To succeed in any kind of martial arts, long and hard training is necessary in the first place. But in addition to daily work, the selection of the right equipment plays a big role. This is especially true for specific types of martial arts, including Thai boxing. To achieve results in training and competition, correctly selected gloves for Thai boxing play an important role. How to choose this part of sports equipment and what to look for when buying - it’s worth understanding in more detail.
What sets Thai boxing gloves apart
To a person who does not understand the specifics and subtleties of sports equipment, it may seem that Thai gloves are no different from ordinary boxing gloves. But this is not at all true.
For Thai boxing, special gloves are needed, due to the peculiarities of the technique of fighting and striking. Due to the large number of kicks in sparring, gloves have a wider shape. This allows you to expand their protective role and cover a large area of the face and head from blows to the opponent’s legs . Thus, due to the shape of the gloves, in a fight for a boxer protection is improved.
Thai boxing is also characterized by grabbing the opponent’s legs in sparring. Especially for this, Thai boxing gloves have a more movable thumb than regular boxing. This provides the mobile and mobile work of the hands of the boxer.
How many gloves do you need to have
To achieve high results, it is necessary to competently approach the distribution of load and the selection of equipment for Thai boxing. Gloves need to be selected not one for all occasions, but at least three pairs:
- Gloves for training. They differ in that the thumb is sewn into them more rigidly. Due to this, novice athletes can avoid excessive injuries to their hands in intensive training.
- Weighted or shell gloves. This type of equipment is necessary in preparation for serious competitions or responsible battles. They are distinguished by the increased weight of the gloves in which the impact testing takes place. After the athlete returns to the normal weight of the gloves, the inertia hit becomes sharper and faster.
- Basic or combat gloves for Thai boxing. Gloves of this kind should be of the highest quality and most comfortable. They put on competitions or sparring.
What to look for when choosing
The quality of the gloves depends directly on the material of the top, filler and manufacturer of the product. The latter is responsible for the quality of all seams, threads and other accessories, which significantly affects the durability and strength of sports equipment for Thai boxing.
Gloves of good quality may not be too cheap. The highest quality material of the upper is considered to be genuine leather. For sports equipment, the skin of various animals is used, but bull gloves are most suitable for gloves.
Initially, horse hair was considered the best filler of gloves. But progress does not stand still, and synthetic fillers became a worthy replacement for it: foam rubber or polyurethane foam. Such materials provide excellent shock absorption.
It is best to give preference to gloves made by well-known brands of sportswear or equipment. This may cost a little more, but will serve as an additional guarantee of product quality: Twins or King gloves will last more than one year and help to win more than one battle.
Fit gloves to suit you
To most conveniently fix the gloves on the fighter’s hand, manufacturers offer two types of fasteners on them.
The first is lacing. It conveniently, reliably and unusually firmly fixes equipment on hands. However, properly securing the lacing yourself is quite difficult. Sometimes this causes certain difficulties for the owner of such gloves.
A more modern type of fixation is Velcro. She also fixes gloves quite reliably, and you can cope with it yourself, without resorting to outside help. Velcro is increasingly replacing the usual lacing from the rows of fasteners on gloves. However, it is worth noting that at professional competitions of a high level, the presence of lacing on gloves is a prerequisite.
Size and color matter
One of the main criteria for selecting gloves for Thai boxing is the right size.
Gloves are selected according to the weight of the fighter - the heavier he is, the more weight they have.
The weight of gloves for Thai boxing is measured in ounces. The minimum indicators are 4 ounces: these sizes are chosen for beginner athletes. The maximum weight is 20 ounces and is suitable for fighters who are fighting in heavy weight.
It must be remembered that it is necessary to try on gloves before buying. In this case, the hands should be wrapped in bandages, which will create additional density when trying on.
Modern manufacturers produce gloves for Thai boxing in a wide variety of colors. Lovers to please themselves not only with high quality, but also with aesthetics, pay attention to Twins gloves. This brand pays great attention to the color solutions of sports equipment, and every season pleases athletes with new collections.
Finding good gloves for Thai boxing is a snap. This issue needs to be approached in detail, because not only the sports result, but also the athlete’s health can depend on the quality of sports equipment. Good quality gloves are the key to effective training and successful fights!