FireStorm

Let the women test fight shorts only first....just sayin'. Another issue to deal with.

Look at grapplers (let alone sambo, judo and jiu jitsu practitioners). They have fight shorts and compression shirts. So why not have it in wrestling? It doesn't make any sense unless you're old traditionalist. And if that's the case then you must zip it cuz its 2000 freaking 12. we don't live in 1900s Things change and besides, its gonna happen sooner and later as far as I'm concerned. So I say make it happen now.
And yes, if you prefer singlets over fight shorts then go for it.

My oldest son wouldn't wrestle. Even though the HS coach begged him to. Nothing I done would change his mind. All of his friends where wrestlers, but he wouldn't join. Later in life he told me it was because of Singlets. As a freshman he hadn't developed as much as other boys his age, so he was embarrased. Do not underestimate the power of self conciousness. There are a lot of good athletes avoiding the sport because of singlets. My youngest has been wrestling for 5 years, hes starting to go through puberty. He is very self concious and trys to get very loose singlets that don't show too much in that area.

Singlet, as it was simply said it is tradition.

Singlet bich its tradition.

Well seeing that wrestling is an international sport, whether or not the USA believes fight shorts are better really does not matter. Good luck trying to explain to countries like Ukraine or Russia that we are getting rid of singlets and will be wearing shorts instead.........

I Have been wrestling since i was 7 years old I don't want to wear fight shorts to a match the singlet is like an identity. football has jerseys but we have singlets. there is a big difference between MMA and wrestling. I have a lot of friends that do MMA and they don't mind wearing singlets so why should we change it???? My dad would slap me in the face if i even thought about wearing a Fight short to a match Singlets are only for wrestlers period. anyone who doesn't like it then they are not true men. Singlets are for true warriors.

Switch to fight shorts. If you get a boner it won't show.

I think the compression shirt and short combo could help some insecure boys on the fence about wrestling give it a go. But I think the opposite approach could work too. And maybe a two pronged approach is needed to get more people interested in wrestling. My suggestion would be to contact the clothing manufacturer's like UA, Nike etc. and get them to promote the use of singlets in other sports and even for casual wear around town after a workout at the gym. But I would draw the line at the hooded type singlet that Track and Field star Michael Johnson wore at the Olympics. Maybe once and for all we can get rid of all these gay looking guys on the basketball courts wearing those gay things that go below their knees that they think are shorts but we all know are really just girly capri pants?

OKay.. but Professional TV wrestling is immensely popular and they wear tights. Singlets work because they do not hamper movement. End of story. Any time two guys are rolling around on a mat with their hands and heads in compromising positions some macho man is going to scream GAY. It doesnt matter what they are wearing.

So, in reading what everyone has to say the only real argument that fight shorts advocates has is appeal to a newer and larger crowd of athletes. However, I haven't seen anyone offer anything but anecdotal proof.
My opinion: keep signets. Their form, function and gender neutrality reign over fight shorts or a combo of shorts and shirt. There is no valid argument to change. You have to offer proof your numbers will increase.

I agree with everyone in regards that wrestling is losing a following ect ect and the numbers are dropping due to stigma's and so on, but in regards to the fight short situation I believe an equal median can be met.
Different schools have different cut singlets in Highschool, and some athletes choose to wear spats (tights), or underarmor tops underneath their singlets correct? Why not offer the same option with the fight shorts/vale tudo shorts ? If a school or athlete has an issue with one type of uniform, they have the option to choose the other. This way we maintain our tradition as well as allow for growth. People are going to attack this as one athlete having the unfair advantage because they wore which garment ect ect, but if you are both allowed to wear such uniform then that argument would be null and void (In my opinion atleast). If an athlete wears the shorts however, I do believe it should be mandatory that one wears an underarmour or compression top as well. The traction issues, although as minuscule as they seem would be huge. Tight waits, standups, mat returns, throws, pummeling, as well as leg/crab rides would all be altered due to the slipperiness of sweat and bare chested ness.
I am an athlete who wrestled in High School and did Brazilian Jiu Jitsu during this time and continue to do so now. I have used both uniforms and they are both technical and do their job. I take not preference over the other for this debate if one was to be chosen, but I do prefer compression shorts combined with an compression top to both fight shorts as well as singlets. I choose this because of its simplicity, availability, and comfort, but that is my opinion.
I say all this as respectfully as possible to everyone's opinions. If I had to make a singular decision without my option as a choice I would say keep the singlet. Why? Everyone has them, it is associated with the sport. I truly believe however what I have stated before is the best alternative.

Singlet's today are nowhere near as bad as they looked in the 1970's or 1980's. Today's singlets are more like vale tudo / bike shorts with an armless shirt. MMA board shorts are problematic, I've seen feet get caught up in the bottom legs of them, and they can cause extra traction on the ground which can make hip slides, sitouts etc more difficult than it needs to be.

They're used in MMA because they're robust, but more importantly act as a canvas to pin sponsor logos on. In terms of function for the grappling and even striking side, the vale tudo / bike shorts are better.
The ill fated Real Pro Wrestling that featured guys like Mo Lawal and Daniel Cormier, had vale tudo / bike shorts and no shirt, and it looked awkward. The Heavies were made to wear singlets to cover up the extra folds!
I'm also sure singlets came about from a ruling (possibly NCAA) in like the 1940's about no wrestler should be bare chested.
If we look at Submission Grappling and any competitor that wears vale tudo / bike shorts and a rashguard, it's not all that different from modern wrestling singlets. Lets keep skin protected from mat rash, and any nastiness like staph or ring worm to a minimum.

only fat and out-of-shape people call singlets gay because that's what they see in the mirror, they rather hide their insecure self in clothes

Adapt or die. Bottom line is, wrestling isn't popular. Switch out the singlet for a short sleeve compression shirt, and pair of fight shorts and I guarantee you will get wayy more kids interested in wrestling.