Two people can wrestle without using any special equipment. After all, the original Greek wrestlers wrestled on sand wearing no clothes. However, modern competitive wrestling requires several pieces of equipment; other pieces available but not mandatory. According to wrestling coach Andy Brick, the reasons for this are usually related to safety or athlete performance.
Safety
The bulk of wrestling equipment is in place to make wrestling safer for the athletes. Wrestlers must wear headgear to avoid concussions and cauliflower ear. They compete on mats that reduce falling injuries and abrasions. They wear tight singlets to prevent fingers getting trapped in clothing, broken or sprained.
Performance
Some wrestling equipment, especially shoes, was adopted to help improve athlete performance. Lightweight and with traction designed for the mat, they improve wrestler speed and reaction time. The singlets also help performance by allowing for modesty without getting in the way of mobility. Wrestlers also wear warm-ups to help keep the muscles loose and warm despite the fact that most wrestling competitions take place in larger, underheated gyms.
Weight Class Equipment
Weight classes are an integral part of wrestling. Before competing, a wrestler must demonstrate that he weighs little enough to compete in his division. Wrestling teams maintain a standard medical scale for official weigh-ins and to monitor athlete weight throughout the season. To limit the health impact of cutting weight, many teams also keep an electrical impedance scale to monitor body fat percentage and determine a minimum safe weight for each athlete.
Weight Loss Gear
During the last few days prior to a match, overweight wrestlers will often dehydrate themselves in order to shed several pounds of water weight. Some athletes use "sauna suits", watertight plastic warmup clothes that create artificial humidity as the athlete sweats. A simple jog in a sauna suit can shed several pounds of water. Due to the dangers of sudden dehydration, some athletic programs ban the use of sauna suits.
Gear for Injured Wrestlers
While major injuries will prevent a wrestler from competing, many wrestlers choose to compete with a minor injury. For a facial injury, such as stitches or a broken nose, wrestlers wear a face mask that attaches to the head gear. This flat plastic mask shields the injury from further damage during practice and competition. For stitches on other parts of the body, wrestlers cover the area with gauze and medical tape. Splints are not permitted in competition, but a wrestler with a sprained or broken digit can stabilize it with a medical tape wrap.
References
- Andy Brick, Wrestling Coach, Hillsboro, OR
- All Star Activities: Wrestling FAQ
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