Liteboxer Review: Stimulating Workout, Difficult Design
"Its design may be challenging for some, but the Liteboxer offers immersive training at home."
advantages
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Bulletproof design
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Intuitive app
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Excellent coaching courses
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Invigorating training
disadvantage
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On the expensive side
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No speakers
In recent years, the typical workout in the gym has evolved into fitness programs that we create and follow at home. Companies like Peloton have long offered an option for high-volume cardio training at home, but specific muscle group machines are a little harder to find and harder to sell.
While we've tried multiple home fitness packages that hit the mark or missed the mark in one way or another, the one question we never wanted to ask ourselves is how exactly do we stack ourselves in the boxing ring? would? We didn't have to ask technically. Liteboxer did that for us.
Launched in 2020, Liteboxer is a home boxing workout device that combines music, LED light pulses, and educational content to provide a rapid-fire experience where you stab and cross your path to a high score. Is it a big upgrade over a basement-dwelling punching bag? Let's be the judge.
Built to be taken seriously, especially when it comes to size
Home fitness equipment usually strives for a compact design, even if the end product is relatively close to the stature of something you would find at your local gym. The liteboxer relies on the concept of a boxing experience at home and requires a lot of space. When fully assembled, it will measure 37.5 "by 55.5".
My demo unit was assembled in the living room of my apartment, and while it wasn't entirely unwieldy, the machine was sometimes difficult to use. Ideally, you want to make sure you have dedicated storage space to use the Liteboxer. Home gyms, garages, and open basements would be my suggestion.
At the end of every Liteboxer round, my party guests were sore, sweaty and short of breath.
In terms of the actual hardware, you can expect to receive your $ 1,595 Liteboxer kit in two separate boxes. Assembly is required unless you choose to use the company's white glove installation. Parts include the main punching shield, a height-adjustable base with a tablet mount, and the platform you stand on (two parts). If you want a little more exercise space, you can purchase a third platform section that gives you an additional 20 inches of boxing space. You also get boxing gloves, hand wraps, Allen keys, and general mounting hardware.
Rhythm gaming meets boxing basics
The Liteboxer's Smart Shield is your heavy-duty opponent, complete with six individual target zones with force sensors. As you box, runway lights emit from the center of the shield and head for one of the six hit zones. Your goal is to hit the target as soon as the runway LED hits the center. Direct hits will glow green, while Bad Lands will flash red.
I had initial doubts as to how much a glorified punch pad could withstand, but was immediately proven otherwise. I hosted a family reunion and invited everyone to pound the liteboxer. Man, it can take a beating. Even the toughest slams from those more muscular than me (everyone at the party) left the Smart Shield in place and the liteboxer platform firmly entrenched.
As you complete a round, your boxing statistics are recorded in the Liteboxer app (available for iOS and Android devices). The app tracks the total score for a single round as well as the accuracy and power of the hit (sensitivity can be adjusted in the app). Elements like these push the liteboxer into a more gaming domain, in contrast to the full-bodied boxing device that it is marketed as. I'm not saying this is a bad thing. Exercising can be a challenge, but gamifying fitness is an inspiring and engaging way to get more people into some form of physical activity – and Liteboxer will definitely get your heart racing.
At the end of every liteboxer round, my party guests were sore, sweaty and short of breath. Our homemade sangria was very much appreciated (there was also water).
Jab with a trainer, train to music, or master freestyle punches
Similar to Peloton bikes and other leading fitness hardware, there is an intuitive app that runs the show for the liteboxer. And like the competition, there are a number of features that are locked behind a monthly membership payment gate. After the first three months of free premium features, the courses and much of the music catalog charge $ 29 / month. Subscriptions are more natural nowadays when it comes to innovative workouts for at home, but with your Liteboxer membership you get a lot.
To get started, there is an impressive range of training courses with real-time instruction. Trainers build their courses around multiple songs with classes broken down by music genre, length, and training style. On the “Build + Restore” tab you will find instructional videos for everything from 20-minute full-body workouts to targeted muscle group training.
When you step away from the instructors, there is a tab in the app called "Quickplay". Here you will find three categories: Punch Tracks, Freestyle and Thumboxer, the latter being more of a mobile "bonus" mini-game that recreates the Liteboxer experience on your phone screen. In Punch Tracks you will find the entire Liteboxer library with streamable songs that you can filter by genre and premium or non-premium levels. While there is a decent selection of non-membership titles, you should pay the $ 29 monthly fee to unlock the rest of the archive.
The idea of Freestyle mode is that you box to the beats of your own music. As soon as the app is connected to your liteboxer, start a track and work on your strokes, combos and overall endurance.
Impressive bones, but a little lacking in technology
When you enter the Liteboxer platform, you will not see an interactive touchscreen of any kind. While the company is more than transparent that you need a cellphone or tablet to use the Liteboxer properly, that doesn't mean that some sort of built-in display isn't overlooked. I always appreciate being able to give up my devices in favor of my peloton's display. It gives me a break from flipping through my phone, prevents my device from being caked in sweat or damaged, and pushes out all the necessary functions and settings in a sleek and easy-to-reach user interface.
I wasn't that crazy about the Liteboxer's actual tablet mount either. Yes, the device is designed more for an audio-driven training experience, but the instructor-led courses are video lessons that you will want to watch during your class. The only way to watch this is by lowering your head and neck to pick up your tablet, which makes it difficult to aim properly and land your hits on the punch pad.
I wouldn't exactly say that these are deterrent deterrents to me, but they might be to some. For the price of $ 1,595, it would certainly be nice to at least have speakers on the Liteboxer. Sure, headphones are one of the most popular fitness tools in use, but if I plug my ears while I work out it gets annoying after a while, and not everyone has an external bluetooth speaker (or one that's loud enough to to hear about the sound of). Your fists hit the punch pad).
Our opinion
If you ask me I think nailing down fitness equipment for the home is difficult. When a company works too hard on entertainment technology, the hardware can become a supreme gaming system rather than something that tightens our bodies. On the other hand, you need that element of fun to attract those who may not be so ready to hop on a stationary bike or weight trainer.
I actually think Liteboxer does a good job of landing comfortably in the middle. It's fun to use and it feels like you're getting a good workout. Is it a fully realized boxing simulator? I'm not a pro, but my guess isn't complete, especially considering how little you actually move around on the platform and that your opponent is stationary too.
Is there a better alternative?
Yes, but it mostly depends on what type of workout you want. Liteboxer specializes in boxing, of course, but another boxing alternative is FightCamp. It's a bit more traditional with its upright punching bag and offers some kickboxing workouts as well.
For more general workouts, you've hooked up fitness mirrors like Mirror and Tempo, both of which also offer their own boxing workouts with the help of instructors. Plus, there's a bit more tech behind it, as they use heart rate sensors, fancy displays to help you out, and built-in speakers for lots of music for your workout.
How long it will take?
The liteboxer is built like a tank and proper cleaning will help reduce wear and tear over time. In the event of a defect, there is a one-year limited warranty included with your purchase.
Should you buy it?
If you have to spend more than $ 1,000 (along with the membership cost of $ 29 / month) and want a cool centerpiece for your basement studio and party indulgence, the Liteboxer might be a great choice for you and yours. Now add in some onboard speakers, a screen, a few design tweaks and keep the price the same, and I think we'd see as many liteboxer setups as Pelotons. Here one hopes for a Liteboxer 2.0.
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