# So, what IS the correct way to wear an athletic cup? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 1, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894 "2006-10-01T22:52:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/1 "2006-10-01T22:52:57Z")
Possibly TMI, beware, all ye who enter here. So, I have this jockstrap that I wear for rapier fighting, complete with “Gentleman’s Protection”, an athletic cup to prevent fast moving narrow bits of metal from performing a surgical strike against my ready reserves (so to speak). It has occured to me that i have no idea if I’m wearing this thing right (thus far, I’ve avoided any hits to that region). I wear the strap with the cup (the curved kind, I think it’s called a “Banana Cup” with the pointy bit down, where it fits more comfortably between my legs. problem is, this doesn’t seem to quite mesh with the traditional layout for the boys, which has them forming a sort of triangular shape, pointing up. Should I flip the cup around, somehow re-arrange myself to point in the correct direction, or just go with what I’ve been doing? ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/2 "2006-10-01T23:56:26Z")
You’re wearing it right. If you wear it the other way, you won’t be able to walk. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/3 "2006-10-02T01:25:51Z")
Wear it pointy end up. Make sure you have your next workout videoed. Post the video to Youtube. 😃 **anson2995** nailed it, pointy end down or you won’t be abe to walk. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/4 "2006-10-02T03:42:22Z")
Professional football players don’t wear a cup because they feel that it slows them down. A cup is for girlie-boys. The ONLY reason that boxers wear them is protect themselves from the desperate losers that they are in the process of knocking out. Baseball catchers wear them only because, well, a fastball is just too fast. Otherwise, they would get rid of them. Wear the thing any way you want. It can be very effective in preventing a broken nose. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/5 "2006-10-02T04:18:36Z")
[QUOTE=Spartydog] Wear the thing any way you want. It can be very effective in preventing a broken nose. [/QUOTE] LOL, it would make for some unconventional face protection gear. Well, I wear it because I’m required to by SCA rules (though nobody has ever done an inspection that I’m aware of, so it’s presumably on the Honor System). Also because taking a rapier thrust to the nuts is NOT a pleasant thought to consider. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/6 "2006-10-02T04:20:16Z")
[QUOTE=Spartydog] Professional football players don’t wear a cup because they feel that it slows them down. A cup is for girlie-boys. The ONLY reason that boxers wear them is protect themselves from the desperate losers that they are in the process of knocking out. Baseball catchers wear them only because, well, a fastball is just too fast. Otherwise, they would get rid of them. Wear the thing any way you want. It can be very effective in preventing a broken nose. [/QUOTE] Most (not all) pro baseball players where them, not just the catcher. A hard grounder that takes a bad hop is one of the easiest ways to get hit. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/7 "2006-10-02T04:58:54Z")
[QUOTE=RaftPeople] Most (not all) pro baseball players where them, not just the catcher. A hard grounder that takes a bad hop is one of the easiest ways to get hit. [/QUOTE] The shortstop may wear one but most players do not. There is no reason for an outfielder to wear a cup. A pitcher would absolutely not want the nuisence. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/8 "2006-10-02T05:24:27Z")
Hockeyn players wear them cause the puck is quite hard and can go very fast…A year or so ago (maybe two) a Blue goalie took a shot in the cup…shattered the cup and ruptred his testicle…OUCH! tsfr ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/9 "2006-10-02T07:25:56Z")
Journalism’s downside: 1. Lowish pay. 2. Odd hours. Journalism’s upside: 1. Fulfilling a passion to write. 2. Always something new. 3. Work with smart people. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/10 "2006-10-02T07:26:58Z")
What the hell. . . ? Sorry, this was meant for the journalism thread. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![GeorgiaBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cab0a1/32.png) [@GeorgiaBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GeorgiaBoy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/11 "2006-10-02T11:51:13Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] What the hell. . . ? Sorry, this was meant for the journalism thread. :smack: [/QUOTE] Journalism… jockstrap… who can tell? Honest mistake. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/12 "2006-10-02T12:55:54Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] What the hell. . . ? Sorry, this was meant for the journalism thread. :smack: [/QUOTE] And I was expecting: 1. No danger of getting wacked in the nuts. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/13 "2006-10-02T13:07:43Z")
Not like the youth of today I tell you , they look stupid back to front. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/14 "2006-10-02T14:01:33Z")
[QUOTE=McNew] And I was expecting: 1. No danger of getting wacked in the nuts. [/QUOTE] Well, limited chance of getting wacked in the nuts. I still allow for random chance. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/15 "2006-10-02T14:09:06Z")
[QUOTE=Raguleader] LOL, it would make for some unconventional face protection gear. Well, I wear it because I’m required to by SCA rules (though nobody has ever done an inspection that I’m aware of, so it’s presumably on the Honor System). Also because taking a rapier thrust to the nuts is NOT a pleasant thought to consider. [/QUOTE] Back when I was in the SCA, I did see some guys asked to tap their cups in inspection. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/16 "2006-10-02T16:23:44Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Back when I was in the SCA, I did see some guys asked to tap their cups in inspection. [/QUOTE] Like, tap with their fingers to see if it made the appropriate sound, or “Here, use this club?” ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/17 "2006-10-02T18:45:49Z")
Er, tap with their fingers, although I guess if you were very confident… ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/18 "2006-10-02T19:12:45Z")
Some TMI cup anecdotes… In martial arts, I took a kick to the cup that cracked it neatly in two. I didn’t discover it until later when I got home, wondering why it had been so uncomfortably pinchy during class. Cups come in multiple sizes, don’t choose one too large for your body based on ego 😉 I had one that was a bit too large, and gave me a nasty circular bruise surrounding my sensitive nethers. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/19 "2006-10-02T19:31:30Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Back when I was in the SCA, I did see some guys asked to tap their cups in inspection. [/QUOTE] Recent training materials for marshalls has instructed them to ask (heavy fighters) if they’ve got gender-appropriate protection in place, as opposed to the previous technique which was, for some martials, to knee the fighter in the groin. Yes, women are supposed to wear something; kind of a padded thong front, basically. No, none of them wear it… that I _know_ of… Back in the olden days of the SCA, there was a fighter who didn’t place his faith in soccer cups and instead wore, inside his armor, a small frying pan… this made its way into a play once in which a lady of ill repute said, “I’m not so good with names but I never forget a frying pan.” ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894/20 "2006-10-02T22:53:17Z")
[QUOTE=GargoyleWB] Cups come in multiple sizes, don’t choose one too large for your body based on ego 😉 I had one that was a bit too large, and gave me a nasty circular bruise surrounding my sensitive nethers. [/QUOTE] Better than choosing one too small and having a nasty circular bruise ON your sensitive nethers! :eek: [QUOTE=Ethilrist] Back in the olden days of the SCA, there was a fighter who didn’t place his faith in soccer cups and instead wore, inside his armor, a small frying pan… this made its way into a play once in which a lady of ill repute said, “I’m not so good with names but I never forget a frying pan.” [/QUOTE] Ever see the movie Tin Cup? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-correct-way-to-wear-an-athletic-cup/374894.md?page=2)