Gloves are undoubtedly the most valuable asset of any mixed martial art fighter. It protects the hands during the punches and provides them with much-needed flexibility.
The selection of the most appropriate MMA glove is the key to success and, therefore, is an important decision to make.
While the perfect MMA glove can become a long-lasting ring companion, the wrong one can result in some serious hand injuries.
There are different types of MMA gloves available in the market, each suited for different fighting techniques. But which type is the best for you? Continue reading to find out!
Competition Gloves
Thanks to their little padding, competition gloves are ideal for professional fighters who intend to throw powerful punches at their opponent.
However, this lack of padding can also result in some severe finger and knuckle damage. Therefore, these lightweight gloves are mostly used with hand wraps for enhanced protection.
They usually weigh about 4 ounces, making them applicable for UFC fights.
These carefully designed gloves feature a unique downward curve that positions your hands so that you don’t poke your competitor’s eyes or bruise your fingers. It also ensures better fitting.
The Velcro or Lace Wrap further aids in fitting and simultaneously secures the fighter’s wrist.
The newer models also come with additional features like gel padding, anti-microbial composition, and even a ventilation system to promote the longevity of your MMA competition glove.
Grappling Gloves
Are you an MMA amateur and looking for some comfy gloves that you can wear to your daily practice sessions? If so, then grappling gloves are exactly what you need.
Grappling, more commonly known as training gloves, has the least padding among all the types, and the flexibility is unmatched.
In addition, their open-palm design provides a better grip, while the open-finger composition gives the fingers enough space to grapple.
The extra contours on grappling gloves improve the grip, while the extensive foam covering renders the gloves fit for training on heavy bags or tackling your opponent.
Lastly, these MMA gloves are made from strong, durable material to withstand long training spells. Not to mention the reinforced stitching, which further strengthens the glove and protects it from early wear and tear.
Sparring Gloves
Sparring is one of the main steps in MMA fighting. It helps the boxer warm-up before the actual match.
A sparring glove is the heaviest out of the three and weighs eight to ten ounces. Its dense padding dissipates the energy and keeps you and your opponent safe from severe injuries during the grappling or sparring rounds.
Let’s not forget about its remarkable foam reinforcement on the critical impact areas and its Velcro system, which keeps the glove in its place.
Sparring gloves also stars several curves and contours to help position your hands while fighting. One also can choose between open-palm or closed-palm design according to their desired comfort level.
Conclusion
Selecting the right MMA glove is one step toward safer and better fights. We hope that our article helps you differentiate between the three MMA gloves’ types and pick the one that would take your MMA game up a notch.
