When you are ready to start looking for sparring gear, a quality piece of Boxing or MMA sparring headgear should be the first priority on your list. Whatever fighting style you train in, eventually you will want to protect your head.
When searching for headgear online, it largely falls under the categories of Boxing and MMA. For this article, training references made to this piece of sparring gear are from training self-defense for sudden acts of extreme violence.
Whichever style you practice, the bottom line is to protect your head from injury. The fighting styles mentioned above are the some of the most popular in the country which is why when searching online, your search results will provide the same headgear available across the board.
Can You Train Without Headgear?
Some people might think it is bad ass to be able to take a punch to the face or head without any protection, what is the point of training to fight if you don’t know how to take a punch right? I'm hear to tell you that you are not alone in this thinking.
For a long time I had the same mentality, the “I ain't got time to bleed syndrome” (that's a predator reference-the original) but let me emphasize, you want to protect your head.
I will be first to admit that sparring headgear should have been a personal purchase a long time ago, however my ego was winning all the battles. After all the concussions issues around the NFL started happening is about the time when I started thinking about protecting my brain.
It does not help when you feel like shit the next day either. Sure the bruises might be cool, but I don’t want to wind up with Alzheimer’s disease or CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), too many punches to the head does not do a body good.
My choice pictured above is the RDX head guard maya hide leather sparring headgear. The velcro strap system in the back provides for quick access on and off, without having to mess with tying strings, and also a secure fit preventing unwanted shifting. The face grill option is nice for protecting your nose from getting busted up.
Proper Fit
I tried several through trial and error, ordering online, trying on and immediately sending back until I finally found the RDX that fit just right and was relatively inexpensive. It not only provided head protection but also for my face as it came with a removable face grill.
It is a bit of a guessing game when it comes to fit, especially if you have never purchased headgear before. You might have to play a little fitting tag until you get it just right. Speaking of fit, the chin fits nicely inside a little pouch, not like others that simply have a strap.
Should I Still Wear A Mouth Piece?
Im not going to tell you wether or not to wear a mouthpiece still. I believe at this point it becomes a matter of preference. Me personally I don’t wear one with my headgear. I have been training for 13 years now and I know to keep my mouth shut when punches are flying.
However this is not suggesting you do the same. It is always a good idea to wear a mouthpiece when sparring but when you have headgear on it can become difficult to breath.
If you are not use to wearing a mouth piece with headgear or your cardio level is at a beginner phase, try wearing your mouthpiece when exercising to get use to breathing with it.
Face Protection
The face shield is another added feature that provides extra protection for those still working on their control, preventing you from going home with some black eye trophies. The face shield on this particular model is a plastic-encased grill which I prefer over a full facial shield that has the potential to break and send shrapnel into your face.
Practical Use Of Headgear
The downside to headgear with a strap is that if you are doing any kind of grappling then your headgear will most certainly get ripped off or worse wind up choking you, or being used as a device for choking. Even though this is training, you still don’t want to get choked with a chin strap, not fun.
Other Headgear Features
The ears are protected by foam padding however the space between your ear and the outside of the headgear is just enough to allow for compression of the ear drums if someone were to deliver a strike to the side of your head.
Whether this is an accident or you just happen to piss someone off, you will definitely walk away with a headache and deaf ears. On the other hand it does feel better that a direct hit to the side of your head without any protection.
High-end MMA Headgear
When it comes to premium headgear, Your paying to protect your brain after all, so forking over a few extra dollars for a premium product shouldn’t be an issue. Once again however, this is all based on personal preference.
All that being said, one of the best top of the line models is the Hayabusa T3 Kanpeki Boxing and MMA Headgear (click to check it out on Amazon.) This 100% premium full-grain leather model has a sleek design to help maximize the deflection of punches. Another practical feature is the T-cross closure which prevents shifting and provides for a custom fit. There is no face guard however, which could be an issue for some.
Features To Look For In Sparring Headgear
- proper fit
- face shield (personal choice)
- chin strap or pouch
- velcro or string or just chin strap
- ear is covered
- breathability
- proper cushion
- premium materials
Maintaining your Headgear
Disinfecting your gear is always a good idea after every use, not only to prevent unwanted germs catching a ride but also performing lasting maintenance to the materials and not prematurely wearing out your headgear. Careful not to use certain chemicals that could cause damage to the materials.
Medical Reference:
https://www.medicaldaily.com/head-blows-and-brain-injury-boxing-and-mixed-martial-arts-cause-similar-loss-320000