Sparring - Gear or No Gear?

[Gerry Seymour]

Ok, I need to ask - why is chest protection optional for men but required for women? I didn't think breasts were really an issue in terms of potential injury.

I've been told that being punched in the breast is akin to being kicked in the groin.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

This is probably more of a TKD/kicking style thing. We do a lot standing of partner drills where you are only in danger of a groin shot if you are working with a kid or someone with pretty low kicks. During drills this is easy enough to deal with. If you are working with an experienced student during SD drills there are inherent risks of a low shot. Forms, no worries. Sparring is where the stakes greatly increase. I say all this to say I am a fan of the outside groin protection. I can keep it with my sparring gear and slip it on as needed. Very convenient, more comfortable than a cup (to me) , speeds up getting ready for sparring, covers more area, and I don't have to use it when I don't want to. Yea, it looks silly if a person has never seen one but I figure everything we do looks a little silly to some people.
I tried the compression shorts style and felt like my boys were in a vice for the duration of the 1 1/2 hour class.

I will wear a dress in class, but I will not wear an external codpiece.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

McDavid sell them with compression shorts, and I’m pretty sure Shock Doctor does too.

I bought the McDavid version but threw out the shorts after I tried them on because they didn’t fit right. I wear the old school jock strap. I used to wear a pair of spandex shorts over a jock strap and that worked out well. The spandex kept everything from sliding around.

I currently wear Nike Pro Combat compression underwear (thin and softer spandex-like) with a jock strap and cup over it. Everything stays in place. Maybe because the shorts are just the right amount of friction?

The Nike Pro Combat compression shorts/underwear are by far the most comfortable ones I’ve tried, and I’ve tried several. They used to make a version (most likely still do) with a cup pocket. I haven’t seen them nor tried them. I bought a bunch of them when I worked for in college sports at wholesale team pricing. I even stocked up right before I left, getting them at about half price. Even at their I think $25 retail, they’re worth every penny. They don’t bunch up like boxer briefs and don’t get soaked after a tough workout.

The problem I ran into with jock straps is they don't fit the cups I seem to prefer - at least the ones I found. I have a couple of "flexible" cups (moderately rigid, but you could twist them in your hand, so a bit of give with movement), but they are shaped differently - longer/thinner than the old school cup I have.

I'll look into the Nike and McDavid options. I didn't actually like the Pro Combat shorts, themselves, but with a cup it might be the right combo.

 

[CB Jones]

I will wear a dress in class, but I will not wear an external codpiece.

What about one like this....

 

[Gerry Seymour]

What about one like this....

only if I can count that entire outfit as sparring gear.

 

[JR 137]

The problem I ran into with jock straps is they don't fit the cups I seem to prefer - at least the ones I found. I have a couple of "flexible" cups (moderately rigid, but you could twist them in your hand, so a bit of give with movement), but they are shaped differently - longer/thinner than the old school cup I have.

I'll look into the Nike and McDavid options. I didn't actually like the Pro Combat shorts, themselves, but with a cup it might be the right combo.

Yeah I’m really not a fan of longer and thinner cups. TMI but I feel like I’m cramming the frank and beans in there, with the beans spilling out waiting to get pinched. I’ve been hit several times with it on, but haven’t been pinched. Yet.

The old ones were better. Didn’t feel like it was a bicycle seat between my legs, and they were wide enough to not feel like I’m smushing everything into a hotdog bun. The new style feel like I have to cram everything in up and down, whereas the old ones kinda flattened where everything naturally sits.

I want the old style back.

 

[CB Jones]

only if I can count that entire outfit as sparring gear.

I'll allow it

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Yeah I’m really not a fan of longer and thinner cups. TMI but I feel like I’m cramming the frank and beans in there, with the beans spilling out waiting to get pinched. I’ve been hit several times with it on, but haven’t been pinched. Yet.

The old ones were better. Didn’t feel like it was a bicycle seat between my legs, and they were wide enough to not feel like I’m smushing everything into a hotdog bun. The new style feel like I have to cram everything in up and down, whereas the old ones kinda flattened where everything naturally sits.

I want the old style back.

I never got used to either, so both suck as far as I'm concerned. I wonder what led to the drastic change in common shape?

