Grappling or Striking – Choosing the Right MMA Shin Guards

March 6th, 2010

When deciding what type of shin guards to purchase, you need to address one question:

Are you going to be using them for Stand-up or Grappling or Both?

By addressing this question, picking the right type of guard becomes very simple. Then the only question that remains is other features that will make your train more beneficial.

Grappling Guards need to stay in place when rolling (wrestling). You can’t be bothered with having to adjust guards that need to be straightened or even put back on, once you go to the ground. Competitive fighters can’t stop. Training needs to be fluid, and as you train… you can’t be worried about your gear falling off!

Stand-up or Striking is concerned Padding. Extra padding is needed to absorb the shock of shin to shin contact. This types of guard a typically held in place by a couple of straps around the calf and ankle. Strikers are not as concerned with the guards shifting because they are not being tugged by your opponent’s arms or legs.

Grappling and Striking require a Hybrid Shin Guard. There have been a few attempts at this but they have all failed miserably.

Modern MMA Training requires that fighters be able to transition from striking to the ground in an instant. Fighter can’t be constrained by their equipment or they are training to fail!

A good Hybrid/Cross-training shin guard incorporates strapping that will not shift or fall off when rolling and also has the extra padding to soak-up those hammering blows.

Time to decide

Grappling Shin Guards if you are planning to be doing mainly ground work, with little striking     See Grappling Guards Video

Striking Shin Guards if you will be doing most of your training standing up   See Striking Video

A Cross-Trainer is for the MMA fighter that needs the best that both grappling and stand-up have to offer   See Cross-Training Video

You can click on the guard type to see the selection or you can see the video review for each type, that further explains these features.

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Dedicated to your MMA Success,

The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle

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Taekwondo Sparring Gear-Importance of Shin Guards

February 25th, 2010

In the past write-up, I mentioned the significance of an outstanding torso guard. The body is exactly where, I’d mention, 80% of just about all strikes are targeted as well as land.  Safeguard your upper body and stomach with the highest quality torso guard you can buy.

Shin protection is one more extremely important piece of sparring equipment. Of these 80% strikes which land in the mid-section, the alternative 20% land within the head or are usually blocked. The shin and feet should be protected, not just for the offender, but in addition for the defender.

If you were to consider the shin bone by itself, you’d discover that it is shaped much like a sword blade. The back is heavy while the front is tapered to cut into your adversary. The shin is actually the same way. I’ve seen people get kicked in the forehead and their head split wide open! They will not just open you up, they are able to in addition break a bone effortlessly. I have also seen people who have broken arms from blocking leg strikes.

An outstanding shin guard is designed for everyone’s coverage. There are numerous different designs available on the market: foam, cloth, vinyl composite- some people do not even wear shin guards! Oh my god! How uncaring. The debate is usually- “it keeps me tough…”

Like a good quality chest guard, you do not want the least expensive sparring gear you can buy. It always is amazing to me when dad and mom also choose the low-priced stuff… They aren’t the one’s going in to fight wearing it!
Things to look for
Here are a number of points to watch out for when shopping for top quality shin guards. First of all, the padding needs to be thick, not soft and bouncy. Soft and bouncy means that the strike may hit bottom… your bone. The padding needs to be extremely dense feeling. If you squeeze it, it shouldn’t give just a little.

Another essential thing to consider is a reinforced front padding that runs along the front of the shin pad. As strikes get harder, you’ll want to combine more padding to the striking area.

These are just a couple points that will help you while searching for sparring gear and a number of the mistakes folks make as you go along.

Taekwondo Sparring Gear

Dedicated to your MMA Success,

The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle

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New Member Special MMA Move of the Week

February 22nd, 2010

Thanks For Joining the Team!

As a Team Member you will be in on the latest MMA Gear Reviews. You will also receive valuable MMA moves taught by our veteran MMA Coach, Adrew “Ravioli” Rodriguez.

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Mark Beagle

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Taekwondo Sparring Gear – Choosing Chest Protector

February 18th, 2010
One of the important items of sparring gear is the chest protector, AKA: Hogu, chest guard, trunk guard. The key reason why it is so significant is mainly because the abdomen and chest are the biggest targets. You want to defend this area whenever possible, so it is crucial to never be cheap when looking for a good, premium quality upper body protector.
When you or your young one start off their martial arts career, it may conclude the very first day of sparring if you get the wind knocked from you by way of a properly placed back kick. Plus, when sparring, you really don’t want to become “Gun Shy”, which means you really don’t want to be afraid of getting struck. This may greatly affect how good you are. Should you be scared, you will regularly be on the defensive never on the offensive- SCORING!

