Different Types of MMA Gloves
When it comes to the world of mixed martial arts, there is a lot more to the Octagon then just punching, kicking and wrestling. Having the right gear, not just for fighting, can be very important to a fighter and having the right types of MMA gloves can make the difference not only in a match but in the long term care of your wrists and hands.
Most people when they think of MMA gloves really only think about the ones used in the ring, but there are several types.
Types of MMA Gloves
Sparring Gloves
These gloves are specifically designed and used for protection during practice bouts. A MMA fighter does not want to damage his hands, nor hurt his opponent during sparring and regular mixed martial arts gloves are not suitable for practice. Make sure when purchasing sparring gloves that they state clearly that the gloves are for sparring or else you can seriously injure anyone you practices with.
There are two types of sparring gloves on the market. The first kind looks like regular MMA gloves and have individual finger slots. The other kind of gloves has a large striking pad and finger loops. Both types offer more padding than regular MMA gloves and are sufficient for training.
Bag Gloves
When needing to hit the heavy bag, sparring gloves are not suitable, nor are fighting gloves. A mixed martial arts fighter needs to have more padding and wrist support to handle the stronger forces when striking heavy bags and striking pads. A typical MMA bag glove has increased wrist support and denser pads. Other features might be a grip bar built into the glove. These gloves are not interchangeable with other types, so do not use them when fighting or sparring.
Fight Gloves
Having less padding than sparring gloves, fight gloves are specifically designed to for fighting. When getting MMA fight gloves be sure to check the weights and get the gloves that are approved by your fight organization as certain weights are not legal for MMA competition. Four ounce gloves are usually the standard. Because these gloves have very little padding, do not use them to spar.
Hybrid Gloves
There are hybrid gloves that can work for a couple or all of the above categories, but if you are serious about becoming a MMA fighter then it is best to get individual MMA gloves of each type. This will help your gloves last longer and will help prevent injuries that can develop from using the wrong gloves.
