Some of us do it, some of us don’t. Its called an ice bath. If you have done it before you know what a pain it can be to not only find a location if you are on the go, and how long it can take to get one ready plus the clean up. Well I think that I have found the solution with the Icybath. Its actually pretty cool to have a bathing tub that you can carry around with you and just fold out on site. Think about it, right after training you don’t have to go back home(or wherever you are staying) and get one ready, you now could have one on site. I personally like this idea, and for those of you who have never tried this, you don’t know what you are missing. Here is a little bit more from the manufacturer.

Designed for Athletes
The development of the IcyBath is centered on making ice bathing safer and more convenient for its users. Athletes often use this therapy to recover from intense training, at which point they are fatigued. Using uncomfortable containers, such as large trash bins, can be dangerous and requires additional exertion. The IcyBath incorporates a ladder for easy and safe access, allowing the athlete to climb in and out with little effort. Another important feature is the seat, which allows the athlete to rest while ice bathing and benefit fully from the therapy without additional discomfort.

Designed for Physiotherapists
Not only does the IcyBath vastly improve the ice bathing experience for athletes, it also provides unprecedented convenience and ease for the entire team. Its foldable and ergonomic design allow for easy manipulation, to the extent that one person can transport and set up the IcyBath. When folded, the IcyBath takes up little space and can be easily transported from one location to another. This allows for ice bathing to be performed on location, according to the needs of the physiotherapist’s recovery program.

Designed for Professionals
Designed with the professional athlete in mind, the IcyBath not only performs like high quality equipment but it also looks the part. Its sleek aesthetics are a huge improvement over the image conveyed by the use of containers such as trash bins. The IcyBath clean design, combining aluminium and glossy white surfaces, transmits the quality and value of professional sports equipment.

For more information here is a couple videos

Be sure and take look at this if you use ice baths as something in your routine, I am sure that it could make ice bathing not only easier, but maybe more people would be willing to give it a try. For more info please check out www.icybath.com

**Disclaimer** I received no payment from the company to do the feature article.

Per Manufacturer- These boil and bites are as close as you can get to a custom fit and designed Jawzz Custom Mouthguard. Each guard is made with PolyShoK technology!! Which is the same material used to create our custom mouthguards. When boiled right, you will get a tight fit. Even better, they are only $29.99.

 First Impression- I liked that these boil and bites feel quite a bit thicker than other ones that I have tried in the past. Process looked straight forward so I could not wait to try them out. These are available in not only adult size but youth size as well.

Process- If you have ever used a boil and bite mouthguard then you will have no problem with this mouthguard. The name of it are basically the instructions. You boil, then bite to make it form to your teeth. They have many different popular design to choose from. Everything for an American Flag to various types of teeth. They do come with instructions with how long you keep them in the boiling water, and also what to do once you put it in your mouth, but like I said fairly straightforward.

Fit and Usage- While these mouthguards are not the same as their custom ones I was curious to see the fit of them. Well for a boil and bite they have a excellent fit. The fit is tight and has a custom feel to it just because the mouthguard itself is so thick. The mouthguard goes higher up on the gums than other boil and bites, but not quite as high as a custom fit. I used this during both muay thai and Jiu Jitsu. It kept a tight fit in my mouth and did not become irritation or uncomfortable. I could open my mouth and breath when I needed to and it did not interfere with breathing. I did take a couple shots to the mouth just to see how well my mouth and teeth would be protected and while the guard did move a little, it is one of the better boil and bite type guards.

Overall- This is definitely a mouthguard that I can recommend. For someone that is perhaps just getting into mma or someone looking for a more stylish mouthguard, but does not want to shell out all the cash for a custom one. Either way if you are looking for a new mouthguard be sure and take a look at Jawzz Boil and Bites, they may be just the mouthguard that you are looking for.

(Highly Recommended)

Click here to buy Jawzz Boil and Bite Mouthguards

**Disclaimer** I received these at no cost for the purpose of review and received no payment from the company to do the review.

