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Choosing gloves and shin guards

Muay Thai

Pick glove weight and fit shin guards for training and sparring.

What coaches agree on

  • Wear around 16oz gloves for sparring and partner drills — the padding protects your training partner and your joints, not just you. Save smaller 8-12oz gloves for solo bag or pad work.
  • Match your shin guard padding to your sparring intensity and shin conditioning: firmer, thicker padding protects unconditioned shins in hard sparring, while experienced fighters can trade some protection for a lighter, more mobile guard.
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  • A shin guard that fits sits just below your kneecap and leaves your toes visible when you stand and bend your knee. Check this directly rather than trusting a brand's S/M/L label — sizing isn't standardized across brands.

Common mistakes

  • Buying the cheapest, thinnest gear — basic cloth-style shin guards or unbranded bargain gloves — for real training or sparring leaves you and your partner under-protected and risks injury.