Blue Belt Test

[Azulx]

Well I don't consider myself very strong, just about average and I don't train much for strength, just a lot of cardio and agility/finesse b/c that's how I fight. But well trained women fighters are still very weak in terms of delivering power to their strikes, compared to men. The most well trained & buffed woman I've ever seen in person....is in my gym and she's even on steroids (clearly) and trains 2x a day, like 6-7 days a week, religiously. She's a crossfit + Kickboxing monster who was on Noguera's team and wins WKA's National down in Tampa anytime she feels like competing. I used to think she was trans., until I sparred with her and she went full power, and it was so weak, like the power of a 15 year old boy. Even with all that muscles, washboard abs and perfect physique.....my hard jabs was snapping her head all over the place, so I had to go like 30% power on her while she maintained full beast mode.

That's interesting , I've been hit by her and it doesn't feel like a little kid, or teenager.

 

[Azulx]

Why do you guys like those open hand gloves? Why not Boxing gloves that offers more protection, esp. from eye pokes? I think he gave her a shiner. I never understood how dudes can wreck a girl like that. I've only KO'ed 1 girl, but that was in a span of over 15 years of training and, she was built like a tank. This dude was out for blood.

I've thought about moving away from the foam dipped stuff. I'm just not a fan of making my students buy a bunch of gear. Any body new moving forward will buy the closed gloves, like my yellow belt does.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I've thought about moving away from the foam dipped stuff. I'm just not a fan of making my students buy a bunch of gear. Any body new moving forward will buy the closed gloves, like my yellow belt does.

I tend to suggest the foam-dipped stuff for starting out (given that most folks will quit before getting their money's worth). Beyond that point, I suggest either boxing gloves or kempo gloves (the latter can be used in combo sparring, where we allow some grappling). I prefer the kempo gloves most of the time, but also enjoy putting on the boxing gloves for more energetic stuff.

 

[Azulx]

I tend to suggest the foam-dipped stuff for starting out (given that most folks will quit before getting their money's worth). Beyond that point, I suggest either boxing gloves or kempo gloves (the latter can be used in combo sparring, where we allow some grappling). I prefer the kempo gloves most of the time, but also enjoy putting on the boxing gloves for more energetic stuff.

How many oz on the boxing gloves? Also I just googled Kempo gloves. Those look interesting.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

How many oz on the boxing gloves? Also I just googled Kempo gloves. Those look interesting.

Since most of the boxing gloves I find are sized by weight (meaning heavier gloves are larger), I go by hand size. I like the 16-oz for myself, and recommend small hands (like @AngryHobbit) use the 10 or 12 oz. Part of what I like about boxing gloves is the actual weight. Striking drills get more physical with them on, and if you condition yourself to hold up 10-16 oz. gloves for a whole "round" (whatever length that is), it's unlikely you'll drop them with anything lighter.

The kempo gloves seem a bit heavier and more cushioned than the dipped foam. If you decide to try some, get the Velcro wrists. The lace-up ones offer more support, but are a pain to put on and off.

 

[CB Jones]

Why do you guys like those open hand gloves?

So you have the ability to grab. Why wear Boxing gloves in a Karate or TKD match?

 

[FriedRice]

How many oz on the boxing gloves? Also I just googled Kempo gloves. Those look interesting.

I would go with 16oz for men, 14oz for women.

Kempo gloves look nice but expensive, unless you get the ProForce ones, and PF is usually junk. I've never tried them though. They look like MMA gloves with the fingers covered. Those edges at the fingers look like they can hurt eyeballs just he same or maybe worse once the material starts aging and drying out.

For $75 good Kempo ones, you can almost get 3 pairs of decent Boxing gloves. And dipped foam for when you want to knock someone out.

 

[CB Jones]

We switched to the Century Kize gear and really like it...way more durable than the regular dipped version.

We also plan on trying the Karate Combat Gloves once they are offered.

 

[FriedRice]

So you have the ability to grab. Why wear Boxing gloves in a Karate or TKD match?

He's mainly TKD. Do TKD even grab? We clinch all day in Muay Thai with Boxing gloves on. MT clinch work is way, way better than TKD and Karate. Many TMA's go for that Pro Force joint because they're the cheapest, especially in a set....that's why this girl may have a black eye from this video now

 

[CB Jones]

He's mainly TKD. Do TKD even grab?

Not sure about ITF. But many Karate and Open MA Organisations allow you to grab your opponents Gi and/or body while striking or for sweeps, and throws.

