Reddit mentions: The best martial arts training equipment

Before we get started, get some good handwraps!! Any of the Mexican Style 180 inch wraps.

Handwraps are a must. They do not absorb shock (that's the gloves' job), but they are the first line defense in keeping those little bones stabilized. Search youtube for handwrapping methods; there are many types and it's up to you on which you want to stick with.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mexican+style+handwraps

As for gloves in general; I wouldn't recommend any mexican style gloves (Cleto Reyes, Casanova, or just the label "Mexican-style" for generics) for beginners [unless they have padded versions, like Cleto Reyes Safetec (Pro fight/Training), Cleto Reyes Extra Padding (Sparring/Bag/Trainers)].

Basically, mexican-style gloves have their padding distributed differently (less on knuckle area), resulting in less overall hand protection, but allowing you to "feel your punch" more, which is definitely more fun and satisfying for some people.

This may not be optimal for beginners until punching technique is improved considerably.



1) Ring To Cage C17 2.0.

These gloves are actually inspired by Winning gloves (the long-time king of boxing gloves in fit/comfort/protection/durability). If you dig deep into the history on the Sherdog forums; it started in early 2013 by a user sending his pair of Winning 16oz gloves to RingToCage to have cloned/copied. After multiple revisions, the end result was great. It even went into mass production.

While not an exact clone; it's damn near close in terms of comfort and shock absorption. I have multiple pairs of C17s and Winning, and I must say; for a glove that's about 80% similar to Winning for less than half the price; it's a must have.

http://www.ringtocage.com/japanese-style-training-gloves-2-0-velcro-or-lace-up/

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Style-Training-Boxing-Gloves/dp/B0143R1W7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450528257&sr=8-1&keywords=ring+to+cage+c17


2a) If you want 10oz Reyes pro fight gloves, go for the Cleto Reyes Safetec version. They are meant for training as well, and will last much longer.

I use them myself, to alternate with my Winning 10oz pro fight gloves (my favorite gloves of all time)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cleto+reyes+safetec

Just note that professional fight gloves are not made to last long. Bag/training gloves would be your best bet.


2b) Rival RB1 Ultra bag gloves. (The RB20/Elite are good too, but only available in 12oz/14oz)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=rival+bag+gloves+ultra&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Arival+bag+gloves+ultra


2c) Ring To Cage C17 2.0 is also available in 12oz.

2d) Top Contender Amateur Competition gloves (10oz/12oz)

These are only $27 right now (the red 10oz), and they're pretty good for what you pay (I used to main them until I got my hands on Reyes-Safetc/Winning fight gloves). I am not sure if they will last as long as (or longer) than professional fight gloves, though. If I had to guess, due to the extra padding which is required by Amateur boxing standards; they probably last longer.

http://www.amazon.com/Contender-Fight-Sports-Competition-12-Ounce/dp/B006CUF4BM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1450529505&sr=8-4&keywords=amateur+competition+gloves

3) lol sorry, I don't have notable experience in this department.

4) Outslayer heavybags

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=outslayer+bag

These things are great. They are only stuffed with fabric, NO sandbags at all, so there will be little to no chance of the bottom getting rockhard like my Ringside Leather bag.

Happy I could help.

As a beginner I'd say my experience with Krav has been pretty good. I'm really enjoying my classes, and I really appreciate the practical aspects of it. I'm also taking TKD, mostly because my girlfriend is a blackbelt, and I'd like to eventually be able to spar with her in that. The reason I mention this, is that, while TKD is ok, I do not enjoy it nearly as much as Krav. Krav is practical, straight away. This works for me. Also, almost nothing translates from one art to the other. That's ok, and I'm sure there are some complementary things, but to me not much of either one directly helps the other, aside from just being able to move and control my body better.

The things that I've struggled with (am struggling with) the most are really just getting the basics down. Making sure my stance is always good, getting proper hip rotation. The videos and book mention these things, but it will take a bit of practice, and possibly someone watching you to see what you're doing to help work those things out. One of the other big things to work on is aggression-krav needs it. If you don't have at least two other people to drill with you can't really do aggression drills.