Per Manufacturer-

-Shin instep protection designed for the grappler.

-Neoprene support secures the guard to the feet and shins.

-With 2 hook-and-loop straps hug your leg for a secure fit

-Leather striking areas.

-Medium fits up to 140 lbs. Large fits 140 to 185 lbs. XL for 185 lbs. plus.

First Impression- These look great. The construction looks top notch and the padding felt thick. Could not wait to get in the gym and try these out.

Construction- The construction of these shin pads is great. There were no loose threads, and the padding is thick. The logo on the front of the shin pad is stitched on, while the logos on the side are screen printed on. The leather feels thick and is not stretched to tight across the shin pads and the leather piping that goes around the shin pad is well done. The closure system is an elastic strap that goes around your foot and two straps that Velcro together behind the back of your leg. These are manufactured in Pakistan.

Fit- I was a little concerned with how these were going to fit as I usually prefer the type of shin pads that have a full backing as opposed to the two hook and loop straps, at least for mma. Well just in overall fit they are great. These come precurved which is nice, and the material on the inside of them feels very comfortable. There is plenty of adjustability with the straps so that you can get it tight around your leg. These shin guards come up to right under your knee and do a good job at covering up and protecting your foot.

Training- Here is where the real bread and butter of this review is. First I will go into stand up. I really liked these for strand up. They stayed tight to my leg, and they shifted very little. Worked great through out my entire workout. Provided plenty of protection to my shin and instep. Now as far as the grappling part goes these did not quite work as well for me. I have smaller legs so someone with bigger calf’s these might work better. Sometimes while on the ground they would shift some, but never to the point of flipping around. There were also a couple of times in a scramble the Velcro straps came undone. Just some things to keep in mind depending on why you might be getting these.

Pros-

*Great Construction

*Good Fit

*Excellent for striking

Cons-

*Not the best for smaller legs

*Descent performance on ground

Overall- While these are called grappling shin pads I just feel that they are considerably better for stand up than grappling. However, they are a good pair of overall shin pads and something that I can recommend. If you are in the market for a new pair of shin pads, be sure and take a look at these before you make your final decision. They can be purchased for right around $55.

(Recommended)

Click here to buy Ring to Cage Hook&Loop Grappling Shin instep

**Disclaimer** I received these at no cost for the purpose of review and received no payment from the company to do the review.

Per Manufacturer-

Per Manufacturer-

Per Manufacturer-

Bad Boy Backpack. Everything you need for the gym, school, travel, office and more! Full length zippered top opening. Complete with anatomically shaped and padded shoulder strap.

One size: 16″x13.5″x8.5″.

First Impression- This bag is a great looking bag. It has padding everywhere it should and looks like it has plenty of space.

Construction- All I can saw is the construction of this bag is fantastic. No loose threads and the stitching on it it done well. The  material that the bag is made out of is very durable and in spots has a similar weave to a gi. On the shoulder straps there is plenty of padding, and there is also padding on the part of the bag that goes against your bag  for added comfort. This bag has a strap at the top of the bag so you can carry it in your hand if you want to. There are plenty of graphics on the outside of the bag which are screen printed on, but seem like they will last a long time.

Usage- This type of bag reminds me more of a school bag. While there is plenty of room in the bag itself I could only get so much gear in it. It has tons of different pockets which is nice and even a hole at the top for your headphones to come out of. One thing I did really like is how comfortable this bag is to wear, with all of the padding it makes easy to wear for long periods of time. I did manage to fit one pair of gloves, shorts, mouthguard, and a few smaller items in it but that was about it. Now for most that may work just fine, but for me I like to have 2 pairs gloves and would have liked to been able to get my gi in there as well. I also used this bag for travel and it worked great. Could get everything I needed as a carry-on in there. Laptop, camera(both still and video), magazines, ipod, and some of the smaller items for camera such as lenses and flashes.

