FIghting Stances – Martial Art Stances And What To Use In A Fight

When it comes to fighting, there are plenty of styles to choose from. Boxing, MMA, Kickboxing, Wrestling and Muay Thai all have a host of unique strikes and techniques that encourage a certain stance to perfect.

You will notice that the stance for each sport is a mix between offensive effectiveness and defensive protection. The martial art you chose to participate in will teach different footwork and movement. In this guide we will give a break down of the stances in many of the popular combat sports.

Boxing Stance:

Known as the sweet science, boxing is the possibly the most simple striking sport in the world. From the outside, it looks like two guys punching each other in the head until one falls over.

When you get involved in the sport or look a bit closer, you see that the feet have a lot more to do with boxing than first meets the eye. The footwork sets up the punches, look at Lomachenko for instance who sets up his punches with blistering footwork.

The Basic Orthodox Stance:

The Orthodox boxing stance is for right handed people who jab with their lead left hand and load up the right hand for their power punches. Since boxers don’t need to worry about taking kicks to their lead leg, they keep it in front.

The back leg will be 90 degrees behind. The feet will not point straight forward but will be turned 45 degrees to the right.

The basic stance will see the right hand pressed against the cheekbone and the left hand clenched in a fist and held in front of the face. The left hand is in front of the face to let off the jab quickly and keep the distance with your opponent.

You want to be on the balls of your feet and keep a slight bend in the knee to move quickly in the sport of boxing.

Basic Movement In Boxing:

From your boxing stance, you’ll need to move around the ring. The way you want to move will dictate which foot moves first.

If you want to move forward the lead leg moves first and the back leg follows. If you want to move backward the back leg moves first and the front leg follows.

If you want to move left, the left leg moves first and the right follows. Moving right, the right leg goes first, followed by the left.

This ensures that wont cross your feet. If you cross your feet in boxing, you will lose your balance and you can easily be knocked over. You won’t be able to react quickly to incoming attacks as well.

Southpaw Stance

Southpaws like to lead with the right hand for jabbing and carry the power in their left hand. it is a mirror image of the Orthodox stance just reversed.

Right leg in front and left leg behind. Being a southpaw brings benefits and disadvantages.

For one southpaws spar orthodox all the time while orthodox rarely get to spar southpaw opponents which should be an advantage in theory.

Getting In Your Boxing Stance

Turn your feet 45 degrees to the right for orthodox and to the left for a south paw. take one step back with your back leg, slightly bend the knees and get up on the balls of your feet.

You are ready to start working on your movement. Check out this video for a quick guide:

Muay Thai Stance

When it comes to Muay Thai, We’ve got one major difference, Kicks! If you stand in your boxing stance and try to spar in muay thai, you’ll quickly learn that legs kicks hurt.

Your lead leg will be be a sitting target for heavy low kicks and you wont be able to defend kicks to the body.

If sparring your partner will be wearing shin pads, in a fight they will not. Not only will keeping the lead leg forward lead to you getting kicked a lot, you will also be open to sweeps that will land you on your ass fast.

Getting into the Muay Thai Stance

You may have guessed by know that the Muay Thai stance is more square that its boxing counterpart. To get into the Muay Thai Stance your front foot will face directly forward. Take a smaller step back with the right foot foot if orthodox and take a step to the right.

You can keep the back foot flat and stay on the ball of your front foot. This is important for blocking kickings coming to the leg or body. By staying on the ball of your front foot, you will also be able to easily let of a teep which can keep you opponent at distance.

You always want to keep the chin tucked and the hands at eye brow level to block any high kicks or elbows that come in. Keeping the hands high will also enable you to enter the clinch effectively and throw knees.

As you can see, you have a few more threats to worry about in Muay Thai than you do in Boxing. That is not to say one is more skillful than the other. They are both different art forms, equally worthy of respect.

Movement In Muay Thai

There are a few things to keep in mind here. You can have a wide muay thai stance and a narrow muay thai stance.

Square Muay Thai Stance

A square stance will make your movements back and forward less quick but it will increase ability to attack and defend effectively in the sport.

This is going to suit you well if you will to take one to give one. Muay Thai sluggers will have a wide stance.

If you are a shorter ‘inside fighter’ with power that wants to trade by loading up on hooks and kicks.

Narrow Muay Thai Stance

Keeping the feet closer together will mean you move quicker to evade your opponents attacks and can close the distance on you opponent quickly.

You have to keep in mind that you will be more vulnerable to low kicks as you move in.

This stance can be very effective for taller fighters who want to throw straight punches, long kicks and want to clinch when they get inside and throw knees.

Switch Hitting In Muay Thai

There is a lot of switch hitting in Muay Thai due to large number of different techniques at fighters disposal. Throw a left kick from an Orthodox stance requires you to move the right forward into the forward position.

You can do this with a deliberate step or you can skip into the kick. Often when Kickboxers or muay thai fighters go into boxing they will have the advantage of being able to switch hit but few do it very well.

Boxers going into Kickboxing or Muay Thai will have the advantage of fast footwork and better hands. You need to keep in mind that they are completely different sports and success in one doe not guarantee success in the other.

Basic Stance And Movement In Muay Thai

Differences between K1 Kickboxing and Muay Thai

These sports are similar but different. One should be able to move between K1 and Muay Thai without a serious amount of adjustment. There is no elbows in K1 and there is limited clinch.

When you clinch with an opponent you may be only allowed to throw 1 knee before the ref breaks it up. You also can’t sweep or throw your opponent in K1. Other than that the sports are quite similar.

The MMA Stance

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that Professional MMA fighters have to toughest job when it comes to preparing for a fight and I do not say this lightly.

MMA fighters have to deal with everything from Boxing, Muay Thai, all other striking and sports AND they have to worry about being taken to the ground.

All these styles are going to require more than 1 training session per day usually and they have to consider their strength condition and road work in the build up to the fight.

Dealing With The Risk Of Going To The Ground

An MMA fighter may choose any stance they want but the risk of being taken to the grounds adds an extra dynamic to the mix. If your feet are too wide and narrow, you can move quickly but you are open to sweeps and leg kicks.

If your feet are too wide you are more open to the takedown but you can defend with a knee. The key to blocking the takedown is in knowing that it might come and keep your head lower so you can react and snuff any takedown attempts.

Other than that you want to be able to defend when you are taken down by improving your jiu jitsu and wrestling.

Every MMA fighter will favour their own style but keeping a bit lower for the takedown is a prerequisite in MMA. McGregor for instance keeps a very wide stance which allows him to use his hands and he keeps opponents off guard with unorthodox taekwondo and capoeira kicks and movements.

