Best Knee Pads for BJJ and MMA in 2024

BJJ is slowly becoming one of the most popular sports in the world. As more newcomers enter into the sport, it continues to grow, and we’re starting to see new forms of submissions and techniques. It’s also essential to guide every one that’s beginning BJJ about the importance of proper equipment because it doesn’t end at buying a gi and a rash guard.

Knee pads are one such piece of gear that you should always have to keep your knees in good share!

Here’s a list of the best knee pads for BJJ on the market.

Best BJJ Knee Braces Reviewed

Shock Doctor 872 Knee Brace

Shock Doctor is well known for its safety apparel, offering several different gear types for specialist sports. While they’re primarily known for their mouth guards, the Shock Doctor 872 knee brace is one of the best BJJ knee pads you can find. It’s great for anyone that wants to practice Jiu-Jitsu while recovering from a knee injury.

This MMA knee brace is specifically designed to ensure that there are significant protection and stability. It features a four-way stretch to ensure that it fits comfortably and doesn’t restrict movement.

The knee brace also features decent levels of compression that support soft tissue healing and joint alignment, which is ideal for preventing any potential injuries and ensure that recovering knees don’t suffer any further damage.

A padded patella buttress helps ensure the kneecap itself has sufficient protection as well. Even when worn tight, there’s no problem with sweat. It uses airflow vented neoprene that provides a decent amount of moisture-wicking.

Shock Doctor claim that the knee brace provides three levels of support, one being lateral support. The first level for those who are looking for compression, alignment, and healing. For the second level, it targets those who want support, compression, alignment, and recovery. At the same time, the third level of performance is for those looking for stability, support, compression, alignment, and healing.

TechWare Pro Knee Compression Sleeve

An alternative option for those looking for a knee pad that offers more movement, the TechWare Pro Knee compression sleeve, is a great option. TechWare is a relatively new company, but they provide a whole host of brilliant innovative products.

Not only do these MMA knee pads offer brilliant compression, but it features stabilizer bars and patella gel pads as well. These offer extra lateral support and compression to the knee, while at the same time providing pain relief.

The sleeve is available in five flexible sizes for both men and women. It features breathable and soft fabric, providing a great combination of sweat absorption and comfort. The stretching capabilities of this compression sleeve are particularly impressive. It provides additional stability with only a minimum restriction of movement.

Thanks to the lightweight design, it’s perfect for wearing to prevent injury. It’s suitable for walking, soccer, basketball, and other sports. While it still offers significant relief from all common knee injuries, it’s not the best to wear if you’re recovering from an injury and want to practice BJJ. Something that offers a bit more stability like the Shock Doctor is more suitable in those circumstances.

Venum Kontact Lycra/Gel Knee Pads

If you’re a fan of MMA and BJJ, then you’ll be familiar with Venum. They’re one of the biggest manufacturers of combat sports gear. Their Kontact Lycra Knee Pads are one of the best BJJ knee pads you can get. They’re straightforward and no-nonsense.

The fabric features an inner terry-loop that improves comfort and helps absorb more sweat. They fit nicely because of how thin the material is, and they get the job done — offering a decent amount of protection while providing complete freedom of movement.

As these guards are so simple, they lack several of the quality features that other pads offer. There’re no additional healing aides or anything of the sort. The primary purpose of these guards is to protect during training or competitions.

Bodyprox Protective Knee Pads

Bodyprox is another new player in the protective gear industry. Their protective knee pads are one of the best knee pads you can find. It features high-density strengthened foam, decent elasticity, and breathable fabric. The combination means that the knee pads are comfortable and help keep the skin dry as well. 

It features a design that’s both ergonomic and lightweight that helps protect while not restricting movement. The knee pad is incredibly versatile and is excellent for several different sports. You can wear it to all forms of MMA training, Wrestling, and of course, BJJ. The bulky front of these knee pads also provides additional protection to the kneecaps, which is necessary for Jiu-jitsu practitioners. 

When you’re wearing these kneepads, there’s also no need to worry about any slippage. The guards have an excellent grip, and they won’t slip off in any way. 

RDX Knee Support Brace Protector Foam Pads

Most veteran MMA fans will also be familiar with the RDX brand. They’ve been a significant name in the MMA gear industry for quite a few years now. The product features a dri-fit sweat management system that holds up due to the use of synthetic material. 

When you’re wearing this knee pad, locking it in place is very easy, thanks to the cross-over hook and loop system. It also gives you the option to adjust the tightness of the knee brace to a certain degree. 

