Robotic Boxing Trainer

[atgatt]

This morning I just posted my website at:

http://www.roboticboxingtrainer.com/

This is the first exposure given to it and I have no idea what the response will be. For those that want to look at it, all I ask for are honest inputs. If you think it is a horrible device, please tell me. If you think it has promise, let me know. If you have any questions I will be sure to see if I could answer them.

Much thanks...John

[Kyle]

That thing is awesome! such a good idea to make it random so you cant time it! i think its a great idea!

[metaldad]

I only had time to watch your first video and I must say that you are truly on to something here! I'm hoping someone with alittle more technical Know-how than myself can give you a proper review. By technical, I mean mechanical and boxing. Good luck with this one John. I see really good things happening for you BTW, You got some pretty RIPPED guns there buddy!

[atgatt]

Kyle, thanks. I love working out on it and it has already taught me a lot. More to learn though.

Met, I'll see where it leads. I am no genius and have worked with engineers most my life, but like my last engineering boss told me, only about 10% of the engineers deserve the title, and I'd have to agree. What I'm getting at is I am open to technical suggestions, but what some other engineers have told me regarding the RBT can't comprehend the cost restraints. There are other easier avenues I could have taken and the cost would just shot right up. Also, they don't seem to realize that even going with the easier more expensive route leads to too much power at the speeds the arms must travel to meet the speeds of human punches. It was a real fine balancing act finding the right combination of speed without destruction to the person in front of them, arm lightness without it being weak, and arm speed and yet still having a fast retraction.

Thanks for the compliment about "ripped guns". A skinny 56 year ol' fart like me will take them even when undeserved.

[Speedbag]

Kyle, thanks. I love working out on it and it has already taught me a lot. More to learn though.

Met, I'll see where it leads. I am no genius and have worked with engineers most my life, but like my last engineering boss told me, only about 10% of the engineers deserve the title, and I'd have to agree. What I'm getting at is I am open to technical suggestions, but what some other engineers have told me regarding the RBT can't comprehend the cost restraints. There are other easier avenues I could have taken and the cost would just shot right up. Also, they don't seem to realize that even going with the easier more expensive route leads to too much power at the speeds the arms must travel to meet the speeds of human punches. It was a real fine balancing act finding the right combination of speed without destruction to the person in front of them, arm lightness without it being weak, and arm speed and yet still having a fast retraction.

Thanks for the compliment about "ripped guns". A skinny 56 year ol' fart like me will take them even when undeserved.

Get outa town! Man you look great for 30 year old, never mind 56. MD is right, we oughta name you "the guns of Navarone".

That is a super invention you've got there. Me personally would probably put a small boxing glove on the ends just to make it more "boxing" like and perhaps soften the blow. You had me a bit scared with those glasses on doing that.....

[atgatt]

Speedbag, as always, you are so kind. Thanks.

Regarding the gloves, I will admit that is a great idea but one that I found that couldn't be done even with the lightest gloves I could find. I had to watch every way possible of not adding even a half ounce to the punch arm extension unless absolutely necessary because of all the ramifications that brought, such as slower speeds and arm sag when fully extended.

Still, under the "fists" are several layers of 1/4 inch Shocktec foam and surrounding the sides of the arms is closed cell foam. So it is padded well. I have given the fists real hard punches with my bare fists to be sure of that.

What I personally like about the 2 and 1/2 inch diameter fists it has now, it is very close to a human sized fist, which gives a good representation of how a bare fist could sneak in while boxing.

[Speedbag]

Speedbag, as always, you are so kind. Thanks.

Regarding the gloves, I will admit that is a great idea but one that I found that couldn't be done even with the lightest gloves I could find. I had to watch every way possible of not adding even a half ounce to the punch arm extension unless absolutely necessary because of all the ramifications that brought, such as slower speeds and arm sag when fully extended.

Still, under the "fists" are several layers of 1/4 inch Shocktec foam and surrounding the sides of the arms is closed cell foam. So it is padded well. I have given the fists real hard punches with my bare fists to be sure of that.

What I personally like about the 2 and 1/2 inch diameter fists it has now, it is very close to a human sized fist, which gives a good representation of how a bare fist could sneak in while boxing.

OK, you make some great points. I didn't think of the weight to arm ratio's and how Boxing gloves might upset that balance.

To generate a little web traffic your way, I posted you up on Rosstrainning.com as an equipment link. Let's see how it goes.....

( hope you don't mind.... I can cover a bunch of other boxing and fitness forums if you want me to..)

[The Baggist]

That is some awesome engineering John!!!!! You should pursue this one for sure!!! That's what most boxers lack(especially MMA fighters) is GOOD DEFENSE!!!!! I'm sure you've thought about a four arm system that fires head and body, it would probably be expensive but great to never know what its gonna fire at!!! GREAT STUFF!!!

