Starter pack: all the equipment you need to practice martial arts

Martial arts training is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. As a lifelong practitioner, I can confidently say that my experience with boxing, kickboxing, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Kenpo Karate and Wing Chun has made me a better, more balanced person. Preparation is key, though, so before you start throwing punches and shooting takedowns, take a look at the gear that can get you started.

How we chose these items

I have trained in various martial arts for the better part of 20 years. During that time, I’ve gone through countless pieces of equipment and developed as many equipment preferences as I have my protein powder preferences. The list below includes some of my personal favorites, as well as some that I think are great for anyone just starting out. Remember, as with any product, you need to find the equipment that best suits your needs and within your own budget.

GLOVES, SHIN Guards AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

“Protect your tools.” I will never forget these words from my first MMA coach. Having good quality protective gear is essential for longevity in the fighting game, even when you’re not competing. Whether you’re dishing out the punishment or defending against it, you want to make sure your hands, shins, teeth, and whatever else is taken care of.

Best boxing gloves for all purposes: Hayabusa S4 Boxing Gloves

Everyone needs a standard pair of full-face boxing gloves for training. These are perhaps the most basic pieces of equipment for a hunter. They can be used for solo training on the heavy bag, for hitting the focus mitts with a trainer, or for light drilling with a partner. The Hayabusa S4 is a great starter glove that is suitable for almost any training. Buy 16s (ounces) if you expect to spar (most gyms have a minimum rule of 14-16 oz depending on your weight class).

Best MMA Gloves: RDX hybrid MMA striking gloves

If you are trying to wrestle during your sparring sessions, you will need a glove with an open palm and fingers to get enough grip. I have a pair of black and gold RDX MMA gloves, and I love them. The knuckle padding is enough to protect my partner from light blows while not being too bulky to trap a jiu-jitsu choke.

Best hand bandages: Ringside Mexican styles 180 cm hand wraps

A good hand support is essential to ensure that your hand bones remain properly aligned during impact. I like the Mexican style shawls because of the bit of elastic they provide. It gives you a tight fit without cutting off circulation. Even with smaller hands, make sure you have 180 cm, so that you have enough material to work with. Ringside is an important part of the boxing world, so that brand is always a good choice.

Best shin guards: Fairtex SP5 shin guards

I have more pairs of Fairtex shin guards than I know what to do with. They have been a standard piece of equipment in my arsenal since I started training. They are at the perfect midpoint of efficacy, affordability and simplicity. You’ll appreciate how easily you can take them off when your workout is over. They are also made from the Fairtex Syntek leather, making them vegan.

Best Elbow Pads: Combat Sports Advanced IMF Tech Elbow Pads

When you start adjusting to throwing elbows, the amount of gear you’re wearing makes you feel a little Robocop. That said, elbows can do a lot of damage, so proper padding will ensure you don’t recreate Matt Brown’s famous knockout during practice.

Best knee pads: Adidas wrestling knee pads

Knees take a beating during combat training, and not just when they get caught in a heel hook leg lock. Checking kicks and pounding knees during a roundhouse can be quite painful with poor technique and no padding. The Adidas knee pads are low enough to not get in the way under your shin guards and protect your partner if you kneel his ribs in the clinch.

Best Mouthpiece: Venum Challenger mouthguard

Dental work is expensive and usually painful, so protecting your teeth is a good idea. Most people I train with have at least one or two of these Venum Challengers in their training bag. I also wear it when I roll (the colloquial term for grappling in jiu-jitsu) because it keeps me from scraping the inside of my mouth when my face is pressed into the ground.

Best groin cup: Venum groin protector from competitors

Should I even ‘sell’ this? Getting hit between the legs hurts anyone, so protect those sensitive parts of your body as best you can. It is a traditional design that allows you to wash the garment and cup separately.

Best earmuff: Cliff Keen E58 headgear

For many, cauliflower ear is a rite of passage in fighting (especially wrestling and jiu-jitsu). It causes large build-ups of scar tissue. For the rest of us, inserting earbuds can be a lot more work than necessary. The Cliff Keen headgear is nice because the shiny, non-porous material doesn’t absorb sweat or water, making it easy to rinse.

