Muay Thai sparring gear question

[mocimad3]

Just started Muay thai sparring again after some time spent away from Muay thai a few months. Wanted to get some opinions on how sparring is done in the gym I go to.

Basically they don't require any protective gear for sparring besides mouthguards (they don't really even enforce this rule 100 %). Also, lately they rarely have us spar because half of the guys don't like to and the other half are too aggressive. I'm probably more on the aggressive side as I will throw somewhat heavy punches and kicks but no knees,head kicks, obviously no elbows. What bothers me is the lack of being safe as far as muay thai gear goes.

So out of 6 guys sparring only 3 had shin guards, 2 had mouth guards, and noone had headgear besides me. I'm pretty sure half of them didn't even have groin protection. The instructor then said if anyone wants to go light just tell your partners and no punches to face if no mouthguard. Keep in mind noone knew who had mouthguards and who didn't. I asked some of them if they have mouthguards and some who didnt' just said don't worry about it.

So tonight my shins are really banged up from getting my kicks checked by people with no shin guards. Basically hobbling around tonight because my shins aren't conditioned for sparring with no shin guards. I don't really mind that because it's happened before but basically my question is are my instructors being careless about protective gear? I can understand no headgear but the rest seems like a poor idea? I really don't mind getting hit hard but the fact I could knock someones teeth out and that my shins get destroyed when maybe they otherwise wouldn't be seems like something that makes me consider a different gym. I'm just trying to see if this is a more common then I thought or maybe my instructors are being careless? I mean peoples balls are in jeopardy goddamnit

 

[Bekim]

Just started Muay thai sparring again after some time spent away from Muay thai a few months. Wanted to get some opinions on how sparring is done in the gym I go to.

Basically they don't require any protective gear for sparring besides mouthguards (they don't really even enforce this rule 100 %). Also, lately they rarely have us spar because half of the guys don't like to and the other half are too aggressive. I'm probably more on the aggressive side as I will throw somewhat heavy punches and kicks but no knees,head kicks, obviously no elbows. What bothers me is the lack of being safe as far as muay thai gear goes.

So out of 6 guys sparring only 3 had shin guards, 2 had mouth guards, and noone had headgear besides me. I'm pretty sure half of them didn't even have groin protection. The instructor then said if anyone wants to go light just tell your partners and no punches to face if no mouthguard. Keep in mind noone knew who had mouthguards and who didn't. I asked some of them if they have mouthguards and some who didnt' just said don't worry about it.

So tonight my shins are really banged up from getting my kicks checked by people with no shin guards. Basically hobbling around tonight because my shins aren't conditioned for sparring with no shin guards. I don't really mind that because it's happened before but basically my question is are my instructors being careless about protective gear? I can understand no headgear but the rest seems like a poor idea? I really don't mind getting hit hard but the fact I could knock someones teeth out and that my shins get destroyed when maybe they otherwise wouldn't be seems like something that makes me consider a different gym. I'm just trying to see if this is a more common then I thought or maybe my instructors are being careless? I mean peoples balls are in jeopardy goddamnit

Are you sure you did not join fight club???

Sounds more like a group of people getting together and beating each other up......than a gym.

Join another "gym".

 

[j123]

Just started Muay thai sparring again after some time spent away from Muay thai a few months. Wanted to get some opinions on how sparring is done in the gym I go to.

Basically they don't require any protective gear for sparring besides mouthguards (they don't really even enforce this rule 100 %). Also, lately they rarely have us spar because half of the guys don't like to and the other half are too aggressive. I'm probably more on the aggressive side as I will throw somewhat heavy punches and kicks but no knees,head kicks, obviously no elbows. What bothers me is the lack of being safe as far as muay thai gear goes.

So out of 6 guys sparring only 3 had shin guards, 2 had mouth guards, and noone had headgear besides me. I'm pretty sure half of them didn't even have groin protection. The instructor then said if anyone wants to go light just tell your partners and no punches to face if no mouthguard. Keep in mind noone knew who had mouthguards and who didn't. I asked some of them if they have mouthguards and some who didnt' just said don't worry about it.

So tonight my shins are really banged up from getting my kicks checked by people with no shin guards. Basically hobbling around tonight because my shins aren't conditioned for sparring with no shin guards. I don't really mind that because it's happened before but basically my question is are my instructors being careless about protective gear? I can understand no headgear but the rest seems like a poor idea? I really don't mind getting hit hard but the fact I could knock someones teeth out and that my shins get destroyed when maybe they otherwise wouldn't be seems like something that makes me consider a different gym. I'm just trying to see if this is a more common then I thought or maybe my instructors are being careless? I mean peoples balls are in jeopardy goddamnit

No shinguards "sparring" is actually flow sparring, its not really sparring. Its basically free form shadow boxing. People who do this need to control, it sounds like the guys at your gym are new, and treating sparring like a fighting win/lose event. No no with that.

Don't worry about it = doesn't have it

You can tell if they have mouthguards btw, their jaw is going to be inflated from it inside, and when they open to talk you can see the color of it.

Usually if one or 2 guys at my gym don't have gear, the gym lets them borrow some used ones, but gives them shit afterwards to purchase their own gear.

 

[Paradigm]

Doesn't sound like you are Thais training from childhood or otherwise practitioners with a lot of control.

Find another gym that at least makes new people wear shinguards.