We have seen that McGregors ground game has been his weakness in his career. That’s why it is so hard for MMA fighters. They have to be exceptional in at least one aspect but they have to have a very high standard in everything else.

MMA Vs Boxing Vs Muay Thai – What Wins In A Street Fight

Anything can happen in a street fight but the more tools you have available to you, the better off you will be. Boxing is going to be quickest to the target with effective strikes. If the fight goes on leg kicks will be able to hit the boxer without taking any damage for the kicker.

MMA will allow a smaller guy to beat a bigger guy on the ground. If someone who cant fight starts on an MMA guy they will be able to choke him out without causing damage which is a lot better than striking someone with the big chance of causing serious damage and risking jail time.

All things being equal, MMA wins out everytime. Muay Thai will beat Boxing 9/10. If the boxer can land first and do damage he may win. Just having a ground game is great but if have to fight more than one person you may be in trouble.

Fighting is always a last resort and you negotiate your way out of it. Usually only people who cant fight want to start fights or newbies where the training has gone to their heads. This happens with weight lifters as well.

Always use violence as an absolute last resort and dont be a douche bag. Never cause damage to a person physically no matter how far they step out of line is my advice!

If someone strikes you and you feel in danger then go ahead but never be the aggressor even if provoked or attacked by a much weaker person.

Beginners Boxing Gear Buying Guide – Everything You Need To Know

If you are from my generation in boxing you have probably grown up watching some great fighters like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, and Floyd Mayweather Jnr. to name a few. Chances are you won’t reach their levels but whether you are an amateur picking up a pair of gloves for the first time, an amateur with prospects, a seasoned pro or someone who is bored of lifting weights and wants some action, this guide should give you a good look at the boxing gear you need to train and compete.

You don’t need much to start boxing. In truth, you only need a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and some gloves. If you go to many clubs or even fitness gyms they will probably have loose communal gloves that anybody can use. One problem with this might be the smell of the gloves and the way your hands smell after using them. If you are a total beginner you can try a boxercise class or just hit the bag on your own to get a feel of whether the sport is for you or not. As your interest and participation in the sport grows, however, you will need to get some gear.

What Gear Do I Need For Boxing:

This is a good question and the answer depends on how seriously you are going to be taking the sport. I know many people like to buy all the new flashy gear but it’s definitely not necessary. If the boxing club you are in requires you to wear proper shoes in the ring, then you may have to get a pair. 9 times out of 10, a good pair of tennis shoes will do you. Some things you should definitely consider is protecting yourself at all times. Rule No.1 of boxing!

Hand Wraps

Wrapping your hands is important as you don’t want to break any of the tiny and fragile bones of the hand. Especially when you are starting out you should wrap your hands while your technique is building. If you land an awkward punch on the bag, it may do damage to your wrist or hands if they are not wrapped. If you work with your hands for a living, this can be a major problem. Check out this quick video showing you how to wrap your hands.

There are different style of wraps but a typical pair wraps around your thumb and is 1.8m long on average. Pro fighters may wrap their hands professionally but if you are starting out all you need is a regular pair that will cost you about $5.

Boxing Gloves

You are probably going to want to invest in a good pair of boxing gloves if you are any way serious about the sport. There is an unlimited choice on the market when it comes to boxing gloves. Check the reviews of products you are considering and you will more than likely get a good pair on Amazon or locally. What you want to look out for though, is the ounce size of the glove. People will generally use 10 – 12 oz for bag and pad workouts and 16oz gloves are usually worn for sparring.

If you are starting to spar consistently and competitively, you will probably want two pairs. If you are not sparring hard 12 or 14 oz might be ok but as you progress 16 oz is best for sparring. There are some quality and big brands out there for boxing gloves like Everlast, Title, Ring. Make sure you check the reviews and get the quality of the glove you are after.

You will most likely get what you pay for. The lighter the gloves you buy, the faster your hands will be but the less protection you will have for your hands. 16 oz is used in Sparring so you don’t hurt your partner.

While sparring can be competitive, the goal is to get better, not to knock your opponent out. You want to work on the techniques you’ve learned on the pads, keep your hands up and have fun.

Mouth Piece

If you are sparring at all, I would strongly advise you to get a gum shield. You don’t want to lose a tooth. You have enough to worry about if you are learning how to take a punch in the face, getting a good gum shield will give you peace of mind for your molars at least. Unless you come up against a Deontay Wilder in the gym! You can buy a gum shield on Amazon, at any sports shop and probably in your gym.

Another option is the get a professional gum shield fitted for you by a specialist. It might also come with a dental guarantee. If you get a chance in your gym to do this, you should go for it but a standard mouthpiece that you boil and bite down on. The mouthpiece will come with instructions and they are easy to fit.

Boxing Shoes:

Footwork is extremely important in boxing. It is the difference between good and great fighters. Tennis shoes or any athletic pair of shoes will get you through most situations as someone who trains boxing. A good pair of tennis shoes can get you through a white-collar bout hand enough. I had my first fight in a white-collar match wearing tennis shoes and I did quite well.

If you fighting proper amateur fights, you will need a pair of boxing shoes. Even if you are serious about improving, you should buy a pair of boxing shoes. They will fit tightly and let you bounce around the ring with ease, in and out. As always, check the reviews and don’t buy bottom of the barrel boxing shoes, invest in a good pair that will see you through.

Check Out Our Best Boxing Shoes For Improvers Here:

Headgear

Headgear comes in many shapes and sizes, so it is up to you what works well with the size of your head and how much freedom you want. You don’t want a headgear that will disturb your vision. If there are hooks coming at you, you need to be able to defend yourself. Some headguards will protect the cheeks and others will leave them exposed. You can also get headgear that will come across and protect your nose.

Headgear that comes across your nose or covers your cheeks will protect you from cuts, scrapes etc but it won’t take away the impact of the blow to a great extent. People can still get hurt with headgear on but if you were that worried about getting hurt, you wouldn’t be taking up boxing. As always you get what you pay for. Check the reviews. I wear an Ergo sports head guard with a chin loop and Velcro closing functionality that covers the cheeks. It is a quality guard but there are many quality headguards available on the market. Another thing you definitely don’t want is the headguard falling down and covering your eyes when you get. Getting a good fit is important. Again don’t buy the cheapest one but invest a little more for higher quality and performance.

