Martial Arts Equipment

[Despairbear]

Again Greetings all,

Here is my newest question for you. What sort of equipment would you sugest for newer people to sparr with? I am looking for something like a boxing glove but with enough mobility in the hands to allow for joint locks as well as gear to allow for kicks. Also I am looking to avoid "armor" such as headgear and torso protecters. In the past I have had to make my own sparring pads at a great time cost and I don't really expect any of my "students" to invest that much time on equipment. Any sugestions?




Despair Bear

[Cthulhu]

I use what look like fingered boxing gloves. You can find them at a lot of suppliers sold as 'kempo' or 'JKD' gloves. If you've seen Enter the Dragon, they're the gloves Lee and Sammo are wearing in the beginning sparring match.

Here are some issues that may be of some concern:

1) Glove 'fingertips' protrude past the wearer's fingers, causing risk of poking your sparring partner in the eye.

2) While there is a surprising amount of padding on the ridgehand side of the glove, there is an alarming lack of padding on the knifehand side. In face, mine appear to have a piece of rolled up leather that serves to do the exact opposite of padding.

3) Expensive. Back when I got mine, they were running about $40USD a pair. Now, I've seen them going as high as $70USD.

4) Laces suck. Every glove I've seen like this uses laces rather than elastic or velcro. I keep saying I'm going to replace the laces with velcro straps, but I have neither the time or the skill to do so :)

5) Heavier than dipped sparring mitts. Their weight is more along the lines of boxing gloves.

Cthulhu

[Rob_Broad]

My first pair of hand pads were The Cobra Chop style glove. I loved them. I still have them after 20 yrs. I rarely used them after the first 8 yrs. I now use a macho dyna punch. I like them and ahve this pair for a long time as well. I would suggest your students wear headgear. It is just too dangerous to sparr without your head protected.

[Cthulhu]

I personally don't use headgear, but I also don't get to spar with my instructor anymore. When I was training with him, I wore headgear.

If you don't want to use headgear, at least require a mouthguard.

Cthulhu

[Bob Hubbard]

I need the headgear. Just picked up a Vader type helmet...got Goggles on the way...hate mouth guards though....

I just wish they made a full body padded suit in black. :D

[Cthulhu]

I've seen big, full-padded suits, but they seem to be made for training your average Jane/Joe self-defense. Basically, the attacker wears the padding and his/her movement is extremely limited. However, the trainee gets to practice at full power because the padding is so thick.

Another reason I don't like headgear: my fat head can't fit in most of them. That and I look awful with anything on my head. No headgear, be it hat, cap, bandana, etc, looks good on me. I always look (and feel) like a complete tool.

But I digress...:D

Cthulhu

[Bob Hubbard]

Its that pointed hair dude.....:rofl:

[Cthulhu]

Well, my RL hair ain't pointy, but I do have a problem with headgear that will accomodate my ponytail.

I think I'll just lop the damn thing off one of these days.

Cthulhu

[Bob Hubbard]

re-ponytail.... did that myself a few years back...been regreting it ever since...course, it kept getting thinner n thinner...wasnt so much a tail, ad a strand. :(

[Despairbear]

As to headgear, I have some "helmets" I made out of leather and hockey face grills that we use for contact weapon sparing I think the should work for hand to hand saprring but we shall have to see. It has been raining here for days and I have not been able to have a class and I am ichin to hit some one (hehehe).....




Despair Bear

[Rob_Broad]

Who is everyones Favorite supplier of Martial Arts equipment?

[GouRonin]

For the best mouthguard I ever used that wasn't custom made go here.

http://www.wipss.com/

[Rob_Broad]

I like IKON gear from Napma. I really don't like most of the gear from Century. I think they have had it too easy and became complacent and therefore their equipment became shoddy.

[GouRonin]

I like http://www.ringside.com/ for gear. They're pretty good and reputable.

[Cthulhu]

I don't like Century very much myself, though I believe B.O.B. is a Century product, and I like it.

Most kicking shields I've found are not deep enough, only 4 or 5 inches. I've used an 8 inch deep shield before, and that was nice.

Don't like Century or Tiger Claw(?) gis. The Century heavyweight gis just can't take any punishment. I like KI gis, but lately I've had to order them direct, since not many retailers stock them.

I like that Brain-Pad mouthguard. I've used one similar to it long ago. The one I have now is just a plain old upper guard, but it works fine. Cheap, too :D

Cthulhu

[GouRonin]

This mouthguard rocks. it takes it one step closer to stopping knockouts due to mandible pressure. I suggest everyone if they can get one do so. They're made just right to breath and do the job right too.

[Cthulhu]

That's one problem I've seen with other mouthguards: they assume you'll be breathing through your nose the whole time. There are no provisions for breathing through the mouth while wearing the mouthguard.

So, if you've been sparring long enough, and get winded, you may be tempted to loosen a regular mouthguard in you mouth, so you can huff and puff better. That is probably when your opponent decides to lay his/her best strike to your jaw, sending you on a one-way trip to La-La Land.

Cthulhu

[Icepick]

Gou -

I think I'll try that mouthguard. My dogs have been chewing on mine! :eek:

For uniforms, I like my Howard double weave! It's like having armor on. :D Hard to choke too!

www.howardliu.com