Pros-

*Great Construction

*Lots of Pockets

Cons-

*Could be bigger

Overall- This is an excellent bag. While it may not be big enough for some, others may find that it is just the right size without being too big. I can definitely recommend this bag as a gear bag or just something to use when you travel to let others know that you are interested in mixed martial arts. With that said, if you are in the market for a new bag please be sure and check this bag out. It may be just the one you are looking for. This bag can be purchased for right around $40.

(Highly Recommended)

Click here to buy Bad Boy Backpack

**Disclaimer** I received these at no cost for the purpose of review and received no payment from the company to do the review.

Per Manufacturer-

Used by top MMA athletes worldwide, the patented technology utilized by the Guardian Dual Tray Mouthguard significantly reduces the risk of concussion/brain trauma while protecting both upper and lower teeth.

• Patented dual tray design provides superior jaw stability and reduces the force of impacts to the jaw joint and base of brain by 40%, lowering the risk of concussion and protecting upper and lower teeth
• Internal shock absorbers disperse impact to protect upper and lower teeth and further reduce the risk of concussion
• Active airways allow you to breathe and speak freely while your jaw is closed and protected
• Dual density thermoplastic construction provides a perfect personalized fit even with braces
• Simple boil and bite forming process
• Includes anti-microbial carrying case

First Impression- I have used a dual mouthguard in the past and did not really like it so we will see how this one compares. Comes with good instructions and a case.

Process- The instructions that this mouthguard come with are actually very good. They walk you through every step. Now I am not going to go into extreme detail, but will go over the basics. It is a dual tray boil and bite style mouthguard. One of the things that you want to pay attention to is if you need to trim some of the back of the mouthguard off. Now if you have read some of my other mouthguard reviews you know that I have a smaller mouth, and so I did need to trim the back off the mouthguard. Once you get the initial fit right, you have to get ready to boil it. Now there is a boiling technique with this mouthguard, but I wont get to far into it, you will just have to read the instructions.

Fit- Once I got done actually making the mouthguard I tried it out for fit. Now for a boil and bite style mouthguard this actually has a pretty good fit to it. It took me a little while to get use to the dual tray design, but once I did it did not bother me much. This mouthguard does not fit as tight as a custom style one and you can not talk with it in, but it does protect both the top and bottom teeth which most custom mouthguards do not. I also liked that it had a hole in the middle that you could breath through which allowed me to keep my jaw closed and more protected, and because this is a boil and bite style if you mess up making it you can just re-boil and try again.

Pros-

*Dual tray design

*Good fit for boil and bite

Cons-

*Dual tray design

*Can not talk while in

Overall- Yes I know that I put dual tray design in both pros and cons and that’s exactly to me how it is. There are both good and bad things that come along with this type of mouthguard. While it does provide protection for the bottom teeth and make it so the jaw does not move as much on impact, it is not as comfortable or as tight as custom fit mouthguard. Perhaps it is a little unfair to compare the two as this one cost less than half of some of those. Basically it comes down to personal preference. Will I wear this mouthguard again? The simple answer is yes. Do I recommend this mouthguard? Once again the answer is yes. The Jaco Guardian Dual Tray Mouthguard can be purchased for right around $30.

(Recommended)

Click here to buy Jaco Guardian Dual Tray Mouthguard

**Disclaimer** I received these at no cost for the purpose of review and received no payment from the company to do the review.

 

Per Manufacturer-
- Available in colors: Red with White Trim or All Black
- Top grade, all-leather headgear offers the most in comfort, performance & durability
- Super-soft, yet resilient, inner foam offers optimal all-around fit and comfort
- Fully padded cheek and chin pads help provide increased coverage
- Fully adjustable top and back help make for extra secure fit and sizing
- Made to withstand all professional and amateur competition and training
- American Stand Up – T&T Fit Tech absorbs shock better than any protective gear on the market

First Impression- When I pulled this headgear out of the box the construction and overall look was great. Leather felt good, and I liked the color. Could not wait to try it on.

