Protective Equipment

Advantages of Safety Equipment

• Protection. Americans want to do dangerous things, but without the risk. If a commercial martial arts school is to succeed, it must offer what the public wants. It can maintain its roots, but it must adapt.
• Realistic fighting situations. Realistic fighting situations can only be simulated without serious injury through the use of protective equipment. Safety equipment helps martial artists come as close to real fighting as possible. It allows them to test techniques, improve skills, sharpen reflexes, and condition themselves to take blows. Being able to withstand a blow is just as important as being able to land one.
• Builds endurance. While excessive weight will fatigue and slow a fighter, proper training eliminates these problems. With enough training, an individual can build the endurance and strength to move almost effortlessly. The weight of the protective gear will become negligible. When equipment is removed, reflexes, speed, and general fighting performance will increase.
• Promotes practice. When risk of injury is lessoned, students can train on more days and for longer periods of time.
• Allows almost full power. Even wearing protective equipment, fighters will not take unnecessary chances. If in doubt, ask boxers who train with protective headgear, groin cups, bandages, and gloves.
• Pain is real to protected fighters. Equipment creates a barrier strong enough to absorb much of a blow, but it will not cancel its full effect. All the variables present with unprotected fighters are still present with those whProtective Equipmento are protected. However, protected fighters can unleash full power and know that their partner is relatively safe.