Aggression drills where I am usually go the following way:
One person starts out doing straight punches or similar on one pad, another individual will hit/push that person with their pad and place it for a specific attack/set of attacks, you'll punch/kick/knee/combination/etc that pad until you get hit again by someone else, you then switch to that target, rinse&repeat. This goes on full speed, full strength for about a minute or two. I know it sounds short, but it's extremely intense, and by the end my attacks are considerably weaker just due to wearing myself out.

Obviously you'd take turns rotating who was doing the attacking.

The other thing you really, really need a partner for is practicing all the choke defenses and blocks.

I think that everyone else has a point when they say you'll probably learn better when you practice with an instructor, but I don't see any reason you can't learn some on your own. Especially if you can do a seminar here or there, and then practice with other people during the rest of the year.

The gear I have (the gloves came with my package at my studio, though I bought an extra pair for my girlfriend), the two pads are just the same as the ones used in the studio, as well as in the book and the videos.

http://www.amazon.com/Krav-Leather-Grappling-Glove-Medium/dp/B005VZ4U14/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_1

http://www.amazon.com/Revgear-41002-Punch-Shield/dp/B005VY2N3C/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1332442792&sr=1-1-fkmr2

http://www.amazon.com/Revgear-KM305-Krav-Maga-Shield/dp/B005VY51ZO/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1332442838&sr=1-2

Again, it doesn't matter if it says revgear or krav maga alliance-it's the same product, different label as far as I can tell. These pads seem to be a lot tougher and better than the century ones I've played with, and much much better than anything everlast or the like. That said, this is just my personal observations of course. There may be places near you that sell a bunch of this gear, if not amazon at least has a good return policy, though there are dozens of sites that sell the same stuff.

Anyways, I've rambled long enough. If you had any questions still though, by all means ask.

1.) For the most part, as long as you stay away from the cheap varieties from companies such as Everlast/Century, you should be alright. You could very well go with the Cleto Reyes Training Gloves (16oz.) and not regret it. A slightly cheaper recommendation would the Ringside IMF Tech Bag Gloves, although I must warn you that they are quite (notoriously) well-known for being very stiff when used brand new and will need to be broken in with use. A far more primo option that you could take would have to be Winning gloves. Not much else to say here except that most of the links I provided point towards Velcro (Hook and Loop closure) gloves, although if you did want gloves with laces, you could easily find lace variants of the same gloves on Amazon.

2.) Those 10oz. gloves are meant more for competition and actual fights, rather than mitt work; I would definitely recommend that you communicate with whomever you're planning on training with for what they would like for you to get, as they could just as well have you use your 16oz. gloves for mitt work as well.

3.) The Meister Focus Mitts have worked out pretty well for me, seems pretty sturdy and well built and has held up for me. There's a ton of different brands out there, as long as you pick one from a reputable producer, you should be alright.

4.) Ringside has some good heavy bags around; but I would probably be a bit more concerned about where/how you're going to hang it, first.

Links down below:

Cleto Reyes 16oz. Training Gloves (Velcro): http://www.amazon.com/Cleto-Reyes-Hook-Training-Gloves/dp/B00F8MKW62/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1450520168&sr=1-4&keywords=cleto+reyes

Ringside IMF Tech Bag Gloves (Velcro): http://www.amazon.com/Ringside-Imf-Tech-Gloves-Large/dp/B000NVUZUQ/ref=sr_1_8?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1450520631&sr=1-8&keywords=ringside+bag+gloves

Winning 16oz. Training Gloves (Velcro): http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Velcro-Training-Boxing-Gloves/dp/B00CY4EW9K/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1450520342&sr=1-2&keywords=winning

Meister Focus Mitts: http://www.amazon.com/Meister-Cowhide-Leather-Curved-Support/dp/B006F33D82/ref=sr_1_6?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1450520819&sr=1-6&keywords=focus+mitts

Suit: Cosplaysky Medium. Jacket (Under the vest thing) was short. Didn't tuck into the pants well. I rolled it up and put it under the vest. Under shirt was too small and hood too big so I used a scuba hood. Belt was too large as well, had my mom sew it to make it shorter. I'm 5'7, 40" chest, 32" waist for reference.

