Best Strike Shields for MMA, kickboxing or Muay Thai 2022

MMA strike shields are leather hand-held pads, that are constructed from gel and dense foam. They are applicable for people that are training for Mixed Martial Arts, Muay Thai, or Kick-Boxing.

Obviously, MMA is a risky sport, especially if you don’t pay close attention to the safety aspects of the game. All sorts of injuries could occur at whatever time, and could be even career ending. To make it safer, while throwing kicks and punches, it is essential to use the appropriate protective gear and pads.

As an MMA fighter, to realize your full skill and potential, it is important to test your full physical power and strength. To achieve this, you ought to have the appropriate equipment that will allow you to achieve all these things. In order to help you arrive at a reasonable decision, here is an article about the best strike pads in MMA, and the rfactors you should pay attention to before pulling the trigger on a particular product.

Purpose of Strike Pads

Kicking shields are used to enhance a person’s power, speed, and technique against real targets. More so, the best strike shields provide pad holders with the ultimate protection, and it is a vital piece of equipment that you must have to achieve your maximum kicking prowess.

MMA strikers use striking pads to improve the way they kick, punch, and hit with their knees and elbows. That is why they are filled with foam and padded to ensure that the shield absorbs strikes and hits from the striker.

Due to the fact that strike pads have many grip points, they are used to train on strikes such as front kicks as well. To ensure that they are durable and last long enough, the outer covers of the strike pads are made of leather with high-quality stitching.

There is a wide array of strike pads from top manufacturers and brands of MMA products and equipment. There are standard options as well as those designed to handle specific strikes and techniques in a better manner. They also differ based on functions, shapes and sizes.

Factors to Consider When Selecting Strike Pads

Curved Vs Straight Pads

A pad’s curvature is a key consideration because fighters take months to get used to the ones with no curve. That being said, if you want to start using the shields right away, then go for the curved pads.

Construction Quality

When deciding on the best strike shield, checking the shield’s construction quality should be one of the first things that should cross your mind. In most cases, you will find that the best strike shields are made of leather. Recently, many manufacturers are employing the use of synthetic leather in making strike pads. Strike pads with synthetic leather are more damage-resistant, and have stronger properties.

Thickness of Strike Pads

The thickness of the shields in an important aspect to consider. This is because smaller strike pads are designed to be easier to hold on when practising, and with all those kicks, your arms do not tire. However, they do not provide the protection that is provided by thicker strike pads. The best strike pads need to have enough padding to prevent shocks from all sorts of kick strengths.

Types of Strike Pads

The type of strike pad to be selected depends on the fighter’s level of experience and training goals. A curved strike shield is a key protective tool for an MMA fighter, but could be very useful to a person that practises Muay Thai. Also, a kicking shield could be useful in a plethora of attacks, but does not provide the required accuracy. Here are some of the types of shields.

Strike Shield

 Practice is an important input that you ought to have in combat sports. The strike shield is designed for kicking, and is highly durable. It is constructed with synthetic leather, and holds well at homes or commercial gyms. Strike shields resemble the typical combat shield. It is round and is held by the forearm. It is used for protect strikers from blows and strikes, and enables trainers to learn how to prevent these attacks.

Body Shield

 They are plenty of body shields in the market. Some can be strapped around a fighter’s forearms, and some are large enough to be strapped around a trainer’s torso.

Kicking Shield

 Kicking shields use a foam configuration that is unique, and offers unparalleled protection level for trainers. The kicking shield consists of side handles that make it a more versatile tool.

Flat Strike Pad

 As its name suggests, a flat strike pad is a rectangular shield strike with no curve to it. It is pretty plain in its front and back. It is often used in a variety of martial arts to offer an all-round striking target. It is also designed to prevent a person from going flying if the person they are training with has a strong kick.

Curved Shield

 This is a multi-angled body strike shield with six different grips that are fully reinforced to provide ultimate versatility during training. As a result, trainers get the minimum of injuries while being able to position the strike shield stably. Its curved design provides more versatility in kicking strikes and styles, and also provides more trainer manoeuvrability.

Purchasing a Strike Shield

When you want to buy a strike shield, only buy them from reliable and trusted dealers who have a history of providing authentic and quality protective gear. In addition, there are online stores that also have some of the latest and classic models of impressive strike pads from top brands and manufacturers.

Summary

Whether you are doing mixed martial arts as a hobby, or as a professional practice, it is important to have a strong and durable strike shield. Strike pads prevent or minimize impact and injuries that could arise as a result of strong kicks and strikes.

Furthermore, if you are a person that practices regularly, you need to have a durable product with an ability to withstand constant punishment. Therefore, use the aforementioned tips and examples of strike pads to find one that suits you the best.