Martial arts gym equipment checklist

Martial arts gym equipment starts with the same basics for every gym: mats or a suitable floor, wall padding, cleaning gear, first aid, storage and a way to check members in. On top of that, grappling gyms need more mats, striking gyms need bags and pads, and MMA gyms need both.

This martial arts gym equipment checklist covers BJJ, MMA, boxing and Muay Thai gyms, with the mat thickness each discipline needs and what to buy first.

What equipment does every martial arts gym need?

Every martial arts gym needs these, whatever it teaches:

• Flooring: mats for grappling and throws, or a firm sports floor for striking
• Wall padding wherever people can fall or be pushed into a wall
• Cleaning gear: a mat disinfectant, mops and towels
• First aid kit and ice packs, kept where every coach can find them
• A clock or round timer that everyone on the mat can see
• Sound system for music and the timer
• Storage for gear, shelves for bags and hooks for belts
• Changing rooms, and showers if you teach grappling
• Loaner gear for first-timers, such as a gi or gloves
• Front desk and check-in, such as a tablet or kiosk by the door

Buy the safety items first: flooring, wall padding and first aid. Everything else can grow with the gym.

How thick should martial arts gym mats be?

Mat thickness depends on how much people fall. Thicker mats protect against throws and takedowns, and thinner, firmer mats are better for striking footwork. Mat maker Dollamur's thickness guide recommends:

If you teach takedowns or throws regularly, choose the thicker end of the range. If BJJ and Muay Thai share one room, the grappling thickness is the safer choice.

What should you look for in BJJ gym mats?

BJJ gym mats should be firm enough to move on, soft enough to fall on and easy to clean. Look for these:

• Tatami-style surface, which is easier on skin and feet during long grappling sessions
• Tight seams, so toes and fingers don't catch between mats
• Non-slip base, so mats don't drift apart during rolls
• Wipe-clean cover that takes a daily disinfectant

Most BJJ gyms use either jigsaw mats, which lock together, or larger rollout mats. Rollout mats leave fewer seams, and jigsaw mats are easier to move or replace one at a time.

What MMA gym equipment do you need?

MMA gym equipment covers both grappling and striking, so plan the room in two zones. You need:

• MMA gym mats in the thicker range, because MMA training includes takedowns
• Heavy bags and standing bags for strikes and ground and pound
• Pads, Thai pads and focus mitts for partner drills
• Gloves: MMA gloves for sparring, and boxing gloves for bag work
• Shin guards, mouthguards and headgear for sparring, or a rule that members bring their own
• A cage or ring, if you train fighters for competition

A cage takes a lot of floor space that classes can't use for anything else. You can start without one and use a padded wall next to the mats for cage work.

What boxing gym equipment do you need?

Boxing gym equipment is mostly bags and gloves on a firm floor. A basic boxing gym needs:

• Heavy bags, plus a few speed bags and double-end bags
• Gloves and hand wraps, including loaners for beginners
• Pads and focus mitts for coaches
• Skipping ropes, which take little space and suit every class
• Mirrors for shadow boxing and technique work
• A ring, if you train competitive boxers

Check before you sign the lease that the ceiling or beams can hold heavy bags. Bag stands and wall mounts are alternatives when the ceiling can't take the weight.

What does a Muay Thai or kickboxing gym need?

A Muay Thai or kickboxing gym needs long heavy bags for kicks, Thai pads for coaches and a floor that's firm enough for pivots. Add gloves, shin guards and mouthguards for sparring, and a clinch area with enough mat to fall on safely.

Long bags need more space around them for kicks, so plan the layout before you order.

How should you clean martial arts gym mats?

Clean the mats with a disinfectant after every training day, and between classes when there's time. Skin infections such as staph and ringworm spread through close contact in grappling sports, as the National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement on skin diseases describes, and clean mats are part of keeping members healthy.

A study of collegiate wrestling mats in the Journal of Athletic Training found that disinfectants that keep working after they dry cut bacteria on the mats by 76.3% compared with ordinary cleaners. The researchers recommend:

1. Use a disinfectant with a lasting effect.
2. Mop backwards, so nobody walks on the clean area.
3. Let the mats dry before anyone steps on them.
4. Ask everyone to use hand sanitiser before training.

Write the cleaning routine down and give it an owner, so it happens every day. Ask members to wear sandals off the mat and to stay home with any skin infection until it has healed.

Should you buy new or used equipment?

Buy new mats and protective gear, and consider used bags and fitness equipment. Worn mats with torn covers or gaps between them are a safety and hygiene risk, while a used heavy bag works as well as a new one.

If you do buy used mats, check them in person. Look for tears, flattened areas and edges that no longer lock together.

What front desk equipment does a martial arts gym need?

A martial arts gym needs a way to check members in, take payments and sign up new members at the door. Most gyms use a tablet or kiosk by the entrance, a card reader for drop-ins and merchandise, and a shelf for loaner gear.

With Matpass, the kiosk is a web page you open on a tablet by the door, and members check in by typing their name or scanning the check-in code in their member app, so you don't need special check-in hardware.

The guide to BJJ gym attendance tracking covers the different ways to check members in and how to use the attendance numbers.

Key takeaways

• Every martial arts gym needs flooring, wall padding, cleaning gear, first aid, a timer and a way to check members in, which can be a tablet running the Matpass kiosk.
• Match the mat thickness to the discipline: thicker for throws and takedowns, firmer for striking.
• BJJ gym mats should have a skin-friendly surface, tight seams and a wipe-clean cover.
• Plan an MMA gym in two zones, and add a cage only if you train fighters.
• Check the ceiling can take heavy bags before you sign a lease for a boxing gym.
• Clean mats daily with a disinfectant that keeps working after it dries.
• Buy mats and protective gear new, and consider used bags.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most expensive equipment for a martial arts gym?

For grappling gyms it's usually the mats, because they cover the whole training area. For boxing and MMA gyms it's a ring or cage, if you buy one.

How many heavy bags does a boxing gym need?

Enough for everyone in your busiest bag class to work at the same time, either alone or with a partner taking turns. Count your largest class and divide by two for partner rounds.

Can BJJ and Muay Thai share the same mats?

Yes, if the mats are firm enough for striking footwork and thick enough for falls. A thickness around 4 cm (1⅝ inches) falls inside both the grappling and the striking range in Dollamur's guide.