Everything You Need to Know About MMA Gear
mma shin guards
Grappling or Striking – Choosing the Right MMA Shin Guards
Mar 6th
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
The New Standard in MMA Gear
Feb 13th
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.
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…
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Dedicated to your MMA Success,
The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle
Hayabusa MMA Shin Guards for Grappling kickboxing muaythai
Nov 26th
Hayabusa
Shin Guards
The Hayabusa Shin Guards have the ultimate slip-on shin pad design. Great for pad work and sparring in any discipline. Great shin pads for mixed martial arts training. Great protection and allows for maximum mobility on the ground.
In the pursuit of perfection, every MMA fighter undergoes countless sparring sessions that subject their bodies to repeated bouts of physical trauma. Your shins in particular are one of the most vulnerable body parts that are exposed to repeated blows resulting in injury. If you want to defend your shins from being bruised and battered on a daily basis, you need the most advanced protection in the realm of MMA. Introducing Hayabusa’s high performance Pro Shin/Instep Guards. With a state-of-the-art shell made of lightweight high-density foam that is pre-molded to match the contour of your leg, Hayabusa’s Pro Shin/Instep Guards offer maximum impact reduction while still providing the perfect striking and grappling surface. Unlike inferior shin guards that use straps or elastic bands to hold in place, each Hayabusa Pro Shin/Instep Guard is constructed with the innovative fullback design and advanced closure system to ensure a snug and secure fit with zero shifting. Finally, a high-quality perforated neoprene backing is integrated to ensure full breathability and comfort. Without question, Hayabusa’s Pro Shin/Instep Guards provide the perfect combination of protection and mobility necessary for peak performance. Get yours today!!
Key Features
- Slip on with neoprene backing
- Lightweight construction for optimal mobility and performance
- Ergonomically engineered curvature delivers the perfect striking surface
- Premium vented foam complex for maximum protection
- Enhanced thermoregulation
- Fullback design and innovative closure system for an ultimate fit
- Perforated neoprene backing ensures full breathability
Price Comparison
| Retailer | Price |
| mmaoverload.com | Not Carried |
| MMAWarehouse.com | $79.99 |
| GroundandPound.com | $79.99 |
| Titleboxing.com | $79.99 |
| martialartspride.com | Not Carried |
| Fighterwarehouse.com | $79.99 |
| Riofightwear.com | $79.99 |
| RenegadeMMAGear.com | $66.99 *** |
You’d be a Fool to Buy Anywhere Else! Click here…
Renegade’s Video Product Review
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.
Customer Comments
Good padding, does not restrict ankle movement, stays in place well. No complaints at all
Great feel, great fit.
This is the best Shin guard ive ever used!
Great support from top to bottom. Does not shift on you when throwing hard round kicks. Grade A+ shin guards!
These instep guards are great. Very high quality, lightweight and excellent fit. If I could point out any way to improve them I would ask that there be more padding on the foot but I only say that because I also use these for TKD sparring so the more protection on the foot the better.
I use this product in my mma class.
IT’s great to take the person down with a kick and also protecting my legs.
The Hayabusa shin guard is 100% great for me.
I like these shin guards a lot. They stay in place extreamly well. I do have some very minor problems with them but this is more than likely due to the extreamly large size of my claves. They go on fine it put on prior to any working out, however, once I have started sweating they become much more difficult to put on. I find it a little easier if I turn them sideways to put them on. They can also be a pain to take them off after sweating. Turning them sideways helps a little with this as well. Keep in mind that my legs are huge. If you have calves that are less than 20 inches then you may not have as much of a problem.
Dedicated to your MMA Success,
The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle
Combat Sports Grappling Shin Guard Shin Pad
Sep 12th
Combat Sports International Premier Grappling Shin Instep Guards feature a super-comfort feature: Neoprene backing and 2 hook & loop straps hug your leg for a secure fit. These Instep Shin Guards have an open back for ventilation and for ease of use! High Quality Leather striking areas for long lasting durability.
