What Weight Muay Thai Gloves Should You Get?

When thinking about what weight Muay Thai gloves to get, you’ll choose a weight based on your body type, purpose, and level of intensity. Muay Thai glove weight is typically sized by your actual body weight, but it also varies depending on the type of training you’re doing.
 

Sizing Muay Thai Gloves by Body Weight

Generally, the heavier you are, the heavier the glove weight in Muay Thai. In terms of further matching glove weight to specific training scenarios, you’ll want to use your heaviest glove for sparring in order to protect both yourself and your training partner. For speed work and bag work, most prefer a medium or light-sized glove like 10oz to 14oz, but a 16oz glove may also be used. For fights, you’ll want to use your lightest pair of gloves. Serious athletes are usually equipped with 2-4 pairs of gloves for every occasion.

If you’re starting with a single pair of gloves at first, the go-to Muay Thai glove weight for most people and most training applications is 12-14oz.

Learn more here on choosing the best Muay Thai gloves for training.
 

Muay Thai Glove Weight Size Chart

You can consult the Muay Thai glove weight size chart below to help you find the right size for your next pair:

Glove Weight by Training and Performance Application

Sparring

You’ll use a heavier Muay Thai glove weight for sparring, such as a 14 or 16oz glove. Using a heavier glove weight during sparring is important for both protecting yourself and your training partner. Sparring is a large component of training, so expect to use these gloves a lot.

Pad Work/Bag Work

You’ll want medium-weight or light-weight gloves for bag work. 12-ounce gloves would offer less weight than sparring gloves, ensuring faster punch speed. Even 14-ounce gloves are suitable for bag and pad work as they’re generally safer for your hands and your training partner in case of any striking mistakes.

Fights

For full power and speed in fights and matches, lighter gloves are used. 8-10oz gloves are the glove weights used in Muay Thai fights. Generally, 8oz gloves are standard, but heavier-weight fighters in competition may use 10oz gloves. Hand wraps provide added protection, which allows you to feel more confident and protected with lighter gloves whether you’re a beginner or professional.
 

Sizing Muay Thai Gloves for Kids

The same Muay Thai glove sizing principles apply to fitting gloves for kids, in that glove weight is sized by body weight and training application. However, since kids weigh less, they will typically start with lower-weight gloves, such as a 12oz glove for sparring, 8-12 oz for bag work, and 6-8oz for fights (of course depending on the size of the child).
 

Choosing Your First Pair of Gloves

When thinking about what weight Muay Thai gloves to get, you’ll also want to choose a glove that matches the quality and style that suits you. While some athletes, especially beginners, may opt for the most inexpensive pair of gloves they can find, many Muay Thai athletes give focused consideration to the brand and quality of the gloves they choose in order to help them better step into their athletic performance. Furthermore, inexpensive options tend to offer less protection as well as less durability. Learn more here on how to choose Muay Thai gloves.

Rotating Your Gloves

In addition to having different Muay Thai glove weights for different training applications, having multiple gloves also allows you to rotate gloves, resulting in even wear and a longer lifespan. Especially if you’ll be investing in quality products, this is another important reason to own multiple gloves.
 

Frequently Asked Questions About Muay Thai Glove Weight

Can you spar with 14oz gloves in Muay Thai? What about 10 or 12oz gloves?

Yes, you can spar with 14oz gloves in Muay Thai. That is within the average range of size/weight for sparring gloves. But you wouldn’t want to go below a 12oz glove for sparring.

What Muay Thai glove weight is best for beginners?

The best Muay Thai gloves for beginners (especially if you’re just starting with one pair) are 12oz or 14oz gloves. Deciding between 12 and 14oz Muay Thai gloves comes down to your body weight. Generally, if you’re 150 lbs or less, you could opt for 12oz, and if you’re over 150 lbs you could opt for 14oz.

Do you wear wraps under Muay Thai gloves?

Yes, you do wear wraps under Muay Thai gloves. Hand wraps provide additional protection and wrist support under the glove. Because you want a certain amount of flexibility in your Muay Thai glove (for better agility in grabbing), you don’t want your actual glove to be too stiff. Instead, Muay Thai athletes use hand wraps for a little extra support under the glove.

Does Muay Thai use regular boxing gloves?

No, Muay Thai does not use regular boxing gloves and there are some differences. Muay Thai gloves have more distributed padding than boxing gloves since Muay Thai involves more kicking and blocking. Muay Thai gloves are also more flexible and less rigid, which is advantageous for grabbing and other moves that are not part of boxing. So you’ll want to be sure you purchase a pair of Muay Thai gloves instead of boxing gloves.

In summary, Muay Thai glove weight is crucial in order to ensure safety and maximize performance during training. Heavier gloves should be used for sparring (14-16oz) while lighter gloves are optimal for pad work and bag work (10-12oz). For fighting, even light 8-10oz gloves are the regulation Muay Thai glove weights. Be sure to consult the Muay Thai glove weight size chart and consider your body weight, training application, and product quality in order to find the best gloves for you. With a good pair of gloves, you’ll be well on your way to dominating in the Muay Thai ring!

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