Groin Guards

If you are sparring regularly, you’ll need a groin guard, No one wants to be hit below the belt. For men it can bring extreme pain, I know from experience. At least give yourself the protection of a cup. Cups varying greatly in style and size. You can a simple one that you slide on like a pair of shorts or you can get an oversized one that will give you further protection. You can even get a Thai style cup where you tie strings together to keep it tight. Whatever you choose buy one with good reviews and make sure it is going to fit correctly. Buying a groin is necessary for anybody who will be sparring if they want to reproduce at least!

What Do I Need If I Want To Train At Home?

Something to hit, A Heavy Bag.

If you want to train at home, you will probably want something that you can hit. A stand-alone punching bag or a heavy bag might be of great use to you. Again heavy bags and punching targets come in all shapes and sizes. And we can do another guide on that. Traditional boxing bag that you can fill with sand and often cloth might work for you. A BOB, Body opponent bag. Those stationary pad machines that Chris Eubank Jnr loves to use or an aqua bag. Check out our guides, shop around and make a great decision. I know a lot of people like speedballs and end to end bags. Boxing tennis hats are now popular with Katie Taylor, Lomachenko and more. Always shop around, check the reviews and buy a quality product.

Skipping Rope

A Skipping rope is a great tool for getting fit, home workouts and improving your hand eye coordination. Skipping and running are always going to be key elements for preparing for a boxing contest. It goes without saying that they are good for training and condition also. You can find a good skipping rope cheap in any store or you can buy a quality rope on Amazon. Again, check the reviews and ensure you are buying a quality product.

Chin Up Bar

Boxers love doing chin-ups and its with good reason. A lot of your punching power will come from your lats and a great way to strengthen them is with a chin-up bar. You can buy one in any sports or buy online at Amazon where you can check the reviews. I recommend doing 5 sets of 5 for strength if you can manage it or 6 sets of 4. Whatever you can do!

Hand Weights

One way to increase your hand speed is to use 1kg dumbbells as you shadow box. This should increase your hand speed and power when you drop the weights your hands will seem faster. Punch up in the air with the dumbells to build your shoulders as well.

Round Timer

If you are working out alone, on the heavy bag or in a gym. You should always time your rounds. Hitting the bag until you get tired is only going to be so useful. Having set periods of time to work and rest is a better way to it. I personally work for 3 minute rounds on the bag at my local fitness gym and take a minute rest. I’ll do 8 to 10 rounds practicing different combinations and shots. A lot of the times ill try combinations I saw the pros throwing that weekend.

Boxing Shorts

Unlike Muay Thai, boxing shorts are not a requirement in boxing unless you are going to compete. Any regular pair of gym shorts should do you for training and sparring. If you want to get a quality pair of shorts you can pick them up on Amazon or any boxing store. There isn’t as much variety in boxing shorts as you will get in muay thai, but in muay Thai, you need the shorts to throw your kicks.

Boxing Mitts

If you want to train with a friend, you will probably want to pick up some boxing mitts. Boxing mitts come in various different shapes and sizes and are the best use to simulate what you will experience when you go to spar or have a fight. Holding the pads is a skill in itself so taking turns with your partner of holding and hitting is recommended. The basic combos for mitts are the jab, the 1 2 and a 1 2 hook. A lot of the cheap mitts you can buy will buy garbage so definitely best to avoid. Curved mitts will hold the hooks and punches a lot better so are probably recommended. Light and straight pads can be used to work on speed. The better pads will have a ball inside to protect the holders’ hands. There is a huge range of options so do your research and pick the best pair for your budget. I would always recommend a leather pair as they will last longer and you a sharp snapping sound on the pads.

If you need any advice on boxing, drop us a line below and we will get back to you

Ultimate MMA Gear Buying Guide For Beginners

You’ve done it, you made the decision; you want to be like those crazy cage fighters on TV. Or at least do training like them.

There will be a lot to learn and lots and lots of questions. Perhaps one of the first questions you will have is;

“What type of equipment do I need?”

And that my friend, is one of the most important questions.

Read this article to help you choose the proper equipment the first time so you can stay safe while training and own quality equipment that will last for years.

We will cover the basic equipment needed to start MMA, the stuff you may need down the road and the reason each piece of equipment is important.

Because I don’t know you and your goals with training, I will do my best to point out equipment that may be needed for those who are more serious and where the casual trainee can skimp and save a few bucks.

But why take my advice? Well, for starters, I’m a doctor….seriously….But more importantly for this article; I am a former pro MMA fighter.

Let’s dig into this guide and get you in the cage!

Mouth Guard:

A mouth guard is arguably the most important piece of equipment you will own. Personally, I don’t even step onto the mat to start my warm-ups without my mouthguard in. A mouthguard will assure you keep your sparkling teeth looking good.

There are many benefits to wearing a mouthguard beyond just the looks though.

A mouthguard will actually help you perform better. That’s right, wearing a mouthguard has been shown to increase strength and power (1).

Functionally, for MMA/BJJ, if you’re getting chocked or cross faced and you have a mouthguard in, it’s much easier to hang out while your face is getting smashed if your teeth are grinding into rubber rather than each other or your cheeks and lips.

Things to think about when picking out a mouthguard:

Take a breath; can you breathe with it in?

A mouthguard should allow you to breathe comfortably while it’s in. It should form to your mouth and seal your top teeth so perfectly that you can talk relatively normal with it in. Now go for a run or do a workout. Still able to breath just fine? If the mouthguard fits properly breathing should not be an issue.

Does it work?

Now a days most mouth guards will be of good quality. The low cost boil and bites will run you about $12 and save you a ton in dental bills. If you want to get crazy, you can have a dentist specially mold one for you and it will run about $250-500.

Will it stay in?

If your mouthguard fits well enough for breathing & talking, it should have no issue staying in your mouth during any training. The fit should be so snug that it almost has a suction feel as it comes out of your mouth after training.

Does it look cool?

Well, I don’t care about this, but some do. Mouthguards come in an array of colors and designs. You can get words put on the front of them or vampire teeth, or whatever. Have a blast picking it out, just make sure it’s in your mouth.

Cup

Arguably the most important piece of equipment you will own….yea, cup and mouth guard are a tie in my opinion.

For dudes, our family jewels are quite precious, and it hurts when they get hit.

A good cup will not only give you protection, it will also help you win a match!

Let me explain;

You have an opponent’s back and they’re belly down on the mat, grapevine his/her legs and drive your cup into their spine. Guaranteed, they’ll give up whatever you want.

Another great time to use that cup to your advantage is when you’re pulling an armbar, the cup gives you a bit more leverage, adds discomfort for them and ensures comfort for you.

These two things may also be a couple reasons why cups aren’t allowed in most Jiu Jitsu tournaments?? See rule 8.3.7 in the IBJJF rule book (2).

