# are dudes really nairing that much?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dudes-really-nairing-that-much/179288>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 3, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dudes-really-nairing-that-much/179288 "2003-06-03T02:27:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![jmizzou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jmizzou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmizzou)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dudes-really-nairing-that-much/179288/21 "2003-06-05T18:44:29Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by thumbupmybum \*  
> Okay, I think I get why the cross country team does it (less wind resistance?), but why does the wrestling team nair? Do they pull each others’ chest hair otherwise?😕

I wrestled in high school, and while I never tried it, many of my friends would shave various parts of their bodies. There seemed to be three main reasons to do this:

1. As has been mentioned, hair obscures muscles, and wrestlers tend to have a lot (of muscles, that is).
2. Wrestling uniforms (“singlets”) are made of a Spandex-y material, and can sometimes be a little _too_ snug. When you’re wrestling around on a mat in something like that, body hair can be pulled out very easily by friction. Removing hair around the legs, chest, and armpits can prevent a bit of discomfort.
3. Shaving the appendages can make it harder for an opponent to get a firm grip on a leg or arm, especially when you’re sweating.

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**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dudes-really-nairing-that-much/179288/22 "2003-06-05T18:50:01Z")

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\<–body hair free zone, completely

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**Author:** ![jmizzou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jmizzou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmizzou)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dudes-really-nairing-that-much/179288/23 "2003-06-05T18:51:59Z")

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Oops, almost forgot another big reason. Wrestlers can often suffer from injuries like sprained or twisted joints. Injuries like that get wrapped in super-strong, super-sticky athletic tape. Shaving the area around an injured joint allows the tape to be wrapped more securely, and it hurts a heck of lot less when it’s taken off.

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