How to Select Hockey Gloves for Stick Sparring

Originally posted on February 8th, 2016 by Dustin B. Denson

Hockey Gloves and the Filipino Martial Arts

When I started training in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali with my first instructor Ricky Rillera, back in '91, we did a lot of stick sparring.  Of course, back then, it was not structured and we basically tried to beat the crap out of each other with sticks.  It was not smart, but I was a lot younger then and healed faster than I do now.  However, protective gear was extremely important, especially for the hands.  What is the point in training with weapons if you can't hold one because your hands are smashed?  Protective gear for the hands when stick sparring is still important.

For many, the preferred protection for the hands then and still now are hockey gloves.  There are different kinds of hockey gloves and they are not all designed the same.  Gloves are made for both street hockey, ice hockey, and roller hockey.  However, they are all designed to protect the hands if hit with a hockey stick.  This is why they are popular in the Filipino martial arts and for those who do a lot of stick sparring.  Of course, stick sparring is not the only use for hockey gloves, if training in the Filipino martial arts.

Basically, hockey gloves can be used for any combat drill where the hand is a target for either empty hand attacks, knife attacks, or for stick attacks. For example, if I have students practicing their empty hand slap and hack attacks versus a jab and cross or parrying against a jab and a cross, then I would have the one attacking with the jab and cross wear the hockey gloves.  This allows the one executing the slap, hack, and/or parrying attacks to strike a little harder in order to make the combat drill more dynamic and realistic.  Consequently, their versatility as a training tool is excellent.

I like the glove on the far left pictured below.  A student in my class prefers the one to the right of that.  One of the biggest selling points for me with the one on the left is a little added flexibility in the thumb, primarily because it lacks what is called a thumb lock (explained below).  My student likes the thumb lock for the added protection.  That is a trade off of course.  To the right of those are another pair of Franklin's and Warrior.  Both get good reviews.  The Warrior is a little pricier.

Selecting the Right Hockey Glove 

There are a few things to consider when selecting hockey gloves for sparring and these things are pretty much the same things if you were selecting them for playing hockey.

First, according to Hockey Giant, there are three fits.  They are the anatomical fit, tapered fit, and classical fit.  Basically, the anatomical fit is closer and the classical fit is looser.  For more information you can read Hockey Giant's "How to Buy Hockey Gloves".  So, obviously, what this amounts to is how lose the glove is on your hand.  This is a matter of personal choice, but I want a glove that is going to fit snug and won't have a tendency to slip off as I am swinging my stick, my knife, or striking with empty hands.  Another consideration here is the length of the cuff, but most hockey gloves these days are designed with a short cuff.  This is important because training in the Filipino martial arts requires a lot of wrist manipulation and you don't want a cuff length or glove tightness that is going to hinder manipulation too significantly.

Second, hockey gloves differ when it comes to thumb lock or no thumb lock, padding shape and divisions, and the palms.  A thumb lock is intended to prevent the thumb from being bent backwards, but it also keeps the end of the thumb from getting smacked when stick sparring.  This is an important feature for many.  As I mentioned above, I prefer to go without the thumb lock.  The palms of hockey gloves can vary in design as well.  They can be padded, made of mesh, or synthetic leather.  The thickness can vary depending on padding or no padding and the thickness of the leather or whether or not they are mesh.  The gloves I recommend above have a moderately thin synthetic leather palm, but I never worry about grip.

Finally, size matters.  Be sure to select the correct size for your hand.  Hockey glove size is determined by measuring from the base of your middle finger on the palm side to the crease in your elbow.  You can cross reference the results to determine your hockey glove size by clicking here and looking at the chart.  Of course, we all know that the best way to determine fit is by trying it on, but that is not always possible in this fast-paced world where purchasing is a click away.  A 32 inch waist from one pants manufacturer may not fit the same as from another.

I hope you find this information useful.  If you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to send an email to [email protected]

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