I’ve seen the plastic cups, but in high school, we wore cloth jockstraps. Just elastic cloth holding them against the body - not that much protection.:eek: :eek: :eek:
Does anybody know how they are supposed to work?
I think the rationale was the closer the jewels, the less likely they are to get hit by the projectile (e.g., baseball).
Guess what…they didn’t work…my right one can speak to this fact…fastball in the dirt, bounced of the plate…score…a direct hit…worst pain I’ve ever had…until I got kidneystones…but that’s another thread.
By holding in place the polypropelene cup that does the actual protection.
I’m not sure why one would be told to wear a strap without the cup, although I guess that holding the scrotum closer to the body would reduce its size as a target and reduce movement in which it might incur injury.
My cousin played lots of sports when we were growing up. I asked him that question once. He told me that the cloth jockstraps weren’t so much about protecting the genitals as it was holding them close to the body and hold them in position. All that jumping, bouncing, running, squatting, etc., can get uncomfortable and sometimes painful with the lads banging around.
I’ll see if I can find a cite, since I hate posting in General Questions without backup.
The guys that played baseball wore cups. But everyone in our class didn’t.
I kind of doubt that this one class got it wrong. But then again, that is why I asked.
Ok, I’m going to reveal my ignorance here (and this as a baseball catcher who always had a sneaking suspicion he was doing it the wrong way):
Does the cup go in the little pocket on the front of the jock? Or is it supposed to just go inside the entire jock, like I was putting the cup on inside a pair of briefs?
Well, at MY high school the jock was to keep one’s goodies from twisting up. I saw it happen to a guy once, it was awful (tennis player - up at the net and then down in agony). The cup goes in the pocket in front if you’re playing (US) football or catching in baseball. Didn’t need a cup for track or playing 1st base.
I remember that there was some explanation to the effect that the jockstrap prevented hernia, but this extensive article seems to say that may have been advertising hype by Sears. It says the jock strap was developed originally for jockeys (natch) and bike riders–and even mentions frostbite of the penis.
I always thought of it as a bra for balls. My boys can get sore with running and jostling, and can rub in just the wrong way at times, causing rash.
frostbite of the penis?? That must be why mine is always looking for a warm place. 
I told my son to put the cup in the pocket. What other use could the pocket have?
Never even seen one of these things, but my WAG is that surely in the pocket? Then you can wash the cloth jock that has been in contact with yer sweaty bollox, and re-use the cup?
Wallet, watch, spectacles…?
About 5% of males have testicles which really do hang low. And I’m talking mid-thigh here. These benefit from a cloth jock. The rest of us guys should definitely add a cup to the cloth part if we’re doing contact sports.
sailor: Thank you. I laughed for a solid five minutes after reading your post.
KRM: I used to use the pocket to hold my key, same as I did with the pocket in my daily underwear then.
Yes, I realize that’s good fodder for jokes. Go for it!
UncleBill is correct- a bra for huevos-as simple as that-“athletic shorts” if you will.
Keeps you from treading upon your johnson.
If you are rjfa and you “catch a nut”, you remember why some do not wear boxers.
DocQ -testicles to mid thigh? In someone w/o a hernia? Are you a doctor for humans or horses? Oh yeah,just remembered you work in prisons - you see everything there.