What to look for in a cup:

Personally, I like the steel Muay Thai cups. I know I am well protected, it fits great and moves with me.

Some people feel the steel cups are too ridged. A lighter, plastic cup that is a bit more flexible may be more to their liking.

Other important things;

Can the cup come out of the jock to wash it? If not, assure you have a cleaning method for it.

How does the jock fit? Assure the straps (or ties in some cases) are comfortable during all movements and they don’t allow for anything to pop out of place….OUCH!

Hand Wraps:

Wraps are a very important piece of equipment for anyone doing any striking work, even if it’s just on the bag.

First and foremost; any of the wrap variations that are designed to make wrapping your hands easier are a waste of money if you are at all training seriously. Just get real wraps, watch a Youtube video or two on how to wrap your hands and do it.

Another note on hand wraps. There are two sizes; 108 inches and 180 inches. Get the longer ones if you’re over 12 years old.

Finally, get the hand wraps that have elastic sewn into them, sometimes referred to as Mexican style wraps. These will be much more comfortable, last longer and make you smile.

And cleanliness. Wash your hand wraps regularly.

Pro tip: Put your wraps in a laundry bag of some sort, like a bra bag. If you don’t, they will tie knots around all the other clothes and knot themselves up. Knot fun to undo….Get it…Knot…I’m punny.

Here is a great video from Youtube on one way to wrap your hands. The guy in this video does a great job of step by step explaining how to wrap your hands properly.

MMA gloves:

Owning MMA gloves will be very important if you want to work all aspects of the game and especially important for training if you have hopes of someday getting in the octagon.

However, if you just want to train casually and getting punched with near bare knuckles isn’t your thing, then you can pass on the MMA gloves.

In training MMA gloves would be used for sparring to get the actual feel of throwing and blocking punches with the smaller gloves.

Doing Jiu Jitsu with MMA gloves on will also be very important if your planning to fight. Just wearing the gloves changes a lot of the Jiu Jitsu game.

And finally, MMA gloves will be used for ground and pound work. That is Jiu Jitsu with strikes. As would be the case if actually fighting.

Check Out Our Best MMA Gloves For Beginners Here:

What to look for in an MMA glove:

Fit:

MMA gloves should be able to fit a set of wraps under them. It should be snug getting the gloves over the wraps and the wrist wrap of the glove should close snuggly around your wrist.

Style:

There are several different styles to MMA gloves from the weight to the way they wrap your hand and wrist and of course colors and materials. The most important of these factors in material. Always spring for the real leather. It will last longer, stay cleaner and look better. The other factors are mostly personal preference.

Training vs fighting:

At my home gym, we always had two sets of MMA gloves. One set of highly padded 8oz MMA gloves for sparring training and then the actual 4-6oz MMA gloves for Jiu Jitsu and ground and pound work.

Again, if you’re not super serious, you definitely don’t need two pairs of MMA gloves, and possibly you don’t need any.

Boxing Gloves:

Boxing gloves will be an absolute necessary item for training. And just like any other piece of equipment, spend the money here for quality and they’ll last you many years.

I love my boxing gloves (16 oz Twins Special) and they lasted my entire pro career and I still have them to this day.

You will use your boxing gloves for sparring, bag work and some ground and pound drills (depending on where and how you train alternating with your MMA gloves).

What is the correct size to pick?

Generally, I tell everyone to just go with the 16oz gloves. 14 or 12 oz gloves increase the risk of someone getting injured in training. Plus, the 16oz gloves are more difficult to hold up for the entire round, so you get additional training there too.

What about “bag gloves”?

Bag gloves are just fine to have and use if you want to purchase a pair. I personally, use my 16oz gloves on the bag. I find they protect my hands better and as I said above, they’re extra work to hold up.

What is the best brand?

There is no paid endorsements here. Ask anyone in the boxing world and they will likely tell you to get Twins Special or Fairtex. Although other brands like Everlast and Hyabusa also have a good product, especially if you look at their higher end gloves.

Alex Trujillo told me he recommends Twins Special Gloves and Shin Guards, he is the head coach at Midwest Training Center (MTC); former home to Clay Guida, Jason Guida, Chase Bebe, Brian Gassaway and many other top level fighters.

I can second that having bought two pairs of Twins in Thailand in 2012. 10 oz and 16 oz. They lasted 7 years of heavy use and can still be used to this day. The 10oz are perfect for pads and bags while the second oz have great padding for sparring. This is great unless you get a sparring partner who likes to wear hard gloves and you want to hit back a bit harder.

Headgear:

Headgear is a very important piece of equipment. Some gyms are really “cool” and don’t use headgear. If that’s your gym, find a new one or you might not remember much down the road.

Brain injuries are real and you want to take every possible step in avoiding them.

Here’s a fun fact, in this 2019 study it showed the heavier of a fighter you are, the greater your chances of getting knocked out and thus brain injury (3). So, especially important for the big guys to wear the headgear.

When looking into headgear there are several factors and styles to consider:

Chin cup or no?

All variations of headgear will have a chin strap of some sort to help keep the headgear in place while you bob & weave. Some styles will also have a padded chin cup. Personally, I was a fan of the padded chin cup. It made me feel more secure in my headgear.

Cheek protection or no?

You will notice that some headgear styles will include padded cheek protection. If you have this and the padded chin cup you are very well protected!

Material: Headgear should be leather or vinyl, something that will let sweat and blood wash off easily. Materials that absorb sweat like cotton mixes are a bad idea for any pad as they are very difficult to clean.

Fit of headgear: Headgear should fit very snug. It definitively should not move separate from your head and face. However, the headgear shouldn’t be so tight that it gives you a headache and feels like your heads in a vise.

Shin Pads:

If you are training any style of stand-up fighting that involves kicking, ie; Muay Thai, kickboxing, etc. you will require a good set of shin guards. However, for MMA, there are specific shin guards that can be used for stand up fighting and will stay on well during the transitions to the ground and even during ground fighting.

In my opinion, you may want both if you are serious about moving forward.

The more tradition styles of shin pads are much larger and thicker. If you’re newer to the sport or just want quality protection, you may want to go this route. Until your shins are well conditioned, it hurts to check (block) a kick. And even after your “used to it”, it still hurts in a long training camp.

The MMA style shin pads are great because they fit more like a sleeve around your lower leg and will stay on your shin and in the proper spot. This is great after a ground battle where you regain standing; with this style pad, you’re ready to go. The traditional style pads almost always require some adjustments after a stand up. This convenience of course, comes at a price. That being less padding and bruised up shins.

