Grabbed my wraps this morning thinking about how many times I saw stars in sparring last week. Figured I better actually sort this flashing light thing people chat about. Heard it helps with safety in the ring, stops you getting clocked clean so often.
My first thought? Cheap crap from that big online store probably won’t cut it when some dude with concrete fists is swinging. Went digging in my gear bag instead. Found those little Velcro wraps with the weak plastic LED strips. You know the type – buzzes once and dies if you sneeze on it. Tried slapping them onto my wraps near the wrist.
Bad idea. Real bad.
First solid punch I threw in the mirror, whack, the damn thing flew off like a scared bird. Saw it bounce near my dumbbells. Pointless. Felt dumb even trying. Needed something that wouldn’t bail the second things got sweaty. Remembered those security wristbands they wear at concerts? The thick plastic kind you gotta cut off? Figured, why not?
Ripped into my toolbox. Found:
- A chunky, worn-out wristband I kept for some reason
- That tiny, crazy-bright cycling safety light from the back of my junk drawer
- Half a roll of heavy-duty Gorilla tape
- Scissors looking worse than my sparring partner’s teeth
Shoved the cycling light tight against the inside of the plastic wristband. This thing’s got three modes: always on, slow blink, and spastic flash like a disco nightmare. Started wrapping tape around the whole mess. Wrapped it tight, over and over, like I was taping up a busted knuckle before a fight. Made sure no wiggle room. That light wasn’t going anywhere.
Slid this Frankenstein special onto my wrist, right under the glove cuff, and cinched it down. Snug. No wobble. Threw a few jabs at the heavy bag. No rattle, no shift. The light stayed put, flashing bright enough to annoy. Tried hooks, uppercuts, even a stupid spinning backfist I never land. Light stayed glued, flashing like crazy through the glove lace hole.
Actual sparring time later. Partner comes out aggressive, like usual. Felt good. Took some body shots, gave some back. But kept seeing that rapid-fire blue-white flash from his wrist every time his gloves moved fast near my face. Real sharp, sudden bursts.
Made me blink. Flinched. Actually flinched!
Sounds dumb, but that tiny flinch? Gold. Threw off his timing just enough on a few wild hooks aimed at my chin. Instead of eating leather, I saw the flash, twitched my head maybe half an inch, and felt the air move as his glove sailed past my ear. Happened two or three times that round.
Got tagged less hard. Less often. My neck feels better tonight. Didn’t fix everything – still took a shot to the nose that’s running like a faucet – but those big, fight-ending shots? Didn’t land clean like before.
Point is? Forget the flimsy “boxing” lights. Grab whatever super-bright mini light you got lying around and tape the hell out of it to something hard. Seeing that sudden flash in the blur? Makes you move. Keeps your head off center just a fraction longer. Feels safer in there tonight. Thumbs up.
