The beginner's guide to choosing equipment for Muay Thai!

In this guide, our team will give you a list of essential & non-essential items required for Muay Thai training!
As a beginner, you may feel overwhelmed seeing other students rocking some slick-looking items over their hands and legs,
However, worry not!
Let the experienced team at Punch Equipment help you on your journey!

What gear should a beginner bring to a Muay Thai class?

Below is a quick summary of the items we highly recommend investing in,
We'll explain why each item must/should be considered below the list!

Essential
1. Boxing Gloves - Boxing Bag & Pad Work
2. Boxing Gloves - Sparring
3. Hand Wraps
4. Shin Guards
5. Mouth Guard
6. Groin Guard
7. Gear/Training Bag
8. Muay Thai Shorts

Optional
9. Anklets/Ankle Guards
10. Headgear
11. Elbow Pads

1. Boxing Gloves - Boxing bag & focus pad training

The most used pair of boxing gloves you will train with during Muay Thai,
These gloves should be a separate pair from your sparring gloves as each pair should house different weights & features.
They should be built specifically to this type of training & incorporate certain features you require such as comfort, durability & protection.
Owning 2 pairs of boxing gloves will give the opposite pair, time to dry out between sessions & highly likely extend their lifespans!

Boxing gloves for boxing bag & pad work commonly weigh approx. 8oz - 12oz ( Ounces ) depending on the user's height & weight.
This will ensure the boxing glove fits your hand comfortably, gives you enough support & resistance, without weighing you down during intense training sessions!
Our team finds that 10oz - 12oz are the most popular weights used by adults for boxing bag & pad training.
Ensure to check our size guides for each boxing glove to identify which weight is right for your body.

2. Boxing Gloves - Sparring

Sparring gloves should provide protection above all else,
They should protect you from your opponent's strikes & self-caused injuries,

For the above reasons, we typically recommend 16oz boxing gloves for the average adult as this weight provides enough resistance to stop faster punches breaking through the guard & enough bulk to add more coverage when guarding.

Punch Equipment also provides specific sparring boxing gloves such as the Armadillo™ Safety Boxing Gloves which carry 6cm of soft Armadillo™ knuckle foam to lessen the force of harder punches.
Please check our size guides to review which sparring glove weight is right for you!

3. Hand Wraps

Boxing wraps are your first line of defense against sweat reaching your glove,
Stretch wraps also lower the risk of hand & wrist injuries.
They come in different forms, such as cotton inners, quick wraps & stretch wraps.
We find that 4-meter boxing stretch wraps are the most commonly used in Boxing & Muay Thai, as they can be customised to provide the essential support & stability over your knuckles, fist, palm & wrist.

4. Shin Guards

As kicking is a staple part of Muay Thai sparring, protecting your shins from potential injury during training or a fight camp is vital.
Ensure you search for Thai shin guards as they should carry enough protection over the shin & foot without restricting your technique or movement.
Your shin guards should offer good coverage from just below the knee cap, covering the shin & also the majority of the foot.

5. Mouth Guard

When sparring becomes a part of your training schedule,
A mouthguard is an absolute must-have item to protect your pearly whites.
Don't leave home without one!

6. Groin Guard

A kick to the groin will hurt regardless of your gender.
As our team knows too well, you can almost guarantee that accidental groin kicks will occur during every sparring session.
Better to be safe than sorry!

7. Gear Bag/Training Bag

Ensure you have a big enough bag to carry all your equipment in to take to/from training,
There is nothing worse than leaving home without packing all of the essentials!
A breathable equipment bag is also a great bonus for those who are too lazy to take their sweaty training gear out of their bag after each session!

8. Muay Thai Shorts

Thankfully in the sport of Muay Thai, strict, uncomfortable training attire is not a requirement!
The main item piece of apparel designed specifically for the sport are Muay Thai shorts.
These shorts are designed to minimise movement restriction when twisting, throwing kicks or knees,
These shorts are normally very comfortable, house stretchy waistbands & are very breathable.
Check out our range of shorts to see which style suits you!

9. Anklets/Ankle Guards

Anklets are a great training aid, designed to add additional support, compression & stability between the foot & ankle.
If you feel that your feet or instep take a pounding from checking or kicking a heavy bag/pads,
These are a fantastic support tool to offer a little relief, add stability to your pivoting ankle & lower the risk of injury.

10. Headgear

A more common item found in a boxing gym than a Muay Thai gym,
Headgear is primarily designed to lower the risk of bruising, ear injuries & cuts when sparring.
There are multiple variations of headgear designed to protect certain areas of the head, ears, nose, jaw, cheeks, etc.
If you find you are prone to bruising or injuries in certain areas,
Headgear may be a great decision for long term injury prevention.

11. Elbow Guards

Elbow guards are usually seen in the ring at amateur Muay Thai events,
Used as a protective item for fighters easing their way into Thai fights with full Thai rule sets.
Elbow guards are designed to protect the opponent or training partner from cuts & bruising, commonly seen from elbow strikes & are a great piece of equipment to utilize if you wish to incorporate light elbows into your sparring.
As Muay Thai is the art of 8 limbs, sparring with elbows pads will only benefit you when you enter the ring to throw them!

As each sport contains a variety of training elements,
Below is a quick summary of the equipment you will most likely require for the 3 main aspects of kickboxing/Muay Thai training.

1. Boxing Bag training ( This includes training on any type of boxing bag, light, heavy, floor to ceiling, etc. )
   a. Boxing Gloves, Bag Gloves or Bag Mitts. ( Protection should be your first priority, features being your second! )
   b. Boxing Wraps. ( To wick sweat away from your boxing gloves & add stability & support to your hands )
2. Pad/Mitt Training ( Hitting pads with your training partner, instructor, coach etc. )
   a. Boxing Gloves, Bag Gloves or Bag Mitts.
   b. Boxing Wraps.
   c. "Optional" Shin Guards or Mouth Guard ( Depending on the coaches intentions of the drills )
   d. "Optional" Pad holding equipment ( Focus pads, Thai pads, belly pads, etc. As hygiene is becoming more important than ever, it may be a good idea to bring your own mitts/pads. )
3. Sparring ( Contact drills or simulation of fighting with your training partners. )
   a. Sparring Gloves ( Designed specifically for sparring, such as the Armadillo Boxing Gloves, preferably 16oz with decent knuckle padding and support to protect yourself & partner. )
   b. Shin Guards/Protectors ( Designed to protect the user's legs & partners body, ensure your shin guards cover the majority of the shin & foot to ensure no accidental clashes! )
   c. Groin Guard ( No explanation needed! )
   d. Mouth Guard ( There is no need for another trip to the dentist! )

     

If you're looking at improving your overall mood in-&-out of the gym, Kickboxing & Muay Thai are great forms of training.
Still not sure if you have the right gear?
Send us a message via our online chat!