Most new fighters focus on finding the best gloves and the best shin guards. Or they spend their time researching the best protection gear like hand wraps, supporters, and headgear. But, so many fighters overlook a crucial piece of gear, their fight shorts. From training to competition, from MMA to Muay Thai and Grappling, choosing the best fight shorts is crucial to optimizing your performance and advancing your skills. So let’s go through a few tips to help you find the best fight shorts for you. 

Cross Discipline or Specialized? 

The first thing to think about when choosing the best fight shorts is do you need a specific use or a general use pair of fight shorts? See, some fight shorts are great for cross domain use and for training and competition. This means that multi-use shorts work great across all combat sports domains, so you can wear one pair of shorts for your Muay Thai training, MMA sparring, and BJJ grappling. But other fight shorts are designed for one specific combat sports domain like shorts that are only designed for Muay Thai, Boxing, BJJ, or MMA. So, first, do you need a fight shorts for one specific domain? Or do you need a pair that works across disciplines? 

A great example of a cross discipline pair of fight shorts is the CRNR IsoSuture Fight Shorts. The IsoSuture Hybrid Fight Shorts combine surgical precision and high-output performance. With premium materials, tailored design, weightless fit, and more, these shorts allow you to move seamlessly between combat sports disciplines as well as training and competition. The Iso Shorts, along with all other CRNR fight shorts, work great for both male and female athletes. Learn more about them here.

Muay Thai Shorts

Now let’s look closer at fight shorts designed specifically for one combat sports domain. And first let’s look at Muay Thai shorts. Muay Thai shorts come from the rich legacy and history of Muay Thai. Talking through everything that makes Muay Thai shorts special and unique requires its own article, so for now, let’s look at some big picture things to consider with Muay Thai shorts. 

Because Muay Thai shorts come from Thailand, many Westerners and athletes new to Muay Thai find that these shorts feel, fit, and look different from regular fight shorts in the USA. Unlike typical MMA shorts, Muay Thai shorts feature bold colors, exaggerated flair, and dramatic angles. They also feature extra wide cuts in the leg design of the shorts. These cuts are specifically designed for high kicks, knee strikes, and checking kicks, all of which are vital in Muay Thai.

Alongside aesthetics and tailor design, Muay Thai shorts feel and fit differently than typical fight shorts. Premium Muay Thai shorts are made from light weight, high-durability satin. These materials give the shorts a very different feel and look. And traditionally Muay Thai shorts use different sizing than Western fight shorts. Many Muay Thai shorts run true to size or smaller than typical fight shorts. So make sure you double check sizing guides and your measurements before you buy. 

Nogi BJJ and Grappling Shorts

Nogi BJJ has become more and more popular, and it continues to grow at a record pace. Alongside Nogi, grappling from collegiate wrestling to youth clubs, has also grown at an incredible rate and shows no signs of slowing down. Grappling Shorts work for both Nogi BJJ and grappling. These shorts are closer to typical fight shorts, but what sets these apart is their fit. Grappling in anything loose puts you at a huge disadvantage. So, grappling and Nogi shorts eliminate that hindrance by utilizing both a  streamline, tight fit and high flexibility materials. 

MMA Shorts

Advancing your skills in MMA requires a pair of shorts as versatile as your training plan. MMA Shorts blends together the best features of boxing trunks, Nogi shorts, and Muay Thai shorts. Back in the day, ‘MMA Shorts’ basically meant a pair of durable, loose fitting board shorts. But, as the sport, technology, and styles have progressed, so have the selection of what’s considered a pair of MMA shorts. Today, MMA Shorts give you a great fit that doesn’t restrict movement but also doesn’t give your opponent an advantage.

MMA shorts are typically manufactured from a combination of spandex and polyester composite materials, which help repel sweat and dry faster. MMA Shorts also utilize specific fabrics in key areas, such as stretch panels in the crotch and hip areas, to strike a balance between optimal durability and flexibility. 

Fit

Even though there are unique differences between cross discipline fight shorts and specialized fight shorts, there is one overarching thing you need to consider no matter if you’re looking for a pair of Muay Thai shorts or a new pair of cross training fight shorts. You have to pay attention to the fit.

Notice, we said fit, not comfort. Often, the right fight shorts for you doesn’t mean they’re also the right weekend lounge shorts for you. You need to treat fight shorts as what they are, an essential piece of combat equipment. So, instead of only considering comfort when you’re looking at fit, look at these three things instead. 

Length

To help you check your shorts fit, assess the length of your fight shorts. Lengths vary across fight shorts. Neither longer or shorter length is necessarily better than the other. The best length for you all depends on your sport and your fighting style. So, make sure to talk with your trainer, coach, sparring partners, and others in your sports community to find the optimal length for you. And don’t be afraid to try things out. Many fighters find that they have to experiment with different lengths to find the best fit for them.  

Compression

After length, you need to consider if you want compression or traditional tailoring in your fight shorts. Compression tailored fight shorts use non-restrictive, flexible materials, which makes them very lightweight and snug. Compression shorts help with muscle recovery and optimize your performance in Nogi BJJ and grappling. Traditional tailored fight shorts, on the other hand, utilize versatile, looser materials, which give you more airflow and breathability. Because of their materials, these fight shorts typically use a drawstring and/or elastic band to adjust their tightness. 

Waistband

One aspect of fight shorts that most fighters overlook is the shorts waistband. However, it’s an extremely important feature. Most fight shorts will come with either a ‘fixed’/solid waistband, an elastic waistband, or a ‘hybrid’ waistband combining a fixed front/rear with elastic zones on the sides. Each type of waistband has its own pros and cons, so, like with length, the best thing to do is talk with your fellow athletes to find what works best in your space and experiment to find your own personal preferences.