Krav Maga does not need expensive equipment, but there are a few things you cannot practise safely without. Here is what you need for the first class, what is worth getting in the first weeks, and what comes later.
Clothing
For your first class a T-shirt and shorts or trousers you can move in comfortably are enough. They should be clean and intact, without belt buckles, zips or hard decorations, because those can cause injuries in partner drills. You do not need shoes: the floor is covered with mats, and we practise barefoot or in socks. Flip-flops are handy for the way between the changing room and the gym.
Bring a towel and still water to every class. Take off your jewellery and watch, tie back long hair, and keep your nails short.
In the first weeks: mouthguard and groin guard
If after the first class or two you decide to come regularly, get these two first. Both are cheap, and we use them in every class.
- Mouthguard. A simple boil-and-bite mouthguard is perfectly fine; you do not need the double, upper-and-lower version. Mould it to your teeth as the instructions say, so it stays in place while you talk and breathe. Wear it after the warm-up, in every drill with punches and kicks.
- Groin guard. Strongly recommended for men, and there is a women's version too. Put it on before class.
These, like gloves, are personal items for hygiene reasons: they cannot be lent, and the gym cannot provide them.
Later: gloves, shin guards, chest guard
After a few months of practice, when harder striking drills and fighting drills come in, you will need these:
- Gloves. Open-finger MMA gloves or boxing gloves; we talk through which to buy, based on your level and the drills.
- Shin guards. They protect your shins in kicking drills and kick defenses; the pull-on sock type is the most comfortable.
- Chest guard. Recommended for women in fighting drills.
What the gym provides
The gym provides the shields, focus mitts, the heavy bag and the training weapons (rubber knife, stick, rubber gun), so you do not need to buy those. Do not bring your own training weapons, and real knives, weapons or pepper spray are not allowed in the gym or the changing rooms.
Buying and looking after your gear
You can order protective gear through me, or buy it anywhere else. If it is not from me, show it to me before you first use it, so I can check that it is safe for you and your partners.
Air your gear after class, rinse the mouthguard, and disinfect gloves and shin guards regularly. Do not leave them to go stale in your bag: smelly, torn gear bothers your partners too, and a torn glove no longer protects.
Do not gamble with your own safety or anyone else's: use your protective gear! The safety rules are in Safety in Krav Maga class.