Products You May Need When Joining A Boxing, Kickboxing, or MMA Class

Joining any type of fitness class can be nerve racking, it can be even worse when your joining a class that requires you to hit things or could consist of some form of physical contact. This article will help you prepare for your fist class. Below are some of the items you should consider buying and bring to the first class.

Hand wraps - Hand wraps are great for protected the small bones and joints of your hands and knuckles but it also helps a lot of people to keep their wrist straight while punching. This is more important when you are new and your technique is not as refined. I am a fan of the Mexican style hand wraps or the stretch type. Unless you have small hands and wrist stick to the 180” in length. If you have more wrap you can always just wrap more around the knuckles and wrist. A good pair is sold by Hayabusa and they are called Hayabusa Perfect Stretch Hand Wrap

Boxing Gloves – So we have the hand wraps covered and I hope you are comfortable with your choice. The next obvious piece of equipment needed is a pair of gloves. A pair of boxing gloves can go anywhere from $45 dollars to $140 dollars. It all comes down to how much you are willing to devote to protecting your fists knuckles and how much money is at your disposal. I have an article on some of the best middle of the road cost gloves I have used.

If you don’t know which glove to buy and you really don’t care since you are just getting started in your training. Then I would suggest TITLE Boxing Pro Style Leather Training Gloves as it has recently dropped in price and has a good durability to it.

Mouth Guard – This piece of equipment may not be needed right away but it is something I also suggest people buy for their first day. Should there be an accident and a tooth gets damaged or broken, it could cost 1200 to 3000 for a dental implant. A small $5 to $10 dollar fee for a mouth guard seems worth it too me. Mouth Guards come in different sizes and cost and is actually something you might want to consider talking with dentist or oral hygienist about. Prices range from $5 for a boil and bite mouth piece to $300 dollar custom piece with triple layer protection. Keep in mind obviously the more you train and the more professional you get the better protection you will most likely need. Everlast sells a simplistic mouth piece for around $9 dollars called Nike Adult Custom Fit Strapless Mouth guard

Groin Protection Cup (Jack or Jill) - This may not be the first thing that comes to mind when joining a boxing class. It is something you are going to wish you had in other martial arts or forms of training such as in kickboxing or mma. The one day you don’t wear it will be the day you get hit there. To me it seems like a small investment for a piece of equipment that protects a sensitive spot of your body.

A lot of women feel they do not need to purchase this piece of protection but I have heard it still hurts when getting hit, so if you are a female I would suggest buying a groin protector or at least talking to another female athlete involved and get her opinion.

Water - Staying hydrated is of course very important and having the ability to slowly sip on water will help you to perform and also recover faster when your done. You can also use sports drink like Gatorade if you like but most people don't need it and water is usually fine.