Bag Work: Shin Pads or Not?

[LoneRider]

When I was doing kick training on the heavy bag the other day after about three round house kicks delivered in rapid succession my shin started to hurt. I wonder if that was due to the fact that I'm unsued to kicking (the MA I practiced of late, Wing Chun, uses lower kicks to the knees and shins as primary impact point) or if it's indicative of a serious issue.

In any case I'm gonna still do kick training but with less intensity till I build up a tolerance and am considering investing in shin guards like I've seen Muay Thai guys use for training. Is that recommended for training my roundhouse kicks?

 

[Andrew Green]

To hit a heavy bag you should be ok. It will hurt a little for a while, but you will get used to it. Just good conditioning.

For sparring they are a good idea though.

 

[tallgeese]

Until you're more comfortable and conditioned a set of pad during bag work might not be bad. If you've noticed busing or such, then certainly use them until it goes down.

Personally, I don't wear them for bag or pad work. Drills either, just part of conditioning. It's a good controlled way to get used to it.

Now for sparring, I won't go without them. Most of us mortals have to go to work the next day.

 

[MattJ]

I don't use shin pads for bag work, and I only use them in sparring if I'm already bruised pretty bad. You will get used to it after a while. Just don't hit full force until you've got the technique down.

 

[LoneRider]

Thanks for all the advice thus far guys. I'm trying to get used to throwing round kicks after years of not throwing them (the last time I threw them on a routine basis was in TKD as a teenager, almost 13 years ago). My legs have gotten heftier from weight lifting and ruck marching and the like and I'm still trying to get the flexibility back so I'm starting slow.

 

[girlbug2]

I don't know why but I have never had bruised shins from kicking the heavy bag, however, the thai pads are a different story. It may be because thai pads are denser or stiffer? One thing that became apparent last week was that my left shin bruised far more easily than my right; it was suggested that the angle of impact can aggravate bruising, and my left leg was angled just a little differently, to result in more bruising. I'm working on correcting that now.

Oh but yeah, I would not recommend sparring without shin pads!