A Good Wrestling Shoe Is A Good Foundation?

Answer 1

Wrestling is a sport that requires very little in the way of equipment. Headgear, singlet, knee pads, and shoes are the items that most wrestlers will use in the course of their wrestling career. All of these pieces of equipment are important and serve a purpose. However, having a good foundation in the form of good wrestling shoes should never be underestimated.

Wrestling shoes provide protection for the foot and the ankle. The shoes also promote grip on the wrestling mat. A wrestler relies on power and leverage from the legs to be able to defeat an opponent. Protection to the foot and the ankle assists in keeping the legs in the match. The grip provided by the shoes prevents slippage on the mat. This grip gives the wrestler a solid foundation from which to use stable leg strength in attempts to overpower other wrestlers.

Because wrestlers need to be quick, wrestling shoes are intentionally designed to be lightweight. They do not have thick soles and they are made of materials that are strong and protective but that also do not weigh much. These same materials are supple and flexible and allow the wrestler greater mobility than other heavier athletic shoes. Wrestlers need to be able to change positions quickly in order to overpower their opponent or to get out of situations they do not want to be in. The flexibility and mobility of wrestling shoes makes this possible.

As with any sport, physical ability and desire are probably the two most important assets an athlete can have. However, when physical ability and desire are equal or close to being equal, other factors begin to affect the outcome. In wrestling, being properly outfitted with the right equipment can be the difference. While shoes are only one piece of the equipment, they represent the foundation that can be the deciding factor between an average wrestler and a great, competitive wrestler.