Boxing Gloves for Beginners: Avoid These Common Buying Mistakes

Purchasing your first pair of boxing gloves should be an exciting event, but there are many different types of gloves, materials, padding types and wrist closures to be concerned with when you are a beginner. A glove might be appropriate on the wall but end up being totally unsuitable to hit with a heavy bag or work on pads.

Your gloves should fit your hands and wrists, not be uncomfortable when training and should match the kind of boxing you will be doing. In order to make the best investment in your first pair of boxing gloves for beginners, it's a great idea to know what pitfalls you should avoid and what you should be looking for.

Choosing beginner boxing gloves is about more than appearance fit, glove weight, padding and wrist support all matter.

Mistake 1: Select Boxing Gloves Based on Their Appearance

The first error is to select only on the basis of the appearance of boxing gloves.

You can easily choose the attractive pair of gloves. If you want to wear clothing that you love, you have to take into account colour, branding and design; however, it shouldn't be the most important consideration.

Even the most stylish gloves can feel uncomfortable, or the padding may be inappropriate or the wrist support may not provide enough comfort during your training.

Before you entertain any ideas, it's best to think about how you will use the gloves. Which heavy bag, pad training or fitness boxing will you be focusing on primarily, or a combination?

With a clear goal in mind for your training, it will be easier to select boxing training gear that will help you reach that goal.

Mistake 2: Failure to Pay Attention to Glove Weight

The ounce weight of boxing gloves can vary from 10 oz to 16 oz, and it's common for beginners to think that the lighter glove is the better one as it feels quicker.

The weight of the gloves can impact the training experience. The weight of the gloves can affect how the training feels.

A lighter glove can feel faster in combinations, but will introduce more weight into each action of the glove. The weight also varies, depending on the construction of the glove, and can therefore offer varying amounts and distribution of padding.

No one glove size fits all beginners. All of these factors should be taken into consideration when owning your body size, training goal, experience, and coach's recommendations.

If you are going to a boxing gym, find out from the coaching staff what weight of the boxing gloves they anticipate the people in the club to wear during class, before buying any.

Mistake 3: Purchasing Gloves That Don't Fit

One of the most crucial points that new players miss is fit.

The gloves should be snug but not tight around your fingers/hands. They must be snug; if they are loose, your hand could start to move inside the glove during punches. They can be too tight and cause discomfort after extended training periods.

Remember all the time that hand wraps are "space consuming" in the gloves.

If possible, measure during the same time of the day when you're wearing the same types of wraps as you would during normal training sessions. Quality boxing and MMA gear should make it easy to form fists naturally, and maintain stability in the hand.

Mistake 4: Failing to Pay Attention to Wrist Support

It's very easy to get caught up in knuckle padding, and ignore the wrist.

A safe wrist area ensures stability of the glove during the punching movement. The closure should be secure during combinations and doesn't have to be continually adjusted.

Examine the structure and fastening of the cuff before buying.

However, if the glove is too loose around the wrist, or the strap is too soft before you begin your regular training, it may not be the correct glove to use for boxing sessions.

The use of supporting equipment helps beginners to build their technique, but it is still critical that they are used correctly.

Mistake 5: More Padding = Better

Increased thickness of gloves does not necessarily equal increased protection.

The impact handling qualities of a glove depend on its quality, density, placement and construction. These two apparently similar-looking gloves will feel very different when they are used to hit a bag.

Make sure to note the padding around the knuckles.

The main thing with the glove is that there are no "thin spots" or areas that are too hard to wear. If you're just starting to work with bags, you may want to try a pair of heavy-bag training gloves that can handle repeated strikes.

Mistake 6: Buying the Lowest-Priced Pair You Can Find

It's quite natural for first-time players to not be ready to invest a lot of money in their initial gear. But buying just because it is the cheapest option may lead to glove failure and/or a poor fit and support.

Don't judge by the price, consider the following:

• Stitching quality
• Outer material
• Wrist closure
• Padding consistency
• Inner lining
• The overall fit and comfort is exemplary.

It isn't essential to have the best quality gloves to be around. You want to find a dependable piece that's as good as your skill and experience level and what you're going to use it for.

Mistake 7: One Pair for All Training

As novices start working out, they might find that their gloves require various types of training.

Heavy bag work is the repetition of striking a hard object. Instead of focusing on speed, accuracy and combinations, the emphasis of the pad work might be more on some of this. When sparring there are specific pieces of equipment required and it is always best to adhere to the rules and advice of your coach or gym.

Don't use one pair of training gear for all combat sports, create your training outfit according to the sport you are training in.

Mistake 8: Forgetting to Take Care of the Gloves

When it comes to choosing the right gloves, you've only got half the task done. It's important to take care of them as well.

During training, boxing gloves are sweat absorbent. If damp gloves are left closed in a gym bag, you may get bad smells from it and the contents inside it may deteriorate.

Once trained, remove gloves and let dry in an area that is well-ventilated. Clean as per manufacturer's instructions and periodically check the stitching and padding, wrist straps and outer material.

You can have the equipment maintained in a better condition with good maintenance.

Final Thoughts

When you're a beginner, it isn't all that hard to purchase boxing gloves. Don't select a pair of gloves just because of their appearance, price or because you think one is the same weight for all people.

Rather, look at fit, gloves, weight, wrist support, padding, construction and training you are going to use them for.

As you gain experience you'll know what works for you. Boxing in DAAN MMA starts with the right boxing equipment that will help you create a more functional boxing bag workout, boxing pad training, fitness boxing, and more.

The more expensive and flashier a beginner's glove is, the better it isn't. The glove that fits the hands, the training and the goals.