If you’ve shopped for boxing gloves before, you’ve probably wondered what all those numbers meant. From 8 oz to 18 oz gloves, it can get quite confusing. And there’s good reason behind the sizing! Let’s clear the air so you know exactly which gloves to wear for every type of training session.
14 oz to 18 oz gloves: Train and learn, all while protecting yourself
Let’s focus on the heavier sizes first.
The purpose of sparring is to practice your technique and to learn. Heavier gloves have more padding and this is ideal if your goals are purely around fitness. Spar with gloves that are too light and you might hurt your training partner (definitely not cool while you’re trying to learn new techniques!)
For everyday training and sparring, we always recommend 16 oz gloves. The reason for this, is safety for yourself and your training partners. If you’re a larger person, you can also wear up to 18 oz gloves for everyday training. If you’re a much smaller person, you can get away with 14 oz gloves. This also comes down to your personal preference in regards to how you like to train.
12 oz gloves: Gear up for lightning rounds on the bags
Your glove size will depend on your goals. A lot of people like to train with 12 oz gloves if they’re strictly focussing on speed and bag work (as they may find the 16 oz gloves too heavy on their hands). We don’t, however, recommend sparring with 12 oz gloves unless you’re experienced and fully understand the intensity of your striking.
Your hands and wrists will thank you for using 12 oz gloves on the bag! They have just the right amount of padding to protect your hands, but they won’t make you feel bulky.
8 oz to 10 oz gloves: Get ready for fight night
8oz and 10oz gloves are used by pros once they’re inside the ring…which means they’ll also use the lighter gloves throughout their training. Lighter gloves allow fighters to move around quicker, applying more damage per punch. In other words, they’re awesome if you’re on the card for an upcoming fight, but not exactly what you want if you’re casually working out with a mate.
So there you have it! Now you can take the guessing out of your glove sizing and wear the right ones every time. Oh, and whether you’re hitting the bags/pads, or doing some serious sparring, remember to fix yourself up with some hand wraps (not only for protection but also to keep the gloves as clean as you can)!
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