Blog
Notes on training, philosophy, and the martial way.
Top Jiu Jitsu Belt Ranking for MMA Training
Top Jiu Jitsu Belt Ranking for MMA Training Introduction Your Jiu Jitsu belt does more than display rank—it's battle-tested gear that secures grips, withstands.
The Art of Choosing Jiu Jitsu Mats for MMA
The Art of Choosing Jiu Jitsu Mats for MMA Ever slipped during a crucial guard pass in sparring, only to tweak your knee on a cheap, uneven mat? Or watched...
The Complete Guide to Mat Jiu Jitsu
The Complete Guide to Mat Jiu Jitsu Introduction Have you ever hit the mats in an MMA gym, only to feel like your ground game is holding you back during...
Puzzle Mat Jiu Jitsu: A Fighter's Guide to Selection and Use
Puzzle Mat Jiu Jitsu: A Fighter's Guide to Selection and Use Nothing derails a Jiu Jitsu session faster than a slick hardwood floor or a thin carpet that...
Yoga Mat Jiu Jitsu Essentials for Every Fighter
Yoga Mat Jiu Jitsu Essentials for Every Fighter Did you know that over 80% of professional MMA fighters and BJJ black belts now integrate yoga-inspired...
Top Jiu Jitsu Headgear for MMA Training
--- --- Top Jiu Jitsu Headgear for MMA Training Introduction Have you ever rolled through a grueling BJJ session only to feel the sting of cauliflower ear...
Everything You Need to Know About Ear Guard Jiu Jitsu
Everything You Need to Know About Ear Guard Jiu Jitsu Introduction Have you ever stepped off the mats after a intense Jiu Jitsu session, only to notice your...
Top Grappling Dummy for MMA Training
Top Grappling Dummy for MMA Training Hey there, fellow fighters—I'm David Thompson, your equipment specialist with over 20 years testing combat sports gear,...
The Complete Guide to Heavy Bag Stand
--- --- The Complete Guide to Heavy Bag Stand By David Thompson, Equipment Specialist and Former Boxing Coach with 20+ Years in Combat Sports Gear Introduction.
Speed Bag: A Fighter's Guide to Selection and Use
Speed Bag: A Fighter's Guide to Selection and Use Introduction: The Enduring Legacy of the Speed Bag in Combat Sports Picture this: early 20th-century boxing...
Best Boxing Gloves for Fighters in 2025
Best Boxing Gloves for Fighters in 2025 Picture this: It's 3 a.m.
Everything You Need to Know About Bjj Gloves
Everything You Need to Know About BJJ Gloves By Marcus Silva, Former Pro MMA Fighter & Apollo MMA Gear Expert Introduction Picture this: It's 2012, and I'm in..
The Art of Choosing Grappling Gloves for MMA
The Art of Choosing Grappling Gloves for MMA Back in the early days of MMA, when the UFC first exploded onto the scene in the 1990s, fighters like Royce Gracie.
Top Hand Wraps for MMA Training
Top Hand Wraps for MMA Training By David Thompson, Equipment Specialist and Former Boxing Coach with 20+ Years in Combat Sports Gear Testing Introduction: Are..
Understanding Boxing Hand Wraps: Materials, Features, and Performance
Understanding Boxing Hand Wraps: Materials, Features, and Performance Without proper boxing hand wraps, even the toughest fighter's hands crumble under...
Jiu Jitsu Hand Wraps: A Fighter's Guide to Selection and Use
--- --- Jiu Jitsu Hand Wraps: A Fighter's Guide to Selection and Use By David Thompson, Equipment Specialist and Former Boxing Coach with 20+ Years in Combat...
The Art of Choosing Shin Guards for MMA
The Art of Choosing Shin Guards for MMA Picture this: You're midway through a heated sparring session at your local MMA gym.
The Complete Guide to Kickboxing Shin Guards
The Complete Guide to Kickboxing Shin Guards The Sting of Sparring Without Proper Protection I still remember my early days training Muay Thai in a cramped...
Everything You Need to Know About Muay Thai Shin Guards
Everything You Need to Know About Muay Thai Shin Guards Introduction Have you ever stepped into a Muay Thai gym, thrown a few teeps or low kicks at the heavy...
Understanding Knee Pads: Materials, Features, and Performance
Understanding Knee Pads: Materials, Features, and Performance By David Thompson, Equipment Specialist and Former Boxing Coach with 20+ Years in Combat Sports...