I'm a beginner - what do I need?

Everything!! (well we are an internet store after all!) Seriously though what you need first and foremost is a good attitude to training. When I get beginners in my class I tend to see them jumping in with both feet and buying everything in the first couple of weeks and then not seeing them after week 4 or 5.

Once you've been down to your club and found your feet then is the time to have a look at buying your own kit. If you've ever borrowed someone else's gloves you'll know there is no feeling like putting your hands in to slightly (very!) moist warm gloves..! Owning your own gets rid of that and averts the chance of passing on any skin infection (very rare but it can happen).

It's always better to buy the best you can afford at the time and not to skimp when it comes to safety and we've never had more colour / design options than we have at the moment (although it does take some balearics to walk in to the gym completely kitted out in the latest Twins offerings!)

In no particular order:

Anklets - will help protect the ankle joint

Handwraps - will protect the fist, wrist and forearm (see handwraps faq). Amongst the first piece of kit you should buy

Shinpads - fairly obviously protects the shin when sparring. Not necessarily the first thing on the list of things you need to buy. If you use them when you kick the pads / bags you'll find their lifespan will be greatly dimninished (and your shins will never toughen up!). If you are going to enter the sparring arena you should buy the best you can afford (see shinpads faq)

Bag gloves - will protect your knuckles (and sometimes wrists) when hitting the pads / bags. Not for sparring. You should normally look at buying these before boxing gloves (see bag gloves vs. boxing gloves faq)

Boxing gloves - protects your hands, knuckles and wrists during sparring or heavy pad / bag work. Importantly will also protect your sparring partner too! Available in many different colours, designs and sizes allowing you to express yourself even whilst training quietly at the back of the class

Shorts - make you look the part (well lets face it they do)! When you think of Thai Boxing you can't help but to think of the wild garish shorts. Ultimately though they nearly always have a generous cut on the leg which will allow you to knee and kick without hinderance. When I get a beginner in a class wearing tracksuit, it normally only takes a couple of weeks before they come in wearing ordinary sports shorts that allows that extra movement.

 Again they're available in many different colours, designs and sizes allowing you to express yourself even whilst training quietly at the back of the class. In most cases (note I say most!) the brighter the short, the better. Shorts are the hardest things to buy as most beginners feel that they haven't "earned the right" to wear them... but everyone has to start somewhere. If you're going to buy them, a right pair of bobby dazzlers is what you need..!