Write the Fight - Anatomy of a Gym

I've been answering questions for a writer friend about the dynamics of a boxing class and on a whim, I made her a video tour and pointed out some of the equipment while I was at it. I figured if she was writing any scenes at the gym in her story, she might need to know what one looked like. Which made me then realize--there are lots of things in a boxing gym that writers might not know about unless they go to one!

Fun fact: Watching them on TV/movies can be useful too. Our gym was used a few times over the years for random movies. (Olympus Has Fallen rented like a ton of our equipment for the day for some scene.) So, if you see a gym or martial arts studio on a movie, check and see if it was filmed on location. If it was, chances are it's more authentic than if they just built a set. 

Today, lets start with some of the bigger equipment one might find in a boxing / kickboxing / MMA gym. 

Side note - martial arts studios are named based on the fighting style they practice. They're not all dojos. Dojo is a Japanese word. There are different names for Korean and Chinese gyms, just like there are different honorifics for the coaches. The main martial art we teach at our gym is Muay Thai--from Thailand--as well as boxing and Mixed Martial Arts. In Thailand, I'm sure there is a Thai word for gym that I (sadly) don't know, but most everyone calls them gyms. So ours is a gym, rather than a dojo or dojang. And our coach prefers 'coach' instead of kru, which means teacher in Thai. (I think I can probably write a whole other post about martial arts, Asian languages, and calling white dudes 'sensei' so I will save that for another day.)

Here's a panoramic view of our gym:

As you can see, there's a lot of mat space, a boxing ring, an MMA cage,  and over in the corner, some hanging bags and other various equipment. 

Notice I called it a cage and not an octagon. That's because the UFC has trademarked the phrase 'octagon' in reference to their cage style. So, if you're writing about an MMA gym or MMA fights -- don't call it an octagon! I mean, you probably can get away with it. I don't think Dana White, the UFC founder, will come and sue you. But it's technically not correct, and if you've got readers who are familiar with gyms, they'll know the difference. We have new people that come in all the time who watch UFC and they call our cage an octagon. As soon as they do, I know they're a noob. 

Now, to one of the biggest pieces of equipment we have: the boxing ring! There's a lot to unpack with a ring, so we'll focus on it for the rest of the post. Here's a slightly closer picture of the ring.

If you're writing about a boxing ring, here are some things to know: 

1. The floor of the ring is made up of a few parts. At the very bottom, there are lots of 2x4 wooden planks that go across the ring. On top of those boards are thick pads (similar to the floor mats but they're a bit stiffer). And then on top of the pads is the floor cover. Our cover is heavy-duty vinyl that can get slippery when wet. Other rings might have canvas floor covers that are better for absorbing sweat/water. In Thailand, they only use canvas floor covers because 99% of gyms are open-air and people sweat a lot. Some gyms I've been to only have certain parts of a ring, like the posts and the ropes, and then use regular mats in the middle. Our ring does shake and move some when people are training on it because we don't anchor in the ground.
   
   
2. Our ring is elevated. Some rings are not. They're called floor rings.
   
   
3. The ropes are over four feet high. When I stand next to them, the top one is as tall as my neck and I'm 5'2. Some rings have actual thick ropes under the covers. Those require lots of maintenance because they stretch over time and have to be tightened since each rope is one long piece that goes all the way around the ring. (They're SUPER long when you take them off!) We redid ours a few years ago and replaced the ropes with a thin steel cable and some padding, so no re-tightening necessary. (Just an FYI - our rope covers are camo! We had them specially made in China. This is def not normal for gyms. Lol.)
   
   
   Regardless of what's inside, they're still called 'ropes.' You can spring of off them like in wrestling shows, but they won't actually bounce/sling you all the way across the ring like a rubber band. And if you're short, like me, springing off them is hard cause my head almost slips through the top two ropes. But, remember -- each rope goes all the way around, so if someone is leaning on one side, you won't be able to bounce off another side.
   
   
4. Phrases for describing action in the ring:
   
   "Against the ropes" or "on the ropes" (when one fighter has another pushed up against the ropes and is generally punching aggressively.)
   
   "In the corner" is correct to describe when fighters are literally in the corner. This isn't a great spot to be in; fighters normally don't want to stay in the corner. Even if they're using it as a strategy, they can still be losing points during the exchange. That's why you hear coaches yelling "Get out of the corner!" a lot.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Those pad things hanging on the bottom rope in the top picture are called 'tummy guards' or 'belly protectors' or some combination thereof. They go around your waist and protect from push kicks, body shots/punches, or knees. They're more common in Muay Thai gyms than boxing gyms.
   
   
6. Rings come in different sizes. We have a smaller floor one that's not shown. It's 12 ft x 12 ft. (We call it the baby ring. 😆) Our ring is 20 ft x 20 ft, which is a competition size so our ring can be, and has been, used in professional & amateur events. Hence why it's not anchored to the floor. It's a pain in the ass to take apart and put back together, but it can be done. Also, boxing rings are not cheap. A full, regulation-sized ring like ours can cost $5000 new. (Something to keep in mind if you're creating a fictional gym--Would your gym have the money to purchase a full-sized ring? Is it old school and rugged or modern and fancy? The equipment in the gym should reflect these types of questions.)
   
   

These are some of the basic things a writer should know about boxing rings! There's always more to learn, so stay tuned for more gym posts in the future and feel free to ask questions or make requests! Next week, we'll cover pads and smaller equipment! And maybe even punching bags!!!