 

[j123]

Doesn't sound like you are Thais training from childhood or otherwise practitioners with a lot of control.

Find another gym that at least makes new people wear shinguards.

I sometimes wonder if there are people that legit come to sparring wearing soccer or hockey shinguards instead of MT/MMA ones if they're too cheap to get them

 

[Paradigm]

I sometimes wonder if there are people that legit come to sparring wearing soccer or hockey shinguards instead of MT/MMA ones if they're too cheap to get them

Unless Adidas specifically makes sparring shinguards, then yes...I've sparred someone wearing soccer shinguards. Still probably better than getting hit with cloth/foam ones...

And here I am doing everyone (sparring partners) a favor wearing my stormtrooper Top Kings...

 

[j123]

Unless Adidas specifically makes sparring shinguards, then yes...I've sparred someone wearing soccer shinguards. Still probably better than getting hit with cloth/foam ones...

And here I am doing everyone (sparring partners) a favor wearing my stormtrooper Top Kings...

lol

I used to like the bulkier ones, but damn its a pain in the ass MMA sparring with those. These days the cloth ones are fine by me. We don't spar like doing a half assed exibition bout, so its fine at the end.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

I kind of wish the shin guards didnt cover the instep. it makes it hard to land my foot kicks to the body.

 

[j123]

I kind of wish the shin guards didnt cover the instep. it makes it hard to land my foot kicks to the body.

Isn't it better that way since you strike with the instep? The protection that is

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

Isn't it better that way since you strike with the instep? The protection that is

I have a real big wide foot and hobbit toes that I like to jam into the lower ribs,liver or solar plexus. the instep protector doesnt really let me do that.

 

[j123]

I have a real big wide foot and hobbit toes that I like to jam into the lower ribs,liver or solar plexus. the instep protector doesnt really let me do that.

get some of these

 

[Yugo King]

dude that´s funny, those pink nails


well I was like yeah no need to be fancy headgear doesn´t protect you but annoy me and limit vision, shin guards are cool to drop off to get used to a REAL fight however no mouth guard had me like what fucking fruity country are you from, people can´t afford a 5$ mouthpiece and risk losing their teeth

I wouldn´t spar someone with no mouthpiece. Not knocking your tooth out.

 

[j123]

dude that´s funny, those pink nails


well I was like yeah no need to be fancy headgear doesn´t protect you but annoy me and limit vision, shin guards are cool to drop off to get used to a REAL fight however no mouth guard had me like what fucking fruity country are you from, people can´t afford a 5$ mouthpiece and risk losing their teeth

I wouldn´t spar someone with no mouthpiece. Not knocking your tooth out.

It gets annoying though, you have mouth piece so they can hit you in the face, but you can't because they ain't packing.

I remember going through 6 months before realizing I had to "boil and bite" my first shitty mouthguard. The entire time I was wondering how guys fight with it when it felt like my teeth could get compromised at anytime. I was actually more nervous at my first exibition about it more than actually getting KOed. I was thinking along the lines of "I may lose, but please let me keep my teeth so I can have pizza, chips, donuts, and cake afterward. Spent months eating clean, so I cannot lose my teeth here"

I use custom fit ones these days and its definitely worth the investment, fits in nicely, easier to breathe, I can actually talk, sticks to the top.

 

[Yugo King]

It gets annoying though, you have mouth piece so they can hit you in the face, but you can't because they ain't packing.

I remember going through 6 months before realizing I had to "boil and bite" my first shitty mouthguard. The entire time I was wondering how guys fight with it when it felt like my teeth could get compromised at anytime. I was actually more nervous at my first exibition about it more than actually getting KOed. I was thinking along the lines of "I may lose, but please let me keep my teeth so I can have pizza, chips, donuts, and cake afterward. Spent months eating clean, so I cannot lose my teeth here"

I use custom fit ones these days and its definitely worth the investment, fits in nicely, easier to breathe, I can actually talk, sticks to the top.

wow nobody noticed, nobody told you ?

Pretty stupid to be honest

 

[freaky]

That's how you're supposed to spar. If your partner is going too hard, just tell them to go lighter cuz they don't have any protection. Or go even harder on them since it seems like you're well protected and they're not.

They signed a waiver upon joining the gym so it's fine to kill them. The coach knows this and is a douche for not enforcing. It is kind of up to the students whether they want to protect their bodies or not but still.

I would come fully equiped regardless. It's not like he is saying "no gear" he is just saying "up to you if you want parkinson in the future". I blame the students more tbh. But I wouldn't fight for that coach. He don't seem to care about your health.

That's why I like my coach so much. They actually genuinely care for you.

 

[Bekim]

I sometimes wonder if there are people that legit come to sparring wearing soccer or hockey shinguards instead of MT/MMA ones if they're too cheap to get them

I once went to a gym and was asked to spar a guy with footballers (soccer) shin guards, bag gloves with exposed thumbs, no groin guard or mouth guards........and he was young enough to be my son.....

I found another gym......

 

[Bzerkfury]

Im telling anyone right now if you just have the average sports store "boil and bite" mouth guard your gonna have a bad time srsly goto the dentist and get one molded to your mouth it will be 100-200$ but it is so worth it. I havent been fazed by shots since. No headaches no dizziness nothing the most highly rated piece of equipment i own.