When world champion fighters are preparing for a title fight – nothing is left to chance. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson reportedly paid a man named Fitch, aka the Crocodile $80,000 a year to run his training camp and press conferences shouting “guerrilla warfare” to keep up the temp of Tyson’s trainings. Some training camps hire guys simply to track a fighter’s manual output in terms of punches. No detail is too small.
Yet, a new device offers to solve problems for pros and help amateur boxers to add an even more important analysis, recording, and tracking to their unique training schedules. How else will a fighter improve? ROOQ, is a new wearable technology that allows you to keep track of every hook, jab and cross – without having to take anyone on payroll. The product comes in a dark blue case with 2 sensors, 2 straps, a charging case and the ability to download a product application on your smart device. The charge seems to hold for a while, so you don’t need to charge after every use. You do need to return the sensors to the charging case to upload your data. You might want to everything as the whole product fits neatly together in an excellent show piece for German design. There is a enough memory space that you don’t have to do this every time. But, if your like me you will want your data right away and indeed the prospect of breaking your previous best score is one of the motivating factors with this application. The team from ROOQ have left no stone unturned in developing a superior product.
The ROOQ unleashes a tool of potential use for the pros and amateurs to do more then just keep track of their punch count. This product has the potential to sell millions of units in an era when “Peleton” is a household name. You can program different workouts into the app and even get analysis from real trainers from your performance. Power, speed and accuracy are recorded. For those who don’t want to pour over the data the device offers a handy score of each round. You can’t make each round as long or as short as you like as well in case you rather have a more free-form workout.
Other than merely counting rounds until now there was little way for an amateur to carefully track their ring performance. This product is compact and offers a veritable boxing gym in your pocket because the sensors fit easily into the provided straps. For bag beating amateurs it’s a great tool to take on the road as well. Its also proven useful for professional fighters as well. According to ROOQ, Christina Hammer, six-time world champion, and Agit Kabayel the undefeated WBA Continental heavyweight champion have already incorporated the device and the application into their training regimes. After all at just $299 its far less then hiring a “crocodile” to help you stay motivated and fit.
-by Joseph Hammond, Special to NTF
