The first pair of kickboxing gloves I owned cost me $20 and did nothing to protect my hands and wrists. This became very apparent when I injured my wrist while I was punching the heavy bag. This injury took me out of the kickboxing game for several months. Very frustrating! This is when I started looking for the best kickboxing gloves to avoid injuries in the future.
After a great deal of research I found that when choosing kickboxing gloves for training on a punching bag or sparring, you will need 14-16 oz gloves with excellent wrist and hand support regardless of your hand size. 10-12 oz gloves should only be used on the punching bag for speed and accuracy training, and should never be used for sparring because of their lack of cushion and protection.
The Difference Between Boxing Gloves and Kickboxing Gloves; Which Should You Be Using?
Kickboxing gloves and MMA gloves are very different from boxing gloves. They are extremely light, have very little padding, and are much more flexible than a boxing glove.
Kickboxing/MMA gloves will generally only be used only in competition. These gloves are not designed with the padding a boxing glove has because MMA and Kickboxing include so many non-punching strikes (knees, elbows, and kicks) that in turn require less hand protection than boxing.
These light, flexible, gloves are also made to have a more open hand which allows for more clinches and catches. Kickboxing gloves are also less padded in the knuckle area than boxing gloves, with more padding instead distributed around the side and back of the hand.
So for training purposes, kickboxers can and should use a boxing style glove for sparring and hitting the heavy bag to keep their partner, hands, and joints injury free. Let’s take a look at when it’s appropriate to use a lighter glove and when to use a heavier glove.
How to Choose Your Kickboxing Glove Size and Weight
If you’re not kickboxing as a profession or to compete, you’ll want to use a heavier boxing glove for the majority of your workouts. What do I mean by “heavier”? Let’s take a look.
When to Use 8-12 oz Gloves
8 oz kickboxing gloves are generally only used for children. 10-12 oz gloves do not have enough padding to protect your hands or your sparring partner’s head, so these lighter gloves should never be used when training with a partner.
Lighter gloves can be used on a punching bag if you’re not focusing on punching power. They are a great way to work on your speed and accuracy as long as you aren’t overdoing it, hitting too hard or for too long. Most boxers will also use a 10 oz. glove to train on the bag when preparing for a match because 10 oz. gloves are the required weight for professional boxing matches. This is not the case for professional kickboxing.
I will talk more about pro kickboxing and MMA gloves later in this article, but it’s important to understand that the cushion in 10 oz. gloves does not give you enough protection or shock absorption to safeguard your shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints.
Using these lighter gloves too often to punch a heavy bag will eventually lead to injury. So stick to using 10-12 oz gloves for only short periods of time on the heavy bag, if at all.
When to Use 14-16oz Gloves
If you’re training at a gym, you will usually be required to wear a 16 oz glove for safety purposes. Many gyms will bend the rules and allow a 14 oz glove if your hands are very small and the 16oz is drowning your hand.
If you’re kickboxing at home you will still want to use a 14-16oz glove to keep your joints from getting pummeled. This is especially important as you’re getting up there in the years!
But even if you’re a young, fit and healthy just starting out in kickboxing, you’ll want to have lots of cushion in your gloves to save your hands and shoulders from repetitive use injury.
You could feel great after a session of wearing 10 oz gloves. Let’s face it, those feathery light 10 oz gloves can make you feel like a speed demon when throwing jabs and crosses, and the workout will be a piece of cake compared to punching with 16 oz gloves. But after years (sometimes even months) of training with lighter gloves, your body will eventually pay the price.
Another benefit of using 14-16 oz gloves is the harder workout you’ll get from them. You’ll fatigue quicker, and build up your endurance and strength faster with a heavier glove. Many competitive fighters use heavier gloves for some of their drills to prepare for a match.
Think of a baseball player who practices with a heavier bat in order to prepare for their games. The same training practice can be incorporated into kickboxing and boxing.
So in a nutshell, 14-16 oz gloves should be used to protect you and your sparring partner, to increase your strength and endurance, and to get the best calorie burn for your buck- if you’re training to lose weight.
