A FightCamp member survey found that when it comes to families working out at home, FightCamp fits like a glove. A comparison of our 2019 and 2020 member surveys, revealed a 15% increase in the number of multiuser households.
When asked who uses FightCamp in 2019, 35% of respondents said they were doing the workouts with other people in their household, compared to 50% in 2020.
The same survey revealed that a shocking 42% of parents use FightCamp with their kids to help them stay active and build the habit of working out.
(Above) FightCamp Member Sarah Riley and her daughter.
We continued to ask our online community for insight on their at-home usage and here’s what we found:
1. When it comes to connected fitness, there tend to be few options for kids.
Indoor cycling machines and even minimalist strength training equipment still require adult supervision and are often recommended for teens (and older). Additionally, workout videos without equipment usually don’t keep kids engaged, so the availability of quality workout time and options for kids to participate is incredibly limited.
Unlike many other connected fitness experiences, FightCamp is kid-friendly and allows young children to learn to work out without the risk of injury from workout equipment.
(Above) Sumae Jordan's 10-year-old son regularly uses FightCamp with his dad.
The FightCamp Tribe Package comes with kid boxing gloves and allows children to safely join along punching during workouts. We’ve seen our FightCamp parents and community members post motivational stories of their experiences, introducing their kids to boxing and kickboxing with FightCamp.
FightCamp member Brittany Orta's 6-year-old daughter loves the competition and physicality of FightCamp. “My daughter is competitive and wants to do everything we do. She hates hearing “you are too young” lol she has been doing monkey bars and rock climbing since she was 3 so naturally loves the physical aspect! Plus it is different!” (click here for the full video)
2. FightCamp is not only kid-friendly, but the physicality of boxing is helping members and their families relieve stress and boost mental health.
“Physically hitting a heavy bag creates a unique response in your body that helps to release tension and has been known to help people overcome negative feelings. Since the lockdown we’ve heard countless stories about how boxing has helped our members through these tough times,” said FightCamp Co-Founder and Trainer Tommy Duquette.
According to the CDC, symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably in the United States between April and June of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. It’s no surprise that households are struggling with mental health, and according to our users, boxing has helped.
FightCamp member Amber Wooten has seen this change in her son since starting to box. “I can attest that my 12 year old can be in the worst mood, go out and do a FightCamp workout and come inside a totally different person. At this age where hormones and testosterone are all over the place, I think it’s good for them to get some of those aggressions out in a healthy way.”
(Above) FightCamp member Amber Wooten’s son Brody Wooten showing his score on the leaderboard.
3. FightCamp is an easy Physical Education (PE) and extracurricular activity solution for parents.
During the lockdown, sports practices were put on pause and PE classes turned virtual. Across the country, schools, teachers, and parents scrambled to create alternative activities to keep young people active.
FightCamp member and PE teacher Katie Jeanne said she used the workouts with her family and tells her middle school students about FightCamp all the time. “My 7 and 9 year old love it as much as my husband and I do. They missed out on their football and wrestling seasons, so this was the perfect thing to direct them to.”
FightCamp members embraced the “PE challenge” and brought their kids into their workouts, making their own version of physical education at home.
“My daughter has been using FightCamp PE substitution and loves it... she likes kicking when she does kickboxing,” said FightCamp member Amy N Uli Claudio.
FightCamp member Erika Calderon's son went from kicking a soccer ball to kicking a punching bag. “My hubby and I use Fight Camp and my 13 year old son just started the kickboxing path to keep him active during the winter while his soccer team has reduced practices.”
4. Boxing is not just a workout, but an applied skill set and martial art that brings people (and now families) together.
“I have a 3 year old who LOVES hitting the bag. He sees us doing it and copies. I like it because it lets him burn off a lot of energy, especially while we are at home so much. He really loves superheroes, so he often pretends he’s one while hitting,” FightCamp member Jessica Clauser said.
For decades, boxing has been a sport and lifestyle that has brought families together, whether in a dojo for an after school program or in the living room for an anticipated match. Boxing’s metaphor for life continues to teach resilience and character.
“Kids can gain confidence and learn self-defense skills which are great for their mental health and dealing with bullies. I would just make sure they understand that it’s a sport and to only use the skills as a way to defend themselves or others as a last resort option,” notes licensed therapist, Chelsea Lynn.