The way the upper body protector is made is the key. I’ve observed that the thicker are not always better. You might think thicker- much more padding- more protection… Much more padding can cause a bouncing result, just like a ball. The heavy cushioning may soak up some of the blow but will knock you on your rear end. Not good- that’s viewed a knock-down! In addition, heavier padding implies less mobility. In sparring, speed is the name of the game. You will notice, when you watch high-level competition, that the competitors have very well fitted gear.

Chest protectors could be the most expensive piece of equipment though the fee is really worth it. I have observed people with broken ribs because they skimped on their chest gear purchase. Additionally, if competing, ensure the guard is WTF certified. When you have WTF certified products, you never worry about the officials allowing you to participate because of sub-standard sparring gear.

Be sure the chest gear is rigid. It should want to maintain its shape, like a board. You’ll feel this in the inner surface of the guard- the main part that the padding is wrapped around. The way to tell a quality chest gear is whenever you hit it, it pops and absorbs and doesn’t push you back. And, you should not feel light to medium blows!

Taekwondo Sparring Gear

Tip: Store the guard flat! Never fold it to make it fit in a equipment bag. The folding action will ultimately split the inside primary padding structure.

Dedicated to your MMA Success,

The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle

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The New Standard in MMA Gear

February 13th, 2010

Modern MMA fight training is about to enter a new era. No longer is the same old lame training gear ok. Stopping to change MMA gear to suit the days training lesson will have you training to wait or hesitate. A good example is what one of my instructors used to say:

“When you throw a kick- swing all the way through, don’t stop and pull back! If you train to stop and pull your kicks, when you actually fight, you’ll pull your kicks then!”

As the sport of MMA evolves, the equipment has to keep pace or you will be at a disadvantage. As the fight game gets more competitive you need every advantage you can get. You never know when a decision may rest on your ability to transition from the ground to standup- without hesitation!

If you have ever done any weight training, you know that bodybuilders are constantly looking for tricks, anything, to get that extra edge that can make their workout payoff. MMA fight training is now entering this phase of the sport. As fighters train they are looking for that small training tip or trick that can squeak them through a close decision.

The MMA gear that modern fighters train with is in need of some serious reinvention. Ever notice every glove looks the same… Same features… Same look. Shin guards are the same but they can be even worse. Shin guards come in 2 flavors- grappling and stand up. If you’re rolling you need guards that won’t shift. If you are doing stand up, you just want protection. You don’t care about much than the application. Wake-up call! As MMA, Mixed Martial Arts, fighters- you need something that will work without having to stop or worry about whether they will suit the need.

Grappling & Striking Shin Guards

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a shin guard that had the extra padding required for serious striking and also had the staying ability of the grappling shin guards? Combat sports tried to solve this by making a set of shin guards that had Velcro strap-like socking as an attachment, with some extra padding. In my opinion they fell short. The sock-like straps are worse than regular straps and the padding was not reinforced enough to add any further protection.

Plus the nightmare of getting the grappling style shin guards off. OMG!!!

I have a pair of guards returned by a customer that have the main pad almost ripped from the sleeve. The person had a real hard time getting them off and wound up destroying them. I had to eat the ruined pair…

Check-out MMA Sin Guards Now…

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Sparring Gear – Buyers Guide- Taekwondo-Karate-Adidas

February 6th, 2010

If you are new to the Sparring Gear world or just want to learn more about the many option we’re faced with when buying sparring gear…
I have created a e-Learning course to help guide you in your sparring gear search.I’ve been practicing all types of martial arts for over 25 years and I am also a Taekwondo School Owner in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Terminology and Required Equipment

These may be some terms you have heard tossed around or may encounter:

WTF: World Taekwondo Federation

Instep: The top part of the foot, just below the ankle, where many kicks are absorbed.

Hogu: Korean for Chest Protector, aka Trunk

Clash Shins: When two people throw a kick at the same time, clashing shins, in effect- blocking the strike.

Round House: The most popular kick. It start by lifting bent knee toward target, turning hip and at the same time extending your bent knee, striking with instep.

Kukkiwon: the governing body in Korea that keeps track of all Taekwondo Blackbelts.

Karate, Style: A Japanese word that means empty hand and refers to a karate student’s ability to offer a defense without the use of weapons. Karate originate in Japan. There are several styles of Karate- Ryukue, Kenpo, Kempo… In my experience- Karate concentrate more on hand strikes and pressure points

Taekwondo: Korean Tae (hand) Kwon (foot) Do (way). The Way of the Hand and Foot. There are also many styles of Taekwondo. Taekwondo is known for its kicking

Equipment for Taekwondo Sparring:

The World Taekwondo Federation requires the following equipment to compete in WTF sanctioned events:

World Taekwondo Federation Competition Rules
Contestant Uniform and Protective Equipment

1) The contestant shall wear the trunk protector, head protector, groin guard, forearm guards, shin guards, gloves and a mouthpiece before entering the contest area.

