Jockstrap 726218 225789854 2008-07-15T12:20:33Z Iridescent 937705 Cleanup/[[WP:AWB/T|typo fixing]], typos fixed: practicioners → practitioners using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] [[Image:Jockstrap101.JPG|thumb|Frontal view of a jockstrap. Properly worn, a jockstrap provides support for the male genitalia during vigorous physical activity.]] A '''jockstrap''' (also known as a jock, jock strap, strap, supporter, or athletic supporter) is an [[undergarment]] designed for supporting the [[male genitalia]] during the performance of sports or other vigorous physical activity. A typical jockstrap consists of an [[elastomer|elastic]] waistband with a support pouch for the genitalia and two elastic straps affixed to the base of the pouch and to the left and right sides of the waistband at the hip. The pouch, in some varieties, may be fitted with a pocket to hold an impact resistant cup to protect the [[testicle]]s and/or the [[penis]] from [[injury]]. The jockstrap may serve as a [[cache-sexe]]. In recent times, jockstraps have fallen out of favour, with [[compression shorts]] being more a more popular supportive garment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2123007/|title="Where have all the jockstraps gone?|work=Slate Magazine (2005-07-22)}}</ref> == Etymology == The word jockstrap has purportedly been in use since 1897 and ultimately traces its origin from [[Jock (disambiguation)|jock]] in the slang sense of [[penis]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=j&p=3|title=Jock|work=Online Etymology}}</ref> The Bike Jockey Strap was the first jockstrap manufactured in America circa 1874.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bikeathletic.com/History.aspx|title=Bike history}}</ref> It is likely the word jockstrap is a contraction of 'jockey strap', with 'jockey' meaning 'rider', and, specifically in this case, a bicycle rider. Jockey meaning (race horse) rider has been in use since 1670.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Jockey|title=Jockey|work=Classic Encyclopedia}}</ref> Jockey itself is the diminutive form of the Scots nickname Jock (for John) as Jackie is for the English nickname Jack. The nicknames Jack and Jackie, Jock and Jockey have been used generically for 'man, fellow, boy, common man'. From the period c.1650-c.1850, jock has been used as slang for 'penis'. In a similar fashion, the nickname Dick (for Richard) is also slang for 'penis'. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=j&p=3|title=Jock|work=Online Etymology}}</ref> == History == The precursor of the jockstrap was a rubberized [[cotton]] [[canvas]] [[girdle]] worn for the sake of modesty by men and boys beneath their worsted wool [[bathing suit]]s on public beaches during the 1860s. As public sporting events grew in popularity, athletes began to wear the rubberized canvas girdle under their tights and uniforms, in order to avoid charges of corrupting public morals with displays of their covered but uncontained genitalia. In 1867, a Chicago sports team refused to take the field wearing "modesty" girdles and forfeited the competition. A riot ensued; in a newspaper story about the event, a Dr. Lamb was quoted as "having recognized a medical benefit to males by the wearing of a protective girdle." [[Image:Jockstrap ad 1941.JPG|thumb|Jockstrap ad, 1941. Ads from the past stressed the need for properly functioning equipment.]] In the 1870s, the Boston Athletic Club sought an undergarment that would provide comfort and support for cyclists (or, bicycle jockeys as they were then known) riding the cobblestone streets of Boston. Traditional undergarments were uncomfortable and the rubberized canvas "modesty" girdle caused chafing and blistering on bicycle seats. What the Boston Athletic Club wanted was a comfortable garment that would accommodate the movements of the bicyclist yet would contain and control the male genitalia in the manner of the rubberized canvas girdle. In 1874,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bikeathletic.com/History.aspx|title=Bike History|publisher=Bike Athletic}}</ref> Charles Bennett of the [[Chicago]] sporting goods company, Sharp & Smith, invented the jockstrap. The original name of Bennett's invention was the Bike Jockey Strap and its logo, a large bicycle wheel. The jockey strap was intended, first, for bicycle jockeys, and secondly, for horseback riders. The "bike jockey strap" became known as a "jock strap" and, eventually, simply a "jock". Bennett's