RDX also makes use of extra light carbon fiber padding to ensure that the product is as durable as possible. The additional padding in the front of the knee is also great for BJJ training. It’s also available in three different colors, depending on the preference of the customer. 

Why Do You Need BJJ Knee Pads?

BJJ is all about the ground game. A majority of the time, you’ll be putting weight on your knees, and even though mats in the gym tend to have padding, the number of hours spent training can be strenuous on your knees. If you’re training without knee pads, you can potentially get mat burns, not to mention all the grinding of the joints and the very troublesome ligament tears.

The best BJJ knee pads are also great for those rehabbing from a knee injury and ready to start practicing BJJ again. While knee pads are a useful tool, it’s essential to know which ones to get so you can optimize performance. Luckily, I’ve got you covered as always.

Benefits Of Wearing Kneepads 

Protection

The number one benefit of wearing the best BJJ knee pads while training is that they offer protection. You spend a lot of time on your knees when you’re training BJJ, whether it’s on top mount or side mount. Putting on all the weight can start to add up after several sessions. It’ll also help you avoid any potential mat burn, which we all know can be very nasty.

Stability 

When training Jiu-Jitsu, one needs to engage in many movements that put pressure on the knee. During those sessions, there’s a lot of potential for injury. However, without the necessary stability, the likelihood of injury is much higher. 

Injury prevention 

While training with knee guards might feel restrictive at first, it will be better in the long run. The combination of compression, comfort, and stability makes knee guards very good at preventing injury. Learning about these things early in your BJJ career can significantly improve the longevity of your career. 

Suitable for complementary exercises

BJJ isn’t a lot of people’s primary form of activity, even those that mainly practice BJJ engage in other fitness forms. While all of these knee guards are great for MMA training, they’re also great for other complimentary sports. Even when you’re going out on a walk or a run, wearing the best BJJ knee pads can significantly benefit.

Aid Healing 

The compression in these knee pads also helps improve the healing process for several knee injuries. It helps improve the blood flow, which accelerates the healing process for soft tissue. 

Practice with injury 

Finally, this is a crucial benefit for BJJ practitioners that are coming off a knee injury. When they reach the right point in their healing process, wearing a knee cap when training again initially is crucial. It’s common for knee injuries to reoccur, ensuring that you wear the best BJJ knee pads for training during rehab.

There are a whole host of benefits to wearing kneecaps for BJJ training. Now that you’re entirely aware of all the benefits and some of the best options on the market, you’re also ready to learn about everything you need to know about what to look for in a knee guard. 

A Guide to Buy the Best Knee Pads

Level of stability 

One of the most important things that you need to keep in mind when buying a knee cap is the level of stability you require. There’s a natural tradeoff between the amount of stability a knee guard offers and the freedom of movement. 

Typically, those knee pads that offer high levels of stability often restrict movement a bit. In contrast, those that provide more freedom of movement forego a bit of stability. Depending on your needs, get the right knee pad. 

Padding

Padding is crucial when buying a knee pad for BJJ training. While regular compression sleeves can provide protection and stability, they don’t feature padding on the knee caps. When you’re training BJJ, you’re directly putting pressure on the knee caps. Additional padding in these areas is always a feature to look out for when buying knee pads for BJJ.

Compression 

When you’re suffering from a muscle injury, a compression bandage can play a significant role in aiding the healing process. Compression improves blood flow and can encourage the recovery of soft tissue injuries. A lot of brands are offering innovative features that provide more healing. 

Fit 

The fitting of a knee pad is crucial to the role it performs. If the product doesn’t fit properly, it can increase the chances of suffering from an injury during training. Companies often provide size charts that can let you know how well the knee pad will fit.

However, you can’t always trust the size chart. One of the best ways to get an idea about fitting is by reading customer reviews. They’ll provide you with an accurate idea of how well the product will fit. 

Conclusion 

Following this guide will help you get the best kneepads for BJJ training. Even though there might be a bit of stigma around the idea of wearing protective equipment before training, you’ll be the one laughing when you’re managing to steer clear of any injuries. 

Not only do these knee guards offer protection, but they also improve stability and significantly decrease the chances of suffering from injuries during BJJ. Trust me, after years and years of practicing BJJ, I’m in the right position to say those knee injuries are some of the most common forms of injuries.

They’re also one that’s very annoying. They take ages to heal, and once you injure a knee, there’s always the chance of injuring the knee again. Wearing a BJJ knee pad can significantly help protect against any potential injuries and keep your knees intact for years to come. They’re even more critical when you’re looking to return to training from a knee injury.