You might be already aware of the consequences of punching a wall with bare hands, but what about boxing gloves?
If you’re someone who doesn’t want to buy a punching bag or wants to practice but can’t be at the gym, this is the ultimate guide for you.
Can You Punch a Wall with Boxing Gloves?
You can punch a wall as long as your gloves have a thick layer of padding and you feel comfortable. Boxing gloves will reduce the damaging effect but don’t eliminate it completely. That’s why it is not recommended to punch a wall because it can lead to serious injury in the long term.
Punching on a wall does not absorb the force and your knuckles have to take the repetitive hard feedback every time.
This kind of repetitive punishment is definitely not a good thing for your nerves and can result in a serious injury if not treated properly.
With that said:
If you’re not serious about the sport and just want to play with an available pair of boxing gloves, you can try punching a wall with boxing gloves.
Further in this article, I will touch upon various downsides of this practice, things you should consider, and also talk about some of my tips that will help you to ensure your safety:
Does Punching a Wall Makes you Stronger?
Punching a wall does make you stronger and leads to muscle growth. With proper precautions, it’s one of the inexpensive ways to work on your upper body and stay fit. Still, it’s not recommended because if not done properly, it can cause serious damage, and may result in a permanent injury.
In spite of that:
Punching is one of the exercises that is beneficial for you both physically as well as mentally. If you have a solid pair of boxing gloves and if you know what are you actually doing, it will surely help you to become stronger.
Let’s dig a little into some of the major drawbacks of hitting a wall:
Downsides of Punching a Wall with Boxing Gloves?
Although there could be a lot of drawbacks to this technique depending upon your skill level, here I am listing the most common issues you might face in the near future:
1. Damages your Knuckles and Joints
Most of the punching bags and even heavy bags out there in the market are filled with cloths or other similar softer materials, instead of sand or cement.
This is done intentionally to absorb most of the force from your punch and offer little feedback. But, in the case of the rigid wall, your knuckles and joints have to suffer from the almost similar amount of force that you applied.
Your knuckles are designed to protect your fingers and repetitive hitting a wall with your knuckles can cause swelling, bruising, and pain. In most cases, blood vessels take a long time to recover, which makes this issue even worse.
2. Wall Doesn’t Resemble a Human Target
A flat and solid wall doesn’t resemble a human shape in any imaginable way. This is another very important reason why all boxing trainers do not recommend punching a wall with boxing gloves.
The main purpose of the bag training is to develop punching power while working on your various offensive techniques as well as the speed of delivery.
Also, during your boxing match, you don’t just stand and deliver a punch. Each of your punches involves continuous moving and circling that required your legs and hip movements, which is not possible around a steady wall.
3. Divert towards Improper Punching Techniques
The feedback your arm receive and the movement of the bag after the punch, these two are very important clues for you to determine whether your attacking form is correct or not.
You neither receive proper feedback nor movement from a solid wall, which might divert you towards incorrect punching techniques over time.
Along with that: Because the wall is a flat surface, it does not allow you to practice complex boxing techniques that involve punching from different angles.
And this list can go on…
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But, if you do not aspire to become a professional boxer and just want to have some fun, these are a few things to keep in mind:
How to Punch a Wall Properly with Boxing Gloves?
Though there is no recommended way to punch a wall, here are some of my tips that will ensure your safety and allows you to get the most out of this practice:
- First, try to properly align your arm and body behind the punch. If your position is not correct, you might end up hurting yourself very badly.
- Wear at least 14 Oz or 16 Oz boxing gloves for sufficient protection.
- You can also wear boxing wraps inside the gloves to reduce the risk and for better support. If you don’t have boxing wraps, you can put multiple layers of duct tape on your fist for safety.
- Do not try to deliver your hard strikes in the early punches. Give time to your knuckles to get used to the impact of the wall.
What is the Best Alternative to Punching a Wall?
Tire punching bags are the best and most effective alternative to punching bags. You can easily create one for yourself by cutting a tire in half and fixing it somewhere on the wall or tree however you want.
Tire not only absorbs the force of your impact but also offers great feedback due to its elasticity. That’s why I consider it an inexpensive way to train for your upper body strength and develop balance and hand coordination simultaneously.
You can also try placing two half-pieces at different angles to make this even more fun.
There is no doubt that tires almost eliminate the potential risk that a solid wall introduces while punching, but they can’t replace the punching bag.
If you want to do some serious boxing training, you have no option but to practice on a punching bag.
My Final Thoughts Punching a Wall with Boxing Gloves
Even if you’re wearing boxing gloves, it’s not recommended to punch a wall because it may cause your knuckles to swell, bruise, and pain.
Although, most quality boxing gloves come with thick padding and protective layers of leather that absorb the impacts and prevent potential injuries and damage caused by serious hits.
But your knuckles are primarily designed to protect your fingers and they can get seriously injured if you practice punching on a wall for a long period of time.
That’s why I am still recommending you, if possible, try using a punching bag for your training instead of just hitting on a rigid wall and getting exposed to potential injury. Happy Boxing!
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