Invented in Thailand in the 14th century for actual combat, Muay Thai has gone on to be a professional and international sport today.
The exhilarating, heart-pumping, and adrenaline-packed sport has caught the attention of thousands. The combined technique of hands, elbows, knees, and shins drew people in. The stand-up, all-out combat has people holding their breaths. Though this sport has had some controversy, that doesn’t stop people from wanting to learn it. If you are one of these people, the good news is that there are so many Muay Thai training schools around the world now.
Even if you don’t want to become a professional fighter, you might get a kick out of learning the skills and techniques. But before you even begin, you need the right Muay Thai gear. At PunchPrime, they have created in-depth reviews of the most essential Muay Thai gear so you can find out which brands and styles are best for you.
People will argue that you don’t need all the gear if you just want to practice. But remember that this equipment is there to help and protect you.
Muay Thai Shorts
If you’ve ever watched a Muay Thai match, you’ll notice that they use a lot of leg kick combinations, high and low. You can guess that they need a lot of leg freedom to do this. The Muay Thai shorts work perfectly for that since it’s very short. Nothing will get in the way of quick leg movements here and there.
Also, no matter how many times you do high kicks, you won’t have to be pulling your shorts up if you wear Muay Thai shorts. Some people ridicule the looks of the shorts, but it’s actually a vital piece to the sport.
Muay Thai Shin Guards
You might notice that professional fighters don’t wear shin guards during matches. So why should you? You use shin guards for practicing or sparring, especially if you’re still new. The softness will hinder the impact of a kick. So, it can prevent getting hurt, bruises, or injuries in your shin.
We advise to use a thicker shin guard when you spar for the first time. Then, when your shins are somewhat used to the impact, you can start going thinner and thinner.
Muay Thai Gloves
At first glance, Muay Thai gloves look exactly like boxing gloves. A closer look will show you that Muay Thai gloves are more squared at the front and thicker in the wrist. There are actually different weights to these gloves, and this will solely depend on your overall size. You can use most Muay Thai gloves for both drills, sparring and fights.
The thick wrist is for protection. You don’t want to be injuring your wrist since it’s a very important part of Muay Thai. But the protection is useless if your Muay Thai gloves are too loose. So, get one that’s the perfect fit for your wrists.
Muay Thai Groin Guard
In Muay Thai, you can hit any part of the body… and we mean ANY PART. Because of this, you need to protect your groin at all costs. Wearing a Muay Thai groin guard will do just that. Get one that’s comfortable for you. You want it to protect you, for sure. But you don’t want it to distract and hinder you from those shin and knee hits during sparring.
Muay Thai Pads
If you need to train with a partner, then Muay Thai pads is the gear you need. Instead of practicing the techniques you learned on a person, you can practice it on these pads. Your partner holds up the pads as you go blow for blow, hands, elbows, knees, shins. You can take turns practicing and holding.
If you’re a beginner, then it’s best to use curved Muay Thai pads. The curviness will absorb and catch your punches and kicks, making the impact less painful. You can switch to the straight Muay Thai pads later on and treat them like a real person. Partner pad training usually comes first before an actual sparring session.
Summary
Remember, all of this Muay Thai gear is there to keep you safe and give you the easiest time. You should never think that you can become an experienced fighter without these items. So, be aware of what you need and make sure you invest in the best Muay Thai shorts, shin guards, gloves, groin guards, and pads. If you do, you’re well on your way to enjoying the sport even more.