Okay, so I got into MMA a while back and quickly figured out the smelly loaner gloves at the gym weren’t cutting it. Needed my own pair. Seemed simple enough, right? Wrong.
First thing I did was hop online to buy some. Then bam! Sizes everywhere. Small, Medium, Large, XL… some were even listed in ounces like 4oz or 7oz, which I thought was more of a boxing glove thing. I was pretty lost, honestly. Are MMA glove sizes the same as boxing ones? Spoiler: not really.
Figuring Out the Measurement Mess
I started searching for an “mma gloves size chart”. Found tons of them, but here’s the kicker – they weren’t all the same! Some charts wanted hand circumference, others asked for hand length, and a few even tried to use your body weight, which seemed weird for gloves.
Decided to go with the most common thing I saw: hand circumference. Dug out one of those soft tailor’s measuring tapes. I laid my dominant hand flat, but relaxed, not stretched out like crazy. Then I wrapped the tape around my hand across the knuckles, you know, the widest bit. I jotted down the number in inches.
Charts, Wraps, and Real-World Fit
Armed with my measurement, I went back to the charts. Okay, progress! My measurement usually put me somewhere between Medium and Large depending on the brand. Still felt like a bit of a guess, though.
Then it hit me – hand wraps. I always wear wraps underneath for support and knuckle protection. Those add thickness! This was a crucial piece I almost missed. Some folks online said measure with wraps on, but that sounded fiddly. I figured if I was borderline between two sizes, I should probably lean towards the bigger one to make sure there was room for the wraps.
I also thought about what I’d be doing. Mainly training – hitting pads, some light sparring, working on groundwork. Needed padding but also enough flexibility to open my hands and grab. Training gloves often have more padding than the standard 4oz competition ones.
Getting Advice and Trying Them On
The best move I made was talking to people. Asked my coach, asked some of the guys who’d been training for ages. Showed them my hand measurement. They were like, “Yeah, Brand X runs a bit small, try a Large,” or “Brand Y is usually true to size, Medium might work if you like it snug.” That real-world advice was gold.
Finally, I found a local store that sold fight gear. This was key. I took my hand wraps with me. I tried on a Medium from one brand, felt okay-ish without wraps, but way too tight with them. Tried on a Large from the same brand – much better. Snug with wraps on, but not cutting off circulation. I could make a solid fist, and my fingers didn’t feel jammed or like they were swimming in space.
- Measured my hand circumference around the knuckles.
- Checked multiple brand size charts (they differ!).
- Always remembered to account for hand wraps.
- Asked experienced training partners and coaches for their input on brands.
- Most importantly: Tried gloves on with my hand wraps on before buying.
So yeah, that’s how I landed on the right size. The charts are a decent starting point, like a map, but nothing beats actually trying the gloves on, especially with your wraps. Every hand is different, and brands fit differently. Don’t just click ‘buy’ based on a chart alone if you can help it.
