FightCamp review: The Peloton of boxing has me addicted

Interactive workouts are all the rage right now, but nothing has managed to gain quite as much notoriety as Peloton. If there’s one Peloton rival you should consider trying though, it’s an interactive boxing workout program called FightCamp.

FightCamp uses a combination of hardware to track your punches, an app to track your progress, and video workouts led by professional boxing trainers. And recently, FightCamp has gotten some huge updates that offer several big improvements over the original.

Peloton isn’t the only interactive workout solution out there. But despite the company’s current troubles, there’s no question that it was a game-changer. Peloton itself has expanded beyond cycling to tackle different types of workouts.

However, several other companies have come up with rival solutions of their own.

One of my favorite Peloton rivals is the NordicTrack RW900 rower, which has a nice big screen for interactive rowing workouts. I’m an even bigger fan of the Bowflex Max Trainer M9, which combines all the best features of an elliptical and a stair climber.

Those are both fantastic products that really inspire users to push their workouts to the next level. But they’re nothing like one of my latest obsessions: An interactive boxing workout program called FightCamp.

FightCamp vs Peloton boxing

I had always heard that boxing is one of the best workouts you can get. But I never fully appreciated it until I tried FightCamp.

FightCamp kicked my butt in the best possible way, and now I’m totally addicted.

Like Peloton, there are three different pieces of the FightCamp puzzle.

First, there’s the FightCamp app that serves as a portal and stores all your data. Next, there’s a huge catalog of interactive boxing workouts and other workouts inside the app. And finally, there’s a hardware component that takes FightCamp to the next level.

As you may know, Peloton offers its own boxing classes now. As a result, people want to know how Peloton boxing stacks up against FightCamp.

The answer is fairly simple: Peloton boxing doesn’t compare at all to FightCamp.

Peloton’s boxing solution is currently just a small collection of shadowboxing classes. In other words, this is mainly a workout routine. There is no in-depth boxing instruction and no deep dives into form or technique. You’ll learn some basic punches as well as some defensive movies, and then you’ll just follow along with the small collection of workouts.

Peloton currently has a few weeks of boxing classes available as part of its regular subscription. Once you’re done with those classes, that’s it. You can either repeat the same ones over and over to work out, or you can move on to something else.

Peloton boxing seems mainly like a box the company wanted to check. Now, Peloton can say it offers boxing classes.

If you want to do a few cardio workouts that closely resemble boxing and then move on, Peloton boxing is fine. On the other hand, if you’re actually interested in boxing, you need FightCamp. You’ll enjoy phenomenal workouts, you’ll find fresh content all the time, and you’ll actually improve your boxing skills. 

FightCamp Interactive At-Home Boxing Workouts & Equipment Price:$399-$1,299 Buy Now Available from a partner
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What’s new in FightCamp gen 2?

Because FightCamp is an app-based program with interactive workouts, it’s constantly changing. New content is added to the catalog periodically from the company’s stable of professional boxing and kickboxing instructors.

Recently, however, FightCamp got a more substantial update.

It’s not formally called second-generation FightCamp or anything like that. But it’s a big enough upgrade that it’s worth separating from the original.

New workouts

First and foremost, FightCamp has expanded its catalog into several new areas beyond just boxing.

The biggest addition is a core workout category, with new workouts added every single week. Core workouts are split into two sections, including 5-minute workouts and 8-minute workouts.

I tried a couple of core training routines and they were indeed pretty brutal. If you’re a FightCamp user who subscribes to another service for core workouts, you can definitely cancel that subscription.

There’s also a new strength & conditioning category packed with bodyweight exercises. They’re split into 25-minute and 35-minute workouts.

And finally, there’s a big new recovery & stretch category with four different sections ranging from 5 minutes to 24 minutes. You don’t need to use your punch trackers for these workouts, either.

On top of that, there are a few other big updates.

Versus Mode & Android support

Most notably, a FightCamp added a new Versus Mode that lets you compete against other subscribers for a spot on the leaderboard.

You can compete against individual opponents just like before. Beyond that, however, you can compete against a bot representing the average FightCamp user’s score, or against your own previous high score.

Also included in recent updates is a new Android app that is no longer in beta. This obviously opened up FightCamp to a huge new group of potential users.

Support for Bluetooth heart rate monitors has been added, too. FightCamp has its own wireless heart rate monitor, though it’s not yet available for sale in the company’s online shop. Thankfully, the app supports a few popular third-party options as well.

There have also been a few updates to the FightCamp equipment, but nothing that should make previous-gen FightCamp users consider spending money on new gear.

How much does FightCamp cost?

Let’s dive a bit deeper into the third piece of the puzzle I mentioned above: FightCamp equipment.

One of the best things about FightCamp is that it won’t cost you $1,000+ to enjoy a comprehensive experience. But if you want, you can buy the full package from FightCamp. It comes with everything you need from wraps and gloves to a free-standing bag and a heavy-duty mat.

