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Training with another athlete is great for MMA, but hitting a heavy bag is probably more convenient. However convenient it may be for you, it may not so much be for your hands. When hitting a heavy bag, you want to have a different pair of gloves compared to when performing with another athlete.
When it comes to MMA gloves for heavy bags, the best are most likely sparring gloves. They are specifically designed for this and weigh anything from 7 to ten ounces. However, they are slightly more expensive than the average MMA glove.
So here are the various things to look out for when you are buying a pair of MMA gloves. Remember that it may vary from user to user, but the experience is one that we want to make great for everyone. Let’s dive in.
There are namely three types of MMA gloves in the market. Each of them is made for a specific kind of objective. The types are- Grappling, Sparring, and Competition.
Grappling gloves are not really made for fights or competitions. Instead, they prove to be more useful when it comes to training. Grappling and clinch work is also a reason that makes grappling gloves shine.
Sparring gloves tend to be weightier than grappling gloves. They provide more protection for the hand and contain additional padding. They also usually have an inner grip bar. This makes sure that your fist stays in the correct, safer form for throwing uppercuts and punches.
Competition gloves usually are what sells the most. They are engineered for the best experience in a real fight. They have less padding and are extremely lightweight. Hand wraps are usually used when using competition gloves.
Weight can be complicated to understand without any prior experience in the ring or practice. Usually, sparring and training gloves weigh a lot more than competition gloves. 7-10 ounces is the standard weight normally.
For heavy bag training, we have already mentioned that sparring gloves are the best. However, you can use competition gloves too if you already have experience with MMA.
Let’s get to the next point in hand – size. Size is important, in fact, it’s one of the most important aspects of buying a pair of MMA gloves. Practice or not, you will need the right size in order to make sure you remain comfortable.
The best way to know is to get a measurement of your palm’s circumference. The sizes will vary between brands, but you will find the specific measurements one way or another as it is mandatory.
There are four sizes namely: small, medium, large and extra-large. Keep in mind that if you only want a pair of gloves for heavy bag training, that’s one thing. However, for competition purposes, you want something that fits your hands perfectly.
Hand wraps are important for you for various reasons, but mainly for protection. Wrapping your hands in wraps adds extra padding to reduce the risk of injury. Glove wraps are very easy to put on, and their support and protection are ample.
In combat sports like MMA, while gloves are a great way to protect yourself, it’s just not enough sometimes. Hitting heavy bags during practice can be rather risky when you are wearing just gloves. In any case, the glove might not function properly.
Such a scenario has only one result, an unwanted injury for your hands. So why bother taking the risk with not wearing glove wraps, and put them on instead? They are cheap, easy to put on, and maintain as well.
With the amount of abuse that your knuckles go through in MMA, padding is extremely important for your gloves. You don’t necessarily need a lot of it, but the standard 2 centimeters worth of padding can go a long way.
It also results in being able to spread the shock, and reduce it by absorption. The easiest way to understand this is to put it into practice. Simply saying, the amount of force you will apply on a heavy bag will be repelled back into your knuckles.
It’s great, therefore, to have padding in your gloves to absorb it!
The name probably gives it away in this one. “Undisputed” is right, as these gloves are the top tier in just about all aspects. The issues that lie with these gloves are not really significant, but we will go through them anyway.
First of all, the color scheme of this is fantastic. It is available in dark, bold colors in order to match the tension when you are hitting the heavy bag. The four colors that this is available in include: black, matte/black, white, and neo pink.
Moreover, the construction of these gloves makes sure that they stay strong and do not wear away. As we already said, they are called “undisputed” for a reason. Premium quality gloves to keep your hands, and your wallet protected during heavy bag training.
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In case you have lesser prior experience with heavy bag practice, or with gloves in general, this is the one. The RDX MMA gloves are great for heavy bag training but also grappling. This versatility makes it further appealing for a beginner’s product.
So what are the actual selling points for this one? Well, starting out with a fully authentic 100% cowhide leather, it is pristine in quality. This kind of leather is used in very few products in the beginner’s class of gloves.
Firstly, cow-hide leather is tough and durable. You can punch a heavy bag for days without seeing any wear and tear. Additionally, the threadwork is done splendidly in order to make it further better.
Shock absorption and impact reduction are maximized, like most other gloves from RDX. The foam is thick in the padding and is able to serve its purpose quite well. Additionally, shock dissipating gel is used in heavy bag gloves.
