Have you been curious about training with a focus mitt stand, like the ProForce® Target Master? Are you considering adding one to your home gym? Now is a great time to learn more about this kind of solo training equipment.
The place we’re at in our social distancing, at-home workouts and solo martial arts training is a lot like when we first began our training. We’re putting in our best effort, and we know that it is starting to pay off… but we can’t see all of the results of our hard work just yet. We know they’re coming as long as we keep going, but staying motivated can be a challenge. Even when we start to see the curve flatten, it’ll probably be a while before gyms and martial arts studios reopen. And it might take a little longer for some of us, especially anyone with other health concerns, to feel comfortable or be able to return to group training.
If you have the resources and the desire to keep up your martial arts training on your own, why not treat yourself to a home gym setup? It’s an excellent way to get the most out of your workouts and keep you engaged at a time and in a setting where ongoing motivation can be a challenge. Plus, it’s always fun to invest in some new martial arts gear.
Whether you’ve got space in the basement that you can convert into a training studio, or even a corner of your apartment that can fit a freestanding bag and some mats, AWMA.com has a range of martial arts gear to help you create the best possible home gym setup for your training goals.
This week, we’re going to dedicate the blog to learning more about focus mitt stands and how to train with them.
What is a focus mitt stand?
A focus mitt stand is a type of freestanding heavy bag designed specifically for target training. Unlike heavy bags or standard freestanding bags, there is no universal design for focus mitt stands. Each brand and style has its own variations, but most involve some combination of a weighted base, a durable stand, and a series of adjustable striking surfaces that can be punched, kicked, elbowed, and kneed. The goal of this type of martial arts equipment is to focus on a martial artist’s mobility and precision striking. They have been designed to recreate the experience of using focus mitts with a training partner for the solo martial artist.
AWMA’s ProForce® Target Master has been designed for multi-angle strikes. It has four adjustable 19” long target pads with reinforced springs to give you the same kind of resistance that you’d get from a training partner holding mitts or pads for you. It has a 24″x 10” plastic base that can be filed with water or sand. When filled, it weighs approximately 130 lbs and stands 60” tall.
Who can benefit from training with a focus mitt stand?
The short answer is that anyone who is looking for a challenging and fun at-home workout can benefit from using a focus mitt stand. More specifically, equipment like the Target Master is a great piece of gear for martial artists from any discipline who are looking to develop the precision, timing, and power of their strikes in a home-based solo training environment. Any exercise or technique that you can do with a partner holding focus mitts, hand targets, double paddles, hand paddles, foam body shields, or Thai pads can be adapted for the Target Master. This allows you to continue your training in martial arts and combat sports like boxing, Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, cardio kickboxing, and much more on your own at home. Or you can use a focus mitt stand to study the foundations of a new martial art at your own pace.
How do you train with a focus mitt stand?
If you’ve done a technique, drill, or exercise with a training partner or coach holding pads for you, you can do it with a focus mitt stand! A lot of heavy bag training exercises can also be adapted for this piece of martial arts equipment. Which means that you can use the Target Master to maintain — and improve — your technique, power, speed, and conditioning while working out at home.
Technique training: The Target Master’s four adjustable targets allow you to develop and fine-tune your strikes in a way that other solo training equipment, like traditional heavy bags, don’t always accommodate. Select the punch, kick, or combo that you want to work on, place the long pads at the same height and angles your training partner would hold them at, and start working on that form! If you’re in need of more guidance, you could also set up a video chat with a coach or training partner who can watch you and give you corrections, tips, and/ or encouragement. Here’s an example of an uppercut combo that can be adapted to a focus mitt stand. (If you don’t have a Target Master, it can also be done with mounted hand paddles.)
Power and speed training: The Target Master’s adjustable pads have reinforced springs designed to give you the same kind of push-back that you’d receive from a properly trained pad holder. This means that, in addition to practicing your techniques at the same angles at which you would in a pad session, you’re also able to put the same kind of power and speed behind those strikes with the Target Master. Here’s a taste of some of the possibilities of training with the Target Master.
Conditioning: The Target Master can also be used for drills and workouts that have been designed for a freestanding heavy bags. A cardio kickboxing workout like this, for example, can easily be adapted for use with a focus mitt stand.
Where can you buy a focus mitt stand?
The ProForce® Target Master can be purchased for $234.95 USD at AWMA.com. Shipping is free for retail customers. Click here for more information.
Looking for more at home training ideas? Check out our blog posts:
- At-Home Workouts: 7 Types of Cardio Training You Can Do At Home
- Solo Martial Arts Drills You Can Do At Home
- Four Boxing Drills You Can Practice at Home With No Sparring Partner
- 5 Workouts You Can Do in the Comfort of Your Own Home
- How to Spar With Your Mattress and Other Home Workout Tips From MMA Fighters
- Martial Arts Training At Home: How To Build and Use Your Own Makiwara
