Sports Then and Now

Whether you’ve recently started with Taekwondo or you have some experience already, the fact is that you might have noticed that in this sport, protection gear is quite a big deal. When sparring, the chance of getting injured is rather high. That’s why beginners are instructed to get a set consisting of head and chest guards, foot protectors, shin pads, and even groin protectors.

A chest guard is vital because it can protect your most important internal organs. Both headgear and mouthguards are necessary for every sparring session. If you haven’t bought this type of protective gear, you might not know what to look for. The simplest way of going about things is to understand that a good fit can get you out of trouble every time.

That’s why chest protectors have to come with Velcro straps so that you can adjust their fit to a certain extent. Most medium-sized hogu’s are recommended for women, with large and extra-large options being intended mostly for men.

So, why do I need good protective gear even when I kick the bag at home?

It goes without saying that you don’t need all that much protection if you plan to practice on your own. One of the first things you’re going to require is a Taekwondo kicking bag. While some parts of the gear you can do without, there are some essential components that you can’t leave out.

These include shin pads and any other protectors that cover fragile areas where the muscle might not be developed enough to offer adequate protection to the bone. It stands to reason that all of these items are made to provide you safety. However, sometimes setting the kicking bag appropriately is even more important than focusing on using the right protective equipment.

While a vast variety of kicking bags designed for this type of martial art is self-standing, others have to be hanged on the ceiling. In this last case, the user has to be extremely careful to make sure that the installation process is efficient. The last thing that a martial arts practitioner would enjoy would be to be hit by his or her own. What’s worse, it can collapse onto one of your limbs and injure you in a very serious manner.

The right equipment makes all the difference

Both the bag that you will be using and the protective gear that you will end up choosing can have a significant impact on your overall performance. With bags, the base, the cover, and the fill are crucial. Some bags can be conveniently filled with water, thus allowing the user to kick them comfortably and without worrying that they’ll accidentally injure themselves.

It is not recommended for a Taekwondo bag to be filled with sand or old clothes. These two fillings are preferred by those who are on a budget, but in time, they can make the base of the bag to be extremely hard to hit.

With shin pads, one should focus on getting the right amount of comfort, fit, and protection. Make sure that the model you’re considering comes with elastic or Velcro straps so that you can customize the size. Avoid getting used protective equipment as you can’t know what it has been through.