When to Use 18-20 oz Gloves
18-20 oz gloves should be used by anyone with a very large hand or larger body frame for the same purposes that I discussed in the previous paragraph. Most of the time a 14-16 oz glove works well for most people, but if you’re over 150 pounds or if a 16 oz. glove is too tight on your hand, move up to a 18 or 20 oz glove. For training purposes, get the glove with the most padding possible that also fits your hand and your body frame.
What Else to Look For in a Kickboxing Glove
Besides, weight and padding, there are a few other things you should consider when buying a kickboxing glove.
Durability: First and foremost you will want a glove that is durable. Look for gloves with tight, double stitching if possible. Leather gloves are going to be the longest lasting and most durable in the long run but they aren’t always the most comfortable in the beginning. Like a baseball glove, leather gloves need to be broken in and this can take some time.
Synthetic leather is a great alternative these days. Manufacturers make some really high quality synthetic leather that feels almost better than the real thing. Since leather is more expensive to construct a glove from, a synthetic leather glove can also often have better quality stitching and foam for a better price.
You can get some really nice quality synthetic gloves for half the price of a leather boxing glove. Of course there’s nothing wrong with leather, and if you can afford it and don’t mind the break in period, they will last you many years. This is one of those things that is just personal preference and you’ll need to discover for yourself.
Comfort: Secondly, you will want a comfortable glove. It doesn’t matter how long it lasts if it’s not comfortable. Every hand is different so sometimes you will want to try out a few different gloves to find the one that is going to feel best to you.
I have my favorite gloves that you can check out in my recommended products page here that are super comfy, great quality, and a really good price. But again, this is a matter of personal preference and my favorite glove might not fit your hand the way you want it to. This is why I like to buy my gloves on Amazon. You can have them sent to your house, try them out, and if they don’t work for you, send them back delivery fee free! Gotta love Amazon Prime!
Design & Safety: Another important factor to look at in a kickboxing glove is how it is designed. If they have any plastic, or metal decor on the outside, avoid them!
You should only spar with gloves that are purely leather/synthetic leather on the outside with no raised emblems or pieces attached. I also would never want to use a glove with any embellishments on a punching bag because over time it will do damage to the bag as well.
So look for a pair of gloves that are very plain. Cool designs that are printed on the glove material are fine, but stay away from attached embellishments that could hurt your sparring partner or your punching bag.
What Are the Different Types of Gloves?
MMA– These fingerless gloves are built to be very light, with a minimal amount of padding. This allows the fighter to open and use their hands for catching kicks and grappling. They are worn in Mixed Martial Arts and would never be an option for kickboxing or boxing.
Muay Thai/Kickboxing Gloves– With less cushion in the knuckles and a more even distribution of padding throughout the back and side of the glove, these are designed to protect all parts of the hand for various kickboxing strikes.
They are also made to be a little more flexible to allow for a more open palm to catch kicks. Although these gloves are designed specifically for kickboxing, and are great for competing, they aren’t always the best option for training. Less padding in the knuckle area provides less protection for your joints and your sparring partner’s face.
Mexican Style Boxing Gloves- This is a type of professional boxing glove that has a more compact padding and is designed to mold tightly to the boxer’s hand. Some Mexican Style Boxing glove manufacturers such as Cleto Reyes even use horsehair padding. This horsehair filling has been traditionally used in Mexican Style gloves to give it a more firm feel than a classic boxing glove.
Sparring Gloves- For sparring, you and your partner will both want a pair of gloves with plenty of cushion. Sparring gloves are very similar to a traditional boxing glove, the main difference being the softness of the padding in the knuckles.
These gloves are highly cushioned to blunt the impact of a punch and keep your sparring matches injury free. These gloves do come in different weights but for safety reasons, 14 oz. gloves should be the minimum used in sparring.
Training or Bag Gloves– This is a general term that refers to the most common type of boxing glove. These come in a variety of weights, quality levels, and prices. They are also often simply referred to as boxing gloves.
Training or bag gloves can be used in most types of training. Many boxers and kickboxers like to keep a heavier pair for sparring and a lighter pair for working on their speed and accuracy on the bag.
Traditional Bag Gloves– Be careful not to get training/bag gloves confused with traditional bag gloves. These gloves are usually a very cheap, low quality boxing glove with very little support.
Traditional bag gloves are sometimes sold as a bundle with punching bags or given to you when you join a cardio kickboxing class. Do not use these to train on a bag or spar with a partner. They do not offer enough support or protection to keep you safe.