[atgatt]

OK, you make some great points. I didn't think of the weight to arm ratio's and how Boxing gloves might upset that balance.

To generate a little web traffic your way, I posted you up on Rosstrainning.com as an equipment link. Let's see how it goes.....

( hope you don't mind.... I can cover a bunch of other boxing and fitness forums if you want me to..)

Golly, Speedbag, is your middle name "Helpfull"? It should be. Yeah, I'd love to spread the word. Any resources from your popular background is MOST appreciated. If you have some ideas for me to take, I'm all ears.

[spinsmashpop]

I only had time to watch your first video and I must say that you are truly on to something here! You got some pretty RIPPED guns there buddy!

Haha...are those guns registered!?

Get outa town! Man you look great for 30 year old, never mind 56. MD is right, we oughta name you "the guns of Navarone".
That is a super invention you've got there. Me personally would probably put a small boxing glove on the ends just to make it more "boxing" like and perhaps soften the blow.

I thought Speedbag's idea was good. But I read your reply.

That is some awesome engineering John!!!!! You should pursue this one for sure!!! I'm sure you've thought about a four arm system that fires head and body, it would probably be expensive but great to never know what its gonna fire at!!! GREAT STUFF!!!

4 arms sounds cool. Down the road of course when people think they can handle that...

Atgatt...very cool! I appreciate your tenacity in this venture. To get this far alone, you gotta be psyched about it and believe in it!
I don't know anything about boxing, but I read all your replies to the comments. I was thinking 2 things.... can you make the ends of the "arms" taper out into a more flush type surface? I say this as it looks like if you catch one of the arms at a strange angle, you could really tweak a wrist. No? Maybe they "give" more than I can tell.....
And 2nd... if the price is such a thing... what about a timed meter in it like a video game?
If you had your RBT in a gym, people could put a quarter, 50 cents, a dollar, I don't know for a 3 minute workout with it.
Just a thought. I know it gets involved as all these things do, but that idea hit me as a possiblilty. Maybe it's no good....
Anyhow, great work and good luck. You could promote it by saying, "look at the guns I've got after working out with the RBT! You too can have this look! Don't be the last on your block to get the RBT." And have a hot chick standing next to you in a bikini ogling over your every word as she holds onto one of your guns!!!"
As funny as this is, let's not forget that every night on tv, there are hours of "girls gone wild" commercials.
BAG ON!

[Speedbag]

Haha...are those guns registered!?


I thought Speedbag's idea was good. But I read your reply.


4 arms sounds cool. Down the road of course when people think they can handle that...

Atgatt...very cool! I appreciate your tenacity in this venture. To get this far alone, you gotta be psyched about it and believe in it!
I don't know anything about boxing, but I read all your replies to the comments. I was thinking 2 things.... can you make the ends of the "arms" taper out into a more flush type surface? I say this as it looks like if you catch one of the arms at a strange angle, you could really tweak a wrist. No? Maybe they "give" more than I can tell.....
And 2nd... if the price is such a thing... what about a timed meter in it like a video game?
If you had your RBT in a gym, people could put a quarter, 50 cents, a dollar, I don't know for a 3 minute workout with it.
Just a thought. I know it gets involved as all these things do, but that idea hit me as a possiblilty. Maybe it's no good....
Anyhow, great work and good luck. You could promote it by saying, "look at the guns I've got after working out with the RBT! You too can have this look! Don't be the last on your block to get the RBT." And have a hot chick standing next to you in a bikini ogling over your every word as she holds onto one of your guns!!!"
As funny as this is, let's not forget that every night on tv, there are hours of "girls gone wild" commercials.
BAG ON!

Now that's a thought for the other half of the planet. Have a woman using it! You've got a strong boxing community in Austin. Surely there is a serious female boxer, or fitness enthusiast that could make a video demo and post that up also. Look at the fascination for Staylo on the speed bag. Men love to see woman workout, especially with skills, and I bet you could find a few that would love to use it and have the talking skills or presence to make a few videos.

Perhaps you could go to a boxing gym owner, DONATE one to the club, go for a few days and give demo's with personal instruction, and find a few females to take it on. Once some of the boxers who actually use it start posting youtubes and to forums about "this cool equipment in their gym" then you might develop a following. Due to pricing issues, you might get more interest at the CLUB level, because this is a unique activity they can offer to their members that nobody else has, AND in Austin YOU the inventor can be there to demo. Once you get a few gyms or clubs on board, and some boxers using it, you might get the testimonials to go to a company like Titleboxing, Balasz or Ringside. For this, think beyond the single home user at the moment. You might reach the boxing or martial arts masses faster if you go where they train.

[Biff]

John, congratulations on making your design a reality. Until I watched all the videos, I didn't know what to expect. When I saw those piston-like arms shooting forward, I thought, LAWSUIT. But once you explained how the arm retracts once resistance is applied, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Alan, as always, has great suggestions. I hope this works out for you. Us "ole farts" have to stick together.

