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2019 Ringside Holiday Gift Guide

If you know someone who is training as a fighter (for competition or fitness), it can sometimes be tough to know how to support them in meeting their goals. Short of training along side them and showing up to their matches, there’s not a whole lot you can do.

The start of a holiday wish list with "Dear Santa" written at the top. — Get started on your holiday wishlist by checking out our recommendations below.

Help your fighter take a step toward the next level, by picking up something from the list below. Of course, if you are a fighter yourself, you can still take a peek. Maybe there’s something you should add to your wishlist.

We’ve pulled these products from a list of our staff favorites. All of these are either new items that we launched over the last year, or perennial fan favorites that every fighter should have in their bag.

And if you want to skip the reading and go straight to the window shopping, we put all of these products into a single 2019 Holiday Gift Guide page for you to check out. Enjoy.

Boxing Gloves by Weight: Understanding Glove Sizes

Ringside boxing gloves — You need to pick the right size for the type of glove you need.

If you are just getting started in the sport of boxing, you may be a bit confused by the different sizing options available for boxing gloves.

Companies size bag gloves with a standard Small/Medium/Large scale, which seems simple enough. But then you get into Sparring gloves and Competition Gloves and suddenly the gloves are sized by weight.

Because of this, it can be difficult to know what size glove you need.

We aim to help you make sense of the different sizing conventions, and figure out which size glove will meet your needs.

Picking the Best Shin Guards for MMA and Muay Thai

shin strike against thai pads with shin guards on

After gloves and hand-wraps, shin guards are the most important piece of protective gear for MMA and Muay Thai fighters.

You use these to protect your shins, ankles, and feet during training. In sparring you’ll also be using them to protect your partner. So it’s important to pick a pair that are right for your needs. Continue reading “Picking the Best Shin Guards for MMA and Muay Thai”

Boxing Mitts, Thai Pads, and Shields: The Best in Partner Training Tools

Boxing Mitts, Thai Pads, and other strike training tools form the cornerstone of partner training. In the hands of a skilled coach, these devices help a fighter hone their technique.

The type of strike training tool you choose will depend a lot on your experience level, your sport, and your training goals. A curved punch mitt is critical for a training boxer, but may not be as useful to a Muay Thai fighter. A kick shield can help train a variety of attacks, but doesn’t offer the accuracy training of a focus mitt.

holding the boxing mitts for a fighter in the ring

We’ll break down the different striking targets and which one is best for your needs.

Continue reading “Boxing Mitts, Thai Pads, and Shields: The Best in Partner Training Tools”

Best Boxing Headgear: How to Choose the Right One

Two fighters wearing sparring headgear square off in the ring.

If you intend to spar or compete in the world of boxing, you’ll need some headgear to protect your noggin.

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a very complicated decision. You pick out one that looks good and you go about your day.

But then you get to thinking, this is something that’s supposed to protect my face and my brain. Maybe I should put some more thought into this.

If you’ve ever had questions about how to choose the best boxing headgear for your needs, then read on.

Continue reading “Best Boxing Headgear: How to Choose the Right One”

Best Boxing Gloves For You: 7 Things to Look For

Best boxing gloves: black quick-tie training gloves hanging from the ring ropes.

You might not be surprised to learn that we are commonly asked about how to choose the best boxing gloves. With so many options, narrowing it down can feel overwhelming.

Do I need a bag glove or a sparring glove? Leather or synthetic? What’s IMF Tech? There are so many things to consider.

And then you have to figure out what size you need to get.

With all these choices facing you, how can you make sure that you’re picking out the right pair of boxing gloves for you?

We’ve put together a guide that will walk you through the seven things you need to understand when choosing your first (or your next) set of boxing gloves.

A Buyer’s Guide to Punching Bags: What Style Is Right for You?

For an aspiring boxer, mixed martial artist or fighter in training, there’s no piece of equipment more vital than the punching bag. Punching bags act as practice targets for helping you develop and perfect your punching and kicking techniques.

Just like the rest of your sports equipment, your punching bag should mesh with your particular athletic goals. Understanding which style, size and material you need is essential to your training. Continue reading “A Buyer’s Guide to Punching Bags: What Style Is Right for You?”