To those in the UK Muay Thai scene, Reece Mcallister needs no introduction. Throughout his fighting career he’s won a number of titles including previously becoming the Topking World Series champion 2014. He’s taken on some big names, having fought in both Muay Thai and Kickboxing events, and will be taking on current Yokkao World Title holder Jordan Watson later in 2016.
We spoke to Reece to find out a little bit about his favourite gear and training advice.
Hi Reece, to start off with, what’s your favourite piece of fight gear?
Twins Lace up gloves.
What sort of training do you use them for most?
I hit pads with them also sparring
How long have you been using them?
I have 2 pairs of these gloves, 1 set of 12oz for hitting pads and 1 set of 14oz for sparring
What was the reason behind you getting those particular ones in the first place?
I got these particular ones as I have used Twins before along with a lot of other gloves and I feel that Twins are the most comfortable to use for me.
What would you say are the stand-out features of them and what makes them better than other brands?
They are very comfortable and have a little lump on the back for when you tighten them up the lace sits behind the lump and pulls the leather tight which is great for support on the wrist and hand also they look great too.
With your fight gear, do you tend to stick to a few select brands, or do you like to mix it up with a nice variety?
I usually like to stick with what I know as it is important that when I train I have the right support and comfort.
Is there any other gear you just love to use when training?
Top King shin pads are my favourite shin pads they are great for comfort and great for protecting the shins.
How much of your training is dedicated to martial arts/technique training and how much is dedicated to other aspects such as cardio, strength and conditioning?
I train 6 days a week, running a few days of the week on a morning and training pads/sparring on a night. Also on a night we add strength work into our session then on a weekend I will run and do sprints. And have a rest day on a weekend.
What are your thoughts on sparring – Should you go in hard and heavy, or keep it light and technical?
I believe you should have both hard sparring and also technical sparring so you can try new technique when going light and when going hard it is also good as it is real life that’s what happens in the ring.
What pushes you to do your best during training?
My little girl and fiancée give me every single bit of drive during training and fighting cause I fight for my family so they have a better life.
And finally what’s your best training tip for aspiring fighters out there?
Never think you have a bad session when training as the only bad session you have is the one you don’t do. Keep humble and listen to your coach.
Thanks for your time Reece, it’s been a pleasure
If you want to keep track of what Reece is up to, you can find him on Twitter.