I like using both styles. The traditional during the weekly stand up training and the MMA style for the “live go’s” on Saturdays.

Check Out Our Best Shin Pads For MMA here:

MMA shorts:

Don’t be the guy training at the gym with basketball shorts on. Mesh shorts present a danger to your training partners fingers. If they get stuck in a pocket, they may get broken.

Get a good pair (or several pairs) of MMA shorts. These shorts are designed to move with your body in all sorts of awkward positions and depending on the brand, they may even have cool features, like a grip strip on the inner thighs to help you grab onto opponents with your legs.

When you decide on a pair you like, do a few deep air squats, some side to side stretching and bending and make sure they feel good.

These are on the lower end of the priority list for starting up MMA, but you will need either these or compression tights (I Know, I don’t like calling them that either) to get on the mat.

Rash Guard & Compression Tights:

To go with the soap and showering section below….the less skin exposure you have, the less likely you are to contract a skin disease.

Wearing a rash guard will also help prevent mat burn when rolling no gi, and it will prevent gi burn when you have your gi on.

A common question is: Is there a difference between a rash guard and a compression shirt? To my knowledge. No. Aside from the cool designs offered for the BJJ and MMA specific ones.

One last thing. For the sake of you and everyone at your gym. Wash your rash guard after every training session. And that goes for all other clothing and equipment too. If you can toss it in the laundry, do it. As for the pads, wipe them down with Lysol or something similar after every session.

Soap & showering, hygiene:

Unfortunately in MMA, BJJ, wrestling and other martial arts skin diseases are very common. Things like ringworm, impetigo and even MRSA are crawling all over.

Fortunately, these things are very easy to avoid when you take the proper precautions.

Go to a gym that washes their floor and wall mats multiple times daily. Minimally the mats should be washed with a disinfectant soap after every session. Good gyms will also wash before sessions too.
Shower ASAP after training. All of these nasty skin diseases need to work their way into your skin. The sooner you wash, the less likely you are to get infected. Use a good soap like Defense soap made specifically for sweaty mat sports. And wash thoroughly.
If you get something, get to a doctor ASAP, STOP TRAINING and tell the owner of the gym. The sooner you start treatment the better. And if you go back to the gym while it’s still contagious….well….you’re a jerk.
One final note for newcomers; clip your finger and toe nails before every training session. Nothing is worse than getting clawed by someone. Not only does it hurt, but it is a great way to spread disease.

In a recent study it was no surprise to find that amongst sports, wrestling (and can be assumed all combat mat sports) had by far the highest rate of infectious skin diseases (3).

All in all, this list should get you on the road to a complete gym bag of MMA gear. I am sure you will have many more questions about this stuff, feel free to comment on this article and I will do my best to answer quickly.

A few tips to remember:

Spend the extra money for better quality equipment
Always try it on and move around before you take the tag off, assure it’s a good fit for you.
CLEAN! Clean yourself, your equipment and your gym after every training session. This is simply mutual respect for the health of you and your training partners.

Until next time,

Dr. Dave

References:

Effects of jaw clenching wearing customized mouthguards on agility,power and vertical jump in male high-standard basketball players.

Buscà B, Moreno-Doutres D, Peña J, Morales J, Solana-Tramunt M, Aguilera-Castells J.

J Exerc Sci Fit. 2018 Apr;16(1):5-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jesf.2017.11.001. Epub 2017 Dec 1.

International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Rule Book. Version 4.0, 2015.

Skin infectionsamong US high school athletes: A national survey.

Ashack KA, Burton KA, Johnson TR, Currie DW, Comstock RD, Dellavalle RP.

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016 Apr;74(4):679-84.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.10.042. Epub 2016 Feb 2.

Definitive Buying Guide For Boxing Gloves, Beginners And Beyond

Like many people, I’ve always had an interest in fighting. I grew up watching “Iron” Mike Tyson in his prime, the early Ultimate Fighting Championships, and the rare kickboxing matches that would find their way onto late night television. Who hasn’t spent a little time in front of the television shadowboxing and trying to slip and weave?

The fight game has come a long way since the 80’s and 90’s, and it’s a safe bet that Mixed Martial Arts has become the fastest growing sport in the world today. As the sport of MMA has grown, more eyes and more fans have come to Boxing, Muay Thai, and Kickboxing as well.

“Boxing Gloves” is a somewhat ambiguous term in the world of combat sports; it can refer to the gloves used for Boxing, Muay Thai, and Kickboxing. The gloves for each different striking art have their own nuances, but most are interchangeable between disciplines.

There are more brands and styles of gloves available than ever before, and it can be overwhelming to try to wade in and make a decision. We’ll dig in to the details on Boxing Gloves overall so you can narrow down your options, and then decide which ones are the best for you.

Just a bit of history

Combat sports date back to pretty much the dawn of mankind, minus the sport part. Humans have been laying knuckles on each other since they started walking on two feet, and aren’t showing much sign of stopping soon.

Boxing as a sport goes back to Olympic Games in Greece in 688 B.C., and ancient Roman boxing gloves have even been uncovered in archeological digs. As rudimentary as those early gloves are, they still serve the same purpose as gloves in the modern era: protecting the hands.

Like any other form of combat, Boxing has to be practiced for any real fighting skills to develop. Even in ancient gladiatorial times, fighters must have realized that throwing bare fists on your training partners isn’t very good for either person involved over any amount of time.

Even as far back as the 1350 B.C. there are Egyptian relief drawings showing fighters wearing gloves. Over the centuries and as prizefighting became more common and modern rules sets

were implemented, the design and function of the boxing glove evolved.

Hands are Fragile, Heads are Hard

Boxing gloves are made for training. A proper boxing glove serves two purposes: to protect the hand of the wearer, and to protect whomever you are trying to lay those hands upon. A bit of leather and cushioning goes a long way.

A truly good boxing glove has the right amount of cushion that will allow you to throw fast and solid punches on a bag, training partner, or your opponent with the least amount of damage. In addition to cushioning your knuckles from your opponents thick skull, the glove is also there to disperse the impact of your fist over a larger area, somewhat softening the blow.

So What Makes a Good Boxing Glove?

There’s a few things that go into the recipe: Design, Cushion, Stitching, and Fastening.

The Design is what catches your eye, the flashy or intimidating colors and layout of the glove, the art of it. Design is also how the glove is weighted, and how the shape of it fits to the hand.

The Cushioning would be what’s keeping your knuckles from knocking up on to whatever you’re swinging at. Not all cushioning is equal, some foams are more dense or lighter than others. This will become very relevant when deciding if you want gloves for bag work, sparring, or fighting.

