For people who train martial arts or mixed martial arts, you need some type of a bag to carry all of the gear and equipment for your training sessions. There are so many pieces of gear that you need to bring to practice so it is important to have a functional bag that can carry all of those things.
An MMA gym bag will solve the problem for anyone who trains either mixed martial arts or any of the different martial arts like Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, etc. For mixed martial arts training just some of the things you need to carry are your gloves, hand wraps, shin guards, head gear, towels, shoes, and an extra pair of clothes.
You even need at least two pairs of gloves because you need grappling gloves or sparring gloves and also need boxing gloves for heavy bag training. You also will need to carry water or protein shaker bottles and more.
If you train Jiu Jitsu then you might need to bring your gi and belt or if it’s No Gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu then you’ll need to store your rash guards and an extra set of clothes to change into after practice.
Not Just Any Ordinary Bag
If you don’t have the budget for a martial arts specific gym bag then a normal gym bag will do. But if you do then the specific compartments will work wonders for you. A mixed martial arts gym bag has different compartments that can be used to store dry or wet clothes if they’re waterproof, compartments for a mouthguard, hand wraps, belt, and some have a compartment for shoes too.
These bags for combat sports are more breathable and ventilated than regular bags. Some have antimicrobial treatment so that it avoids any bacteria and bad odors. Most bags come duffel style. There are MMA backpacks but that won’t store all of the gear you need. Some people have a duffle bag for their gear and a backpack to store clothes and other stuff.
Things to Consider
An MMA gym bag is a truly versatile and all-purpose piece of equipment. It can be used as a regular gym bag when you go to the gym to lift weights too. You can even use it as luggage which is pretty cool too.
Size
The bag needs to have enough space to store all of your mixed martial arts gear. Bags for different martial arts come in different sizes specific to the martial art or discipline. So you definitely want to consider which martial art you are practicing or if you are training MMA. MMA bags are listed as measured by liters which is not very helpful to the consumer. So make sure you look at the reviews before you buy a bag.
Material
You want antimicrobial treatment and waterproof or water resistant materials that are also very durable. Mesh is a great material for the breathability and ventilation of the bag. Nylon and polyester are also durable and lightweight materials that are commonly used. The durability of the bag is so important because you’re storing a lot of gear and if you use a bag with cheap material then it can rip easily. Reinforced stitching is the feature to look for durability.
Design
There are duffel bags and backpacks. A backpack is easier to carry but have a lot less room. If you have your Gi in a backpack then it will sink down to the bottom and crinkle. In a duffel bag the gear stays in place much better and store much more equipment. If you train MMA or anything besides No Gi BJJ then a backpack is probably not the way to go.
Brand
Some brands have been specific to MMA or martial arts for years and there some newer brands that are great too. Some of the best brands are
Hayabusa, Gold BJJ, RDX Sports, Sanabul, Fairtex, Revgear, Century Martial Arts and Venum.
Conclusion – Last Words
Having a gym bag that fits all of the gear you need for training is absolutely essential. Invest in the long term of your martial arts training because it’s great exercise and you learn how to defend yourself. The more you get into martial arts the more gear you’re going to end up buying which will require space. You don’t just want a big spacious bag because of several things.
You sweat a lot. Your clothes and gear are going to be sweaty so you want the bag to be ventilated. Good martial arts gear is water resistant, sweat wicking or antimicrobial so that will make for a long term set of gear that doesn’t get smelly.
You want to get your different pieces of gear out quickly and easily and a dedicated spot will be easy to remember when you’re switching between sparring, conditioning, rolling, etc. You also might do more than one session per day and therefore you’ll want to be able to have all the gear for the different training sessions.
If you only do No Gi Jiu Jitsu then you can get away with just using a backpack for Jiu Jitsu. Backpacks are actually more expensive than duffel bags so it depends on your personal preference.
The things an mixed martial artists needs to store include gloves, hand wraps, shin guards, headgear, shorts, rash guards, gis, towels, mouthguard, ankle wraps, knee wraps, belts, supplements, electronics, pads, mitts, and a change of clothes.
One can’t possibly carry all of these things in their hands and it’s just messy if you store it in a regular bag without compartments. You also can be recognized by fellow martial artists if you use the bag as luggage when you travel. It could be a cool way to connect with people.
A martial arts specific gym bag will be durable and won’t break on you. Generic bags aren’t designed to carry all of that gear and the handles, strap, or zippers will break.
