Review of Combat Sports MMA Amateur Grappling Shin-Instep Guards

Combat Sports' MMA Amateur Grappling Shin-Instep Guards are a great training tool for any amateur mixed martial artist. With only a few minor drawbacks, these protective guards gives those of us who didn't grow up kicking trees in Thailand a fighting chance. You can buy these shin guards from CombatSports.com for $44.95.

These particular shin guards have a great design. Instead of using a series of straps for security, they are form fitting and slip on, with straps as secondary security. They come in three sizes, regular (up to 140 lbs.), large (140 to 185 lbs.) and XL (over 185 lbs.). The guards also deem neoprene support and an elastic foot strap, to keep them from sliding around while practicing mixed martial arts: stand up or on the ground. They are long enough to cover the top of the foot, the instep, and the entire shin, stopping just below the knee. The outside is leather, comes in red and blue, and has a hard plastic shell underneath for ultimate shin protection.

I have only found a couple of drawbacks over the course of constant use regarding this product. The first is the bleeding of color from the leather encasing. The colors of the shin guards should stay on the shin guards. The wearer will work up a sweat in these guards, especially in a martial art like Thai boxing, and for the fact that the guards have a neoprene lining. When the sweat wicks off, the dye from the leather wicks with it: onto the wearer, their clothes and fellow students, everywhere. The second drawback is the fitting. These guards are so form fitting, that they are not very adjustable for different body types, especially for women. They were designed for a flat male leg and anyone (men included) with varying size calves may have difficulty finding a perfect fit out of the three size options.

Overall, I find these guards very useful for kick boxing or Thai boxing sparring. As a complete amateur martial artist, it gives me enough support to kick people hard enough to let them know I am there without hurting myself or someone else. With other shin guards, I would have to stop in the middle of a training session to readjust straps, or turn them around so they faced outward again. If the sessions were really intense and there was no allowed time to stop, or if it was during an amateur competition, inferior shin guards may as well have been non-existent. I've seen people back up shin guards that use straps for security with athletic tape. A shin guard should come complete in the package when you buy it! Without the proper equipment, the person training their application of martial arts could encounter a possible hindrance in confidence that a kick would not properly connect. Instead of inflicting pain on their opponent, they could be the one afflicted. Martial artists know what a lack of confidence can do to you in a fight. With Combat Sports' shin guards, the martial artist can feel free to kick at will and know there is a good, solid product behind them.