Sparring Equipment

[Greyghost]

Its finally happened...my hand and foot pads are finally going to be chucked in the bin...( in all honestly they could probably walk there on there own!!!).

I am therefore going to buy a new set.....

I would like a thread on what kind of sparring pads are used within the MA fraternity, how you rate them and would you use them again?

If you have any good supplier contacts also......let me know.

ta

f

:D

[LilBunnyRabbit]

We use shields, occasionally known as kicking pads although those tend to be smaller. A shield is about four or five feet high, and made up of eight inches of compressed foam.

Focus mitts which are recognised by most people.

Protective mitts/shoes which are essentially soft padded gloves (as opposed to harder padded gloves like boxing gloves)

Blockers which are big foam sticks used to practice full force blocking and for hitting small kids with without risking a court case.

As for suppliers we usually order through our instructors who get a bulk buy discount through the organisation, most of the stuff we get is unbranded, although they've just started releasing Choi themed merchandising. :D I don't do a commercial martial art, honest.

Failing that we grab small kids, put loops of ropes around them and hold them in the air as targets.

[Silver_no2]

I use FreeForm, FluffyDoc, Tintin, Spike and various others!!! :D

[Freeform]

I'd use Silver but he'd just start crying.

I'd recommend the you get two pair of gloves, a heavy pair for sparring such as the Blitz heavy bag gloves (they're leather though so I don't know if you'd be allowed them, if not Blitz have a good range of foam plastic dipped ones) and a pair of thin gloves to work the pads and bag (so your wrist doesn't become used to the support of the glove and when things go 'live' you twist your own wrist hitting someone!).

A pair of good focus pads'll set you back just under £30. If your mostly practicing speed striking get leather wrapped ones, if your going for power get canvas ones they absorb the blow more (or get both! I don't have shares in Macho or Blitz, honest!)

A Thai pad or forearm shield as its sometimes called is good for practicing knees and uppercuts. Get one with double straps for the forearm.

And finally if your going to buy a strike shield dish out the extra £5 and get a curved one. They're better for upper cuts, rising kicks and can take everything a straight shield can.

Thanx

[LilBunnyRabbit]

Why would you use gloves for focus mitts or shields? The gloves we use are the foam dipped ones, and are purely to prevent injury due to overenthusiastic defense drills. If the mitts or shields are held properly then you shouldn't need to wear gloves since your partner should be holding them in a relaxed fashion.

Lessee what I've got:
2 full leather shields
1 smaller leather shield
1 air shield
1 pair thin hard leather focus mitts
1 pair thick softer leather focus mitts
1 pair soft canvas focus mitts
3 pairs protective mitts, foam dipped (various sizes)
1 pair foot and shin protectives
2 blockers

[Saz]

I use either a local martial arts shop if I need the equipment in a hurry, (like the day before a tournament when i realised I've lost a shin pad) or Blitz. They're pretty cheap and have a good range of stuff. http://www.blitzsport.com/LIST.html I prefer to use Blitz than the local shop cos its cheaper.

[Thomas Vince]

CENTURY MARTIAL ARTS SUPPLY!

They have everything you could possibly want or need MA related.

Here a link
http://www.centuryfitness.com/webapp/commerce/command/ExecMacro/cmas/macros/main.d2w/report

[ladyhawk]

I agree with Thomas, Century has an excellent selection, although I think there books and
videos are a bit pricey.

ckd, what's an air shield?

[LilBunnyRabbit]

An air shield is almost the same as a shield, but filled with compressed air. This means that techniques thrown against it 'bounce' off more than against a foam shield, so its much more suitable for working speed rather than power. They're also quite good for training with kids since they're easier to hit and the reaction of the holder is more dramatic, very useful confidence booster.

[Silver_no2]

Originally posted by Freeform
I'd use Silver but he'd just start crying.

That's nothing to do with you hitting me! It's the fact that I have to look at your face while you are doing it!! :D

The horror, the horror!!!!!!! :eek:

[Freeform]

Why would you use gloves for focus mitts or shields?



A lot of the canvas and pvc/fabric shields have a nasty habbit of taking skin off of your knuckles when your doing uppercut drills, and I'm getting old and don't heal so fast these days :(

[LilBunnyRabbit]

Try turning the mitts to face downwards so that you're not skinning across the surface. Either that or a simple hand wrap.

[Freeform]

You place the pad so that its facing down yet slightly angled to give a more realistic contact.

[Chazz]

I use a lot of Pro Force and century, but i have found a line of TOP TEN gear that is great. Look them up. I have seen a lot of their stuff in action. NICE GEAR!!!! Might not look the best but it wont fail you!!