In buying martial arts shin guards you should take the type of martial arts practiced into account. The many designs of martial arts shin guards can be roughly divided into two main categories. One category is Thai shin guards and the other is Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA. In general, Thai shin guards have an instep protective pad and are fastened around the calf by adjustable straps, while MMA shin guards have a sock-like structure that wraps around the leg. Therefore, measuring for shin length is crucial to buying both kinds, but you also need a calf circumference measurement for MMA shin guards.
Step 1
Measure both shins with a flexible measuring tape beginning just under your knee and ending at the bend of the ankle. If you are buying MMA shin guards, measure the circumference of both legs around the thickest part of your calf. Because your legs can be different sizes, compare these measurements and choose the largest dimension of shin length and calf girth to choose your shin guards.
Compare your measurements with the size chart of the brand of shin guard you want. Choose the size of shin guard that comes closest to your measurements without going over. For example, if your shin length is 14 inches and the large size on the chart starts at 14.5 inches, buy the medium size.
Step 3
Try on the shin guards at a store or a sample at your martial arts center, if possible, to make sure the fit is right and that the shin guard is comfortable.
Step 4
Buy the highest quality shin guard that you can afford. Buy leather, if possible, because it is the best cover material, but there are other durable and comfortable synthetic options. Inspect the padding and stitching quality as well. Thai shin guards typically are heavier and will have more padding than MMA shin guards, and the instep padding is especially important to protect your smaller foot bones.
Consult your martial arts instructor or the rules of your martial arts governing body if you buy the shin guards for competition. If your equipment isn’t approved, you won’t be able to compete. The rules of some competitions do not allow shin guards, so the guards are only used during sparring practice.
Buy the other protective gear along with your shin guards required for your type of martial arts, such as belly pads, hand wraps, ankle supports and bag gloves.
Writer Bio
Karren Doll Tolliver holds a Bachelor of English from Mississippi University for Women and a CELTA teaching certificate from Akcent Language School in Prague. Also a photographer, she records adventures by camera, combining photos with journals in her blogs. Her latest book, "A Travel for Taste: Germany," was published in 2015.
Use your height along with our shin guard size chart to find your correct shin guard size. The larger the shin guard size, the longer and wider they are to accommodate larger leg diameters. Shin guards should fit from just above the bend of your ankle when you flex your foot to a couple of inches below the knee.
While you could wear your shin guards over your socks it is a requirement in most leagues to wear them under the socks. It is important to cover your shin guard with soccer socks because the plastic and other materials in the shin pads could cut or injure you or someone else.
Recommended football shin pad sizes are usually determined by the height of the player. Roughly, your shin guard should fit from just above the ankle up to a couple of inches below your knee.
Choosing the right size of shin guards is a highly individual preference, as different players have varying needs and playing styles. Some players prefer smaller shin guards for better flexibility and freedom of movement, while others prefer larger shin guards for that extra protection.
Ankle shin guards offer more protection than slip-in shin guards. They usually come with extra padding on both sides of the ankle. Ankle shin guards also have stirrups that slide under the feet as well as a strap or elastic band to place around the calf for a secure fit.
Fibreglass - Stiff, sturdy, and light weight. Foam rubber - Very light weight, but not as sturdy and solid as fibreglass. Polyurethane - Heavy and sturdy, which offers almost complete protection from most impacts. Plastic - Less protective than any of the other synthetic shin guards.
Younger players typically wear shin guards with included ankle protection. These go on first, and then you pull the sock on over them, and the cleats go on last. Slip-in guards go inside socks—put the socks and cleats on first, and then put the guard on and pull the sock up over it.
How should shin guards fit? Find that bump just below your knee. The top of a shin guard should rest just below that, about an inch down.The bottom should end an inch or two above the ankle.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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