 

[dvcochran]

The problem I ran into with jock straps is they don't fit the cups I seem to prefer - at least the ones I found. I have a couple of "flexible" cups (moderately rigid, but you could twist them in your hand, so a bit of give with movement), but they are shaped differently - longer/thinner than the old school cup I have.

I'll look into the Nike and McDavid options. I didn't actually like the Pro Combat shorts, themselves, but with a cup it might be the right combo.

That is another reason I prefer the outside protectors, the shape. Longer and thinner is much more comfortable for me. I played football when the only thing around was the old style strap and hard cup. I still have engrained images of a bunch of buff guys walking around the locker/shower room in their strap. Never could get comfortable with that.

 

[Buka]

What about one like this....

Gene only wore that on the road, never in the gym.

 

[Martial D]

I've been told that being punched in the breast is akin to being kicked in the groin.

Who told you that? Whoever it was lacked one or the other and thusly lacks any frame of reference.
(Unless it was a pre-op post hormone transexual I guess)

Personally I don't buy it. I know lots of bigger guys with dem man titties that don't seem to especially mind chest shots.

 

[CB Jones]

Who told you that? Whoever it was lacked one or the other and thusly lacks any frame of reference.
(Unless it was a pre-op post hormone transexual I guess)

Personally I don't buy it. I know lots of bigger guys with dem man titties that don't seem to especially mind chest shots.

I have females tell me the same thing that are painful like a shot to the jewels....but how do they know what a shot to the jewels feels like.

 

[Blindside]

The problem I ran into with jock straps is they don't fit the cups I seem to prefer - at least the ones I found. I have a couple of "flexible" cups (moderately rigid, but you could twist them in your hand, so a bit of give with movement), but they are shaped differently - longer/thinner than the old school cup I have.

I'll look into the Nike and McDavid options. I didn't actually like the Pro Combat shorts, themselves, but with a cup it might be the right combo.

I have been using the Diamond MMA cup and compression shorts combo, I couldn't rate it higher. Standup or grappling, it doesn't move.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=diamond+mma+cup&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

 

[Martial D]

I have females tell me the same thing that are painful like a shot to the jewels....but how do they know what a shot to the jewels feels like.

Female combat athlete's would definitely be wearing chest cups if this were remotely true. Girl MMA fighters take kicks and punches to the chest without incident day in and day out..yet one flick to the nards and your feeling it for 10 mins.

 

[CB Jones]

Female combat athlete's would definitely be wearing chest cups if this were remotely true. Girl MMA fighters take kicks and punches to the chest without incident day in and day out..yet one flick to the nards and your feeling it for 10 mins.

I dont have breasts....just relaying what I've been told by females.

 

[dvcochran]

I have females tell me the same thing that are painful like a shot to the jewels....but how do they know what a shot to the jewels feels like.

Agree. Of course we do not know what giving birth feels like. That is the comparison I am more accustomed to hearing.

 

[dvcochran]

Yeah I’m really not a fan of longer and thinner cups. TMI but I feel like I’m cramming the frank and beans in there, with the beans spilling out waiting to get pinched. I’ve been hit several times with it on, but haven’t been pinched. Yet.

The old ones were better. Didn’t feel like it was a bicycle seat between my legs, and they were wide enough to not feel like I’m smushing everything into a hotdog bun. The new style feel like I have to cram everything in up and down, whereas the old ones kinda flattened where everything naturally sits.

I want the old style back.

I is all about what you get used to. I could never find an old style cup that did not feel like it was pressing me from the outside in. Something about the outside groin protectors just work for me.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Who told you that? Whoever it was lacked one or the other and thusly lacks any frame of reference.
(Unless it was a pre-op post hormone transexual I guess)

Personally I don't buy it. I know lots of bigger guys with dem man titties that don't seem to especially mind chest shots.

Men's breasts don't contain the same bits that are in a woman's.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

That is another reason I prefer the outside protectors, the shape. Longer and thinner is much more comfortable for me. I played football when the only thing around was the old style strap and hard cup. I still have engrained images of a bunch of buff guys walking around the locker/shower room in their strap. Never could get comfortable with that.

The external protectors really aren't an option for me. I normally wear a hakama, so can't just put one on when I'm going to spar.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I have been using the Diamond MMA cup and compression shorts combo, I couldn't rate it higher. Standup or grappling, it doesn't move.
Amazon.com: diamond mma cup

That might push me over to that direction. I was looking at one of those online, and saw some good reviews on a BJJ gear site.