The Stitching is what holds the glove’s material together. You’ll want to be sure the stitching is top notch, as this will determine the life of your glove. Also, poor stitching on cheap gloves can be abrasive as it becomes worn and unnecessarily scrape up your sparring partners.

The Fastening would be the either laces or velcro that fasten the gloves past your wrist and keep them from sliding around during use. Laces are a bit more secure, but are less practical as you need some help to tie them up. Velcro is a one person job, and you can get it fairly tight.

What Are You Trying To Punch, Anyway?

As I mentioned earlier, the market for boxing gloves has really blossomed in the past decade or so. Before you start throwing money around at all the flashy new things, you should consider what it is you are shopping for.

Heavy Bag gloves are the most commonly available, and are probably the best all around gloves for someone starting out training on their own. Some sporting goods stores still sell the old school “bag gloves” which are basically thin leather mitts with no wrist support and minimal padding . These are not very good. I recommend 14-16oz heavy bag gloves with ample wrist support and decent padding for beginners and those doing fitness boxing.

For those hard-nose guys and gals out there that prefer to hit the bag bareknuckle because “that’s how it is in the streets”, I support you. However, one day your wrists might not. True, the continuous impacts might strengthen and toughen you bones and hands, but all it takes is catching the bag once with bad form and you’ve got a sprain, or a boxer’s fracture. Maybe just spend the money and get some decent gloves.

The reason I recommend the heavy bag gloves for beginners is that most of these are by design made to cushion your hand and protect it above all else. Most have pretty dense padding and a nice curvature that will encourage proper punching. Depending on your weight and height, 14 or 16oz gloves should work for you. Here is a good guide to finding the right size glove for what you need.

Wrap Those Fists Up Tight

Handwraps are readily available, and I highly recommend using them. There are a few great brands out there that offer quality handwraps to protect those precious little bones in your hands. A good first person perspective video on wrapping the hands can be found here. Watching the video in first person allows you to simply follow along and wrap as video host does. Practice at home so you’re able to pull it off at the gym.

Sometimes I’ll do some light sparring or light bagwork without wrapping my hands and wrists, but anytime I am putting in heavy striking work I wrap those puppies up. If you hit the heavy bag as it’s swinging towards you, or if your pad holder’s timing is a bit off from yours you can develop some trauma around the wrist joint.

Even with properly wrapped hands you’ll want decent wrist support on your boxing glove. The velcro or lace up part of the glove should help to keep your wrist from bending when you are hitting the bag, or mitts, or people. You can roll your wrist the same way you roll your ankle, causing stress to the tendons and ligaments, which can lead to some cumulative damage. It’s not worth the risk in, in my opinion.

Every Ounce is Not Equal. Choose Wisely.

Boxing gloves come in all sizes, from 8oz all the way up to 20oz. Boxing and Muay Thai competitions usually use 8oz or 10oz gloves. These gloves are designed to be much more compact, and with minimal padding. Gloves that are used for competition use are typically kept to a higher standard than your average training gloves, and most have to be approved by some sanctioning body.

14 and 16 oz gloves can vary widely in the overall size, style, and type of padding used. Some 16oz gloves look and feel like pillows, while others have the weight more evenly distributed throughout the glove. I personally prefer gloves that have a bit of padding over the outside of my wrist , especially when doing Muay Thai sparring. The extra wrist support is helpful, and it provides an added layer of protection.

For bag work almost any middle of the road brand of glove will do as long as you wrap your wrists and the gloves have decent padding. For sparring and mitt work you want to get a bit more specific, as the type of gloves you use can absolutely impact your performance. Generally most people use 16oz gloves for sparring, and you’ll want to find a pair that are smaller and have denser padding with more spring. The type of foam padding used in the gloves are important; you’ll want to be able to land strikes on your training partner at 20-30% and not leave them wobbled.

There is no substitute for holding the gloves in your hands and giving them a feel, but most reviews can give you an idea of what kind of padding you are dealing with. Competition gloves are small, and they hurt when you get hit with them. Unless you are planning on actually competing, it’s a better investment to just pick up some 16oz sparring gloves if you plan on training with a partner.

My Personal Favorites

Pillow Hands for the Heavy Bag

Just to use on the heavy bag or double end bag, I like 16oz gloves with plenty of padding. Venum actually makes a cheap and halfway decent entry level product in their Challenger and Contender series boxing gloves. These gloves are affordable, and are made of decent quality , durable synthetic leather. They are a bit like having pillow hands, but that is kind of what I am looking for when doing heavy bag work. I want something a little more bulky and clunky so that when I use my sparring gloves I feel lightning fast and smooth. The gloves have a mesh design near the palm to help air them out, which is something you’ll need if you are doing high intensity rounds on the bag. The Contender gloves aren’t anything overly special, but they get the job done, and are decent for someone who is purchasing their first pair of boxing gloves. Venum, Everlast, and Sanabul all kind of float in the same market space with their entry level gloves , in my opinion.

Boxing Gloves For Sparring

My all time favorite sparring gloves aren’t even a pair of gloves I currently own. Hayabusa T3 Kanpeki Leather are the Cadillacs of the world of boxing gloves for me. The design is stellar, and the balance of weight and the comfort of the padding are the best I’ve experienced thus far. The foam they use in these gloves is excellent, the dual closure system really gives extra structure to the wrist. The Hayabusa gloves are great for doing mitt work, and really just fit great on my hands. As far as sparring goes, I feel pretty comfortable giving my training partners a little heat without feeling like I’m gonna rock them, or send them into CTE city. These gloves might even be my favorite to be hit by; as I said the padding is excellent.

Boxing Gloves For Muay Thai

Fairtex has been a common name in the world of Muay Thai for quite some time. They are known for producing not only quality boxing gloves, but also shin guards, Thai Pads, Body Shields, Punching Bags, and pretty much everything else related to Muay Thai. Fairtex’s Muay Thai Sparring glove, the BGV1 model, are my favorite gloves to use when training Muay Thai. The leather is super durable and the glove has great stitching. The padding is perfect for sparring and doing pad work, and the velcro wrap keeps the wrist nice and snug. I have a few training partners that own the same Fairtex glove, and these aren’t too bad to get hit with either. The weight distribution is nice, and the foam is dense and compact, so the gloves aren’t bulky at all. I think you really can’t go wrong with Fairtex gloves.