Maybe, we'll see you hawking your invention on "Shark Tank."

[atgatt]

Baggist, thanks man. I did do a couple of prototypes that had the arms move up and down as they punched and another one that had the arms stay stationary but had a motor point the fists up and down from waist area to head. It was "clutched" to slip if a block was made or resistance given. I liked how it worked but the cost really went up for it to sell. Maybe I could offer that as an added feature someday.

Spin, you're a funny man. The world and this forum needs your sage humor. Regrading the fist area, I have tried to hurt myself on the present arms and could not. An earlier version is was able to hurt myself because I had a flat surface for the fist, and when I punched bare fisted, sometimes my folded thumb would slightly catch the corner of the flat fist. After trying various fists, the half tennis ball worked the best. They are light, strong, round, durable and cheap. Now my thumb just slides right off them.

For arcade type boxing, I already have a safe idea in mind and researched the inexpensive parts I need to put sensors on the face shield that will count the hits and make a sound when hit. The same will be on the RBT, so when you box against it, you get a score of who hit more. Something like that. But time and money are limited for this po' man.

The chick idea is GREAT! I will tell my wife I am absolutely against it but am only doing it because of Spin.

Speedbag, I will do what you said. The only issue I have is that I still have to complete the control module that gives the different modes. Hopefully that will be coming along soon, but at least I could show it with the one mode and the different speeds it could do. I would love to see if a pro boxer could stop it at high speed. My guess is that they can't because of the very short reaction time it gives in 18 inches of travel, about the length of a jab.

You also mention getting women involved with it. You give another excuse plus Spin's in telling my wife I am only doing what others are suggesting.

Biff, as I say on the RBT website, it is safe as long as the right gear is worn. Even then, a person has to be honest if it is right for them. To me, with gear, the hits are not bad at all. At full speed though you do feel them more.

I checked the product liability insurance and it is expensive, around $7,000 a year, but that is about the norm for sports equipment. Believe me, I busted my brains trying to keep it safe and fast, but anything, even a feather coming out at high speeds could do damage. Head and body protection is essential. I don't hide that fact. What "hurts" is the ego when you get hit. It makes you mad at figuring out ways to not get hit, thus, you learn, and that's the whole goal.

[metaldad]

Haha...are those guns registered!?


I thought Speedbag's idea was good. But I read your reply.


4 arms sounds cool. Down the road of course when people think they can handle that...

Atgatt...very cool! I appreciate your tenacity in this venture. To get this far alone, you gotta be psyched about it and believe in it!
I don't know anything about boxing, but I read all your replies to the comments. I was thinking 2 things.... can you make the ends of the "arms" taper out into a more flush type surface? I say this as it looks like if you catch one of the arms at a strange angle, you could really tweak a wrist. No? Maybe they "give" more than I can tell.....
And 2nd... if the price is such a thing... what about a timed meter in it like a video game?
If you had your RBT in a gym, people could put a quarter, 50 cents, a dollar, I don't know for a 3 minute workout with it.
Just a thought. I know it gets involved as all these things do, but that idea hit me as a possiblilty. Maybe it's no good....
Anyhow, great work and good luck. You could promote it by saying, "look at the guns I've got after working out with the RBT! You too can have this look! Don't be the last on your block to get the RBT." And have a hot chick standing next to you in a bikini ogling over your every word as she holds onto one of your guns!!!"
As funny as this is, let's not forget that every night on tv, there are hours of "girls gone wild" commercials.
BAG ON!

Here it comes.............wait for it......"BAGS GONE WILD!!AND THE FUN REALLY KICKS OFF WHEN SNOOP DOGG GETS THE CAMERA!!atgatt you really do have some nice guns man. Question, weights or body weight exercise?

[atgatt]

Here it comes.............wait for it......"BAGS GONE WILD!!AND THE FUN REALLY KICKS OFF WHEN SNOOP DOGG GETS THE CAMERA!!atgatt you really do have some nice guns man. Question, weights or body weight exercise?

Met, don't get me started on that thought Bags Gone Wild, that could continue a long time, no less.

You are forcing my hand to further reveal what a wimp I am. I only weigh 130 lbs, only do weights about twice a week but only do light weights. The bicep curls with dumbbells only weigh 15 lbs each. Your toothpick probably weighs more. I have limited use due to a bad motorcycle accident many years ago.

Still, as much as I bitch and complain about so many things, deep down I am so thankful to God on what I can still do today. Weights are boring and when you reach my age you have to think about the bones getting weak. But…speed bags, double end bags and now the RBT, are exciting. I feel like a kid in a toy store working out with them. My Alan Kahn autographed bag hangs on the wall, I play my favorite CD The Best of R.E.M, and as I box, I ask God, “How does it get any better than this?”