Three main types of MMA gloves have been developed since the rules allowed their use. Originally when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) started, no gloves were allowed at all, and the matches had few rules and no time limit. Later incarnations saw new rules and time limits to make the sport more fan-friendly, and eventually gloves were allowed. They offer some protection to the fighters but are only lightly padded 4 oz fingerless gloves. These are the fight gloves, and there are two other types: sparring gloves and bag gloves. It pays to get yourself a pair of each that you reserve exclusively for competition, sparring and bag work.
Bag Training MMA Gloves
MMA Bag training gloves
When you are training on the heavy bag, your first priority is to take care of your hands. For this reason the MMA gloves used for bag work are more densely padded than the other types, and there is usually a lot more wrist protection and support. Some of the bag gloves available have a grip bar built into them, and as with other MMA glove types, they are fingerless. Because of the denser padding, bag gloves should not be used for sparring with an opponent, because of the increased risk of injury. Similarly, it is best to use only bag gloves for practice on the heavy bag, both because of the superior hand and wrist protection offered, but also because the other glove types won’t stand up to the punishment of such workouts, and will need replacing more often.
MMA Sparring Gloves
MMA Sparring Gloves
The MMA gloves used for sparring and practice bouts are designed to prevent injury to both of the fighters. They have softer padding and there is much more of it, so sparring gloves could be 5 oz or higher. They differ from western boxing gloves in that they are fingerless and open at the palm, like mma fight gloves. Two general types are available to buy. The first type looks like a normal MMA glove with separate finger slots, and padding for the knuckles and back of hand; the second type are like traditional sparring mitts with a larger padded area covering the entire back of the hand and fingers, and attached with finger loops.
If you use sparring gloves much heavier than 5 oz, then of course you won’t be allowed to use them in proper competitions. Since fight gloves are normally 4 oz, you may get away the lighter 5 oz gloves, but it would be best just to get some proper fight gloves instead.
MMA Gloves For Competition
MMA Fight Gloves
Fight gloves are in essence the same as sparring gloves, but with little or no padding at all. They are more likely to be styled with individual finger slots, and although they are designed to offer a small degree of protection to the fighters, they should not be used for sparring, as unnecessary injuries will result – use sparring gloves for sparring!
In competition you will be expected to use handwraps – like western boxers – so it is a great idea to train using them as well, both so that it isn’t something new to deal with on fight day, and also because it further reduces your chances of getting hand injuries during practice.
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