Boxing Gloves For MMA Training

Gloves for Mixed Martial Arts are a whole different world altogether. Competition gloves for MMA fighters are open fingered, allowing for articulation the fingers for greater dexterity in grappling and clinching. Some gyms operate the striking portions of their MMA programs using the same sparring gloves they use for Muay Thai or Boxing. Others like to train with the gloves they will compete in. Sparring is generally much more dangerous if using MMA gloves, as they run 4-6oz, less than half of the usual sparring gloves for Boxing or Muay Thai. Additionally, there is less room for error with the smaller gloves, and the force generated across a much more concentrated area than when using large boxing gloves.

All of that aside, my favorite MMA gloves to train with are the Combat Sports MMA gloves. They are the ones I’ve used the most at gyms, and I’ve found them to be pretty durable and well made. I don’t really recommend them for sparring unless you have a fight coming up, or you are helping someone who is in their fight camp. There is minimal padding with these, and you will get hurt if you land heavy shots during sparring. They are great for bagwork, and these gloves are used at the amateur and semi-pro level for competition. The Combat Sports MMA Sparring Gloves or The Sanabul are a better choice for actual MMA sparring, they have much more padding, but still have all the staples of an MMA glove, allowing you to grapple and use your hands pretty much the same.

When You Find the One, You’ll Just Know

As I said earlier, there are more choices for boxing gloves available now then ever before. What works for one person may not work for you. You’ve got to get out there and try some on, take some hits, break a sweat, do battle in a few pairs before you know what you’re really into. But at least now you know what to look for.

Conclusion

Some final words of wisdom: Dry your gloves out after heavy training. Use dessicant, or newspaper, or anything. After weeks and weeks of sweaty hands inside, and sweaty faces getting punched outside, your gloves will start to smell. I’ve had to let gloves go long before their time was up, simply because the smell was unbearable. Don’t let it happen to you!

MMA Gloves Buying Guide – Everything You Need To Know About MMA Gloves

There are a lot of key factors to consider when buying your first MMA gloves. In fact, you will most likely need more than one pair if you plan to train professionally. Unlike boxing gloves, which in their entirety are similar, MMA gloves can be divided into fighting styles.

Ideally, a single pair will not prevent you from completing the majority of training. If you want to train professionally, however, several pairs that match the different training areas are a necessity.

Your main focus when choosing gloves should be protection. Good MMA gloves combine flexibility with wrist, finger, and hand protection. In Mixed Martial Arts, gloves rarely weigh more than 4 ounces and you can expect little to almost no padding.

What this means is that you will hardly get enough protection from the gloves alone. Consider using hand wraps or even inner gloves in MMA as you will feel every hit.

It is not hard to imagine that MMA gloves offer little protection to your sparring partners or opponents as well. Getting hit during training will put you at risk of injury. This is another key reason why you may need more than just one pair.

What you will need are MMA sparring gloves. Regular boxing gloves are suitable as well if you happen to possess those, but fighting techniques differ entirely in these two sports. Your fingers to be free in MMA for the grappling side of the game. Imagine training with boxing gloves only. What happens when you suddenly need to use MMA ones for a competition?

With this said, the following guide will give you comprehensive information on the different types of gloves and what to look for when choosing any pair.

MMA Gloves Are Unique

Fingerless gloves like the ones we use in MMA today were non-existent until the beginning of the 90s when MMA became an official regulated sport. According to Epic Sports, a similar type of gloves was already in use in Japan but they became widely known only after UFC added them as a mandatory accessory.

In case you need further explanation, MMA gloves are open-fingered. Depending on the type you choose, you can go for a model whose padding covers either the first or second knuckle. Ideally, the most commonly used ones are those that cover only the first knuckle as it provides more grappling opportunity. In addition, there shouldn’t be any padding on the palm, once again to strengthen your grip.

Types of Gloves

In order to make it as easy for you as possible, I have divided MMA gloves into three main types – Grappling, Sparring, and Competition.

Grappling gloves allow additional finger movement. Although you will never use this type of gloves in official fights or competition, they are extremely useful when it comes to ground fighting training such as grappling and clinch work.

Shows of strength and strong punching are rarely the main purposes of sparring. What you normally focus on is accuracy and technique. Sparring gloves are a necessity if you plan long sessions. Using regular ones will put both you and your partner at risk of injuries. My tip here is to invest in the best pair that fits your budget.

Sparring gloves are heavier than your regular 4 to 6 oz MMA gloves. They provide extra protection to the hand through additional padding and have an inner grip bar similar to boxing gloves. This way, your fist will be in the correct safer form for punching.

Although sparring MMA gloves should naturally bring more protection to you and your partner, it still hurts being hit with those gloves. My suggestion is to use mouthpieces and headgear at all times or you may lose of tooth or suffer cuts without head gear. It is a fighting sport but you do not want to pick up any needless injuries in training.

Competition gloves are what you need to focus on the most. Although you will most certainly be using the different types we mentioned above, you need to get experienced with the professional gloves before you actually get into a real fight.

Competition gloves have little to no padding and weigh around 4 ounces. Never forget to use additional protection like hand wraps. Although these gloves are constructed to deal more damage to your opponent, they will hurt you as well. Always remember to look after your hands well, they are kind of important!

Materials and Notable Characteristics

There is a wide variety of materials used in MMA glove production. The most common, however, are genuine leather and synthetic leather. I think we all know the usual case. If you purchase cheaper equipment, it is most certainly made from lower-quality materials.

Synthetic leather is, of course, the cheaper option. It does the job, but once you try genuine leather gloves, you will feel the difference. Naturally, genuine leather is better in all aspects and will last you much longer.

However, my personal tip is to always get the pair that feels most comfortable. Genuine or not, it is all up to how you feel. Do not listen to negative comments around you. Sellers and people around you will most likely want you to get the most expensive pair. Although in most cases with gloves, cheaper means worst, I would suggest that you get those that make you feel the best.

The majority of gloves have some type of foam as padding inside. It is usually around the knuckles. Besides that, MMA gloves are easy to put on and off as they have Velcro.

If you plan on spending a little more and you give one of the brands below a chance, you will most likely buy gloves that were manufactured in Thailand. It is the country which produces the highest quality gloves.

If you settle for something cheaper as a start, the chances are that you may find gloves from China or elsewhere. Always look at the country of origin and search for Thai products.

Weight

I mentioned weight briefly when I explained the different types of gloves, but here is a more in-depth look. As I mentioned, sparring and training gloves weigh more than competition gloves. Normally, you would stumble upon 7 – 10 ounces.

Competition gloves weigh from 4 to 6 ounces but in specific competitions, you can run across gloves that are under 4 ounces in weight. This means that for every tournament, you can expect different variations. It all depends on the organizers.

