Expert Advice... from Chris Boughey - more coming soon!

Advice offered so far:
BODY PROTECTION
TRAINING EQUIPMENT
PUNCH BAGS
BOXING

BODY PROTECTION

Why do I need Body Protection?
Essentially to eliminate unwanted injury and provide your training partner with some protection. Injury can stop you from training in your chosen Martial Art so the more protection used the better. At some stage in your training you will have physical contact with another student. Your need for body protection may range from bag gloves to protect your hands when punching focus mitts, to the full array of protection required for sparring. Accidents happen – protect your body.

What protection do I need?
Good question…. Your chosen Martial Art will dictate the protection you need for club use and for competition. Look around at the other students in your club, what are they using? Ask your Instructor or if still unsure contact the team here at Power with Grace.

I’m thinking about sparring / competing, what equipment do I need?
Your Instructor should tell you what protection is required at club level, however entering competitions is different all together. Always check what protection is compulsory; you can do this by contacting the tournament organiser. Usually, the entry form for the tournament has the rules and required equipment printed on it. Be warned through, this differs from competition to competition and indeed from system to system.

Is all this body protection necessary?
As Martial Artists we learn and evolve, when I started training there was very little protective equipment around so our injury rate was high. Today there is great selection of quality equipment that will cut down on your injuries. I think it’s safe to say, the more body protection worn the better.

TRAINING EQUIPMENT

Why do I need training equipment?
Generally speaking, training equipment is used to enhance your Martial Arts skills. Stretching machines aim to increase your range of movement, impact equipment is designed to build up accuracy and power with your hands and feet, speedball work can improve the timing of your strikes.
The list goes on…

What training equipment will I need?
The Martial Art you have chosen will dictate the training equipment you’ll need, for instance, if you practice Judo, which is a throwing art, you would not need focus pads. Take advice from your Instructor and ask yourself the question – ‘ what type of training am I going to focus on?’ Because focus mitts and kick shields require a partner to hold those pieces of equipment, whereas the punch bag and speedball are good solitary training aids.

Is training equipment a modern concept?
Training equipment has always been utilised within the Martial Arts to enhance performance. Karate exponents used the Makiwara Board – a forerunner of all impact training aids, to condition the hands for punching. Modern Martial Artists have a huge array of training aids at their disposal, the mobile nature of the focus pads and kick shield means that such aids can be easily carried to and from the gym for added convenience.

PUNCH BAGS

What type of punch bag do I need?
There are so many types of bags available – different sizes, weights etc it really is down to personal choice. Ask yourself what do you need the bag for? If it’s for boxing that’s fine but if you do Thai Boxing you’ll need the long bag. The long bag offers you the chance to apply your low kicks in addition to punching the bag.

What is a freestanding Bag?
Normally you hang the bag from the ceiling or wall, however, with a freestanding bag there is a base. You fill this base to weigh it down for stability. The beauty of the freestanding bag is that you can place it anywhere with no wall or ceiling required. On the down side it does not move in the same way as the conventional bag when you hit it – but that’s something you quickly adapt to in your training.

Do I need bag gloves?
Yes, bag work can be damaging to the hands without them especially if you are not used to hitting the bag. Friction burns are common injuries sustained in bag work but it’s not all about minimising injury – the bag gloves will allow you to hit the bag harder due to the padding on the knuckle. Less injury to your hands mean you can train longer on the bag to improve your boxing skills.

BOXING

You will need bag gloves, boxing gloves, focus pads and a punch bag. If you are starting boxing you will have found your local boxing gym – check local council websites to ensure it’s a reputable club.

What are hand wraps?
Hand wraps are a way of giving the wrist and knuckle area more support and protection. The hand wrap must be put on correctly – your boxing coach will teach you. These hand wraps offer the wrist some support on impact when punching heavy bags, so remember, first hand wraps then your gloves.

Will I need a punch bag?
It depends on whether your boxing gym already has bags and you are able to use the gym regularly. If this is the case you wouldn’t need your own bag. However, it’s nice to have your own bag to hit when you want. Word of warning – always check you have enough space to properly hang the bag.