Are you one of the ever-expanding groups of aspiring women’s MMA fighters? If so, you probably have a lot of questions. After all, Canadian women’s MMA is a sport that requires due diligence before any commitments are made. Everything from the basic training essentials to the proper gear and equipment must be considered.
And one of the most important gear considerations is your MMA gloves. Women’s mixed martial arts involve a lot of striking. As such, it’s crucial that you have the proper hand protection when you step into the cage – whether sparring or simply just training.
Here is a quick guide on how to choose the right MMA gloves when training in Alberta women’s mixed martial arts.
PROPERLY SPORTING YOUR MMA GLOVES
Ideally, you’ll want your MMA gloves to go over the whole wrist/palm area in order to blanket the underlying wrapping. Moreover, various styles of MMA gloves are available for fighters today. But all of them must be worn jointly with the necessary hand bandaging underneath to give the proper protection.
Properly sporting your MMA gloves in this manner will ensure that you have a better MMA experience. It allows you to safeguard your hands from potential injury while engaging in this exciting combat sport.
CAN YOU USE MMA GLOVES ON A PUNCHING BAG?
Punching bag training has long been a method for developing strength, endurance, and technique in various fighting disciplines – and MMA is no different. However, it’s not advisable that you use MMA gloves when striking a punching bag. This simply comes down to a matter of protection.
Hitting a punching bag weighing in at 100 pounds (or more) can result in excessive stress. If you’re not cautious, this can cause microscopic cracks within your hands. There are plenty of MMA practitioners who believe that their gloves offer the necessary protection against punch bag training, but this is not true.
The thin composition of MMA gloves is not designed for that kind of rigor against such a robust surface. They are made for live fighting with real human opposition. As such, they don’t have the padding needed to absorb the impact of aggressive punching bag strikes.
If you’re set on training with gloves on the punching bag, you may want to invest in heavy bag gloves that are specifically designed for that unique purpose.
THE BEST WAY TO BREAK IN MMA GLOVES
Versatility in regard hand-mobility is a necessity in MMA. As such, it’s crucial that you break in your new gloves prior to any major sparring sessions. When first getting a fresh pair of gloves, you’ll notice that they are a bit stiff and rigid – this is normal and to be expected. But once you try wearing them, your range of motion with your hands will be limited.
In order to break your gloves in, begin by crunching them up and then bending and buckling each finger slot for a couple of minutes. Repeat this practice until the gloves begin to loosen. The idea behind this process is to relieve the gloves of the feeling of stiffness, so that flexibility is rendered to each glove.
WHAT IS WORN UNDERNEATH THE GLOVES?
A common material worn by many women MMA fighters underneath their gloves is hand wraps. Hand wraps are used for additive protection for the hands and wrists. MMA gloves are lean and slender. As a result, the thin design doesn’t offer the degree of padded protection that a thick boxing glove does.
When you begin throwing your jabs, hooks, strikes, etc, you’ll learn to really value the hand wrap. It serves to minimize the force of each blow and reduce the possibility of injury.
IN CLOSING
Getting your MMA gloves is the first step toward becoming an MMA fighter. And while it is certainly an important step, on its own, it’s not sufficient. You still have to break the gloves in, properly wrap your hands, and sport your gloves the right way before you’re ready to go toe-to-toe with your opponent.
But once you’ve completed these tasks, you can begin your MMA journey, and start making progress toward mastering this incredible discipline.