Whenever I approach a newer female student to discuss wearing protective gear I usually get a confused expression. I also get some interesting verbal replies. “Isn’t that stuff just for men? I mean they have the more obvious parts to protect.” Or “I never get kicked in that area and I don’t plan on it either.” The one that floored me the most was “ I don’t have enough room in my backpack I use for karate and I can’t get a bigger bag.” So once I gather my thoughts I then explain why I wear protective gear and the importance it is to have as part of your uniform.
My answers are “Yes women need protective gear just as much as men if not more. You are kidding yourself if you think you will never get kicked in the groin and a little crazy if you think you can prevent it from happening.” And finally I had no answer for the karate bag reason.
It only took a couple classes of karate for me to figure out it hurts to get kicked in the groin and that it is impossible to prevent. It also felt uncomfortable not to have chest protection while training. So I found the closest martial arts supply store and purchased a groin protector. I also went through all the chest protection equipment I could find at the time for women finally coming across one that worked. I was the go to person at the dojo to ask where to purchase the protective gear. Which obviously brought me to design the ProBlock line of women’s protective gear.
So in a nutshell I believe the “Pro’s” of wearing protective gear can ultimately benefit the quality of your training. Having the feeling of knowing that you have some level of protection will allow you to concentrate on learning and practicing your art to it’s fullest.