Cloth gear like forearm, knee, shin and instep guards is a very versatile type of martial arts equipment. It’s suitable for almost any martial art, experience level, and budget.
Cloth gear can provide coverage for martial artists during sparring and a little extra padding for the joints in technique training and conditioning exercises. They’re lightweight and comfortable enough for beginners to use, but durable and effective enough for seasoned martial artists. And they’re affordable enough to make them a practical investment for everyone from the most dedicated regular to the most casual weekend warrior.
And the versatility doesn’t stop there. With a little ingenuity, cloth gear can also come in handy in a wide range of places outside of the gym, too.
From the dojo to the convention, here are 5 ways to get the most out of your cloth gear.
Martial Arts
Cloth gear was designed to give you coverage against scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other irritations during sparring and full body contact training. It’s used by martial artists who train in Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, MMA, and other disciplines that involve striking and sparring.
Soft and lightweight, cloth knee guards, shin guards, instep guards, forearm guards, and elbow guards are a popular choice for martial artists at every experience level. Once you put them on, you’ll barely feel them. Which allows you to focus on refining your striking and defence techniques and putting them to the test. They’re also solid enough to provide coverage at most intensity levels. (Pros and other high end competitors might choose for a stronger and more rigid gear for their full contact, maximum intensity sparring like the ProForce® Gladiator MMA Muay Thai Shin & Instep Guard. But cloth gear is an excellent options for the rest of us.)
Some grapplers also find cloth knee guards and elbow guards useful for their training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and submission wrestling because it provides some extra padding for their joints during technique training and rolling.
Fitness Kickboxing
Fitness kickboxing enthusiasts appreciate a lot of things about traditional kickboxing training. They like the strength and cardio conditioning. Hitting things can be a source of stress relief and fun. And they love the results.
Most of them are less into the getting hit part of actual martial arts training. That’s why fitness kickboxing is built around shadowboxing techniques and pad and bag work. Cloth gear can help people who don’t want to participate in full contact training or sparring to add some new drills and techniques to their workout routines.
Shin guards and forearm guards are a worthwhile investment for gyms and instructors who are looking to bring something new to their fitness kickboxing classes. Show your students how to put it on and teach them how to do basic shin kicks and defence drills with about 25% of their usual punching and kicking power. This will give them all of the coordination, agility, and general body awareness training of a sparring session but none of the uncomfortable impact.
Other Sports
The same comfortable, lightweight padding that makes cloth gear so great for grappling and fitness kickboxing can also benefit recreational athletes in other sports. Knee and elbow pads are good for volleyball. Elbow, knee, forearm, and shin guards can be useful floor hockey, road hockey, and baseball. Dodgeball players could probably benefit from a whole range of cloth guards.
There are obviously some cases where sports specific protective gear is a much better option. We don’t recommend dressing up in cloth gear to play goal in ice hockey, for example. But if you’re looking for more general support and coverage during your recreational physical activities, there’s a good chance that cloth gear can give it to you.
Gardening and Other Chores
That goes for activities outside of sports, too. Cloth gear can provide you with that same level of support and coverage during your hobbies and chores. A pair of cloth knee guards have the power to make gardening and scrubbing significantly more comfortable. Forearm guards can make pruning and tree trimming more tolerable. Elbow, forearm, and knee guards can all be useful if you’re moving furniture or other heavy items. This is especially true if you’re clumsy or struggle with body awareness. That little bit of extra padding and barrier between you and the outside world can make all sorts of tasks a little less annoying and unpleasant.
Cosplay
With a little imagination and DIY spirit, cloth gear could be a part of your next cosplay or Halloween costume. Forearm, fist, shin, and instep guards can be turned into superhero armour with a little paint, dye, or sewing skills. They also make a solid base for a robot costume.
And if you’re looking for something a little more low effort, all it takes is a couple of cloth guards and random household appliances to turn yourself into a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic warrior.
