It happens to almost all of us; you walk through your gym doors on the first day in just shorts and a t-shirt and the rest of the stuff, been borrowed. Bear in mind, all borrowed equipment has been tried on by hundreds and then realize that you need to get your own gear – because who wants to put their hands into an already sweaty glove mixed with 100 people’s different sweats. In all honesty, it’s not the worst start but the quicker you realize the importance of owning your own gear the better.
MMA has come leaps and bounds from being a pointless, directionless mode of fighting. Now with the advent of UFC and WEC, MMA fans are growing exponentially in numbers and so are the sales of MMA merchandise. From rash guards that are designed to reduce friction on the mats, to MMA shorts that are made to help the fighter with his extraordinary maneuvers.
But one piece of MMA equipment trumps all…. MMA Gloves. Go through these brief descriptions to get a better idea of its types:
Fight Gloves:
Standard MMA Gloves that are used in fights by professionals are smaller in size and have less padding. They’re designed to enable the fighter not just for striking punches but also in grappling and submission moves. Fingers are only covered up until the knuckle area with open palm and covered or uncovered thumb, as per the fighters need. They usually weigh from 4-6 ounces only.
Training Gloves
They’re heavier than the fighting gloves because of the added padding which ensures more protection for your sparring sessions. Sparring is a lot different from fighting, because you’re practicing and working on your technique instead of adding damage to your opponents face. It is important to use hand wraps before putting on your mma training gloves, this will keep your hands safe from injuries or any damage to the wrists.
Hybrids
Hybrid gloves are the newest of their kinds, they’re used for both sparring and grappling. With enough padding and open palms, they allow the fighter to use them for sparring and other training routines.