Taekwondo Gear, Equipment & Accessories

Here is a list of some of the essential Taekwondo gear that you will need as you learn this martial art. I have provided my review of these Taekwondo products and/or reasons that you want to use these products. Click on each category link to see samples of the Taekwondo gear highlighted below.

• Sparring Equipment - Once you improve at Taekwondo sparring, you will want to replace the cheap cloth guards (i.e. forearm & shin protectors) provided by your school. The newer plastic equipment with dense foam offers much better protection (i.e. helps cut down on the bruises & pain).

  • Gloves - Taekwondo gloves help avoid to avoid knuckle & finger injuries.

  • Forearm Protection - You will be blocking a lot of kicks with your arms. Better forearm gear means fewer bruises.

  • Knee Pads

  • Shin & Foot Protection - Get the best you can afford as two legs smashing together at high speed during Taekwondo sparring can really hurt.

  • Helmet - Protect your noodle.

  • Mouth Guard - Protect your choppers!

  • Chest Protector

  • Groin Protection - Protect your "vital" area! Ouch. It hurts just thinking about it. :)

  • Thigh Protection - Not official Taekwondo gear. However, if you have been hit in the thigh one too many times by a killer roundhouse kick then consider adding this gear to your TKD arsenal.

• Uniforms - Make sure to buy two or three Taekwondo uniforms. If you have only one uniform, it is going to stink (because Taekwondo is non-stop exercise and you will sweat profusely... like a pig). Buy a second uniform to wear when the other is in the wash. However, remember if it has a black collar, the uniform is for black belts!

• Taekwondo Shoes - Your Taekwondo Master might sell/give you a cheap pair of Taekwondo shoes as part of your introductory package. Once you have determined that you like Taekwondo and want to keep going, you should upgrade your shoe. The cheap shoes break and catch on the mats. My favorite is the Adidas AdiLuxe Martial Arts Shoe. No laces to come un-done, fits like a glove and has a great tread. Also visit our Taekwondo shoes page for my review of many Taekwondo shoes.

• Punching & Kicking Bags - I have a Wavemaster in the basement in order to practice my kicks & punches. You can also buy some boxing bags if you have a strong ceiling. Also think about ordering some practice gloves in order to protect your hands while punching.

• Other Useful Practice Equipment - Other Taekwondo training tools that will enhance your power/skills or get you ready for your next belt test.

  • Practice mats

  • Kicking paddles

  • Kicking pads or shields

• Re-Breakable Boards - You should get some plastic re-breakable boards to help your child with his/her breaking techniques. Many younger kids have a hard time with the breaking portion of their belt tests. You can reuse these re-breakable plastic boards multiple times (much cheaper than the one-shot wooden boards over the long run).

• Gear Bags - Make life simpler (and easier to carry) by putting all your Taekwondo sparring gear into one large equipment bag.

• Wicking T-shirts - These t-shirts will "wick" away moisture (as you WILL sweat). This will help to lower your body temperature and make things more comfortable during intense Taekwondo workouts. Wear these t-shirts under your Taekwondo uniform.

• Steel Water Bottles - You will sweat a ton during sparring or a typical Taekwondo workout. Bring your own water and save money (versus buying expensive bottled water)! Also buy stainless steel bottles in order to avoid any potential chemicals that leech out of plastic bottles.

• Shoe Repair Glue - Taekwondo shoes can fall apart quickly because of all of the spins & kicks. Buy some shoe repair glue so you can fix any minor damage to your favorite shoes (i.e. the sole starts to come off).

• Exercise Equipment - If you are serious, you will have to buy exercise equipment in order to become stronger & more flexible. You need to work on all areas, especially your legs, arms, stomach and back.

• Belts - Your Master will give you a belt when you pass your belt tests. However, if you lose your belt & you are embarrassed to ask for a new one... :)

• Sports Glasses - If you wear glasses, consider buying some prescription sports glasses. To excel at Taekwondo, you need to see the thing that you are kicking! :) They will also protect your eyes from potential injury.

• Video Cameras - Bring along your camcorder so you can tape your kids or have them tape you! Much easier to correct your techniques if you can "see" your mistakes. If you don't have a camcorder, get a cheap & small one like the highly rated Flip camcorder and leave it in your TKD gear bag.

• Knee Braces & Ankle Braces - In case you are hurt, you should consider buying some items to support your injured knee or ankle.

• Taekwondo T-Shirts, Hats, Mugs & Much More - Show the world that you are a Taekwondo stud (or studette)! This is the TaekwondoAnimals.com t-shirt & mug store.

• Books - Build your home library so you can study martial arts on your own time. This page lists my favorite Taekwondo & martial arts books. They will help you get ready for your next belt test and/or to become a better martial artist/fighter. They teach Taekwondo forms, self-defense, martial arts stretching, sparring & much more.