Cameron Allen
When you begin to train for a combat sport, the first piece of equipment you will buy are gloves. However, boxing gloves and Muay Thai gloves cannot be used for one another.
This is due to the differences between them in several areas including:
- Padding
- Wrist Support
- Weight
Read below to learn the difference between boxing gloves and Muay Thai gloves and how to choose the right glove for you.
Can Boxing Gloves Be Used For Muay Thai?
Technically, yes, you can use regular boxing gloves for Muay Thai. However, because both the sports have an immense amount of differences, you will face difficulty practicing Muay Thai techniques.
Unlike boxing, Muay Thai involves a variety of techniques aside from striking, your fingers, palms, and wrists hold huge importance in the execution of these techniques.
An efficient execution would be severely compromised if you wore boxing gloves, therefore it is not recommended at all.
Features of Boxing Gloves
Boxing gloves have many features that make them essential. For starters, they are designed with ample padding to protect your hands and wrists from the risk of injury. In these gloves, the padding is usually made of foam or gel, for maximum absorption against punches.
They also have a secure closure system, such as Velcro straps or laces, to ensure a snug and comfortable fit. This will help you keep your wrists stable and reduce the risk of sprains or strains. They also have a thumb attachment to prevent accidental eye pokes and injuries.
The outer shell is typically made of durable synthetic or genuine leather. Boxing gloves come in a variety of sizes ranging from 8-16 ounces.
These weights and sizes have a purpose, bigger sizes are for building strength in your punches and the smaller sizes are for improving speed and accuracy. The size you choose depends on your training goals and the rules of the boxing organization you compete in.
All in all, modern boxing gloves aim to improve performance and maximize safety and absorption.
The Venum Impact is one of their best sellers because of the triple-density foam used to enhance protection and shock absorption in your hands and wrists.
Features of Muay Thai Gloves
Muay Thai gloves have a few unique features that make them perfect for their sport. For starters, Thai gloves are usually more compact with a tighter fit than traditional boxing gloves. This allows you to have better control and precision over your strikes especially when clinching and using elbow strikes.
These gloves also have less padding on the back for a more comfortable and natural hand position. However, the padding on the front is more dense to protect the knuckles properly when striking hard. They also have a Velcro hook and loop closure system which is easy to put on and take off quickly.
In Muay Thai, the gloves range from 4 to 18 ounces, however, in competition, 12 and 14oz gloves are most commonly used.
Padding Distribution
In combat sports and Martial arts, the overall safety of both the athletes is heavily emphasized. Rules like not striking the back of the head and many instances of early stoppages are all aimed at one thing, to make sure the fighters do not get permanent injuries like brain damage.
The same rules apply to boxing and thai gloves, as well. Both boxing gloves and Muay Thai gloves have a specific amount of padding around the hands and wrists. This is to ensure the safety of your fingers, knuckles, and wrists and reduce the risk of injury.
Boxing
The padding distribution is important for keeping your hands and wrists safe and protected during training or in the ring.
It is usually thicker and more concentrated around the knuckles, which helps to absorb the impact of punches and reduce the risk of injuries. It is also spread out across the back of the hand and wrist to provide additional support. Essentially, the goal is to strike a balance between cushioning and mobility without compromising comfort.
The padding aims to provide adequate protection without compromising your ability to move and throw punches with precision. It is recommended that you physically buy your first pair of gloves yourself, the reason being that different brands and models fit differently. Trying them on will allow you to buy the pair that feels the best.
Muay Thai
When it comes to Muay Thai gloves, they are mainly padding concentrated on the knuckles to safeguard your hands and wrists against powerful strikes. This padding is strategically placed based on the demanding nature of the Muay Thai sport.
Additionally, the back of the hand is also padded well, to protect the hand’s delicate bones and joints. Overall, the padding in Muay Thai gloves is evenly distributed across the glove to provide adequate protection, without compromising on mobility and range of motion.
This design allows fighters to strike with confidence, power, and unmatched precision. All while reducing the risk of an injury.
Wrist Support
Wrist support is essential in gloves for combat sports like Muay Thai and Boxing. This is because the wrists are vulnerable to injuries, especially when throwing powerful punches.
Gloves with a good amount of wrist support help stabilize and protect the wrists. This reduces the risk of sprains, strains, or even fractures by keeping your wrists stacked. Having solid wrist support in the gloves provides stability and helps maintain proper alignment, allowing fighters to punch with confidence, precision, and power.
Therefore, having good wrist support holds great significance in both performance and injury prevention.
