You have probably heard or read about it somewhere and decided to enroll your child in Krav Maga for their safety and well-being.
Krav Maga has seen a huge surge in popularity in the Netherlands and beyond. This is largely due to the accessible, effective way it teaches you to defend yourself, assess dangers, and stand up for yourself. These are skills that every child (and adult), of course, benefits from enormously in everyday life.
Perhaps your son or daughter has already attended a few trial lessons at a Krav Maga association, or perhaps you are still planning to visit a few schools. You do not need much for Krav Maga, and the first few times you probably will not have to bring your own equipment.
Once your child continues with Krav Maga, it is naturally much safer, more comfortable, fresher, and also much more effective if they have their own equipment.
Fortunately, Krav Maga (and most combat sports and martial arts) is not an expensive sport in terms of equipment. Membership fees naturally vary by association, but let's be honest: your child's safety and well-being are, of course, priceless.
Most important: groinguard, boxing gloves, and shin guards
The three most important basic items are actually (children's) boxing gloves, a cup, and shin guards. However, it is also convenient to simply buy a complete package, so your child has everything needed for class right away. This is often more cost-effective as well.
Also needed: a mouthguard
In addition to boxing gloves, a cup, and shin guards, it is also important to have a good mouthguard (gum shield). Whether a groinguard or mouthguard is required varies by club, but we consider them the most essential protective gear for Krav Maga.
Clothing: Krav Maga martial arts trousers, sports shoes, and a sports shirt
For clothing, most Krav Maga associations we know require black, long, loose-fitting trousers and a matching sports shirt. You are usually (but not always) required to purchase these through the club, federation, or governing body. Be sure to check this with the association where you are enrolling your child.
Unlike most other martial arts, Krav Maga is practiced in ordinary shoes. This is because the training focuses on everyday self-defence in situations where your child will usually also be wearing ordinary shoes. They do not need to be special shoes, although it is useful if your child has comfortable, clean sports shoes for this purpose.
With this, you essentially have the complete Krav Maga outfit. Of course, it is useful if your child can carry the equipment in a sports bag.
Optional: MMA gloves
For adults (and sometimes also in children’s classes), participants often have MMA gloves in addition to boxing gloves. These are open gloves that offer less protection than boxing gloves, but allow you to grab and hold on.
Being able to grab hold is of course essential in self-defence, which is why it is advisable to have both types of gloves. Boxing gloves for exercises involving harder contact and MMA gloves for more all-round possibilities.
Complete Krav Maga outfit for children:
- Kids boxing gloves
- Shin guards that can be worn over shoes
- Mouthguard (teeth protector)
- Groinguard
- Krav Maga trousers
- T-shirt (usually from the association)
Optional for children’s Krav Maga:
- MMA gloves
- Gymbag
- Water bottle
- Towel
- Antibacterial spray to keep gloves fresh
The equipment required for young and older children is usually the same, although older children or those who have been training longer may prefer to choose slightly better (more expensive) boxing gloves and shin guards. A mouthguard and cup may also only be required for older children. This depends on the association, federation and/or club.
Kids boxing gloves for Krav Maga
Most children can simply start with relatively basic boxing gloves for Krav Maga. These are not used in every lesson or throughout the entire lesson either, as is the case with boxing and kickboxing, for example.
For the size you need, we have included a size chart with every Kids boxing gloves product in our webshop, which is best to follow.
Shin guards for Krav Maga
For Krav Maga, we would almost always recommend cotton shin guards. This is because there are actually no special shin guards for Krav Maga. Children wear shoes, and most shin guards are not designed for this.
The shin guards we sell most often for Krav Maga are cotton shin guards without footpiece (similar to soccer shin guards, but soft) or simple shin guards with elastic closures that fit well over a shoe.
If your child is older or bigger, or has been training for a longer time, harder, pre-shaped shin guards may be a better choice. They provide more protection and also stay in place much better during intensive training.
Mouthguard/dental protector
Even if contact with the face is not allowed, we always recommend wearing a mouthguard during partner exercises. A mouthguard does not cost much (far less than a dentist appointment), and even the simplest mouthguard helps enormously. Punches and blows can still unintentionally hit the face, especially among children and beginners.
It is not even just about direct blows to the teeth, but about the teeth being able to come into contact with each other. Teeth can be damaged quickly when they collide.
Does your child wear braces? Then a special mouthguard for braces is highly recommended. You cannot use a normal mouthguard with braces, and of course you want to protect your teeth, mouth, lips, and braces properly!
Cup/groinguard
There are groinguards (cups) for both boys and girls. They are not always mandatory for the youngest children, but they will certainly be allowed. A simple cup does not cost much, yet it protects against a great deal of potential (serious) pain.
Especially in Krav Maga, where many exercises involve kicking the groin, a good groinguard is an essential part of your protection. A cup is never truly comfortable, but a knee or kick to the groin is even less so!
Here we emphasize its importance in Krav Maga because it is a form of self-defense in which kicks to the groin are deliberately used. In virtually all other martial arts, this is not allowed and therefore usually happens accidentally.
Krav Maga martial arts trousers
At most Krav Maga clubs, members wear long, wide martial arts trousers, usually in black. These are trousers that allow your child to move easily and are easy to wash. They are usually made from a polyester-cotton blend, making them comfortable but also sturdy enough for the many exercises performed during Krav Maga training.
Krav maga trousers actually look very much like Karate, Taekwon-do, Kempo or Kung Fu trousers. They are wide and usually have an elastic waistband with a drawstring to tighten them around the waist.
The trousers are unisex and suitable for both boys and girls. They are also wide enough, with an elastic waistband, making them suitable for almost any body shape. They usually come in length sizes that correspond to your child's actual height. Our webshop of course includes size charts that you can consult.
Krav Maga T-shirt
A regular loose-fitting, roomy T-shirt is often sufficient for Krav Maga training. Most clubs have a shirt with their own logo or that of an umbrella organisation. Be sure to ask the club or association about this.
Choosing a club shirt is also understandable, so everyone wears the same uniform clothing and no differences can arise between them. Sometimes there are different shirt colours that the children can earn through an exam, as in Judo or Karate.
If there are no requirements from the club, we recommend choosing a roomy sports T-shirt for your son or daughter. Preferably a T-shirt that breathes well and is also sturdy enough.
Gymbag
In principle, any gymbag is suitable if it fits all your equipment, plus a towel and water bottle. We have lots of great gymbags from martial arts brands in our webshop, including many that are suitable for children.
Antibacterial spray to keep gloves fresh
If you have ever smelled other children's boxing gloves, you know that a spray to keep them fresh is no unnecessary luxury. The sprays in our range from Sukkiri, FreshKO and Booster work extremely well and also last for many months with normal use.
