My little project with the Glory Kickboxing Belt idea
So, I got this idea stuck in my head about the Glory kickboxing belts. You see ’em on TV, all shiny and impressive. Course, I’m not about to win one for real, let’s be honest. But I thought, hey, wouldn’t it be kinda cool to have something like that? Not buying some cheap knock-off, but like, making my own version. Just for fun, you know? A little project.
First thing, I started looking at pictures. Lots of pictures. Tried to figure out the basic shape, the main plate, the side plates, that big eagle or whatever it is in the middle. Looked complicated, way more than I first thought. But I figured, okay, simplify. Get the main vibe right.
Gathering the Bits and Pieces
Didn’t want to spend much cash, obviously. This was just messing around. So I rummaged through my garage and the craft box.
- Found some thick packing foam sheets. Good base, easy to cut.
- An old, wide leather belt I never wear anymore. Perfect for the strap.
- Some gold spray paint left over from another project.
- Basic craft glue, a hot glue gun (always handy).
- Sharp craft knife, markers, pencil.
- For the ‘jewels’… found some old plastic gems, the kind kids use for crafts. Good enough!
Getting Hands Dirty
Alright, so I started cutting the foam. Drew the main plate shape first, kinda like a shield. Then the smaller side parts. Getting the shapes symmetrical was a bit of a pain, lots of measuring and re-drawing. Used the sharp knife, went slow so I didn’t hack it up too bad. Smooth edges were tricky.
Then, drawing the details. Sketched the big logo thing in the middle and some swirly patterns on the foam with a pencil. Didn’t have to be perfect, just get the idea across. Went over some lines with a black marker to make them stand out later.
Painting time. Took the foam pieces outside, laid ’em on newspaper. Sprayed them with the gold paint. First coat looked okay, kinda patchy. Let it dry, gave it another coat. Much better. Shiny! Had to let that dry completely, took a good few hours.
Putting It All Together
Once dry, I started gluing stuff. Used the hot glue gun, that stuff sticks fast. Carefully placed the plastic gems where the jewels would be on the real belt. It started looking more like a belt, kinda flashy in a cheap way, which was exactly the point!
Now for the strap. Took the old leather belt. Figured out how to attach the main foam plate and the side pieces. Decided hot glue might not hold the weight long-term, especially foam to leather. So, I used a combo of hot glue for initial placement and then reinforced the back with some strong duct tape strips connecting the foam to the belt. Not pretty from the back, but who’s gonna see the back?
I also added some Velcro strips to the ends of the belt so it could actually be fastened. Easier than trying to mess with the original buckle.
The Finished ‘Masterpiece’
And… done. Stepped back and looked at it. It looked homemade, definitely. Kinda chunky, the gold paint wasn’t perfectly even, the gems were obviously plastic. But you know what? It had the look. From a distance, hanging on the wall, it gives off that champion vibe. I felt pretty good about it. Spent maybe an afternoon making it, used up scraps mostly. It’s my own little Glory belt tribute. Hanging up in my workout space now, kinda makes me chuckle but also feels like a fun reminder of a cool project.
