Deciding what groin guard to get for Muay Thai is important as you need to balance protection with mobility, if you get the right one you can use it for different martial arts like BJJ, not just for Muay Thai.
After considering various types of Muay Thai groin guards I’ve decided to go with Diamond MMA Athletic Cup Groin Protector for the very best groin guard on the market for every martial art. It is expensive but protecting your crown jewels should be worth every penny right?
If you want something a lot cheaper but still effective the Shock Doctor Jockstrap is a fantastic choice. I’ve used it myself and whilst hard knees and kicks will still hurt compared to the Diamond cup you will be GLAD you’re wearing it whenever you get kicked “down there” believe me!
If you’re a lady the lobloo Athletic Pelvic Cup is an excellent choice as getting hit in the groin as a girl still hurts! This is the number 1 female groin guard for Thai fighters and is your best option.
Why Should You Wear A Groin Protector?
Do you like getting kicked in the nuts? Do you have to have kids someday? Then WEAR a groin protector, as not wearing one gives rise to a serious injury happening to your family jewels
If you want to compete even at the amateur level you need to wear a groin guard, so it makes sense to get the experience of wearing one.
I cannot stress how painful getting hit in the nuts is, and I’ve seen countless people in the gym floored by taking a nut shot. It even happened to me whilst I was wearing the shock doctor guard!
However, if I wasn’t wearing it, I can only imagine the terrible pain I would have felt or worse yet, the injury I would have suffered. Yes you will still feel pain with a groin guard(not the Diamond protector) but it will be night and day compared to taking a hit without protection.
Groin Guard Fitting Chart
Adult Groin Guard
SIZE | WAIST(INCHES) | CUP SIZE |
S | 30″-32″ | Large |
M | 32″-34″ | Large |
L | 34″-36″ | Large |
XL | 36″-39″ | Large |
XXL | 39″-43″ | Large |
Children’s Groin Guard
SIZE | WAIST(INCHES) | CUP SIZE |
L | 26″-28″ | Small |
XL | 28″-30″ | Medium |
Groin Guard Things To Remember Before Buying
Before purchasing a groin guard remember the following things.
Comfort & Fitting
You can buy cheaper groin guards that offer good protection but they won’t feel nice to wear, you want the fit to be as nice as possible so you want to wear it.
Since people come in all different shapes and sizes the comfort of the guard will depend on the person. Look at the reviews on YouTube or Amazon and try to find someone with your body type and see what they say.
Protection
Different groin guards are made from a different material so the protection groin guards offer to vary. You will feel more pain with the shock doctors when hit hard compared to the diamond but you also pay more.
All should protect you well against strikes with the biggest difference between the comfort between the brands.
Size
Check the above table for a guide on what size you should get depending on your waist size. Different brands will have different sizing instructions so you know which size short to wear.
Don’t get a size too big otherwise the cup will move when you train. Certain protectors have a cup that fits everyone that allows you to adjust the strap to fit your needs. These are designed to be worn over your underwear.
Price
You will spend between $20-$80 on a new groin guard with $80 getting you the Diamond cup for the very best protection and comfort you can get. It might seem a lot but groin guards last a long time and you will be thankful whenever you get kicked in the crown jewels!
But for around $20 the shock doctor groin guard is fantastic value and will stop all but very powerful strikes from hurting you through the guard.
When Should You Wear A Groin Guard?
I wear my groin guard whenever I leave my house before I go to the gym, but you only really need it whenever your sparring or clinching in case you accidentally get hit where it hurts.
I’ve seen friends at my gym wince in pain as they get hit in the privates as they forgot to wear their groin guard when sparring. This is why I never leave my house without it, as you cannot forget your groin guard if you’re always wearing it!
Whether you’re training Muay Thai or BJJ the biggest risk of groin injury is against people who do random sudden movements without technique.
I think you should always wear a groin guard in Muay Thai just in case but DEFINITELY wear one in BJJ due to the random nature of the sport and stopping your groin from sagging into your partner’s face!