Helmet: Xcoser (Paid $30 for it on eBay. Came with a flaw so ended up with 2!). Painted it Rustoleum wine and black. I liked the black face so kept it. 2 coats of flat clear coat. Lenses are made from a soda bottle and car tints then I glued them in.

Chain and gun were from Amazon.

Kept the boots and gloves from my black suit Daredevil from last year.

Happy how this turned out. Won second place in a cosplay contest!

I'll need to revisit the eyes in the future. These were done with scraps at home.

When you start to get a bit more comfortable sparring, buy yourself a pair of MMA training gloves like these and start doing some rounds during open mat where your partner starts on top with gloves and tries to hit you. It'll let you get used to having strikes thrown at you on the ground and you'll learn ways to avoid or mitigate that threat. I do it about twice a week and it has helped me figure out what parts of my game leave me open to damage and what parts work well for shutting those attacks down. I'm much more sport focused, but it's still been an interesting and worthwhile addition to my training. It's also just fun and a nice change of pace.

In my experience, RDX are good value for money. If it's for heavy bag workout / sparring then you'll need 7oz gloves.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/RDX-Leather-Grappling-Gloves-Boxing/dp/B004WVIGW2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1335198880&sr=8-6

They're a good example. Hope this was of any help.

Keep an eye out for deals. I bought Fairtex when I couldn't find a better deal and I bought Title MMA when they had deals. You will need: boxing gloves, mma sparring gloves, shin guards, headgear, mouth guard, cup.

headgear - I bought fairtex. There are different styles of headgear. I like what I got because of the padding across the chin and the absence of a nose guard (limits visibility).

boxing gloves - I bought 14 ox fairtex gloves from my instructor on sale for $65. Boxing gloves are different than bag gloves. Cheaper ones will come apart at the seams. The ones with velcro are easier than laces to put on and off.

mma sparring gloves - I bought fairtex. Notice how "mma sparring gloves" have more padding than the competition 4 oz gloves but less padding than boxing gloves. The distribution of the padding can vary. Mine have all the padding on the knuckles (great for standup) while others have more padding on the sides (for hammer fist punches on the ground). My gym has a "ground striking" class where we are tought how to use punches to set up submissions and use clinches on the ground to set up strikes. You can do this with boxing gloves but like everything else, at some point you might want different gloves.

shin guards - i found a deal on title mma and they have held up great. Some shin guards have less padding but I've never had a problem with mine. My shin guards have two big velcro straps that go across the calf. They stay put for the most part but maybe once a round i'll pause for a second to re-adjust (this is normal in sparring and your partner will do the same). The other option besides velcro straps is a sleeve that you slide your leg in to. This holds the shin guard in place better for grappling but it is a pain to get on.

Grey belt

Good side zip boot option for tucking pants into

Drop leg holster

Safe option for pistol for drop leg

Jumper cable clamps

Black Cat5e cable. Strip the insulation off a bit of each end like on the bag

I think that's most every thing I could see in the pictures of him I found. Let me know if I missed something and have fun!

Edit: Ebay link for maroon messenger bag

About $350 for everything I linked depending on shipping and if you have free Amazon prime 2 day shipping

The problem with pride style gloves is that they make grappling super difficult. They are pretty much sparring MMA gloves (hell UFC has their own). Any grappling where you're supposed to slip your hand into right places (real naked, getting underhooks) gets really tricky. Your opponent can pretty much hold you by doing a tight overhook but on your arm since the extra padding will act like a plug.

