I absolutely hate wearing headguards! Don't know if it's a slight claustrophobic thing or what but soon as I put one on I am constantly distracted. I feel off balance and I get hit 5x as much as I do without one. It's starting to **** me off because the coaches at my gym won't let anyone spar without headguards on Iv had to literally stop sparring during classes and arranging my own sparring at other gyms with other local boxers. Iv tried telling the coaches that me wearing headguards is doing more damage than it's worth because my brain is getting rattled left to right when I'm wearing one soon as I take it off I feel free again and I'm not that easy to hit(well as far as a novice amateur is anyway). Iv been boxing now for 4 years had 18 fights and when they made you wear head guards in amateur I only had 5 fights in 3 years cos I got whooped badly in each one. Soon as they changed the rules and no head gear Iv had 13 and won 12. It makes that much of a difference to me!! Anyone else have any similar issues???
I tried it a few times, realised us amateurs have little concern for where our heads are when on the inside, ended up with a few nasty cuts. so no more for me.
I sparred for the first time tonight and wished I had headgear. No one wears it with this group because it's suppose to be a really low key group and most of them were. The other group always wears it. Hopefully it's not too long before I start slipping and blocking more of what comes at me. Like I said, it was my first time, so I don't know nothing about nothing.
If we spar without headguards we have to take the power down. Totally agree though I hate them and get clubbed twice as much with one on.
I feel the same way, headgear makes me panic and I get hit easier. and the other thing is how it goes over your ears and muffles sound and its like you are under water.
headgear is rubbish, imagine having an inch of foam around your head slowing down ur headmovement get knocked about putting you off balance, and making it harder to slip shots.
I had extremely bad experience with headgear. I used to spar without it for 2 years until finally buying one. First time I sparred with headgear I sparred with a legit fighter and I got hit left and right. The worst thing is that you have this feeling of having your hand on your head because of the headgear while in reality you're open. The other guy wasn't wearing headgear and it was even easier for him to fight me. Also I wasn't 100% at that time and coupled with panic from having my vision obstructed from headgear I felt like I was a punching bag.
I'm OK either way. If you notice that much of a difference, maybe the problem is not the headgear. I don't spar w/out it, but had a few fights without. You definitely notice head clashes more. But I don't notice a drastic difference otherwise. I imagine without - you are more susceptible to ear drum injuries, because a glove can form a more solid seal on the ear. For this reason I prefer to wear it sparring. Just make sure it has a strip over the ear to prevent this. Headgear with only a doughnut around the ear should be illegal to sell because they promote eardrum injuries.
During the summer we sparred with no head gear on as no one had a fight coming up. Trainer today told everyone to bring their head gear next time as we have fights coming up. I prefer sparring without but I dont have much of a problem with it on. I feel with headgear it is well worth spending as much as you can. I notice a big difference in fit and comfort with more premium varieties. And about ear drum injuries, I got one last week, sparring with no head gear so that's a good point to pay attention to imo.