newly-formed Bike Web Company patented and began mass-producing the Bike Jockey Strap. The Bike Web Company later became known as the [[Bike Company]]. The first consumer mass marketing of the jockstrap occurred in the 1902 edition of the ''Sears and Roebuck Catalog'' which claimed the garment, now termed an "athletic supporter" was "medically indicated" for all males that engaged in sports or strenuous activity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shockdoctor.com/news/cpHistory.html|title=Historical Backgrounder: Athletic Supporter & Athletic Cup|publisher=Shock Doctor}}</ref> In the early 1900s, the jockstrap influenced the invention of the Heidelberg Electric Belt, a low-voltage electric powered supporter that claimed to cure [[kidney disorder]]s, [[insomnia]], [[Erectile dysfunction|erectile disfunction]], and other ailments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jockstrapcentral.com/history.php|title=A Brief History of the Jockstrap|work=Jockstrap Central}}</ref> Jockstraps are medically used today to facilitate recovery from injuries and surgeries such as [[hematocele]], [[hydrocele]] or [[spermatocele]]. During the 1980s and 1990s, jockstraps were generally no longer mandatory in [[high school]] and [[college]] sports and gave way to [[compression shorts]]. In the early years of the 21st century, however, [[Calvin Klein]], [[Under Armour]], and other manufacturers introduced their own lines of jockstraps and renewed interest in the original garment. An abundance of fashion jockstraps are currently marketed as an alternative to regular underwear. [[Image:Wade Boggs' Strap (Florida Training).jpg|thumb|left|Collectable celebrity jockstrap: [[Wade Boggs]]' Florida [[spring training]] jockstrap, date unknown.]] "Knock their jocks off!" is a phrase used openly by [[American football]] [[coach (sport)|coaches]] and fans of both genders to motivate football players<ref>{{cite journal |author=Alan Dundes|title=Into the Endzone for a Touchdown: A Psychoanalytic Consideration of American Football|journal=Western Folklore|volume=37|issue=2|pages=75–88|year=1978|doi=10.2307/1499315}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.awakenedwoman.com/stewart_sports.htm|title=Words from Sports|work=Awakened Women: A Journal of Women's Spirituality}}</ref> while jockstraps of celebrity [[Sportsperson|athlete]]s have become sports [[collectibles]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bookreporter.com/authors/au-mitchell-greg.asp|title=Interview with Greg Mitchell}}</ref> In 2007, [[Baseball]] player [[Ken Griffey, Jr.]] gathered media attention when he tossed his jockstrap to a heckling fan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2870769|title=Griffey's Gesture Wins Dodger Fan's Support|publisher=ESPN}}</ref> For many years, high school and college [[locker room]] [[prank]]s involve filling jockstrap pouches with irritating substances like novelty shop itching powders. Jockstrap swiping from lockers and gym bags is also a frequent prank.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.funnypracticaljokes.com/easy-gag-jokes/bengay.php|title=BenGay|work=Funny Practical Jokes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco49ers.contentquake.com/2007/08/22/49ers-no-longer-the-joke-of-the-nfl/|title=49ers No Longer the Joke of the NFL}}</ref> [[Hazing]] rituals at schools occasionally involve jockstraps.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/03/03-23-07tdc/03-23-07dnews-14.asp|author=Kevin Horan|coauthors=Matthew Spolar|title=Players Questioned About Alleged Hazing|work=The Daily Collegian Online|date=2007-03-23}}</ref> In November 2005, [[Bike Company|Bike]] made its 350,000,000th jockstrap. The jockstrap was taken off the [[assembly line]], framed, and flown to Bike's Atlanta headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-miscellaneous/4458076-1.html|title=Jock Strap Passes Milestone|work=AllBusiness|date=2006-01-01}}</ref> Jockstraps as costumes or props have been seen on-screen in mainstream motion pictures including ''[[All the Right Moves]]'', ''[[Any Given Sunday]]'', ''[[North Dallas Forty]]'' and ''[[Youngblood]]''. More recently, jockstraps have fallen out of favour with young athletes, and garments such as [[compression shorts]] (supportive, usually elasticated undershorts) have seen an increase in popularity, arguably because of their comparable function and less embarrassing looks—Jenny Shulman stated matter-of-factly in a 2005 interview with [[Slate]] magazine that "kids today are not wearing jockstraps."