Using regular shoes as wrestling shoes?

[kikkoman]

I know wrestling shoes are for sanitary reasons so you don't track urine from the bathroom onto the mat. Is there any technical purpose to them? Are they better for wrestling than regular shoes?

What if you buy a pair of regular running shoes, but only wear them on the mat? Would you be allowed to do that?

[Vulgar]

They are thinner soled, because you know.. most places don't have rocks and pebbles on the mats. They are also lighter and fit real tight so they don't fall off.

[Tacitus]

Tighter=less to use against you in ankle/leg lock

[Andrew Green]

Grip is different too, regular running shoes would eat up the matts more and you'd risk blowing your knee as you can't pivot as easily.

If you're working submissions you'd really annoy your partners if you liked things like spider guard.

[PEtrainer]

Not only the above mention reasons but they give you better contact with the floor, so you have better balance.

I never heard of the urine thing... Most guys wear their shoes all over the gym.

But honestly you are forgetting the most important point. Wrestling shoes look sweet! I remember in Jr. high (85) wearing mine off the mat, untied with my acid washed jeans.... Cooler than cool. God, didn't you ever see Vision Quest?

Although not as popular, I tried being a trend setter by wearing my head gear to class too.

[OZZ]

I wore head gear when I wrestled in High school, now I am coaching High School and none of the kids on my team wear headgear. I think it goes in phases for younger wrestlers.
I am thinking about getting some new wrestling boots, but the wife will bawl me out if I spend too much...
They are good for gripping the mat, for certain. But they don't make them as durable as they used to be. Hell, my old ones lasted me for years, these new ones last maybe two seasons max.

[OZZ]

Grip is different too, regular running shoes would eat up the matts more and you'd risk blowing your knee as you can't pivot as easily.

Good point.

[lawdog]

I wore head gear when I wrestled in High school, now I am coaching High School and none of the kids on my team wear headgear. I think it goes in phases for younger wrestlers.

I assume you're talking about practice, because as far as I know headgear is still required during meets.

I'd say less than half the team wore headgear during practice. I on the other hand wore it not only during practice, but also during our runs, stretching, etc. I was the only one who did this, but I believed in training how you fight.

If I were coaching, I'd require it.

[OZZ]

I assume you're talking about practice, because as far as I know headgear is still required during meets.

I'd say less than half the team wore headgear during practice. I on the other hand wore it not only during practice, but also during our runs, stretching, etc. I was the only one who did this, but I believed in training how you fight.

If I were coaching, I'd require it.

Headgear is not compulsory in High School competition in Canada. Although It may be when they wrestle at the national level..I am not sure on that.

[lawdog]

Headgear is not compulsory in High School competition in Canada. Although It may be when they wrestle at the national level..I am not sure on that.

In that case, I certainly wouldn't wear it.

As far as I know it's still compulsory here, at least it was a few years ago. I think it's a silly requirement though, as I don't see much use.

Cauliflower ear is a possibility, but it's not that big of a deal, and even if it were, unless the kids are required to wear the headgear in practice, simply wearing it in meets isn't doing much anyway.

I think it ought to be up the the individual wrestler.