For my school club I made people pay 10 or 15 dollars and got these pads (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HHPQATQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ag2Uzb6C7KEMH). They're super soft and basically large sponges, but it was ok because we could hit them bareknuckle. Maybe do some fundraisers and stuff as well. You probably won't need shinguards because people probably won't be sparring especially at school (liability and such)

Titanium Spork: https://smile.amazon.com/Light-My-Fire-Titanium-Spork/dp/B001E7S5BO/

Balisong trainer butterfly knife: https://smile.amazon.com/Amarey-Butterfly-Knife-Trainer-Unsharpened/dp/B01N2OPT60/

Novelty switchblade comb: https://smile.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Switch-Blade-Comb/dp/B00A967Q3O/

Kickboxing gloves: https://smile.amazon.com/Everlast-MMA-Kick-Boxing-Gloves/dp/B005OOFTA8/

Foam Nunchakus: https://smile.amazon.com/Sets-Ninja-Foam-Rubber-Nunchakus/dp/B01ER3FPNC/

(there's also Nerf swords on amazon, good for a quick battle)

MALL NINJA PATCH!!! https://smile.amazon.com/Maxpedition-Mall-Ninja-Patch-SWAT/dp/B00P18G9SI/

Rubber Throwing Stars: https://smile.amazon.com/Eight-Assorted-Rubber-Ninja-Stars/dp/B001NW1MEC/

And a Ninja Mask (that's good in winter too) https://smile.amazon.com/Balaclava-Winter-Fleece-Windproof-Women/dp/B01KG78NVE/

Not entirely mall ninja stuff, but I'm figuring you don't want the 11 year old to be lethal just yet ;)

i don't really have a high opinion of title products, but i'm willing to admit that it may be misguided. i just bought these ring to cage gloves because they seem to get great reviews all over the place.

one reason that i'd probably avoid the gloves you linked is because of how the opening doesn't extend up far enough. i find it hard to get a good tight fit when the opening is so shallow.

Twins are awesome! Check these out...Twins Ultimate Curved Thai Kick Pads-Black/White-Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JOWAC7Q/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_da9Dwb764NVH6

I've never seen a real fighter wear a tap out shirt that wasn't being paid to do so.

I've never seen camo gloves at all. BTW, those aren't gloves that you would train in. Training gloves look like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LIUN66/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Or even more common, full 16oz boxing gloves.

He has poser written all over him and it's amusing that he doesn't seem to know it.

The only non Australian website I use to buy training gear from is Amazon ahah, I usually just buy Hayabusa products from them because they tend to be really good quality. In fact if you are completely new to MMA Venum does these bundles you can buy, I got one a while back. http://www.amazon.com/Venum-Challenger-Shinguards-Handwraps-16-Ounces/dp/B00JMK3BJQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453196159&sr=8-2&keywords=Venum+Challenger+2.0+Bundle

https://www.amazon.ca/Revgear-Deluxe-Re-Breakable-Board-Black/dp/B005VYCFXA/ref=asc_df_B005VYCFXA/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=293011706858&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11094919429271406549&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001327&hvtargid=pla-306995206303&psc=1

These are the kinds we use at my dojang. Not sure how long you can use it for, but the black one is the strongest (equivalent of 2.25 boards I believe). The other colours are in description of the item.

You are totally correct. Here is what I purchased:
http://www.amazon.com/Everlast-Martial-Grappling-Gloves-X-Large/dp/B000JF4HOQ

Any recommendations on good gear?

Those are boards specifically made for kids to break. You realize that right? Like https://www.amazon.com/Martial-Training-Breaking-Breakable-Boards/dp/B0741F1CVB/ref=pd_sbs_200_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0741F1CVB&pd_rd_r=GTB1TSEKX1RKTCVFSQHG&pd_rd_w=fYJTH&pd_rd_wg=siQva&refRID=GTB1TSEKX1RKTCVFSQHG&dpID=41djyCccg%252BL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail.

Those are for kids. Those are not boards that adults break, at least not when I trained.

I like my own pads. I rent a locker so that I can keep them there. It’s better than the pads they had. Now they have better ones, but still not as nice as the ones I have. It’s these:

FAIRTEX MUAY THAI KICKBOXING LIGHTWEIGHT THAI PADS - KPLC5 - BLACK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BA72PJU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1H8RBb85H5YKF

I did find a relatively cheap rubber duck on amazon that has an orange tip, and has no trigger. Its currently listed for under 12 bucks and with amazon prime should arrive fast. Having never cosplayed before I do wonder the likely hood of it being allowed. It does look semi realistic except for the fact that it has a huge orange tip.
If you dont like to click on links just search BladesUSA Rubber Training Gun
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CHKIMRY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1