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TapouTSpartan Cloth Shin and Instep Pads
Economical alternative to the MMA Shin Instep protector. Can be used for stand up striking (if you use control, which you should). Can also be worn while ground fighting (although it it is not as secure as the CSI MMA model).
- No one size fits all - four sizes are available to achieve a superior fit.
- Small (up to 140 lbs.), Medium (140 to 170lbs.), Large (170 to 195lbs.), XL (over 195lbs.)
- Full instep protection, balanced by proper underfoot strap placement off ball of foot.
- Elastic material throughout for snug, secure fit.
- All holes (calf, heel, and toes) have extra stitching for long life, but not so much it is uncomfortable under the foot.
- High density closed cell foam for extra protection to shin and face/ribs/leg.
- Wicking internal material across shin for comfort.
- You can have any color you want, as long as its black.
Shin-Instep Guard Info
There are few things more painful in training than a badly bruised shin, but one of them is taking a clean shin to the face, short ribs, or even the leg. For both these reasons, use of Shin-Instep protectors is recommended whenever there are kicks thrown in stand up sparring.
There are three basic categories of shin pads:
Cloth;
Muay Thai; and
the misnamed Grappling Shin-Instep protectors.
Cloth shin pads are inexpensive and used worldwide in amateur Muay Thai competitions. They consist of relatively think padding held in place with elastic material. While often looked down on, they are very much a viable option, as long as control is used in sparring.
There are three basic categories of shin pads:
Cloth;
Muay Thai; and
the misnamed Grappling Shin-Instep protectors.
Cloth shin pads are inexpensive and used worldwide in amateur Muay Thai competitions. They consist of relatively think padding held in place with elastic material. While often looked down on, they are very much a viable option, as long as control is used in sparring.
Many manufacturers misposition the material under the foot so it rides under the ball of the foot, creating slippery footing, sometimes trying to overcome the problem with a rough material underfoot. Other cloth shin insteps avoid this by shortening the padding across the top of the instep, leading to potential injury. The Spartan Series provides balance, with full instep protection, and a properly positioned band underfoot.
Muay Thai pads come in two basic categories - Traditional and Pro. Both are secured by two or three straps on the calf, and one elasticized strap under the foot. Both provide far greater protection to both kicker and kickee than do cloth ones, and are more secure on the leg. The Traditional pad is larger, softer, and heavier. The Pro shin is lighter and smaller, often with a ridge up the shin; to compensate for the lack of protective bulk. Both styles of Muay Thai shin pad are too bulky to allow grappling.
Combat Sports recognized that MMA training required a shin pad that was both more secure than the cloth pad, and less bulky than the Muay Thai shin pad. So they invented it. To indicate that the pads can be worn while grappling, these hybrid shin pads are often mislabeled as Grappling Shin pads; this is a poor name of the equipment, as by definition, Grappling does not allow kicks, obviating the need for a shin pad. The proper term for this invaluable piece of equipment is MMA Shin Instep Guard.
This piece of equipment proved to be so succesful for training that its use quickly became mandatory in amateur competitions all across the country. Although developed by CSI, other manufacturers quickly developed models of their own, and further variations of the guard were created.
Combat Sports recognized that MMA training required a shin pad that was both more secure than the cloth pad, and less bulky than the Muay Thai shin pad. So they invented it. To indicate that the pads can be worn while grappling, these hybrid shin pads are often mislabeled as Grappling Shin pads; this is a poor name of the equipment, as by definition, Grappling does not allow kicks, obviating the need for a shin pad. The proper term for this invaluable piece of equipment is MMA Shin Instep Guard.
This piece of equipment proved to be so succesful for training that its use quickly became mandatory in amateur competitions all across the country. Although developed by CSI, other manufacturers quickly developed models of their own, and further variations of the guard were created.
