Best Elbow Pads for MMA, wrestling or kickboxing 2022

In combat sports, MMA elbow pads are an underutilized piece of protective equipment, just like knee pads. Whereas common fighting equipment such as helmets and pads are used almost by every MMA fighter, elbow pads do not get the importance they deserve. Whether practising mixed martial arts or Muay Thai, elbow pads are an important necessity for your protective equipment.

There is a wide array of products on the market that provide elbow support and protection. They differ based on support sleeves and padding with differing materials, functions, sizes, and even costs. In this article, you will find some of the best MMA elbow pads.

Elbow injuries could pose lasting consequences. An elbow injury could keep you out of the combat sport for weeks, and in the worst-case scenario, for good. To sustain a prolonged career, appropriate elbow protection is vital. Furthermore, training without elbow pads could seriously hurt your training partner. An elbow hit can be extremely painful, and could cause lasting damage.

Benefits of Elbow Pads

Relieve pain caused by muscle tension.

Mixed martial arts elbow pads play a significant role in curing pain that occurs when a fighter’s muscles are stressed to a maximum level as a result of a heavy workout. They help to keep elbows at rest for as long as possible. By wearing elbow pads, they also help to prevent unnecessary elbow movements.

Prevent chronic injuries

In most scenarios, chronic injuries can be prevented by the person themselves. It is an important practice in MMA training and fighting to always wear elbow pads to prevent and protect yourself from injuries. This is especially important, considering that MMA fighters work out their forearm muscles a lot.

Materials Used in Making Elbow Pads

Polyester

 Also known as synthetic fibre, polyester is widely used in most clothing and household furniture because of its bendability. In elbow pads, it is used to strengthen support.

Rubber

 Rubber material is preferred in making almost everything because it is not expensive. It is highly durable, which makes it the suitable material to make elbow padding.

Nylon

 Nylon is preferred in making elbow pads because of its durability. It is used in making sleeves and covers, and interestingly, padding too.

Foam

 This involves a mixture of few base materials such as polymers. They are good for safety because they are soft, and can protect an MMA striker’s body parts from potential injuries and cuts.

Chiffon

 Chiffon involves a combination of various fabrics such as silk and nylon. It is preferred because it makes lightweight materials that are breathable. In elbow pads, chiffons are used to manufacture protective gear and sleeves. Additionally, chiffon also helps in sweat management and cooling down a fighter’s body temperature.

Choosing the Best Elbow Pads

When selecting elbow pads, take into consideration its amount of fit and padding. There are particular pads that are suitable for competing, preventing injury, etc. There are certain brands that are good for strikers with big arms, and there are those meant for people who like a tight fit. Make sure to try out couple of them before making the purchase.

Challenges with Elbow Pads

Many MMA fighters that detest using elbow pads forgo using them because of one frustrating reason: they shift out of position when they are fighting. To mitigate this problem, it is essential to select an elbow pad that is tight-fitting.

Many elbow pads if properly fitted on a fighter’s arm for a considerable amount of time will prevent circulation. However, this is a problem that fighters need to get accustomed to, because the discomfort caused by the elbow pads does not exceed the extent of the injuries that could get.

Another common problem with elbow pads is that they mostly come in one-size-fits-all. As a result, people with very small or huge arms often experience problems finding elbow pads that fits them properly. However, there are plenty of brands that come with a choice of different size options that enable you to pick one that suits you.

Elbow Pads and Healing

Combat sports such as karate, judo, taekwondo, Muay Thai and MMA discussions are mainly around elbow protection. This is because of the high number of joint Injuries associated with frequent training sessions and repetitive stress exerted on certain areas of a fighter’s body.

When elbow injuries occur, they are difficult and take a reasonably long time to heal. According to the NHS, typical joint dislocations and strains take an average of six weeks to heal, although you need to confirm with your practician before you resume training.

After the initial healing process, or if the injury was not so severe, it is important to keep your elbows safe from any additional strain or stress. This is where MMA elbow pads come in handy: they will keep you safe from the common injury sources such as hitting the mat in a takedown, or falling when sparring.

Conclusion

Mixed Martial Arts is a physical game that involves focusing on strikes to and from an opponent. In the event your opponent is throwing fist strikes, you are not only risking tension on your fits, but also your entire arm, especially the elbows. Even the best MMA strikers, even UFC Champions, attest to needing the appropriate elbow support because of the consistent striking sessions that in the long run could wear your elbows out. Therefore, it is important to always get the elbow pads that suit your activities. Take maximum advantage of the benefits associated with these elbow pads.

Before you engage in a sparring session with elbows, you and the sparring partner have to understand and both agree on the basic sparring rules with elbows. At all times, exercise caution and maintain an open and clear communication between both of you. It is vital to undertake all the required precautions because hard elbow hits could result in lasting damage, and a lot of time on the side-lines. Elbow pads are designed to prevent strikers from getting hurt: and it does so by softening blows from elbow strikes.