Shin Guards for MMA Training

[Ryan Garry]

Hey,
I started my MMA training this past week in Straight Blast Gym in Dublin Ireland, it's completely different to what I'm used too, but anyways..

I was looking into buying some shin guards, does anybody have any recommendations for a good pair for somebody new to the sport?

Thanks,

 

[Snackattack]

Alright, so protecting the shin is generally done to reduce actual phyiscal pain, which... what I would say is you REALLY want a full shin + instep protector. The most common injuries in kicking are when your opponent backs up or you trip or lose balance or slip or whatever... And you end up kicking with your foot... Which at the end is just a bunch of tiny ass breakable bones like your hand.

So really in MMA or Muay Thai you should be looking for a combination shin and in-step protector. You can get a cheap one that will do a fine job.

I have the venum elite standup shinguards. they're ~$100.

They work fantastic but are a little bit expensive. If i'm honest I feel like the premium money I spent probably wasn't worth it? I've tried other cheaper variants that all work fine. The BIGGEST thing you'll want is just a strap / fitting mechanism that is comfortable and doesn't slip. And that's going to change from person to person. But the levels of protection are basically all the same, it will absorb enough impact so that you won't break your foot or hurt the fuck out of your shin. Even $20 shin / instep protectors will probably protect you shins. So then it's just a comfort, you don't want some that are overly bulky or will slide off / not fit comfortably.

If you want to just like... never go wrong, Venum, Hayabusa, Fairtex makes a mean shin / instep protector. Avoid everlast avoid the silly like... full length long compression sock looking shin/instep protectors... They can fit REALLY weird and they're the only type of protector that A. Arguably might not offer enough actual protection and B. Even though in theory the only reason ON EARTH you'd ever wear a full giant compression sock looking protector would be so it fits snug, they can actually slide around a lot.

Or think of it this way, if those compression sock fitting guards really worked why doesn't Hayabusa / Venum / the actual top muay thai brands do them? Its's only a style of fitting you get in the cheap-o shit brands.

 

[iFossil]

Alright, so protecting the shin is generally done to reduce actual phyiscal pain, which... what I would say is you REALLY want a full shin + instep protector. The most common injuries in kicking are when your opponent backs up or you trip or lose balance or slip or whatever... And you end up kicking with your foot... Which at the end is just a bunch of tiny ass breakable bones like your hand.....

While I agree most of the stuff you say. But MMA shin guards(The type you describe as full length long compression sock looking) are actually good if your sparring go from stand up straight to the ground non-stop. Reason is that the standard Muay Thai shin guards with straps can scrape someone's skin or face open especially if you use any technique like triangle or arm bar that have the back of your calf around someone's face, further more they are also a lot bulkier, not ideal to move around on the game, the strap also always come off during ground game.

Big brands do make MMA shin guards, especially Hayabusa that is the brand that makes the most, Hayabusa have many MMA shin guard models on the market, as far as I know the one Fairtex makes also has decently positive reviews on the internet. Venum only has a very entry level one. Others Thai brand don't make them because mma isn't that common yet(They barely manufacture mma gloves)

Just in my experience, my mma gym don't do too much full mma sparring from stand up all the way to the ground non-stop, they usually separate stand up sparring with additional to take down with no grappling or pure wrestling to grappling sparring with no stand up striking allowed. In this case I prefer to have a muay thai shin guards for former sparring and no shin guard for latter. If your gym do the same it's better to just acquire a pair of muay thai shin guards. However if they do the full set often, it's better to get the MMA shin guards for the flexibility.

 

[TheGhost1985]

I have the top King mma shins which aren't bad at all,they don't move around much during full mma sparring

 

[Snackattack]

While I agree most of the stuff you say. But MMA shin guards(The type you describe as full length long compression sock looking) are actually good if your sparring go from stand up straight to the ground non-stop.

That's actually true, however I feel like the general attitude I go with when it comes to sparring like that is to have different sparring. There's so many injuries that get caused by using gear that isn't really the best for striking sparring but allows grappling. And even those compression sock things will fuck up your ground game severely. When I do sparring for grappling we just generally agree to go lighter on the kicks / checks which is where most injuries will come from anyway. Those compression sock fit shin guards won't prevent injury anyway if you're throwing hard but nobody, even in hard sparring should be throwing hard. Leg kicks. Leg kicks are a way to break your opponent down and slowly immobilize them. Or a way to cause fight ending injury if you fuck up their knee. Not something that you can replicate in training without putting your partner out of training for at least a few days just recovering with sore as FUCK legs.

And then in grappling they're really annoying just as much as the normal more floating fit designs.

 

[Ryan Garry]

Thanks for all of the advice guys! There is a shop that sells MMA/BJJ gear in the gym where i train, they sell the Venum shin and instep protectors for €60, does anyone have aany experience with those ones or the adidas muay thai ones?

 

[muaythaimall]

wWe have the white Fairtex SP6 MMA Shin guards in stock all sizes ready to ship. Use the coupon code: sherdog and you'll get 10% off if you haven't already got yourself a pair that is

 

[iFossil]

Thanks for all of the advice guys! There is a shop that sells MMA/BJJ gear in the gym where i train, they sell the Venum shin and instep protectors for €60, does anyone have aany experience with those ones or the adidas muay thai ones?

You haven't even reply what kind of sparring you do...hard to tell you what is good or not.

And €60 Venum? I guess it's the Challenger one then if I am not mistaken? Those look rubbish, Three elastic bands at the back, not even with any possiblity of adjustment? Smh..