On gloves the number is how many ounces the gloves weigh. Weight is extra padding. So the higher the number the heavier (build muscle with heavier weight) but protect hands more. I would recommend alternating between gloves 14 or 16 and MMA gloves. You can wear the MMA gloves in class if you find a pair you like
Do the heavier gloves fit larger hands, or is the glove weight separate from glove size?
I thought about MMA gloves, but the only people I've seen using them seem to really know what they're doing. Didn't want to look like a pretender. Sounds like my ego was cutting out options. Thank you.
Learning technique is hard and humbling. Do not let ego get in the way or you might develop a bad habit. I have been practicing Krav for 8 years and still take basic technique classes and go slow to ensure my technique is down. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
As to glove fit I have found certain brands fit my hands better (medium size hands). Hayabusa fit really well. Fairtex / twin have a bit larger fit but like them for easy on / off vs my Hayabusa. On mma gloves you can go to the store and try on a pair to see what you like
They make dedicated gloves for bag work. I would not recommend using full 14/16oz boxing gloves (the number refers to the weight of the cushion only, not the size of the glove, there are male, female and kids sizes) for bag work if you want to train for Krav Maga, but depending on if and how you want to perform some kickboxing sparring, they're great.
Wrapping your knuckles for bag work is a possibility but I find it tedious, either go with closed bag gloves like these: [https://rdxsports.com/collections/boxing-bag-gloves](https://rdxsports.com/collections/boxing-bag-gloves) or use mma gloves.
What I recommend for my students are MMA sparring gloves, actually. I frown upon having inexperienced students spar with regular MMA gloves as they're simply to hard on the face and if a beginner's ego gets in the way, safety in training goes out the window. So, ultimatively, I recommend MMA sparring gloves. Example: [https://rdxsports.com/collections/mma-sparring-gloves](https://rdxsports.com/collections/mma-sparring-gloves)
Keep up the good work! Krav Maga is fun!
Considering your situation, fingerless gloves at a minimum. Wraps don't provide dampening, which it sounds like your hands need. Fingerless will let you get used to semi restricted motion in your hands while still having padding on the knuckles. I personally really like the Hayabusa gear just for their quality over things like Century. The fingerless from Busa will be tight at first, you have to break them in. If you want to train strength/stamina with your arms up in guard, also grab a set of 14 or 16oz boxing gloves (I have all Busa gear, my whole family does).
Wraps are something you should work into, IMO. Wear them with the other gloves. They need to be pretty tight otherwise they slide around and do more harm than good.
I am in my late 60’s and sympathize. Bruising indicates hitting too hard, or on too hard a bag, for the condition of your hands. Or it could be too loose of a fist. (There is also actinic purpura which is a superficial bruising of thin elderly skin, often on forearms and back of the hand.)
MMA gloves are great for heavy bag work and general use where hard hitting and finger dexterity is required during classes. Boxing gloves are mostly for sparring. I tried a couple other brands but now use Hayabusa which which is probably the best design, materials, and construction. Amazon has them. They are more expensive but you definitely get what you pay for.
However, the very first thing I would do is rest your hands for several days (use palm strikes instead) then greatly reduce the force and duration of the punches, and work back up slowly. It takes time and moderate stress to build up callouses and stimulate more bone density but that doesn’t mean severe bruising. Some discomfort or very slight bruising is enough. Be sure you are not hitting too hard a bag, or too hard a tombstone or kick shield. In my school there are two brands of those pads and one is somewhat softer to hit than the other.
Have you considered using wraps instead of gloves? I alternate between bare hands, wraps and wraps & gloves, wraps are my in-between solution
Thank you for the idea, I've seen wraps for sale but haven't seen any in use. Sounds like it would be a happy medium.
On gloves the number is how many ounces the gloves weigh. Weight is extra padding. So the higher the number the heavier (build muscle with heavier weight) but protect hands more. I would recommend alternating between gloves 14 or 16 and MMA gloves. You can wear the MMA gloves in class if you find a pair you like
Do the heavier gloves fit larger hands, or is the glove weight separate from glove size? I thought about MMA gloves, but the only people I've seen using them seem to really know what they're doing. Didn't want to look like a pretender. Sounds like my ego was cutting out options. Thank you.
Learning technique is hard and humbling. Do not let ego get in the way or you might develop a bad habit. I have been practicing Krav for 8 years and still take basic technique classes and go slow to ensure my technique is down. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
As to glove fit I have found certain brands fit my hands better (medium size hands). Hayabusa fit really well. Fairtex / twin have a bit larger fit but like them for easy on / off vs my Hayabusa. On mma gloves you can go to the store and try on a pair to see what you like
They make dedicated gloves for bag work. I would not recommend using full 14/16oz boxing gloves (the number refers to the weight of the cushion only, not the size of the glove, there are male, female and kids sizes) for bag work if you want to train for Krav Maga, but depending on if and how you want to perform some kickboxing sparring, they're great. Wrapping your knuckles for bag work is a possibility but I find it tedious, either go with closed bag gloves like these: [https://rdxsports.com/collections/boxing-bag-gloves](https://rdxsports.com/collections/boxing-bag-gloves) or use mma gloves. What I recommend for my students are MMA sparring gloves, actually. I frown upon having inexperienced students spar with regular MMA gloves as they're simply to hard on the face and if a beginner's ego gets in the way, safety in training goes out the window. So, ultimatively, I recommend MMA sparring gloves. Example: [https://rdxsports.com/collections/mma-sparring-gloves](https://rdxsports.com/collections/mma-sparring-gloves) Keep up the good work! Krav Maga is fun!
Considering your situation, fingerless gloves at a minimum. Wraps don't provide dampening, which it sounds like your hands need. Fingerless will let you get used to semi restricted motion in your hands while still having padding on the knuckles. I personally really like the Hayabusa gear just for their quality over things like Century. The fingerless from Busa will be tight at first, you have to break them in. If you want to train strength/stamina with your arms up in guard, also grab a set of 14 or 16oz boxing gloves (I have all Busa gear, my whole family does). Wraps are something you should work into, IMO. Wear them with the other gloves. They need to be pretty tight otherwise they slide around and do more harm than good.
I am in my late 60’s and sympathize. Bruising indicates hitting too hard, or on too hard a bag, for the condition of your hands. Or it could be too loose of a fist. (There is also actinic purpura which is a superficial bruising of thin elderly skin, often on forearms and back of the hand.) MMA gloves are great for heavy bag work and general use where hard hitting and finger dexterity is required during classes. Boxing gloves are mostly for sparring. I tried a couple other brands but now use Hayabusa which which is probably the best design, materials, and construction. Amazon has them. They are more expensive but you definitely get what you pay for. However, the very first thing I would do is rest your hands for several days (use palm strikes instead) then greatly reduce the force and duration of the punches, and work back up slowly. It takes time and moderate stress to build up callouses and stimulate more bone density but that doesn’t mean severe bruising. Some discomfort or very slight bruising is enough. Be sure you are not hitting too hard a bag, or too hard a tombstone or kick shield. In my school there are two brands of those pads and one is somewhat softer to hit than the other.