Martial Arts Equipment: Getting the Facts Straight

In today’s world, learning martial art is your first and most important step towards effective self defense against any hostilities you may encounter. But to learn martial arts properly, proper training with good quality equipment is necessary. If you have just set foot in the world of martial arts and wish to know what equipments you might need, read on.

Makiwara – It is a padded striking post used as for training in various styles of traditional karate. It is padded with foam rubber with a strong canvas cover to minimize actual damage to the hand or elbows during training. Getting a high quality makiwara with sufficient foam padding is advisable for continued training sessions. This will help to avoid developing an injury during rigorous training.

Training bags – These are not just for boxers. Martial arts trainees often use sand-filled bags to practice punches and harden their hands at the same time. These bags should be made of strong canvas, and should be filled up to 9/10 with clean sand before hanging them up. The bags should be double-stitched to lower the chances of splitting at the seams. The springs for hanging the bags should be made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel to make them long lasting.

Training shields – When training in a “dojo”, you may often be at the receiving end of the strikes. In these cases, you will be required to use a training shield to defend yourself against the kicks and punches dished out by your opponent. The best training shields are made of reinforced vinyl with tri-layer foam cover to minimize the force of the impact on your hands and wrists.

Hand grips – These are essential for any newcomer to the world of martial arts. Gripping this equipment tightly helps in strengthening fingers and palms. The body of the equipment should be made of heavy duty stainless steel while the hand-grip should be made of reinforced plastic or vinyl.

Ripcord – These are tough elastic cords that can be used to add resistance to your movement. You can use these to exert more pressure on your arms when punching, or on your legs when walking or running. These cords help strengthen limbs and improve muscle tone.

These basic gears, along with the requisite clothing, should give you a good start to your martial arts training. Train well and with proper equipment to prepare yourself for any hostile situation you might encounter.