 

[AngryHobbit]

Since most of the boxing gloves I find are sized by weight (meaning heavier gloves are larger), I go by hand size. I like the 16-oz for myself, and recommend small hands (like @AngryHobbit) use the 10 or 12 oz. Part of what I like about boxing gloves is the actual weight. Striking drills get more physical with them on, and if you condition yourself to hold up 10-16 oz. gloves for a whole "round" (whatever length that is), it's unlikely you'll drop them with anything lighter.

The kempo gloves seem a bit heavier and more cushioned than the dipped foam. If you decide to try some, get the Velcro wrists. The lace-up ones offer more support, but are a pain to put on and off.

Hey! I have perfectly serviceable hands! Seriously, though, there are probably heavier gloves in smaller sizes, and I think it's worth training in them. But it does take some getting used to. You feel like you have a head at the end of each arm, and the first few tries your upper arms and shoulders start whining within a minute. It's amazing how long a 60-second round of sparring feels when you have those things attached to your arms.

 

[Deafdude#5]

I use a pair of thumbless MMA gloves for most of my sparring these days. While not as much protection as true boxing gloves. It allows me to clinch my thumbs in tighter for a proper fist for punching and grabbing when the opportunity arises.

It also has the double wrap Velcro wrist straps that add stability for my wrists as well.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I would go with 16oz for men, 14oz for women.

Kempo gloves look nice but expensive, unless you get the ProForce ones, and PF is usually junk. I've never tried them though. They look like MMA gloves with the fingers covered. Those edges at the fingers look like they can hurt eyeballs just he same or maybe worse once the material starts aging and drying out.

For $75 good Kempo ones, you can almost get 3 pairs of decent Boxing gloves. And dipped foam for when you want to knock someone out.

They are more padded than MMA gloves, but the concept is similar. They provide enough padding (similar to the dipped foam) for most sparring, and more than on the MMA gloves I've seen. They also pad further up the fingers than MMA gloves, which I suspect is more important in Kempo than is is for me (perhaps they have a strike or two that uses that surface of the fist).

 

[Gerry Seymour]

We switched to the Century Kize gear and really like it...way more durable than the regular dipped version.

We also plan on trying the Karate Combat Gloves once they are offered.

Those are interesting. How does the price compare to other options? I don't have a wholesale account with Century (don't even know if they're available), but I'd consider recommending those for students if they're less expensive than the Pro Force kempo gloves.

 

[CB Jones]

The gloves pictured were made for the Karate Combat league....and aren't on the market yet. The Karate Combat Site says they are "coming soon."

 

[Gerry Seymour]

The gloves pictured were made for the Karate Combat league....and aren't on the market yet. The Karate Combat Site says they are "coming soon."

If you see them posted as available, would you post on MT to let us know? I'd like to consider them.

 

[CB Jones]

If you see them posted as available, would you post on MT to let us know? I'd like to consider them.

Absolutely

 

[Martial D]

Little Blue Belt test Action from last night. Hope you enjoy!

I do enjoy these videos of yours. I would love to come in and spar with you.

I see you've taken the collective MT advice on keeping your hands up. What you haven't done is work in slips, parry's and covers with those up hands, (which would stop so many gloves from getting through) but I guess that stuff isn't in a tkd syllabus? No idea, but adding those and other 'from cover' boxing stuff like head movement and lateral footwork could really bring your sparring game up a notch.

Rock on.

 

[FriedRice]

Not sure about ITF. But many Karate and Open MA Organisations allow you to grab your opponents Gi and/or body while striking or for sweeps, and throws.

This is a tough call with those Kempo gloves that ranges from $40 to $80. $40 is for the cheap Pro Force or Century junk, made out of fake leather that will be full of edges, especially once they age/wear and gets more pointy. It's the edges that catches and scratch people's eyeballs...like with a glancing swipe. This is an ongoing problem in MMA with MMA gloves. These Kempo gloves may make it worse as there will be more edges now as the entire fingers are covered separately, even for the $80 leather ones.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

This is a tough call with those Kempo gloves that ranges from $40 to $80. $40 is for the cheap Pro Force or Century junk, made out of fake leather that will be full of edges, especially once they age/wear and gets more pointy. It's the edges that catches and scratch people's eyeballs...like with a glancing swipe. This is an ongoing problem in MMA with MMA gloves. These Kempo gloves may make it worse as there will be more edges now as the entire fingers are covered separately, even for the $80 leather ones.

I've not noticed any of that with my Kempo gloves. The main striking surface is nicely smooth. I don't hit much with the other surfaces, so it's possible those could wear to more angles, though I haven't seen it happen yet. I'll keep an eye on that.