I think of groin guard as it is one of the underrated protection tools in the female boxing because most of the fighters either prefer to fight without wearing any guard or some uses male protection cups. So, what’s the exact issue and what you should do? Let’s see:
So, Do Female Boxers Wear Groin Guards?
Female boxers do wear protective groin guards as it protects them against both accidental and illegal attacks below the belt. Groin guard not only helps boxers to reduce the overall impact of the hit but also offers opportunity of play with their opponent’s psychology in terms of waistline limits.
In this article, I’ll explain exactly what is the importance of using groin protector and why you should start wearing them ASAP!
Benefits of Groin Protectors for Female Boxers
Ladies, we need to face it! The groin is one the, if not the most weakest part of the female body and it must need to be protected. That’s the reason why most of the boxing authorities imply a restriction on female boxers and make the use of protection guards compulsory.
You need to understand, female groin guards are different as compared to male protective cups. Groin guards not only come with higher padding areas but also covers the lower abdomen up past the belly button of your body.
Definitely, there are strict rules related to intentional attacks at the groin but we can’t just discount the head of the movement, right? Here are some of the key reasons why you should wear a groin protector while boxing:
1. Reduces the Impact
This is one of the most important yet overlooked benefits of protecting groin guards. I understand it rarely happens that your opponent strikes you right at your crucial spot but we can’t neglect the possibility.
Even if your opponent does not consciously but accidentally hits you below the belt, it can cause some serious and long-term damage. It can result in potential tearing, mind-numbing pain, and risk of surgery and hospitalization.
That’s why such protection is essential for female boxers. It not only reduces the overall impact of the force but also helps to prevent abdominal pain, bleeding, bruising, etc.
2. Creates Definitive Boundary
The boxer’s shorts mostly come with a thick waistline that helps their opponents to judge the allowed area for the offense. Below this definitive boundary, the punch is not permitted and might disqualify your opponent in case of repetitive violation.
That’s why these groin protectors help you to raise these limits and higher the waistband of your shorts. If you wear an oversized t-shirt upon the shorts then the opponent fails to figure out your real waistline during the match.
It’s a kind of gray-hat way to play with your opponent’s mind and force them to consider the protector boundary as the limit. This tricky illusion not only provides a smaller target for your opponent but also helps you to prevent unnecessary lower punches.
3. Keeps Boxers Confident and Happy
The pelvic muscles of females control the bladder and hold the core so if it gets impacted due to shots can lead to tissue weakening.
You may aware of this already but one out of three females has the risk of being affected by this and thus the protection of your groin area becomes the utmost important thing. Groin guards support the pelvic muscles, and hips and also protect the ovaries and overall uterus of female bodies.
That’s how it directly impacts your overall confidence and happiness during the boxing match and allows you to fight at the best level possible with a positive and self-belief attitude.
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Downsides of Protective Cups While Boxing
No doubt, groin protectors are the best equipment that everyone should use, but here’re some of the downsides you need to consider before making the right decision for you:
1. Spread the Impact on Other Areas
If you’re thinking that, by wearing protective cups, you can prevent the feeling of pain altogether, but that’s not how it works. Groin guards just supply out the force to other sides of areas and spread the overall impact of the hit.
This definitely helps you to avoid crucial losses from the long-term perspective but it may cause little discomfort and a kind of blockiness in your thighs.
Although boxers do get a recovery period of 5 minutes in such a situation and if they fail to recuperate between it then the referee considers it as a “knockout”. Basically, it all boils down to your preference, whether that particular boxing match is more important for you or your healthy body.
2. Tough to Find a Perfect Cup
This is another reason why many boxers avoid wearing groin protectors. Some groin guards have hard side edges which are poked into the ridge and crease of hips, That’s why a comfortable, perfect, and fit protection cup is the most necessary thing, especially for female boxers.
If you try to manage your game with large size cups then you’re going to experience the impacts of the shots more hardly which can cause blunt edge cuts. Whereas for small size cups, direct hits clashes will increase and might lead to tissue damage.
Thus it’s completely your responsibility to find a suitable groin protector for yourself. Also, you need to go through little awkwardness in the starting phase of equipment until you get used to it.
Note: Though there are some downsides but still wearing groin protection is preferable and more recommendable rather than not wearing one at all.
Best Cups and Groin Protectors For Female Boxers
Let’s be clear on this now! Men’s protection cups are not going to fit you perfectly it comes with a relatively larger size which not only causes discomfort but also reduces the range of motion of your hips.
Check out these most recommended groin protectors that are specially designed as per female anatomy:
1. Jili Online Women Crotch Guard Groin Protector
This is one of the very basic and quite popular guard among martial artists. If you’re a relatively beginner and give more preference to your comfort, you can totally go with this protector. A PU artificial leather is used here that provide you long-lasting protection.
A high-density foam is equipped inside lining for maximum comfort. Not to mention, it can also be adjusted according to your convenience, thanks to its elastic straps. Overall, this product do provide a nice value for your money and I definitely recommend it to you.
2. TITLE Boxing Female No-Foul Protector 2.0
This is another great groin area protector that makes you feel supported and provides you pretty solid protection. Although I wish they also provide the adjustable waist but it has thick straps that allows you to snug fit.
This protector also comes with abs protection and has “banana style” extra long coverage. Overall, this is comperatively more reliable protector, especially if you’re going to train for a longer period of time.
3. Lo-Bloo Aero Slim Female
The best thing about this guard is that it is lightweight and still offers a pretty solid layer of protection. It is tried and tested product along with a granted environment certification. This cup is easy to wash, one can also clean it even in the washing machine.
Along with that, it also comes with an adjustable waist straps and a good fitting system that keeps the cup in one place.
Do Female Boxers Wear Chest Protection?
Female boxers do wear chest protection because a solid blow on the chest can be very hurtful. Although hitting on the chest is not allowed in the boxing matches but breast is a part that is directly vulnerable to accidental hits.
That’s why it’s become quite necessary to protect such delicate segments especially during contact sports like boxing. A study published in journal of sports science shows that around 48% of the female athletes are affected by breast injuries in the USA.
But, the most sad aspect of this is, only 10% of those athletes report damage to the coach and actively seek for medical help. This happens mostly due to embarrassment, shame, and also sometimes they don’t want to risk their career progression by portraying themself as weak.
So, rather than going through such a situation, I strictly recommend to every one of my friends to understand the importance of such equipment and start using them in order to prevent discomfort, pain, and bruising afterward.
There are mainly two types of chest protection for females: The first one that only protects the breast while the other supports all the chest including ribs and sternum. Depending on your sports type, comfortability, and personal needs you can choose any one of them.
Final Thoughts
No matter if you’re a male or female boxer, it’s very important to invest in a good quality protection gears especially when you’re actively taking participation in martial arts.
If you’re fighting without wearing any protective cups in your groin area, you’re at a potential risk and may results in a serious injury anytime in the future. All I want to say is, Prevention is better than cure and you’re health is definitely more important than your comfort. Happy Boxing 🙂
