E Q U I P M E N T
MUAY THAI EQUIPMENT
Whether you're a seasoned vet or a newbie, the equipment that a student of muay thai needs are important for training and most importantly for no injuries! What I haven;t included in the list of equipment is some deodorizor - if you are training and sweating, its a good idea to air out or deodorize some of your equipment. I have a pair of the smelliest gloves which my training partners do not enjoy! Below is a brief description of some of the essential items that a student should have in their gym bag.
HAND WRAPS
Hand wraps should always be used. They are important for two main reasons. One, they protect the small bones and ligaments in your hands. When punching the wraps will protect the small fragile components of the knuckles. Secondly, the wraps will help with wrist support. Hand wraps are definitely important to reduce injury.
GLOVES
These are necessary for training; when using a heavy bag, using Thai pads with a partner (described below), and eventually sparring. When choosing gloves, if you use a 16-ounce (oz.) pair it will help with shoulder and arm strength, these are more ideal for your partner especially if you have a hard punch. In most gyms these are the recommended go-to set of gloves. Once you are familiar with what you want in pair of gloves and your purpose behind them - you will want multiple pairs of gloves for the different training you will be doing.
Bag Gloves
8-10 oz.
These are the lightest gloves available and are specifically designed for the heavy bag or pads. These gloves are not meant for heavy hits on a hard bag. There is not a lot of wrist support, so wearing your hand wraps would be ideal for these gloves. Thankfully, modern designs in are integrating more wrist support.
Training Gloves
12-16 oz.
These can be used for all aspects of training; heavy bag, pads, clinching, and other partner training. These have much more wrist support that the bag gloves, and smaller in size to official sparring gloves. These should be your go-to pair of training gloves if you are only looking for one pair of gloves.
Sparring Gloves
14-16 oz.
These are a little bit larger in size compared to training gloves. Typically 16 oz. is what you want to use, unless your punches are quite devastating – you may have to use an 18 oz. or don’t hit so hard! The larger size is for that added protection to your sparring partner. Get these gloves if you will be sparring quite often, and keep separate gloves for other types of training.
SHIN GUARDS
You will be doing a lot of kicking in Muay Thai training, so you want to protect your shins. Also, if you are training with someone, you do not want to strike them with your bare shins. Muay Thai kicks focus on shin kicks focus on using the shins – get yourself a pair of shin guards.
GROIN PROTECTOR
Accidents do happen - so just to be on the safe side when training, protect your precious cargo! Especially if sparring or working with a partner, this is an important piece of equipment to use. Make sure find the right fit, these should be snug and shouldn’t move around easily.
Enjoy Training
MOUTH GUARD
Avoid biting your tongue and the inside of your mouth. If sparring without a mouth guard - you are more likely to get cuts on the inside of your mouth, also you could chip or loose a tooth. So remember, get a mouth guard and wear it. Avoid injuries - when choosing a mouth guard choose a snug fit.
HEAD GEAR
Necessary when sparring - protect your head. Headgear helps reduce the impact of Muay Thai strikes. Find headgear that is comfortable, fits well, has a good amount of visibility, a good amount of coverage/protection, and is reasonable in weight.
ANKLE BRACES
Ankle braces offer support and balance for your ankles. These are flexible and easy to put on, some offer a bit of grip on the bottoms. To avoid losing circulation in your feet - make sure to pick a pair that not too tight! Hitting pads or the bag can make your ankles sore and stiff – this little piece of attire can make quite a difference.
MUAY THAI SHORTS
Designed to be short, this will allow you to throw your kicks or knees with ease. Also, Muay Thai is from Thailand, and if you have ever been there – it can get quite hot! Muay Thai shorts are noticeably different than ‘normal’ shorts, much shorter and much flashier.
JUMP ROPE
Another staple in most Muay Thai gyms is the jump rope skipping rope. Training with a jump rope will help with muscle strength, control of breath, aerobic fitness and coordination. Get yourself a jump rope for a good warm-up.
MUAY THAI EQUIPMENT - with a partner
Often if you are training with a partner, or alone, there are a couple additional pieces of equipment that you might want to pick up on your Muay Thai journey. I have used all of these and a lot are probably available in your local gym.
THAI PADS
These are used as targets to absorb the impact from punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. Thai pads cover the holder’s hands, wrists and forearms. When holding Thai pads remember to keep your thumb over, and not under the handle to avoid injury.
FOCUS MITTS
Used primarily for punches. Much lighter and smaller than Thai pads, and may be slightly easier to call for different combinations from the puncher.
The person who holds the pads is often called the feeder. If training at a gym, both these will most likely be on hand, they are a staple.
BELLY PAD
Like the name, the pad is used around the belly - used when training with a partner. Used to reduce the impact of Muay Thai strikes. It covers the whole midsection and also right over the hips.
HEAVY BAG
These are long and sturdy, and stand about six feet tall. Most heavy bags will weigh about one-hundred pounds. The main purpose of the heavy bag are for training Muay Thai strikes. Almost every gym will have multiple heavy bags, you will most likely become quite acquainted with one of these guys.
