Tag: UFC

Many people remember seeing the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) on TV back in the mid-nineties when it was marketed as an anything goes bloodsport, and that image, though it should be credited for what it did in terms of building the brand from scratch, has haunted the UFC for years. Even after adding weight classes and new rules, as well as getting the sport sanctioned all over the country, many people still see it as cockfighting. Some people think every contact sport is too brutal, but I’m not talking about those loons.

I’m talking about the football and boxing fans still bash the UFC and say that the fights are too brutal, when in comparison, boxing is actually more dangerous for the fighters. Boxers take incredible shots to the head over and over again, and when they get knocked down by a punch, they are allowed ten seconds to get up and keep fighting. The only option in a boxing ring is to get knocked out/tkod, get a knockout/tko, or fight to a decision.

Football is basically a sport where giant men run full speed into each other over and over and over again. Football players of all ages sustain career ending injuries, and some have even died during play.

By comparison, the UFC doesn’t seem nearly as dangerous, let alone deadly for the participants.

In the UFC, the fighters aren’t forced to constantly trade punches. Due to the fact that MMA includes wrestling, Brazilain Jui-jitsu, boxing, and kickboxing, there are more ways to finish the fight. Sometimes a fight in the UFC will finish with neither fighter taking any punches, due to the ability of the fighter to take their opponent down and apply for submissions on the ground.

For those who would still disagree with me, think about this: At least one boxer dies every year in the ring. No fight in the UFC has ever resulted in a fighter being seriously injured, and a fighter has never died in the Octagon.

The fact is, the UFC is the most entertaining sport to watch, and it is a shame some people can’t see it for what it is: a physical chessmatch.

If you don’t want your hands to get all torn up, heavy bag gloves are the answer. When I first trained on a sand bag, I ended up with bloody knuckles.

One thing to be stressed is that bag gloves are meant for training and not for use with an opponent. They are made with little padding and will not protect your partner.

It is up to you whether to use hand wraps. Just be sure to size your gloves accordingly. Heavier gloves will help condition you for the rigors of boxing.

Hand wraps offer wrist protection which can be good but you will also want to work up to not using them so you can condition for ground fighting which requires mobility in the wrists.

Traditional Boxing Gloves

Should I use boxing gloves for the heavy bag workout or do I need bag gloves? It is up to you. There are some pluses and minuses to both.

There is no problem in using your 16 ounce boxing gloves on the bag. But you can save the wear and tear on your more expensive boxing gloves, by using the bag gloves.

Heavy bag gloves are leather or vinyl style ‘mittens’ that contain a decent amount of padding on the knuckles while also providing enough wrist support that errant injuries may not occur.

Construction

Of course it is not to say that you have complete protection, but they do certainly cut down to risk of injury.

The heavy bag is designed to optimize power and endurance so that is why it has little give. Therefore, you will need to be able to hit the bag with force and not worry about getting injured.

Since the heavy bag is hard and heavy, you obviously need to hit it hard as well. It will not give so in order to punch it hard without getting hurt, you need protection.

Other Workouts

Bag gloves can also be employed in other workouts in the gym. They can be used to hit the double end bag or focus mitts. What they cannot be used for is sparring since they are far too light to be used safely.

Do not use MMA gloves on the heavy bag unless you want to replace them soon. You’ll end up wearing out the gloves quickly and risking hurting your fingers. MMA gloves are not a good choice.

What To Purchase

When you buy heavy bag gloves, you want to purchase ones with enough protection, not the ultra-thin ones that do not provide enough support.

They simply do not provide the protection that you need. Heavier and more durable bag gloves produced by name brands are most definitely what you should look for instead as these are the top items to wear.

I recommend UFC bag gloves, along with the Century heavy bag gloves. Bad Boy, a UFC sponsor, also has a nice set up gloves. I have had experience with all of these, and they will all work great for bag work.