2) The groin guard, forearm guards and shin guards shall be worn beneath the Taekwondo uniform. The contestant shall bring this WTF-approved protective equipment, as well as gloves and the mouthpiece, for his/her personal use. Wearing any item on the head other than the head protector shall not be permitted.

Source: http://wtforg.cafe24.com/wtf_eng/site/rules/competition.html#4
If you have visited Martial Arts Supplies Sites, you may have seen the amazing choices when shopping for Sparring Gear.

Choices & How To cut through the clutter

You may think that maximum protection would be the only consideration when looking for sparring gear. Human beings risking injury for a sport or martial art discipline they love. Our desire to compete and win can be influenced by the ability to protect ourselves.

When it comes to Personal Protection, Why are there so many choices… It all comes down to the ability for retailers to offer prices to fit anyone’s budget. When you start to reduce price, so too- do you reduce Protection Level.

There are basically 3 types, or levels of protection:

Cloth, also referred to as “Sock-type” gear. This gear offers the least amount of protection. You can purchase Shin, Instep, Hand, Elbow and Forearm Cloth Gear.

Cloth gear is made of low-quality foam that is sewn into a sock-like elastic cloth. The cloth is expandable. It’s difficult to get it on and even more difficult to get it off, once wet!

Foam type gear, I think you can get just about every piece (head, hands, feet, chest, shins, Not Groin) Wouldn’t want a foam dipped groin protector…

The protection level is better and they are easier to get on and off. The problem with these is that they react like a ball- when you make contact- there’s a bounce, rather than absorbing the energy of the strike.
 
The third level of protection is Composite Gear. This type of gear offers the most protection. If you are not familiar with Kevlar, the stuff they make bullet proof vests and helmets with- like Kevlar, High quality gear is made up of many layers of very dense composite material.

Like Everything Else in Life- You Get What You Pay For
Now that we have leveled the playing field and broken the overwhelming choices down to 3 basic types of gear, now we can learn what to look for in quality gear.

How To Spot Poor Quality Gear

My good friend, Master Robert Caullette of Caullett’s Academy in Royal Palm Beach, says it best.

Master Caullett has been sparring competitively, just about all of his life. He is now one of world’s most respected competitive sparring coaches. Master Caullett tells us in his own words:

“What to Look for When Shopping for Sparring Gear”

Link to Video

We will close things out with some things to consider in your search for quality sparring gear.
Recommendations and Useful Tips

Buying Quality Gear will save you many headaches:

If you decide to compete, you will have no problems with the tournament’s governing body. All states have their own State-level “WTF”, here it’s the Florida Taekwondo Federation. All of these governing Bodies will not question anything that is WTF Certified.

Save time and Hassles returning sub-standard gear. I don’t know how many times a new student showed-up at sparring with cloth gear. “Sorry. You should have checked with us first- that gear is unsafe and can’t be worn here…” We do not allow equipment that does not protect a student in my school.

Shop with confidence. If you buy the right style (Taekwondo, Karate, etc.) and is certified by the world governing body- you can’t go wrong.

Sign-UP for your $5 Off Online Coupon. You can use the coupon anytime. The code will be emailed so you can store it away until you are ready to use it

And Most importantly, You or Your Child will be protected! I recently wrote this small post on my blog:

Top 3 Reasons to Buy Quality Sparring GearMarch 25th, 2009

Reason #1 SaftyIf you think about it… the reason we buy sparring gear is to protect our body. I don’t know about you, but when I get hit I want to minimize the pain as much as possible.When you purchase equipment for someone
or
Someone buys it for you usually PRICE is the only thing that is considered!We’ll leave #1 at that…

Reason #2 Longevity

Quality gear will last many, many, many times longer. And along with the added lifespan- the equipment’s ability to protect will not degrade. I admit I have bought crappy gear in the past- but I had to replace it- and when I did, it was with quality gear. Gear that I have to this day- in good condition. Learn from my mistake.

Reason #3 It is Easier to get On and Off

Whether the gear is for you or your child, remember trying to put the sock-type gear on? The tugging? And your Master yelling at you to get your butt in gear (no pun intended)… How about trying to get it off once it got all sweaty… Ugh!

Quality gear goes on easy and comes off even quicker.

I hope You have learned some valuable lessons about sparring gear. Shoot me an email if you like.

