Best elbow pads for Muay Thai sparring with elbow strikes?

[kenpeters8]

What's the best elbow pads you use for Muay Thai sparring with elbow strikes? I like to use something that's soft and squishy, gel foam, or whatever there is that doesn't hurt your training partner when you elbow them.

 

[Paradigm]

What's the best elbow pads you use for Muay Thai sparring with elbow strikes? I like to use something that's soft and squishy, gel foam, or whatever there is that doesn't hurt your training partner when you elbow them.

i always wondered about this. why not use a full face headgear with no elbow pads instead? probably a little safer, no?

 

[kenpeters8]

of course there'll be headgears also. But I want to know what elbow pads does everyone use for Muay Thai sparring with elbow strikes.

 

[Mbdiablo]

İ have a dragon it is local brand work fine for me i buy elbow pad i'd prefeer combat sports

 

[Patryn]

I've found several which work for very light sparring, but they are mostly used for elbow drops at the like. I can't seem to find any which would sufficiently cushion the blow of a proper elbow strike. Keep in mind that your gloves protect your hands more than your opponents face.

I'm currently training in Phuket and nobody here uses or has them at TMT or Top Team. A couple of guys tried to use a regular elbow pad, result was injury. Jon Jones has stated on record that they "obviously don't use elbows" when sparring... I'm not sure that the product you're looking for exists.

 

[ironwolf]

I had some made by nationman, but honestly, they werent great.

 

[FuNomad]

We use these kind at my gym:

They work ok if you use control, but the point of your elbow tends to slip out from time to time. A few months ago, my training partner opened a tiny cut on the crown of my head. Not a huge injury, but blood was everywhere. My partner threw away his pads after that.

My big pet peeve with them is that, even when you don't attach the velcro straps, they still cut off circulation a bit making it difficult to keep your hands up and to keep your boxing solid throughout your training session. Still, I keep them on hand because we train in preparation for a tournament that allows elbows and uses these same style elbow pads.

I've thought about buying a larger size in these same pads pictured above in order to help with circulation. Another thought was to wear the larger size over something like this:

so as to save my partner from strikes when the elbow becomes exposed.

I'd like to try a style more like these:

to see how they'd perform, but again I like to be able to box properly and that's a concern with any elbow pad.

Anyway, good thread topic. I'm hoping some others will chime in with the holy grail of elbow pads.

 

[nomilkforsanta]

I'd like to try a style more like these:

to see how they'd perform, but again I like to be able to box properly and that's a concern with any elbow pad.

Anyway, good thread topic. I'm hoping some others will chime in with the holy grail of elbow pads.

I had two pairs of IMF elbow pads, the medium was tight and the large was lose...

 

[Paradigm]

of course there'll be headgears also. But I want to know what elbow pads does everyone use for Muay Thai sparring with elbow strikes.

thats the problem...if youre in America, i dont think too many people have enough control to spar with elbows (without headgear or pads).

why not use a full face like this? you probably wouldnt need to deal with elbow pads at all, though you could for the extra bit of safety...the only risk you run is catching an elbow to the jaw somehow and even that would be unlikely (even with uppercut elbows).

sure, its bulky but elbows are dangerous and can injure much easier than punches. probably easier to injure in comparison to sparring bareknuckled...most people have better control with their hands than elbows, id assume.

 

[nomilkforsanta]

thats the problem...if youre in America, i dont think too many people have enough control to spar with elbows (without headgear or pads).

why not use a full face like this? you probably wouldnt need to deal with elbow pads at all, though you could for the extra bit of safety...the only risk you run is catching an elbow to the jaw somehow and even that would be unlikely (even with uppercut elbows).

sure, its bulky but elbows are dangerous and can injure much easier than punches. probably easier to injure in comparison to sparring bareknuckled...most people have better control with their hands than elbows, id assume.

Or you can drop 500bucks on a Blauer helmet

 

[ironwolf]

Wear a kudo helmet...

 

[GFG]

most elbow pads ive used suck including my last batch of gorilla muay thai elbow pads. i'm going to try and make a neoprene version on the next batch with some thicker soft-mid density padding, ans see what that goes.

 

[Deathstriker]

People would rather spend their money on drugs and alcohol so you have to buy elbow pads instead of convincing them to buy a headgear (unless you buy it and have them agree to use it)

 

[Paradigm]

People would rather spend their money on drugs and alcohol so you have to buy elbow pads instead of convincing them to buy a headgear (unless you buy it and have them agree to use it)

i bought one...the problem is now convincing someone else to buy one. either that or i spar without elbows while they can use them...thats no fun.

 

[Deathstriker]

Sounds like you have to find someone who agrees with your elbow practice.

 

[ironwolf]

Lol...

Drugs and alcohol....haha

 

[FuNomad]

most elbow pads ive used suck including my last batch of gorilla muay thai elbow pads. i'm going to try and make a neoprene version on the next batch with some thicker soft-mid density padding, ans see what that goes.

I haven't found the padding itself to be bad, and I'm talking about the cheap foam ones. I get hit with those often, and when they're fitted and in place, the strikes don't hurt as long as they're thrown with control.

The biggest problems are with the placement of the padding and the fit of the guards. I commend you for undertaking a redesign. I would like to request that you can take under consideration first mobility; the ability to wear these for entire sessions without restricting circulation and causing poor boxing, and second, elbow coverage; where the points of the elbow wont become exposed when the arm is bent and strikes are thrown.

It appears to me that the IMF style meets the coverage requirement, as they employ a longer pad that keeps the elbow covered when the arm is bent. Having not tried them in person, I can't tell if they would meet the mobility requirement that would allow the user to keep their dukes up without their arms being overtaxed by circulation issues.

I was even looking into hockey elbow pads to see if they had something that would work. I wonder if it's possible to create a pad that covers these requirements.

I really look forward to what you come up with.

 

[muaythaimall]

When Thai's train they never wear elbow pads. They just use elbows with caution and don't connect with the tip. They strike on the chin or back of the head, never on the forehead because they don't want to get cut. A lot of their elbows are practiced in the clinch too and don't even connect. I don't see the need to spar with elbow pads as the padding is never as thick as a glove and the elbow is much harder than the knuckles, they rock you too much for not much gain imo.

 

[FuNomad]

I wanted to follow-up on this thread. I recently found a good deal on these and decided to give them a shot:

Though the striking surface leaves something to be desired (a bit too hard on sparring partners), the sleeve fitting works well. I purposely bought them a bit oversized (large) and I'm finding that they're loose enough to not restrict circulation and lead to crummy boxing, but snug enough to wear they don't slide down my arms. I'm really happy with the fit and the elbow coverage that these offer (no chance of my elbow sneaking out and hurting my sparring partners), but the striking padding needs to be softer.