Starting in 2022, FightCamp now offers three equipment bundles starting at just $999. That’s a big $220 discount compared to the previous-generation equipment packages, which started at $1,219.

Here’s how the two main bundles break down now:

FightCamp Personal: $999

• Punch Trackers
• Quick Wraps
• Free-Standing Bag
• Premium Boxing Gloves
• Bag Ring

FightCamp Tribe: $1,299

Everything from FightCamp Personal, plus:

• Heavy Workout Mat
• Additional Premium Boxing Gloves
• Additional Quick Wraps
• Kids Boxing Gloves

But if you don’t want to spend quite that much, there’s a much cheaper option.

You can just get FightCamp’s Quick Wraps and Punch Trackers for $399. That’s $40 less than the $439 price tag from the previous-generation setup.

FightCamp Connect: $399

• Punch Trackers
• Quick Wraps

You’ll still get the full interactive experience with FightCamp Connect, complete with data-tracking. Use your own gloves and bag, or just shadow box. You’ll be able to enjoy all the cool connected features without a big upfront investment.

Regardless of which option you choose, you’ll also need to pay a $39 monthly subscription fee.

The monthly subscription fee gives you access to all of FightCamp’s boxing and kickboxing classes. You can also access the new content I mentioned before, like core training and bodyweight exercises. Still, $39 might be a tall order when you consider that it’s the same price as something like iFIT, which is more versatile.

If you don’t already have your own equipment, a FightCamp bundle is definitely the way to go. I can attest to the quality of the gloves, bag, and other gear that FightCamp sent BGR to try.

The one thing I’ll note is that the hollow base of the punching bag can be filled with either water or sand for stability. If possible, fill yours with sand.

I used water in my base, mainly because it’s easier. It’s okay as long as you also use the bag ring to keep your bag from traveling. But if you use water in the base, you should expect the bag to rock around a lot as you work out. That’s especially true when you hit it hard.

It’s not a huge deal, but sand is heavier and therefore more stable.

FightCamp in action

The video embedded above gives you a great idea of what you can expect with FightCamp.

Beginners can start slow with instructional workouts that help lay the groundwork. But you’ll still get an intense workout in the process. Intermediate and advanced workouts let you hone your skills. And FightCamp’s punch trackers collect data while you work out at any level.

I love the interactive aspect of the punch trackers. But it would be great if FightCamp monitored form and technique, too.

Video workouts are accessible in the app’s growing library of content. I don’t recommend watching the videos on your smartphone or tablet, however. Instead, I cast them to my TV so I can really see the action and follow along. That has definitely been my favorite way to use FightCamp.

New punch combos and exercises are explained at the beginning of each workout. Plus, videos are led by professional trainers who guide you through all the ins and outs.

I really enjoy the clear instructions coupled with visual demonstrations. After all, it’s so much easier to reproduce what you see a trainer do, rather than having to interpret written or spoken instructions.

A FightCamp blog post from last year includes a sampling of five at-home boxing workouts that beginners can try for free to get an idea of what to expect. This is a great place to start if you’re considering FightCamp, because you can see the workouts without spending a dime.

There’s also a huge section of kickboxing workouts in the app, but I haven’t made it quite that far yet. Kickboxing isn’t really my speed.

Conclusion

With other interactive workouts, I hear from a lot of people who eventually ditch them over time. It’s exciting to bike along with a virtual trainer for a month or two. But after a while, many people just want to cycle on their own while they stream something on Netflix.

Not only does that inevitably lead to less intense workouts, but it also means you’re not getting the full value out of your pricey piece of hardware. If you bought a Peloton bike for $2,000+, that’s a pretty big problem.

FightCamp is far more engaging. The very nature of the product means you’re always learning and improving. That, of course, is a huge part of the fun. It’s not just about pedaling faster and adjusting resistance.

Needless to say, you can’t keep learning and improving without the FightCamp app and training videos. All of the workouts I’ve tried so far have been awesome, and I can’t wait until I improve enough to start tackling the more advanced sessions.

If you’ve always been curious about boxing and you’re looking to get in shape, you’ll be just as obsessed with FightCamp as I am. And if you’re already an amateur boxer who wants to hone your skills while getting great workouts, FightCamp is a fantastic solution that you’re going to love.

I’m certainly not an amateur boxer by any means. But thanks to FightCamp, I’m constantly improving. And if you’ve ever tried any sort of boxing workout, you know that it’s a very intense full-body workout.

You’ll build strength in muscles you didn’t even know you had. Plus, you’ll burn tons of calories in the process.

FightCamp Interactive At-Home Boxing Workouts & Equipment Price:$399-$1,299 Buy Now Available from a partner
BGR may receive a commission

This article was originally published on November 3, 2020. It has been updated with new details about FightCamp’s recent equipment and platform updates.