MMA is one of the toughest contact sports and having the right gear is extremely important for both your safety and the people you train with. In mixed martial arts, the main piece of equipment is your gloves. The type of glove you want to buy is dependant on the type of training you want to do since there are many different aspects to mixed martial arts.
In this article we are going to cover some tips and information to pick the best mma gloves for the type of martial arts training you want to do.
#1 – Style
There are a few different types of mma gloves that serve different purposes.
Bag gloves – These gloves as the name suggests are meant for bag training. They are tough and lightweight and are primarily designed for training with the speed bag.
They have a thin knuckle padding and therefore are used with hand wraps. These gloves can be used for hitting either a speed bag or heavy bag.
Training gloves – As the name implies these gloves are used for training and they are quite similar to boxing gloves. Their designs is much like that used for boxing though slightly different.
They are used for hitting the focus mitts, heavy bags, sparring as well as shadow boxing. Emphasis should be on the weight, heavier ones will provide more padding however the lighter the glove the more dexterity you will have in your punches.
Grappling gloves – These are the gloves most commonly referred to as the MMA glove. They were originally designed for competitions like Vale Tudo and also shoot fighting but transitioned to today’s MMA sport.
These gloves gives your hands more freedom for grappling as well as providing some padding for striking. The padding is best at minimizing hand damage and also protects the opponent to some degree. It is meant for those who are seriously considering competing. That being said, there are instances where you may still be required to use them in training.
Hybrid gloves – Lastly we have a new version a hybrid glove that is a combination of grappling and training glove. These gloves are a cross between boxing gloves and mma gloves. They have a considerable amount of padding however they are still very lightweight.
Here is a great video that explains how to pick the perfect gloves:
#2 – Brand
Now that the style has been considered next thing to consider is the brand. There are many brands that sell MMA gloves which can make it a bit confusing to settle down on one brand.
Companies such as Everlast and Title have not only been around for a long time, but they are also very popular among athletes in the MMA world.
These two companies have been in existence for many years and have built great reputations. They are all pioneers in MMA as they were some of the first to notice this sport and capitalize on it.
Their seamless transition to this sport have made them a trusted brand rivaled by few such as newer brand like Hayabusa. A company that made a transition from motorcycle gear to MMA gear and did it very successfully.
#3 – Price
Lastly we have price which is a matter that usually comes top of the priority for most people.
This is a very important aspect as gloves are an investment in protecting your hands and your sparring partners face. Not to mention with the right pair you can train for years without having to buy another pair. The price range for gloves is anywhere between 25-100 dollars, with the better gloves being at the mid to high end of this range.
I’d recommend shopping around and reading reviews when looking for a pair of gloves. There are many great resources online to help you find the best mma gloves for your needs.
Since prices can vary and also because many gloves are better than others especially for different aspects of training. Some gloves can be used for most if not all aspects of mma training, while some are only good for a particular aspect of mma.
Hopefully after reading this article you’ll be able to make help you choose the right MMA gloves to meet all your needs.
Tags: boxing, equipment, Exercise Equipment, fitness, fitnessmma, gloves, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, mma, mma gloves, Sports, workout equipment
