Just as there are special shoes for running, football, bowling, tennis, golf, and countless other sports, there are of course also shoes for boxing. Boxing shoes have been developed specifically for the demands placed on you and your equipment during regular boxing training (or a match).
Of course, you can box in regular athletic shoes, and many people do, but why shortchange yourself instead of simply getting a pair of shoes for your favorite sport? As mentioned earlier, there are also specific shoes for other activities.
Main benefits of boxing shoes:
The main benefits boxing shoes offer compared with regular athletic shoes and sneakers are actually quite simple:
- Grip: boxing shoes provide much more of the desired grip thanks to their specific soles and grooves
- Lightweight: boxing shoes are very light compared with many other (sport) shoes
- Support: boxing shoes provide much more support for your feet, especially your ankle joints.
Improved grip from boxing shoes
As soon as you start wearing boxing shoes during training, you will immediately notice that they provide much more grip and support than your regular sneakers. The grooves in the soles of good boxing shoes are positioned in specific directions to support and enhance every movement made in boxing.
Boxing shoes are suitable for various types of flooring, such as wooden floors and, of course, the type of canvas used in a boxing ring. Because the soles of boxing shoes are also relatively thin and flat, you feel much more connected to the floor than with a thicker, padded regular athletic shoe.
With good boxing shoes, you also feel somewhat "freer" in your movements, as if you are hardly wearing any shoes at all. This is because a good boxing shoe is compact and fits closely around your feet, as if they were "wrapped."
In terms of performance, the grip of boxing shoes is excellent: you can turn much more easily, and they seem to stick when you want them to and release when you want them to. This means you do not have to worry about whether your regular shoes will slip or slide.
Boxing shoes are designed to function in a boxing ring. During a match, a boxing ring can become quite slippery due to condensation, sweat, and water being used (to cool down and for the boxer to drink). Boxing shoes can handle this, so they can certainly help prevent unnecessary slipping, especially on a (smooth) gym floor.
Lightweight boxing shoes
Almost all (good) boxing shoes are considerably lighter than regular athletic shoes or sneakers. This feature, combined with a close-fitting design, gives you the freedom to move very quickly and nimbly (light on your feet). This is of course essential if you want to box well. You can move, evade, and generate power for your punches much more easily in them.
The lower weight of boxing shoes also means that you will naturally experience much less fatigue in your calves and legs. This reduces the strain on your legs, providing more explosive power and endurance during long training sessions.
Support for your ankles and feet from boxing shoes
Boxing shoes provide more support through their specific features and characteristics. They are generally a mid-top to high-top design for firm support of the ankles, something that is essential for boxers and their fast movements.
The advantage of the high-top design of boxing shoes (somewhat comparable to basketball shoes) is that they provide a kind of ankle brace for support. In boxing, you constantly make explosive movements, and you do not want to sprain your ankles while wearing regular low athletic shoes!
In addition, boxing shoes provide better stability through their special (mid)soles, minimizing the risk of twisting an ankle. Support for your arches is also important, meaning you will experience much less tiredness in your feet.
Especially during longer training sessions, you will notice that your body weight is distributed more evenly across the soles, allowing you to perform for longer and more effectively.
The outsole of boxing shoes is also much thinner and more flexible than that of regular shoes. This makes it much easier to move on the balls of your feet. The soles are also designed to allow all forms of lateral movement, which is essential for the footwork of a good boxer.
External sources:
- Reddit.com: Do boxing shoes make a huge difference when sparring or is it not really needed?
- Reddit.com: Boxing Shoes- Do they really help?
- Youtube: Csquaredboxing: Everlast Elite 2 Pro Shoes Unboxing & First Look
- Youtube: Csquaredboxing: Everlast Elite 2 REVIEW- MY FAVORITE BOXING SHOES?!
- Youtube: Everlast ELITE 2 Boxing Shoe Review