Construction- Everything about this headgear screams quality. The stitching is done very well, with almost no loose threads. The color of the leather is bright and vibrant. The leather itself is not too stiff and feels nice against my face. Now lets go over the padding placement. The padding in this headgear is excellent. American Stand Up has put padding everywhere that there needs to be some. Plenty of stiff padding around the jaw, and softer but still stiff enough padding around the cheeks. The closure system has Velcro in the back, and a drawstring at the top which should allow for plenty of adjustment. Headgear is manufactured in Pakistan.

Fit- There are two different sizes and I choose to go with the Large. There is so much adjustability with this headgear that it should be fairly easy to get a size the will work for you. The drawstring works well at the top of the closure. You can either leave it loose and tighten up the Velcro first, or you can just tie it tight and leave it and just use the Velcro to take it on and off. Either way the fit is nice and tight. The leather feels good against my face and did not irritate my forehead like other headgear I have used. The fit around the chin is tight and provides plenty of protection. The padding feels stiff enough so that it will keep you protected, and also absorb plenty of the shock. Whenever I wear headgear one thing I always worry about is will I be able to see okay. I have worn headgear in the past where part of the cheek protection has blocked a some of my vision. That was not the case here. I could see fine and managed to keep almost all of my peripheral vision.

Training- Now with training in headgear there are both good things and bad things. I get to see how it feels, and how comfortable it is. Well, I also have to let people hit me in the face to see what type of protection it does offer. First the comfort, I would probably some of the most comfortable head gear during training I have worn. It did not shift or move, even when I got hit. The drawstring helps to keep it nice and tight. One thing I will say like most headgear I did get very hot while wearing it. As for protection, it did exactly what it is suppose to do. Most of the shock was absorbed by the headgear, also kept me from getting cuts or bruises. The chin area has lots of padding and it is very stiff. Now that’s not to say that if you still take a good shot you aren’t going to sleep, but it definitely cuts down on the impact. My vision was not impaired, and also did a great job at protecting my ears.

Pros-

*Construction

*Fit

*Good Shock Absorption

Cons-

*Hot while wearing

*Testing requires getting hit in the face

Overall- I have used quite a few pairs of headgear in my time and I would say that this rates as one of the better ones out there. With lots of adjustability and comfort it is hard to find faults with it. If you are looking for a new set of headgear go ahead and give this set a look. It retails for Roth around $65.

(Highly Recommended)

Click here to buy American Stand Up EGG WRAP Safety Head Gear

**Disclaimer** I received these at no cost for the purpose of review and received no payment from the company to do the review.

Per Manufacturer-

• Features Super Shock Absorbing COMBAT PAD Padding – One of a kind protection
• Combat Pad is molded to contour around the shin-neoprene sets and maintains fit-no turning or shifting
• High Quality Leather is durable to last longer/look good
• Neoprene is perfect thickness to maintain stability – no turning or shifting
• Great Coverage for Shin and Instep-train hard without worry

First Impression- The quality of these looked excellent like everything else from Primetime and they did not look bulky like some other pads that I have used. I could not wait to hit the gym with them.

Construction- These shin pads have excellent construction. There are absolutely no loose threads. The leather on the front of them is thick, and has a very durable feel. The padding on both the shin and the instep is thick and stiff so it should provide great shock absorption. It has neoprene lining on the back of the shin pads which is has a great feel to it and is thick enough that I do not think it will tear. The closure system on these is on the top just behind the knee and it a hook and loop style. These guards are manufactured in. The logos on the back of pads are screen printed on while they have a patch on the front.