Professional Boxing Gloves- This type of glove is only required for those planning to compete professionally. They are generally a much more compact and firm glove designed to deliver a hard edged blow. A pair of professional gloves can often run hundreds of dollars.
If you see an inexpensive pair of boxing gloves labeled as “professional gloves” be suspicious. Many boxing glove companies use the term “pro gloves” for cheaply made non professional gloves. Professional gloves should not be used for training because of their lack of protective padding. Professional gloves often have a lace up rather than Velcro enclosure.
Should I buy Lace Up or Velcro Boxing Gloves?
Lace up gloves are really not practical for training. They are the most secure and supportive type of glove, but you will need to have a partner to help you every time you lace them up.
A really good pair of training gloves with a Velcro enclosure can offer plenty of support. And hand wraps are honestly where you’ll get most of your wrist support. Add a pair of hand wraps under a pair of great quality gloves and you should have all of the support you will need.
On the other hand, if you are competing or plan to engage in a heavy sparring match, lace up gloves are often the best option. Nobody wants their glove flying off in the middle of a match!
Can You Use Boxing Gloves for Kickboxing?
If you’re new to kickboxing, choosing the right gloves can be confusing. Not only are there a lot of choices in a wide range of prices, the type of gloves you should use in kickboxing isn’t always clear. So let’s try to straighten this out.
Kickboxing gloves are different from boxing gloves. As I explained earlier, kickboxing gloves are lighter, more flexible and have very little padding in comparison to boxing gloves. Most boxing gloves are very cushioned in the knuckle area to protect a boxer’s hands.
But you can absolutely use boxing gloves for kickboxing if you’re not competing. In fact, using a boxing style glove for any type of kickboxing bag work or sparring is recommended because of the highly padded protection that a boxing glove offers.
Because boxing gloves are heavier than kickboxing gloves, they can also make your kickboxing workout more challenging, leading to quicker gains in strength and conditioning. So yes, when you’re not fighting in a match, boxing gloves can and should be used for kickboxing. They will save you a lot of discomfort and pain, and improve your overall fitness.
What Size Boxing Gloves Should a Woman Use
Women often have smaller hands than men, but keep in mind that boxing gloves generally don’t come in sizes, they come in weights. As I discussed earlier in this article, heavier gloves are more protective and are recommended in sparring or punching a bag.
Not all boxing gloves fit the same so look for 14-16 oz gloves that run on the smaller side. These are a great quality, supportive, comfortable pair of training gloves that tend to run small so they would be a good choice for a woman with a smaller hand.
Of course if you find that your hand is swimming, even in a 14 oz glove, you will have to step down to a 12 oz. If your hand does not fit snugly inside your glove, you simply won’t have the support you need.
Do I Need More Than One Pair of Gloves?
A lot of people wonder if they need more than one pair of gloves and I’ll be honest with you – the answer is yes and no.
Kickboxing gloves are designed to be a one size fits all solution, but this isn’t always the case. If you train often, plan to compete, or do a lot of sparring, you might want to have different pairs of gloves for different needs.
Having a pair of sparring gloves in addition to your training gloves is a great idea if you can afford them. If you are going to compete you will also want a pair of kickboxing gloves.
While having extra pairs of boxing gloves is great for training partners or people who train more than once a week, you might not need that many yourself. If you only work out occasionally, it probably wouldn’t be worth the money to buy two pairs of gloves.
It’s a good idea to start with a good quality 14-16 oz. pair of training/bag gloves and add on as you increase the variety and frequency of your trainings.
What Other Equipment Will You Need for Kickboxing?
If you’re planning on doing some or all of of your kickboxing training at home, there are several other pieces of equipment besides gloves that could be helpful depending on your personal and specific goals. The following is a list of all of the items you could need, depending on what your focus is. To get a complete explanation of exactly what YOU will need based on YOUR training goals read this in depth article that will really break it down for you.
- Heavy Bag/ Punching Bag
- Hand Wraps
- Partner/Trainer
- Floor Mat
- Foot Wraps
- Protective Gear
- Kick Pads
- Weight bench
- Dumbbells in various weights
Most likely, you’ll only need a few of these to get great results from your workout! Check out the article I mentioned above to see what’s really necessary to meet your goals.