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