Sparring Gear

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Dedicated to your MMA Success,

The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle

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Standing Head & Arm Choke

February 2nd, 2010

The Move of the Week With Coach Andrew (Ravioli) Rodriguez

Keep your hands safe with MMA Gloves

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Fairtex MMA Gloves – MMA Gloves – MMA Training Gloves

January 28th, 2010

Fairtex MMA Gloves

Fairtex MMA Gloves

When it comes to the different typles of MMA gloves, the choices are not too wide and the feature are not too great either.

Padding can either be for sparring, bag work of competition.

The sparring gloves have more padding than all other gloves. Sparring gloves have finger slots that you old on to the glove padding with, freeing your fingers to grab with. You might think the extra padding is to protect your hands- wrong. To protect your sparring partner…

Bag gloves are pretty much designed so you don’t chew your hand up as they skip accross the face of the striking bag- It’s more of a friction burn. These types of gloves also have a longer wrist wrap that helps support the wrist. The padding is not as great because the striking surface is padded. You don’t need it.

When it come to competition gloves, there are standards.The paddin alone need to weight 4-5 ounces. The knuckles are protected and so too are the backs of the hands. The various fighting leagues have their own standards and their gloves are the only ones you can use.

Appearance

The way a gloves looks is probably one of th most important parts of the shopping experience. I have sold a lot of gloves and the coolness factor is one of the most important feature. The graphic designs range from camo to blood- both very popular. But still, the basic black glove with a good quality logo graphic stamped on it sell pretty good.

Leather or Vinyl

I personally like the leather gloves. The way the material breaths and stretches can’t be compared to vinyl. Vinyl gloves I have found the the edges irritate the shin of t fingers and also cracks with use. They just can’t compare to tough hide. Keep these things in mind in your next mma gloves purchase. What is the purpose of the glove? Sparring, training or competition. How important is the appearance? And finally, spend a couple of extra bucks. The cow hide will be much better on your hands and also last a whole lot longer.

Fairtex MMA Gloves

Dedicated to your MMA Success,

The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle

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Hayabusa Striking Shin Guards – Kickboxing – Muay Thai

December 29th, 2009

hayabusa_logo
Hayabusa Striking Shin Guards

 

 

 

The Hayabusa Striking Shin Guards are the absolute greatest protection and allows for maximum striking in standup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Key Features

  • The Straps have a padded backing between the metal attachment loop and the leg. No more metal to skin! No more irritation!
  • Lightweight construction – Unlike most strking shin guards, the Hayabusa guards are made of the lightest material so that you can remain light on your feet and fast
  • Ergonomically engineered curvature delivers the perfect striking surface
  • There is a reinforced striking strip that runs the distance of the shin bone, for maximum protection for both you and your sparring partner
  • Innovative transition that connects the foot padding and the shin padding. This allows increased ankle mobility while sparring
  • You will look very cool while sparring. If you are going to pay for the best- you may as well look good too. The superior construction and graphics are the best

Price Comparison

Retailer Price
mmaoverload.com Not Carried
MMAWarehouse.com $89.99
GroundandPound.com $89.99
Titleboxing.com $79.99
martialartspride.com Not Carried
Fighterwarehouse.com $89.99
Riofightwear.com Not Carried
RenegadeMMAGear.com $74.99

You’d be a Fool to Buy Anywhere Else! Click here…

Renegade’s Video Product Review

 

Back to Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sizing

  • Small/Med
  • Large/X-Large

The Small/Medium are REALLY small. As a person of average build, 6 foot 200 pounds, the Large/X-Large fit best. If you are looking for a tight fit, I would not suggest going down a size.

The Hayabusa Striking Shin Guards are the absolute greatest protection and allows for maximum striking in standup.

Dedicated to your MMA Success,

The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle

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UFC Shirts – MMA Shirts – UFC Hats – MMA Apparel

December 14th, 2009

You don’t have to be a fighter to get in on the sport of MMA. Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and there is no sign of it letting up in the near fuure. The fan side of MMA is also growing at a fast rate. There are lots of ways to show your support for the sport, your favorite fighter or both.

For the casual fan, much like the football fan that plants themself in front of the tube wearing their favorite teams jersey or T-shirt. MMA fans have a choice of all kinds of cool looking shirts ranging from fighters, fight venues, gear or equipment makers. The most famous shirts being Tapout. I think tapout have pastered their logo everywhere in existence, to the point where people are getting sick of seeing it.

UFC and many of the gear makers have some pretty cool shirts too. It’s all about looking cool when you go to the local sports bar to watch the fights!

Women can also get into the theme with sexy, tight shirts for them too.

 

 

 

If you live up north or just want a jacket, you can get yourself a very cool looking Hoodie

 

 

 

Hats are also a popular item and there are some pretty cool looking one’s on the market. If you like the kind you wear sideways, Tapout has that market cornered.


So get out there and show your team spirit and support your favorite fighter!

Dedicated to your MMA Success,

The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle

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