How boxing gloves protect you from injuries?
Do you ever stop and think that the gloves you are wearing, exactly how they protect you from sustaining injuries in a combat fight? Boxing gloves are designed to be simple and effective, focusing on providing protection to both parties, be it the puncher or to the opponent.
The boxing gloves are constructed in a way that the impact of punches is reduced by increasing the duration of each blow. Not only that but also the gloves spread the impact forces over a larger area compared to a naked fist. The smaller size of the gloves the greater force is transferred to the puncher’s hand and the opponent’s head.
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Some boxing gloves are heavily padded and offer more protection but less power than the thinner gloves.
Boxing Gloves
Punching Speed – the faster you throw a punch the tougher will be the impact force of it, and this is how speed becomes a killer in the ring. Athletes shadowbox without wearing gloves, as they can easily move their arms without the added weight of the gloves. When it is time to throw some real punches, the boxing gloves offer substantial protection to the wearer’s hands. While the use of gloves reduces the speed and impact force when compared to the bare fists, their usage is a fair bargain as the boxers can go all out and strike their power shots without having to worry about the safety of their hands.
Padding
Bulkier in size and heavily stuffed/padded gloves offer better and extended protection than the thinner variants. As the impact force is the amount of force distributed over a given period of time. Hence, the longer it takes for a punch to deliver its intended force, the less force is transferred per second – eventually plummeting the initial impact of the blow.
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Surface Area
Heavily padded gloves have more surface area compared to the smaller variants or the bare hands. While padding multiplies the duration of the punch, the larger surface area also spreads out the impact force of a punch, limiting its impact.
Boxing Gloves Types
Every professional boxer/athlete knows which type of gloves to use and when. Especially the training gloves are larger in size and come with relatively more padding material offering extended protection to the puncher as compared to the pro-competition gloves.
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How long should your gloves last?
Sometimes the lasting also depends on the boxing gloves price factors as the prices are indicators of the quality of the gloves – but that’s not always the case. This answer might not be what you are looking for, but the lasting of a glove is different from case to case. If you are a beginner who is just starting out in combat sports, buy boxing gloves that are relatively inexpensive, as these will be your first pair. The first pair ideally should last you around 1 to 3 years – depending on the frequency of your training.
However, if you are a professional striker or a heavy hitter, the inexpensive gloves will not last you more than a year.
The most important rule of buying boxing equipment, especially when you buy boxing gloves is never to spend more than you are comfortable losing. Always keep in mind that the gloves longevity depends on how well you take care of the gloves and your training types and regimes.
The key is not to be much upset if the gloves fall apart after being put to use for extended periods of time. The gloves are supposed to and will eventually degenerate with time and usage, as they are used to hit/punch things.