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2123007/|title="Where have all the jockstraps gone?|work=Slate Magazine (2005-07-22)}}</ref> == Jockstrap styles == '''Jockstraps''' are fairly consistent in design (waistband, pouch, leg straps) with variations appearing in details like width of waistband and fabrics. Some jockstraps are designed for specific sports. Hockey jocks, for example, have adjustable elastic straps and [[garter]] clips that hold [[ice hockey equipment|hockey socks]] in place while the bulky goalie protector has genital and abdominal foam padding. Windproof jockstraps have a special layer of fabric over the genitalia that protects the wearer from wind and cold in winter sports. Some manufacturers create "fashion jocks" made of exotic fabrics such as leather or chain mail that appeal to practitioners of sexual role playing. [[Image:Protective cup.jpg|thumb|150px|Cup insert for a jockstrap.]] '''Cups''' offer protection to the genitalia. Typically made of hard plastic and perforated for ventilation, a cup is inserted into a pocket on the pouch. Some cups though are simply a soft pad designed for low impact sports. Some cups have a waistband and straps attached directly to the cup designed to be worn over a regular jockstrap or [[briefs]] and are common in [[kickboxing]] and [[martial arts]]. An oversized cup and jock combined into a single item which has layered foam padding that protects the groin, [[kidney]]s and [[abdomen]] is used in [[boxing]] and [[Muay Thai]]. Similar to the "Combined padded jock and cup", the flex cup combines the hard and soft cup. It features a hard cup melded into a soft cup. A Solid steel cup is often used for combat sports (i.e. Mixed Martial Arts, [[Kick Boxing]] and Muay Thai). '''Related items''' include the jock brief, or support briefs, which, having a full seat resemble normal briefs but have a wider, stronger waistband and are made of a more supportive material. A thong style jockstrap (sometimes called a "dance belt") has only one strap attached to the bottom of the pouch, passing under the crotch, up between the [[buttocks]] and attaching to the waistband at the middle of the back. Compression shorts have a full or partial jockstrap sewn into the inside. They provide pockets for a cup and, in the case of the [[American football|football]] variety, provide pockets for thigh and backbone pads. The strapless variation to the jock, called a sock, has an elastic pouch that hooks behind the [[scrotum]] instead of being held in place by the normal [[leg]] straps. Suspensories are similar to the jockstrap with one main exception; above the pouch that holds the testicles is a hole to put the penis through so that it hangs free from the constriction of the pouch. The suspensory is typically used after [[surgery]] to the [[groin]] or other medical reason. Enhanced jockstraps are a basic jockstrap with the addition of either a padding in the pouch area, or may have fabric "C" ring sewn in to lift and bring forward the penis and testicles. ==How it is Worn== {{Unreferencedsection|date=June 2008}} The most common way a jockstrap is worn is to put it on immediately over the [[skin]], as the bottom layer. The cup can either be inserted before or after the jockstrap is put on such that the rim of the cup firmly comes in contact with the [[Pubis (bone)|pubic bone]] without resting on the genitals; otherwise the wearer would be put at risk for impact injuries. == See also == * [[Boxer shorts]] * [[Briefs]] * [[Compression shorts]] * [[G-string]] * [[Jock itch]] * [[Jock sniffing]] * [[Pelvic protector]] == References == {{reflist|2}} == External links == {{linkfarm}} <!-- * [http://www.shockdoc.com/news/cpHistory.html History of the jockstrap] Deadlink --> * [http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=10&topic=135 Testicular Trauma and Care] * [http://www.timberwoof.com/jockwoof/index.shtml Jockwoof's Guide to Athletic Supporters and Protective Cups] * [http://slate.com/id/2123007/ Where Have All the Jockstraps Gone?], ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' {{men's undergarments}} [[Category:Underwear]] [[Category:Sports clothing]] [[Category:Protective gear]] [[Category:1874 introductions]] [[de:Suspensorium]] [[es:Suspensorio]] [[fr:Suspensoir]] [[gl:Suspensorio]] [[it:Sospensorio]] [[nl:Toque (sport)]] [[ja:ジョックストラップ]] [[no:Suspensorium]] [[nn:Jockstrap]] [[ru:Защита паха]] [[sv:Suspensoar]]