Spring is finally here! Have you given your martial arts gear the spring cleaning treatment yet?
The weather’s ideal for clearing all of the literal and metaphorical cobwebs that built up over the winter months. New flowers are blooming and reminding us all about fresh starts and renewals. And martial artists are starting to prepare for a new season of tournaments. It’s the perfect time to give your gear a refresh, too.
To help, we’ve put together this easy-to-follow guide to Martial Arts Gear Spring Cleaning. Let’s take a look at what needs cleaning, repairing, and replacing, and how to do it.
1. Unpack your gear and let it breathe.
The first thing you’ll need to do is make a proper assessment of all of your gear. Haul it all out. That includes everything from the smallest accessories like hand wraps to sparring gear to the bags you use for storage and transport. If you have a training space at home with bigger equipment like a training bag or strike shields, you can apply this process to them, too.
And then let it air out for a while. It’s good for the gear and might save you from any overwhelming stale smells during the rest of the spring cleaning process.
2. Get cleaning.
Launder any fabric gear like uniforms and clothing. Put your hand wraps in a wash bag and add them to the load. Some cloth gear like forearm, knee, shin and instep guards can also go in this load, as long as you use garment bags and a more delicate cycle, but you can give them a surface clean instead if you’re not sure. The same goes for your gear bags.
Thoroughly wipe and scrub the outside surface of any foam, vinyl, or leather gear with an appropriate cleanser. Clean the inside and outsides of any MMA, Boxing, or sparring gloves.
Brush your mouthguard and wash its case.
For more detailed tips on how to clean your martial arts gear and what to clean it with, check out our blogs on proper uniform care and gear care.
3. Start sorting.
Once you have a clear idea of everything that you have, it’s time to start figuring out what you want to keep.
On your first pass, focus on what’s still fit for training. Any uniforms or clothing that had become too worn out for regular training can be tossed or repurposed for rags. (Or saved for sentimental value if they were particularly important to your training journey.) The same goes for any gloves, sparring gear, protective gear, and focus training gear that’s staring to lose its padding or showing other signs of wear that are beyond repair. Put anything with smaller, more fixable issues in a separate pile. We’ll get to them in the next step.
The second pass is about figuring out what’s still right for your training in particular. Try on any uniforms, clothing, and protective gear that you haven’t worn in a while and make sure that it still fits properly and comfortably. Donate or store anything that doesn’t.
Finally, it’s time to start thinking about what you actually like. Do you have any gear for martial arts or cross-training that you don’t participate in anymore? Does the texture of a certain piece of clothing or sparring gear bother you when you train in it? Is there something about a certain piece of gear that has never felt perfectly right when you wear it and distracts you from performing to the best of your abilities? Or just makes training less enjoyable? Is the color or style just not you? Maybe it’s time to find a new home for that gear and find yourself something that’s a better match for your current training needs and tastes.
4. Get the fix in.
Now it’s time to take a closer look at your repair pile.
If you know how to sew, you can mend any small rips, tears, or fraying seams by hand. Or ask a friend who does know to help you out.
For bigger jobs, it might be worth it to take it to the pros. Alteration and repair shops are a solid option for any uniform or clothing issues. They can also hem any pant legs and sleeves that are too long for you. And if you participate in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, they can help you any new patches you need or want on your gi, as well.
For leather gloves or equipment repair, we recommend asking your instructors if they have any recommendations first. In a pinch, though, many shoe repair stores are willing to work with leather sports gear.
5. Fill the holes in your gear game.
We’ve taken care of the out with the old part. Now it’s time for some in with the new.
Once you’ve cleared out everything that doesn’t fit you or your current training needs, you can start to look for the gear that does.
If you got rid of an old uniform because it was too worn out or just didn’t work for you anymore, start browsing AWMA.com to find the style, size, weight, weave, and color you’re looking for. AWMA also has a wide selection of clothing, accessories, Boxing, and Muay Thai shorts to round out the rest of your martial arts wardrobe.
If you noticed any issues with the padding or construction of your boxing gloves, start looking for the perfect replacement. Have you been noticing that your hand wraps aren’t quite as elastic as they used to be? Get a new pair or two.
And if you happen to see something else you like while you’re on AWMA.com? Well, you did just make some new space in your closet. You can go ahead and fill it with a little treat.
