When you step into the ring for training or a professional bout, you need the right gear to stay safe and perform to the best of your ability. At AWMA, we make sure you have all the protective gear for your head, limbs, and body to keep you and your sparring partner safe so you can focus on technique, power, and speed. Used for kickboxing, boxing, and other martial arts, chest guards allow you to hit with maximum force. While this type of protective gear is not used in the ring for bouts, it's an essential tool to help fine tune your skills.
Build Confidence
Chest guards and other AWMA protective gear allows fighters to focus force and power and also instills greater confidence by offering a level of safety. Sparring partners may feel more comfortable taking on your heavy blows when wearing a chest guard since pain and impact will be limited. For fighters, you'll feel more confident using your full strength. This allows both you and your sparring partner to be more effective in training and on the all-important fight night.
Ensuring Proper Fit
For protective gear to offer maximum benefits, it needs to fit right. For chest guards, measure the distance from the bottom of your throat down to your waist. All of our protective gear features easy-to-use size charts where you can compare this measurement with the available sizes. For the ProForce® Thunder chest guard, take your measurement and use the table below to select the right size:
• X-Small: 13 inches
• Small: 15 inches
• Small/Medium: 17 inches
• Medium: 18 inches
• Large: 21 inches
• X-Large: 24 inches
A 1.5-inch hook and loop top elastic strap allows you to adjust the guard to fit your height, and a 1-inch nylon bottom strap with buckle ensures a secure fit around the waist. Our junior sizes feature a 1-inch hook and loop top strap to ensure a better fit on smaller frames.
Ease of Use
If you plan on using the chest guard as part of quick training circuits, you want one that is easy to put on and remove. Big, bulky chest guards require assistance to take on and off, which slows you down when trying to switch seamlessly from one training circuit to another. Look for a chest guard that features easy-on and easy-off closures like the ProForce® Thunder chest guard. Featuring a quick release hook and loop closure on the front of the guard, students can easily take it on or off just like they would a jacket. Look for closures on the front of chest guards as these are typically easier to take off than back closures.
Designed Specifically for Women
Some of our chest guards are designed specifically for women fighters to make their experience more enjoyable. These guards, including the ProForce® Thunder chest guard, feature a hollow cavity on the inside that allows for increased breathing space and allows air to pass through for further comfort. The hollow cavity offers protection and breathability so you can focus on movement while protecting your chest. Chest guards are also useful for beginners and children who may just be getting started and need a little extra protection to feel comfortable. Make sure to select the proper size for children so they feel comfortable moving around while wearing the guard.
Durability and Padding
It's important to pay attention to durability and padding when selecting a chest guard. Most chest guards are made of an impact absorbing interior, such as a foam core, and feature a padded exterior made of leather or synthetic materials to minimize blows. The ProForce® Thunder chest guard sports a foam core and double layer of padding over the solar plexus and rib cage for added safety. Look for reinforced stitching and finished seams that ensure the chest guard can stand up to repeated use.
Fight Smart
Simply ordering a chest guard doesn't guarantee you won't be injured—you also have to fight intelligently. This means buying the proper protective gear and staying within your limits as well, following best practices such as never striking an object without proper training or instruction.
Build Confidence
Chest guards and other AWMA protective gear allows fighters to focus force and power and also instills greater confidence by offering a level of safety. Sparring partners may feel more comfortable taking on your heavy blows when wearing a chest guard since pain and impact will be limited. For fighters, you'll feel more confident using your full strength. This allows both you and your sparring partner to be more effective in training and on the all-important fight night.
Ensuring Proper Fit
For protective gear to offer maximum benefits, it needs to fit right. For chest guards, measure the distance from the bottom of your throat down to your waist. All of our protective gear features easy-to-use size charts where you can compare this measurement with the available sizes. For the ProForce® Thunder chest guard, take your measurement and use the table below to select the right size:
• X-Small: 13 inches
• Small: 15 inches
• Small/Medium: 17 inches
• Medium: 18 inches
• Large: 21 inches
• X-Large: 24 inches
A 1.5-inch hook and loop top elastic strap allows you to adjust the guard to fit your height, and a 1-inch nylon bottom strap with buckle ensures a secure fit around the waist. Our junior sizes feature a 1-inch hook and loop top strap to ensure a better fit on smaller frames.
Ease of Use
If you plan on using the chest guard as part of quick training circuits, you want one that is easy to put on and remove. Big, bulky chest guards require assistance to take on and off, which slows you down when trying to switch seamlessly from one training circuit to another. Look for a chest guard that features easy-on and easy-off closures like the ProForce® Thunder chest guard. Featuring a quick release hook and loop closure on the front of the guard, students can easily take it on or off just like they would a jacket. Look for closures on the front of chest guards as these are typically easier to take off than back closures.
Designed Specifically for Women
Some of our chest guards are designed specifically for women fighters to make their experience more enjoyable. These guards, including the ProForce® Thunder chest guard, feature a hollow cavity on the inside that allows for increased breathing space and allows air to pass through for further comfort. The hollow cavity offers protection and breathability so you can focus on movement while protecting your chest. Chest guards are also useful for beginners and children who may just be getting started and need a little extra protection to feel comfortable. Make sure to select the proper size for children so they feel comfortable moving around while wearing the guard.
Durability and Padding
It's important to pay attention to durability and padding when selecting a chest guard. Most chest guards are made of an impact absorbing interior, such as a foam core, and feature a padded exterior made of leather or synthetic materials to minimize blows. The ProForce® Thunder chest guard sports a foam core and double layer of padding over the solar plexus and rib cage for added safety. Look for reinforced stitching and finished seams that ensure the chest guard can stand up to repeated use.
Fight Smart
Simply ordering a chest guard doesn't guarantee you won't be injured—you also have to fight intelligently. This means buying the proper protective gear and staying within your limits as well, following best practices such as never striking an object without proper training or instruction.