Boxing
Boxers require better wrist support as striking is the main form of offense in boxing. This is why boxing gloves come with longer cuffs and also stronger closing mechanisms like laces and velcro to keep your wrists stacked and stiff when punching.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai fighters require more wrist mobility as compared to boxers. This is why you will find that a Muay Thai glove has shorter cuffs than a boxing glove. What this does is that you do not get a stiff wrist, which allows you to grapple and clinch better.
This makes Thai-style gloves perfect for Muay Thai Sparring and Thai Boxing.
Boxing Gloves vs. Muay Thai Gloves: The Final Verdict
The final verdict essentially depends more on the competitive sport you choose rather than personal preference. Boxing gloves are perfect for Boxing and Muay Thai gloves are perfect for Muay Thai, however, they cannot be efficiently used for each other’s sport.
Make sure to choose the right type of glove for your sport and you will make immense progress while training and also stay safe from injuries.
Sparring Gloves
Sparring gloves are mainly designed for training sessions where you spar with a partner. These gloves prioritize the safety of both you and your training partner.
These gloves typically have more padding compared to other gloves to minimize the risk of injury when sparring. Most of the time the weight for sparring gloves is 16 ounces. This extra padding helps absorb the impact of punches and reduces the likelihood of causing harm, so you can safely practice your technique.
The larger size alongside the increased padding provides more coverage and protection for your hands and wrists. Choosing the right size glove holds huge importance to ensure a safe, efficient and most importantly an enjoyable training experience.
The Venum Impact is one of their best sellers because of the triple-density foam used to enhance protection and shock absorption in your hands and wrists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any difference between Muay Thai gloves and boxing gloves?
The main difference between boxing gloves and Muay Thai gloves lies in the size and weight of the gloves, the design and length of the cuffs. In most cases, a boxing glove will provide more protection because it is heavier and has longer cuffs.
On the other hand, Muay Thai gloves tend to be lighter with shorter cuffs to provide a more natural fist. This allows better movement for clinching and grappling techniques.
Make sure to choose the right pair of gloves for your sport and experience level, as the right gloves can greatly enhance your training experience.
Are there specific gloves for bag work, sparring, and competitions?
Definitely, different sizes of gloves serve different purposes in striking combat sports and martial arts.
For bag work, mainly heavy bag training, it is recommended you use heavier gloves. These gloves provide maximum absorption and protection for hands and wrists.
As for sparring, it’s important to prioritize the safety of both you and your sparring partner. Sparring gloves are usually heavier and have extra padding to minimize the risk of injuries. They provide more protection for both you and your partner during training.
When it comes to competitions, there are specific gloves approved by the governing bodies of the sport. These gloves are often lighter and have less padding compared to training gloves. They allow for faster hand speed and more precise strikes during the bout.
However, when it comes to competition gloves, they are lighter and have less padding. The size of the glove is usually approved by combat sports organizations. These lighter gloves allow for faster and more precise movement during the fight.
To enhance your boxing training, and fighting experience, make sure to get the right size training gloves and competition gloves.
What is best? Synthetic or Leather Gloves?
Both synthetic leather and leather gloves have their benefits and drawbacks.
If you are looking for a pair of premium gloves that will survive years of rough training, leather gloves are for you. Leather gloves often have a better fit, and are more comfortable and breathable, however, they can be significantly more expensive too.
On the other hand, synthetic gloves are also a great choice, especially if you are a beginner and do not want to break the bank on a pair of gloves. Synthetic gloves are also quite comfortable and provide your hands and wrists with decent protection, they are also easier to clean compared to leather gloves.
Are Muay Thai Gloves different from Boxing Gloves?
Boxing gloves and Muay Thai gloves feature key differences in their design based on their purpose.
Boxing gloves are usually more padding concentrated with padding all around the hand to provide maximum protection during punches. These gloves also have longer padded cuffs for extra wrist support and stability.
On the other hand, Muay Thai gloves feature a more open palm design with less padding on the front of the glove, this allows for better execution of clinching and grappling techniques. They also have shorter cuffs to provide the wrists with more freedom and a larger range of wrist motion throughout.
Make sure to do your research before buying your first gloves. This will help you ensure you get the right gloves for you and your craft.
How to choose the right-weight glove?
Choosing the right weight for a pair of gloves depends on what you plan on using them for. Heavier gloves like 16oz gloves provide more padding distribution and protection, these are good as training gloves for heavy bag training where your sole focus is to develop power.
On the other hand, lighter gloves like 8oz and 10oz provide less protection, however, because of the lighter weight, you can move and punch faster. This makes these gloves better for when you are training to refine your technique and increase your speed.
In most cases, during professional boxing matches or Muay Thai, the gloves used are around 8-12 ounces. To buy the right gloves, it is recommended to physically buy them instead of ordering them online. This will allow you to wear and feel all the differences between the sizes and buy the pair that feels the best.
Best Boxing Gloves
