Grappling shorts, Defender

Cut for no-gi

The Defender grappling shorts are made for the mat. Not for the weight room, not for the beach: for an hour during which a partner pulls on the fabric, leans on it, grinds it into the floor and starts again.

Three things that kill a training short

The crotch seam goes first. It works every time you open your guard, and on a regular sports short it was never built for that.

The waistband is next. A soft elastic stretches out within weeks, and the shorts drop at the first change of level. A firm waistband backed by a drawstring settles that question for the life of the product.

Then the pockets. A finger or a toe slips in during a scramble and it is the joint that pays, not the fabric. Grappling shorts do without them.

Length and range of movement

Length decides what you can do. Short frees the hip completely, which suits an open guard or a single leg game. Longer protects the outside of the thigh on a rough mat, at the cost of some range.

The detail not to overlook is the leg opening. Without a stretch panel or a split, shorts in the right size can still lock you up in butterfly guard. Squat all the way down in them before the first session.

Getting the size right

Use the size chart rather than your usual shop size: these are cut close and the conversions are not the ones you know from everyday clothing. Measure your waist where you actually wear the shorts, on the hips rather than at the navel. When in doubt, sizing up stays the sensible call.

For competition

Check your federation’s rules before ordering. Colour, closure and pocket requirements vary between organisations, and a short that is perfect in training can be turned away at the uniform check.

Care

Washing is what decides how long these last. Cold, inside out, no fabric softener. Hang them rather than tumble drying: heat takes the spring out of the elastane and the cut never comes back. Tie the drawstring before washing and it will not vanish into the waistband.