Key Features
- Neoprene backing and 2 hook & loop straps hug your leg for a secure fit
- Open back for ventilation and ease of use
- Leather striking areas for durability
Price Comparison
| Retailer | Price |
| mmaoverload.com | $54.99 |
| MMAWarehouse.com | $59.99 |
| CombatSports | $59.99 |
| Fighterwarehouse.com | $59.99 |
| RenegadeMMAGear.com | $49.99 *** |
You’d be a Fool to Buy Anywhere Else! Click Here…
Renegade’s Video Product Review
Sizing
- Regular (up to 140 lbs.)
- Large (140 to 185 lbs.)
- XL ( over 185 lbs.)
The Regular are REALLY small. As a person of average build, 6 foot 200 pounds, the X-Large fit best. If you are looking for a tight fit, I would not suggest going down a size. The straps will have trouble staying attached.
Pictures
Dedicated to your MMA Success,
The Renegade School Owner
Mark Beagle
Grappling-MuayThai-Kickboxing-Shin-Guards
Aug 23rd
There are 3 main types of shin guards in the martial arts: Grappling, kickboxing or striking and muay thai. Although mma shin guards and muay thai are both striking styles, muay thai are built with much more padding.
Grappling shin guards are designed to stay on when grappling and also provide padding when standing up. Grappling type have a tube or sock-like way of keeping them on. The only draw back for this design is that they can get very hot and they can also be hard to get on and off once they get wet. Many of these types also come with a strap by the calf to help tighten them.
Muay Thai Shin Guards are designed thicker to absorb more of a strike. These guards almost always have a re-enforcement down the front of the guard. The way they are kept on is not concerned with the ground game. Two straps are all that keep them in place. The one thing I don’t like about these is they are very bulky and heavy. As someone with a Taekwondo background- speed is important!
Kickboxing is where you see the striking type shin guards. Because there is no ground game in kickboxing, there is no need to worry about the guards moving around. I am still surprised at the guards lack of added padding along the front. I see a lot of kickboxers and for some reason they always go cheap with shin guards. They love the cloth covered guards that have about a quarter-inch of soft padding… Go figure!
I have some ideas for a hybrid MMA Style Shin guard. Wouldn’t it be great to combine the added padding of muay thai with the sock of the grappling guards. A hybrid model would save you money and also save your shins. You can also train for striking and also train for grappling without having to change. Another thing I would add is padding above the knee and also around the knee. This added padding would allow for true leg-kick training.
MMA Grappling Muay Thai kickboxing Shin Guards 101
Aug 19th
Whether it’s Grappling, Muay Thai or Kick Boxing- they are all forms of MMA.
The first time you clash shins is going to be the first time you wished you did not go cheap on mma shin guards. If you wanted to re-create the force behind two people kicking at the same time- smack 2 baseball bats together.
There are several things to consider before you run off and but the least expensive pair of shin guards. I have learned the quality of a MMA shin guard though my 25 years of Taekwondo training.
When shopping for MMA shin guards, the main thing to look for is a re-enforced “Spine” that runs down the front of the guard.I haven’t seen any of the MMA shin guards with this feature. As a long time Taekwondo fighter- this is a feature I always look for first (remember the baseball bats…).
Perceived value
Many people purchase more expensive things thinking they are better in quality. In you years of working with MMA gear, I have found this is not the case. Let’s take an example- Combat Sports and Hayabusa. Both have about the same padding and are very similar in design. The marketing is what supports the higher price of Hayabusa.
Please don’t take this the wrong- I think they are both very good brands.
The way that the shin guards are attached to the legs is also very important. The Sock type guards are better suited for grappling and also striking like muay thai. The sock type will not fall off or get spun around when you’re on the ground. You need to ask yourself: Do I need Muay Thai Shin Guards or Do I need Grappling Shin Guards?
So, before you buy those cheap shin guards- think about how yours shins are going to feel after your first shin-to-shin full contact. Remember to look for a re-enforced spine down the front of the guard. If you are looking for quality, a higher price does not always mean they will protect any better. Consider the use- are you going to be rolling on the ground or are you just doing stand up.
One more thing to consider is the weight of the shin guard. Obviously the cloth type are going to weigh the least. There are some really heavy duty shin guards made of leather. These also have some very uncomfortable straps too. I would avoid these.
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