Krav Maga Kit Essentials 

So you have just started training in Krav Maga , a full contact mixed martial art self defence system invented by the Israeli military, and you are looking for Krav Maga Kit essentials. There are certain bits of kit that you will need to buy to get the most out of a Krav Maga class. Typically the more kit you have the harder you can go and the more contact you will be able to do in class.

Here is the Krav Maga Bristol club the Bristol Titans essential kit list:

Top 5 Essential Kit for Krav Maga 

  1. Groin Guard
  2. Boxing Gloves or Muay Thai Gloves
  3. Gumshield
  4. Shin Guards
  5. MMA Gloves

Groin guard

It is famously said that “On the street there are no rules” and in Krav Maga we train to target soft and vulnerable parts of the body during an attack. Some parts of the body we can condition to take strikes such as the body and the legs and we can improve our capacity to take head shots through improved stance, positioning, footwork, timing and experience in sparring. However there are parts of the body which are hard to condition such as the groin, throat and eyes. Krav Maga students learn to attack the groin as well as other body parts and as such we need to get some decent protection for this sensitive area. Even if we are only sparring using MMA, K1 or Muay Thai rules then a groin guard is still essential as mistakes can and do happen.

There are two main types of groin guard for both male and female. The first is built into a sweat wicking compression short such as Underarmour and the second is essentially a Jock strap. Personally I believe the Jock strap variety to be the best, you would want to wear it with briefs and I also use a sweat wicking pair of compression shorts under mine. The Jock straps tend to be the cheapest but they keep everything tucked in and nice and safe.

I would advise both men and women wear a groin guard, even in boxing where no kicks or strikes below the belt are allowed, both men and women will wear a groin guard. Groin injuries are not gender specific and they are not worth the risk.

Cick here to buy: Mens Groin Guard Cup Sparring Groin Protector

Click here to buy: Womens Athlete Groin Guard

Boxing Gloves or Muay Thai Gloves

Sparring is an essential part of Krav Maga, it gives you the opportunity to work on your timing, distancing, footwork, head movement and to also build up your ability to take a punch or two. You will need a decent set of gloves, I recommend 14oz Muay Thai boxing gloves and get ones which have velcro fasteners.

Now for gloves don’t go for the absolute cheapest you can get, these ones below are still pretty cheap but will last you a while.

Or if you have a few more pounds to spare and like to go for the best type of kit (which is still reasonably cheap) then you can go for some of the better makes like Sandee or Twins.

Click here to buy: EVO Maya Hide Leather Pro GEL Boxing Gloves For MMA

Gumshield

To look after your teeth and give you something to bite down on during sparring you will need a gumshield, they run up to £60 for one made by your dentist but you can pick up a suitable and adequate one for under £10.

Click here to buy: Gumshield for Contact Sports (Black+Blue)

Shin Guards

For sparring we use Muay Thai shin Guards as they suit us best. You will want to get a shin guard which covers the foot as well as the shin. And I would avoid the MMA sleeve type shin guards as they take ages to get on and off. Krav Maga sessions are pretty fast paced and you will be switching between training with kit (for safety) and training without kit (for realism).

Click here to buy: RDX Shin Guards Premium Maya Hide Leather

MMA Gloves

4oz MMA gloves are really useful for providing adequate protection for your hands (and your partners face) during sessions of groundfighting. You can use boxing gloves but they are a bit cumbersome on the ground and you’ll want to be setting up for sweeps and grabs so you’ll need some finger movement! The best pair I’ve ever used are Sandee MMA Gloves (see link below) but you can also get some cheaper ones

Click here to buy: RDX MMA Gloves Maya Hide Leather

Other Recommendations:

If you are looking for other recommendations then head to this link:

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