Head Gear

[wiz cool c]

Does anyone have any experience with a caged head gear (The one that looks like a catchers mask?) You can't really see properly in it. Do you get used to it after awhile?

[Ray Pina]

Definitely!

Head gear is a must! I have that same mask and use it all the time. It's great. Are you talking about the white one with a black cage? That's the one I have now. I used to have a different red model witha different cage.

The white one offers better ear protection but nothing on top. The other was covered all the way. Either one works.

You won't even notice the bars after one or two bouts. You'll love them when something get's through.

Train like its not there though, that's how I like to fight. Otherwise you develop a habit of trading too many blows. I don't like the chest protector if just boxing for the same reason. Guys are willing to absorb too many shots like they are king kong. Yea, take the gear off and see what happens. Though there are ways to absorb body blows.

Anyway, have fun. Keep the tongue on the roof of your mouth. You'll still get your head blown back by a good shot. I got dazed pretty good, almost knocked out, about two years ago while wearing one. I took one really good earth element shot to the upper side of the hear which jarred me, buckled me a bit and my old teacher was slow in the break so I took two more right after.

I had to sit out about 15/20 minutes, but I got right back in against the same guy. Elements from big guys are devestating, but with the head gear and good instruction I learned how to deal with them.

You'll get confident and then you'll take the gear off and feel more relaxed.

[tsunami surfer]

I wear the same type of headgear. I hardly notice the cage in my vision. You will still feel a hard shot to the face the only thing that doesnt happen is your nose wont get crunched. After a full contact sparring session I will still have a light bruising around the face but no black eye or crunched nose

[taijiquan_student]

We use head-gear for our full-contact stuff, but not the kind with the face cage. I never liked the idea of those, and your sparring partner would prbably just grab them. Also, the pressure of the possibility of really getting hit in the face or a bloody nose forces you to not rely on the cage to protect you, and forces you to use your stuff under more pressure. I'm not saying you don't feel anything with the cage, just that it does prevent you from say, getting a broken nose.
Also, although my teacher has never really said this, I would imagine that always training full-contact with the face cage could train you to bring your power out at the right distance to hit the cage, but not to hit right through their face or head. Maybe not, but it makes sense.

But hey, whatever floats your boat.