American Football Girdles/Pants are clothing worn that is protective, strong, and is comfortable and flexible for the player too. They’re long shorts, that generally cover from the waist, down to the knees, protecting your hips and lower torso. They’ll contain protective foam in areas that could be prone to impact. The material used is stretchy, and may have mesh sections that allow the players skin to breath. They’re often made of polyester and spandex. They have an elastic waistband to ensure they fit snugly. Some girdles may contain hard plates. Others contain pads at various locations, such as hip, thigh, knee and tail; some pads are sewn in, others contain slots that you can place pads into.
Girdles tend to be quite close fitting, made of thin clingy material and can be worn under a standard pair of football pants. The thin flexible material allows for non-restricted movement, and mobility. Material used will often try to transport moisture from the body, will aid ventilation, and uses anti-odor technology too. Some girdles will state that they meet NFHS standards. Some girdles will have a crotch pocket for the cup. They’ll come in a variety of colours: black and white seem to be the most common, grey is popular too, some may have illuminous colours on the design.
This article will look at styles of girdle, how to choose a girdle, and key benefits of wearing a girdle.
Football girdles are made by many of the big brand companies, including: Nike, Schutt, Riddell, Rawlings, McDavid’s Hexpad, Adams Young Football Girdle, Shock Doctor Men’s Ultra padded, and Under Armour. Most girdles have at least five pockets to place pads in (two at the thighs, two at the hips, and one at the tail bone).
Sometimes girdles will have seven pockets (with two at the knees too). With these girdles the pads can be removed and placed in. With an ‘Integrated’ girdle, the pads are sewn in and can’t be removed. Some girdles will have a mix of pads that are sewn in, and others, usually at the thighs, that have pads the wearer can put in (and customize with size).
How To Choose The Right Football Girdle
When you buy a girdle, it’s based on waist size, so it’s just the same measurement, as if you were purchasing a pair of trousers. The girdle is intended to fit snugly and this keeps the pads in the right place against your body, without them moving about and exposing you to the danger of injury. Most girdles are appropriate regardless of what football position you play in (mobile defender-linebackers, corners and safetys). Running backs who may get a lot of contact from other players, may particularly benefit from the protection offered by a girdle. You’ll need to ensure your girdle is flexible, lightweight, has suitable padding, is anti-microbial, fits well, and is of good quality.
You will find a variety of prices for girdles. A cheaper girdle may not have as much padding, and therefore may not offer as much protection in the case of injury. It can be sensible to gauge an idea of a mid-price girdle and look at reviews, before purchasing one. You need the girdle to be flexible, and may want to consider ones that remove moisture, keeping your body dry, and ones that minimize odor. Do follow the instructions closely about washing/drying the football girdles, most will be machine washable, but some may suggest air-drying, rather than putting them in a tumble-dryer.
In the past, some players have been reluctant to wear a girdle, believing that it would restrict their movement, people have similarly tried to cut down on pads. However, there have been vast improvements to the design of girdles. The benefits of wearing a girdle, is that it protects you. American football is very physical – you could receive a blow, you could fall, or you could slide, and any of these collisions at high speed could cause you damage, without the right protection. So that you don’t sustain an injury and pain, wearing the correct girdle is advised. Girdles help to keep all your muscles and bones in place when you play a game of football, and help to absorb any shock or impact to your body. It is worth wearing the full complement of pads to avoid injury and to continue playing American Football for many years to come. Besides girdles and pants, it’s recommended that you protect your full body, including your heads by wearing football helmets. You can also use SHOC visors and inserts for extra eye protection.