If you want to be extraordinary, you can always purchase more than two or three types of gloves and have separate ones for every style of training. In such cases, there are gloves entirely made for punching bags which depend on your personal weight. Normally, they start from 10 ounces and go to up to regular boxing glove weights – 16 ounces.

What size MMA gloves do you need?

Getting the right size is of key importance. You have to know that it will directly influence your overall training and development. The way to know for sure is to measure your palm circumference. Sizes will rarely vary between brands but you can always check the correct measurements for the different brands. It is mandatory for them to specify everything.

Getting ill-fitting MMA gloves can result in injuries. In addition, your training will not be 100% sufficient. There are four regular sizes from small to extra large.

If you want to be extra specific with your size, some brands offer additional options. You can see a number of comprehensive charts in the glove size guide by Combat Sports. Just make sure you always take a close look at the definite sizes provided by each separate brand.

For your convenience, here is a small chart with the four most regular sizes:

Size	inches
Small	6¾ – 7½
Medium	7¼ – 8¾
Large	8½ – 9¾
Extra Large	9½ – 10½

Do you need to wrap my hands with MMA gloves?

The bones in our hands are among the smallest and weakest in our bodies. According to Dr. Michael Gleiber, hand injuries are among the most common injuries in not only MMA but Boxing and other martial arts.

According to a study, conducted on professional MMA fighters, there was a high degree in degeneration in their hand joints. You can read that here on the NCBI website.

I would say that disruptions in the bone structure of the hand of an elite MMA fighter are inevitable. If you plan on training for the sake of physical activity or love for the sport, you can do a lot to prevent serious long-term damage.

MMA is an ancient sport, although it was called this way about 30 years ago. Before it was an official sport, fighters didn’t have any hand protection besides maybe bandages. Nowadays, we use gloves for this sole purpose. However, these light open-fingered gloves do not really give you a lot of protection.

Therefore, the answer is yes. My personal suggestion is to always use hand wraps when you plan on training. I am saying this from personal experience. When I found my growing interest in martial arts, I started going to a local gym where they had a punching bag. There was only a punching bag and a few pairs of Boxing and Muay Thai gloves.

Of course, I would always go for the Muay Thai ones as it felt much better to hit the bag with them. After every session with the punching bag, I would have my hands bleeding and swollen. That was simply because I was hitting the bag too hard with no extra protection.

It was only after I started training with a professional trainer and got my first personal equipment that I understood all my mistakes and since then I have never trained without hand wraps and inner gloves. This is why I think you need to read this guide until the very end. I wasn’t smart enough to search for basic information but now that you are reading this, you will not make my mistakes.

If this excerpt of my guide wasn’t convincing enough, below you can find a small list of how hand wraps improve protection. I am focusing on this a lot as it is as important as having a good pair of gloves.

In addition, years ago I found an amazing book by Jonathan Gelber which focuses on all possible MMA injuries and how to prevent them. Click here and you will get redirected to the book itself. With this said, here are simply a few ways hand wraps improve your overall training experience:

It will keep your wrist straight
Prevents knuckles from separating
Reduces unexpected thumb movements
Additional padding for direct impact
Additional protection of your hand for blocking punches

If you are unfamiliar with hand wrapping, click here to see a quick video guide.

MMA Gloves And Heavy Punching Bags – NOT a Good Idea. What To Use?

Incorporating a training with a punching bag is of the highest importance for your overall improvement in Mixed Martial Arts. However, I think we can all already agree that it shouldn’t be done with regular gloves. Even with all the additional protection, I spent so much time talking about, it will not be enough for a session that lasts more than a few minutes.

I think that if you have reached this far in the guide, you already know that you need heavier gloves with thicker padding. As I do not plan on repeating myself, I wanted to address a specific type of gloves that crashed the market not so long ago.

Recently, brands like Title introduced a new type of gloves for punching bags that have additional gel padding. Directly speaking about the TITLE MMA Performance Gel Bag Gloves, they not only deliver a new level of protection to your knuckles, but they secure your fingers and wrists far better.

Your MMA Go-To Brands

Hayabusa

This is a brand known for focusing a lot on the technological aspect of creating the perfect fighting equipment. In addition, they take a lot of influence from Japanese traditions which you can easily note after looking through their products.

I have to say that I have had a pair of old Ikusa gloves by Hayabusa and I would definitely suggest them to anyone that is at the beginning of his career. Currently, there is a newer version of Ikusa but it remains affordable and sufficient compared to other models at this price range.

Another impressive model which I am simply giving out after reading countless positive reviews is Tokushu Regenesis. People have been overwhelmed by this pair of gloves and I would definitely love to try them out in the future as well.

Venum

Venum is another brand in the industry that produces top quality products for all styles of martial arts. Whether it is boxing, MMA, or something else, you will most certainly find what you are looking for. It is a brand which focuses on safety a lot and most gloves have additional foams to protect every bone in your hands and wrists.

Besides that, Venum is my all-time favorite brand for MMA gloves. My latest gloves were the Venum Undisputed 2.0 MMA Gloves and I was pretty sure I would hardly switch to other gloves in the future. Unfortunately, since I am currently at a break from MMA, I simply gave them away.

In addition, I would also recommend the Venum Challenger pair which I have also tried a couple of times before as well.

Everlast

Even if you are new to martial arts, I am sure you have heard about the brand Everlast. They have been going hand in hand since the very beginning of Boxing. In the latest decades, they emerged and started their own MMA line of products.

Besides bringing high quality, Everlast products are often far cheaper than what you would expect. Take, for example, the Pro Style Grappling Gloves. Although I wouldn’t rank this pair as one of the greatest, they will fit you perfectly if you are a beginner. Besides that, they cost under $30.

I would definitely recommend Everlast if you want to get additional gloves for each type of training and you have a tight budget.

Final Thoughts

I truly believe that this guide was sufficient enough to put you on the right track towards completing your dreams in MMA. We went through the different types of gloves and how to find the right ones. In addition, we discussed the dangers of not using extra protection in MMA, and I mentioned some of my go-to brands for this particular sport.

I would highly suggest that you go through the different links provided in this guide. It is always better to be prepared, especially for a combat sport.

There are countless products to choose from both online and in physical stores. My suggestion is to always buy gloves in person. This way you can feel each model and decide for yourself. I have given you my personal favorites, now it is your time to find yours. Be sure to check mine out through the direct links I have provided.

To sum up, all I have to say to you is to stay safe. Always aim for the best at your price range. Good investments now will save you problems in the future.

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