Fit- The fit of these shin pads is perfect. I got a small which was the correct size. These should fit fairly tight on you, and there are four different sizes so you should be able to find one that fits correctly. When in doubt just ask Primetime I am sure they can help out. They stay very secure against my legs due to the neoprene backing. I have used other pads in the past that just have two point of connection and they just do not stay as tight as these. Now for the bad part of them being so tight. They are very very hard to take off. While being very tight during training is a huge plus, being very tight when trying to get them off is a negative. I had to pull as hard as I could to get a little pulled off, then I had to stand on the end with one foot and pull my leg out. This is just a minor negative compared to everything else these pads have to offer but I did feel like it needed to be mentioned. These are a long pair of shin pads that cover up almost all of the top of the foot and go all the way up to the back of the knee. The hook and loop style closure system in just behind the back of the knee and can be easily adjusted.

Training- I have used several types of shin pads and these are my favorites. They stay perfectly tight no matter what type of training you are doing. While doing stand up whether it was hitting the heavy bag or sparring these stayed snug. They did not shift or ride up. I would do some conditioning stations that would require all different types of training which included rounds of sparring and these pads did not move. They have plenty of padding that is not too thick or stiff but still absorb enough shock. Even on the ground these did not move. Anything from having people in my guard to having some sort of top control and everything in between these remained tight. I did not have to make adjustments to them like other pads I have used. I thought that the Velcro that is on the closure system might irritate the back of my leg, but the way that it is setup it did not bother me at all.

Pros-

*Great Construction

*Perfect Fit

*Stay snug through training

Cons-

*Very hard to take off

*Screen Printed logos on the back

Overall- I do not think that I could be happier with a pair of shin pads as I am with these. Well maybe if I could get them off a little easier, but other than that these are a great product. If you are looking at getting a new pair a shin guards and want something that is meant for not only stand up but grappling too take a look at these. Oh and right now they are on sale. They a normally right around $50 but you can get them now for $40.

(Highly Recommended)

Click here to buy Primetime’s 1P MMA Shin Guard

**Disclaimer** I received these at no cost for the purpose of review and received no payment from the company to do the review.

I get asked a lot of questions. Things like,”What are the best shorts? Who makes the best gloves? What supplements should I use?” I have answers for all the questions, but you a question I never get asked? “How should I keep track of my training?” Well I have found the answer to that question. It would be the Mixed Martial Arts Training Journal.

This journal has every thing that you will need. I will not be posting any pictures to protect the content, but will let you know whats inside. It has an excellent introduction to the journal that just explains why the journal is important I must say, I agree. It has things like your statistics which include height and weight and even win, loss record(if you have one) and a BMI table.

Now lets get to the real meat of this journal. It has something that I think is very important. A place to set your goals. This is one are I think that is tremendously overlooked. People commonly set goals that are somewhat unattainable or do not set them at all. Think about it. Without goals what are you working towards and how are you going to get there? It breaks it down in a couple of different ways from 45 days out to weekly goals. Then you get into the daily journal. This part is unbelievable. It has everything for your training needs. You can input everything that you did that day. All types of training. Everything from weightlifting to who you rolled with that day and how you did. You can also put down what you ate and drank. This is the part that I found to be the most helpful. When doing this you can really break down what you eat and see if you are getting enough of what you need. For me I found out that I was not eating enough calories through out the day. Now that I can see everything that eat and drink I am also less likely to eat crappy stuff.

Now towards the back it has a place for notes and where you can enter in what you have learned about certain techniques or drills that you learned. It even has the rules for mma, muay thai, and jiu jitsu where it lists things like weight classes and ways to win.

I really can not say anything bad about this journal. If there is one product that I can convince you to get I hope it is this. By far one of the most useful pieces of equipment I have come across. I think that anyone that is truly serious about competing in mma, muay thai, or jiu jitsu should pick this book up. Trust me when I tell you, you will not be disappointed. This journal can be had for right around $20.

(Highly Recommended)

Click here to buy The Mixed Martial Arts Training Journal

**Disclaimer** I received these at no cost for the purpose of review and received no payment from the company to do the review.