Learning any form of martial arts takes time, discipline and practice and, of course, being equipped with the right pieces of gear. And although it is best that you learn it at a school or a gym, you can also find a reliable instructor or coach who can teach you the basics and introduce you to the world of martial arts. Your coach will be the first to tell you that you can also train at home every now and then if you wish to improve your skills. All that, of course, as long as you have the right equipment. That being said, here are some tips on how to choose the perfect martial arts gear and equipment for you to be able to train at home.
Know your Martial Arts
Before you have any sort of direction for the type of gear you’ll need, a firm understanding of the martial arts you want to learn is essential. This way, you will know how most movements will look like and you’ll have an idea of how stretchable or bulky the pieces of equipment you need to buy should be.
Material
The type of material a piece of equipment is made of can play a big role in your training. Some materials are better suited for one type of martial arts and you should definitely know what goes best with what to make an informed decision. martial arts style as much. The most used materials in this sport are cotton, leather, polyester, and vinyl – depending on the type of martial arts you’ll be learning.
Size
In order to get the right size for all your pieces of martial arts gear, you will need to pay close attention to the different products’ reviews and description as it’s typically there where you can find hidden gems of info regarding how a certain piece actually fits. Take gloves, for example, most people will tighten them too much thinking that’s how they’d perform better. However, you should tighten them just as much so they feel snug on your hands – not too tight and not too loose either. The same goes for the rest of the pieces of martial arts gear – you should feel comfortable in them and able to freely move so that you can perform optimally.
Purpose
Make sure you check out what every piece of protective gear is meant for as with most martial arts there is equipment specially made for training/ sparring and some for actual combat. You don’t want to end up having the wrong piece of gear at the wrong place as you can get seriously injured. This is due to the fact that training gear is made to protect you the best while reducing movement and with combat gear, it’s the other way around.
Weight
Weight is also very important when buying gear as with some types of martial arts you need a more lightweight uniform for maximum movement. For things like sparring or training on a punching bag, you will also need lighter gloves, to begin with, as heavier ones will make it harder for you to throw punches. Although some people prefer starting with heavier ones so you have more explosive punches when you put the lighter ones on, however, you shouldn’t experiment with that if you are just starting out.
