If you’re about to join your first ever kickboxing class, you’re probably wondering “what exactly do I need to wear to my kickboxing class?”. Kickboxing as a workout is very similar to doing high intensity cardio training. You will sweat a lot and you’ll want to make sure to bring some comfortable clothing with you. But there are areas in Kickboxing that you’ll want to make sure that you’re wearing the right clothing. Kickboxing training will require you to over extend your arms and legs when throwing punches and kicks. There are also essential pieces of kickboxing gear you’ll want to bring with you on your first day of Kickboxing class. This article will go over everything we recommend you wear and bring with you to Kickboxing classes to ensure you have as successful a first day as possible.
When we talk about what you should wear to your Kickboxing classes, it’s not necessarily to say “make sure you’re wearing the right brands”. This is not at all the case. Our emphasis will be on specific pieces of gear you’ll want to bring with you as wearing the right gear will improve your overall comfortability during training.
One example we can give you is the difference between training in a pair of jeans and training in a pair of spats (or compression pants and leggings for the ladies). If you try to throw a basic roundhouse to the heavy bag wearing a pair of jeans, you’ll feel extremely uncomfortable and stiff due to the thickness of the materials. But if you’re training in a pair of spats/compression pants, you’re going to feel more flexible and the breathability of the spats will keep your legs cool. With that said, would you rather train in a pair of jeans or spats? We hope you picked the pair of spats.
With us now breaking down the importance of choosing the right attire to attend your kickboxing classes, let’s now discuss the recommended pieces of gear for you to wear to your kickboxing classes:
A no-brainer on this list, you need to bring with you a comfortable pair of boxing gloves. Boxing gloves are essential to your kickboxing training as they will keep your hands safe and protected. There are pairs of gloves you’ll want to be wary of, such as low quality gloves with low quality synthetic leather and a lack of wrist support. Instead, make sure you invest in a pair of comfortable boxing gloves that will pad your hands with ample amounts of support.
A not-so-obvious piece of gear we recommend you invest in early is to buy some breathable t-shirts for you to train with. Having a set of go-to shirts that feel comfortable both dry and drenched of sweat can not only come in handy, but also will keep you cool during those intense kickboxing training days. Consider our collection of Fairtex shirts. These muay thai shirts are made with either soft cotton or breathable polyester and feel fantastic during kickboxing training.
Boxing hand wraps are paramount to any successful kickboxing training. They allow for our wrists to be secured during kickboxing training. Anyone who trains without hand wraps can risk injuring their hands and wrists in the process. If you’re looking for a set of colorful hand wraps, check out our Adidas hand wraps.
One of the more underrated pieces of gear that many beginner martial artists fail to invest in early is a solid pair of spats, or compression pants. Spats not only provide ample amounts of breathability due to the quality polyester, but they’re stretchy material allows you to be flexible with your leg strikes. As a guy, I would recommend you wear the spats underneath a pair of your favorite shorts. For ladies, your traditional yoga pants get the job done as well.
With us covering the essential pieces of gear to bring with you to your next kickboxing class, let’s review some additional pieces of gear that you may need down the road if you decide that you want to dedicate your short-term future to kickboxing.
A mouth guard is generally required if you plan on sparring kickboxing (simulated, controlled combat). A mouth guard serves one purpose: to protect your teeth. As someone who has sparred once without a mouth guard, receiving a clean uppercut to the jaw without mouthguard absolutely sucks. Please protect your mouth and teeth and invest in a kickboxing mouth guard.
Whether you’re planning on training full time in kickboxing, a lot of times coaches will want to have students engaged in technical sparring. Technical sparring is a controlled combat match where students go against one another at 10-20% strength levels. During technical sparring, you are pretty much safe, but you will want to wear a pair of shin pads for your sparring. Even if you’re striking at 10%, accidentally hitting someone’s elbow shin-to-bone hurts and shin pads help protect your shins.
Make sure you take your time in finding the right attire for your kickboxing training. Working out in uncomfortable clothes is a recipe for a bad time during your kickboxing training. Feel free to check out our collection of kickboxing gear that’s great for both beginners and intermediate level practitioners.