CLOTHING

You’re going to be twisting and turning your body, sweating a lot, and even having your clothes put on when you exercise, so dressing properly on the mat is important. I’m usually pretty modest when it comes to my gym clothes and just ditch my old band tees, but a well-constructed jiu jitsu gi or comfortable Thai shorts can go a long way.

Best jiu-jitsu gi: Top sport BJJ Gi

The gi is probably one of the most iconic outfits in martial arts gear. Nearly identical cuts are used in jiu-jitsu, karate, tae kwon do, judo and numerous other disciplines. It even has its own emoji. You can get really fancy with gis, but I like this basic Elite Sports BJJ gi to start with. It’s cheap, does the job, and the black with red trim makes me feel like Kylo Ren.

Best all-purpose rashguard and shorts: Half Sumo NoGi bundle

MMA and the UFC have really popularized no-gi jiu-jitsu over the past few decades, and guys like Gordon Ryan have shown what mastery in the sport can look like. Half Sumo is a New York-based company that prints wild art and patterns on top-quality equipment. I would even wear these off the mat because they look so good. The form-fitting material prevents bunching and chafing. It also wicks away sweat effectively.

Best Thai Shorts: Yokkao Carbonfit Shorts

Yokkao is one of the most recognized names in Muay Thai, and for good reason. With GOATs like Saenchi on their roster, it’s no wonder people train at their facilities and wear their gear. The Carbonfit shorts are nice because they don’t have fancy materials and are easy to throw in the wash. They’re short for maximum freedom of movement, and the wide waistbands keep them in place.

Best Boxing Shoes: Hayabusa Pro Boxing Shoe

If you’re a fan of the elite-level movement of recent champion Vasily Lomachenko, you might want to practice your footwork. I’ve never been a fan of boxing shoes myself, but the guys I train with swear by the Hayabusa Pro Boxing shoe for its versatility and style. The high reach provides ankle support and the textured bottom provides grip without tripping over it.

Best All-Purpose Workout Sweatsuit: Adidas Sportswear Basic 3-stripes jersey tracksuit for men

The Adidas tracksuit is a classic for a reason, and to this day most of my non-sports specific training gear comes from their store. I actually have several, and each has its own place: a tracksuit for when I go to teach, a tracksuit for when I go to work out, another for when I go for a run, and another for when I go for a run. I just get a bagel and a cup of coffee on Sunday afternoon.

PERIPHERALS

To take all that equipment with you and train yourself, you’ll need a few more essentials. Make sure you’ve completed your checklist with these last few go-tos for fighters.

Best workout bag: Superare Carcico equipment bag

Superare is one of the best (and last) fight shops in New York City. They have the best combat equipment in Manhattan and some great custom equipment themselves. I just got their gear bag this year and I love it. It fits my gloves and pads, my gi, change of clothes, and easily converts from a duffel bag to a backpack. Can’t go wrong with it.

Best Pain Relief: Tiger Balm Sports Rub Pain Relieving Ointment

I have seen Tiger Balm in dojos and martial arts schools for as long as I can remember. Honestly, I don’t know if it works from a clinical perspective, but I do know that we all swear by it in the fighting community.

Best Timer App: Boxing iTimer app

I use this app every day. It is simple, easy to use and effective. So many apps have a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles, but the Boxing iTimer app gets straight to the point. It’s one of the few free apps I pay for just because I use it so often.

Best Basic Fan: Vornado 133 small air circulation pump

The more you train, the more you sweat – plain and simple. One of the most effective ways to keep your belongings from smelling like hot garbage is to keep them dry. I religiously place my gloves and shin guards in front of a fan until they’re dry after every workout, and I do the same with my jiu-jitsu gis (after rinsing them) if I can’t get them into the wash right away. This will be more effective than all those disinfectants and charcoal inserts combined.

Best Jump Rope: Twin Muay Thai rope

Other fighters will know you mean business when they see you jumping with the classic blue or green Twins Muay Thai jump rope. It’s heavier than a typical rope and will kill your toes if you get caught, but it will make your cardio relentless and turn your shoulders and forearms to steel.