Some discomfort is caused, as the sweat may collect. However, the sweat-reducing threads are able to dry the skin up completely. So you can relax about sweating when you practice, as this leaves your hands clean and comfortable.
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Another banger product by Venum, the Venum Challengers is very popular amongst the MMA community. The product is simple and easy to get along with, while also maintaining proper competence in the fields that matter.
There are three shades that these gloves can be found in. They are: black, black/grey and black/white. Sizes might also broaden the audience in three kinds, which are small, medium, and large.
One of the most important aspects of MMA gloves: shock absorption, is handled quite well in these pairs of gloves. The layers of foams are manufactured and stitched perfectly in order to make a great heavy bag experience.
PU leather is implemented into the Venum Challengers, which has become a trademark for MMA gloves by Venum. You will find great comfort and durability due to this.
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One of the most stylish products on this list, the pro-style MMA gloves are a great product. However, they are only made for larger hands, and thus come in only X-large sizes. So if you have smaller hands, tough luck.
The leather, once again, is exclusively engineered for these gloves. They give unmatched performance and premium longevity in performance. You can easily trust this, as this is pure leather technology speaking.
The Y-Volar design is able to make sure that your grip remains secure, and it fits your hands unmatched. The sleek, alluring design will make even the most veteran MMA performers remain in awe at the sight of this pair.
The wrist support feature in the Hayabusa Tokushu is so good that it’s patented. This means you will be unable to find it anywhere else. The wrist support proved to be so secure, that you actually feel more power in each punch.
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Here, we have a hybrid glove that will catch your eye instantly. Although looks are not what justifies the greatness of this pair, it does indeed look very good.
These are pretty expensive, but if you want to keep your glove around for a year, at the least, a little investment can go a long way. If you are going to stay in the MMA scene for long, these are great for practicing heavy bags.
Hybrid gloves contain the padding that you will need in heavy bag training. The utilization of the necessary expertise is reached with these gloves. The minimal wrist fatigue, the pre-formed curve, the open palm design are all just an example of this.
For heavy bag purposes, this is great. However, you can also dive into the striking and grappling scenes with these gloves. They are made with microfiber vegan leather, and it creates excellent abrasion resistance.
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It should be obvious what this one is for from the name. This is designed for heavy bag practice, and it has an open palm design that lets your hands move very freely.
A small hand compartment is present in order to be of use for you. You can keep smaller items that will come in handy for you, in the ring or out of it.
There is a lot of foam protection, making these gloves a great choice for heavy bag work. For grappling, these are decent, but that’s not essentially what these are made for. You can, however, choose to experiment, as these are able to withstand quite a bit of force.
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Available in three shades, the combat sports MMA hybrid is the second hybrid on this list. They are once again great for multi-purpose objectives. You can perform in sparring, striking, and heavy bag training all the same.
These will cost you a little more than the usual MMA glove. The main distinguishing feature here is its minimization of the stress factor. The hinged knuckles also make for a great feature in this.
The leather used for building these gloves makes them a premium in quality. The material is so good, that it will probably last you a few years. Shock absorption is decently achieved.
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Not really. You need no prior experience to start training with a heavy bag for MMA. You just need to pick the right pair of gloves, and that’s all you need to get started punching. It is better to have an expert to advise you, however.
This really has no straight answer. However, a decent pair of gloves should last you from six months to a year, from vigorous usage. The time frame increases with less vigorous training.
Not quite. MMA heavy bag training is something you take part in just to get into the sports. When it comes to MMA, this is the best way to get started and keep practicing striking techniques and combos.
Training with a heavy bag can be great, especially with a suitable pair of gloves. We hope this article was able to help you choose a pair. Remember that you should choose the right pair for you, regardless of how much time you may need to decide it!
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I'm Timmy and I'm the chief-editor and co-founder of Jiu-Jitsu Street. You'll usually find me on the mats and also cross-training Muay Thai. Besides martial arts I'm also into functional fitness and all things health. Jiu-Jitsu Street was created to provide useful information for BJJ beginners and seasoned practitioners alike to help you on your journey and love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Oss!
Jiu-Jitsu Street is a community of fun loving and hard rolling BJJ enthusiasts. Born out of our passion for the gentle art, we have decided to create this blog and help you on your journey. Let’s grow and learn together on this never-ending journey. Oss!
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