You can wear socks in a Muay Thai/MMA gym until you form foot callouses. It looks a bit funny but so do bloody feet.

Handwrap tutorial: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qNstu2Il_uM


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[Biolink]

My handwrap routine is 2-3 times around the wrist, around 7-8 times around the knuckles(more or less times depending if I want more support or more feel)between the fingers to lock it in place then once around the wrist so it won't come undone, then around the knuckles again(more or less times is up to you depending on comfort). I finish wrapping it down the rest of the exposed parts of my hand and finish wrapping it around the wrist.

I guess there are better or worse ways to wrap hands, but you end up doing it so much you develop what you perceive to be the absolute quickest and safest way to actually do it.

I know training in one of those MMA gyms suck, but don't let that hamper your dedication.