Why Do Wrestlers Train in Sweats? | Should Wrestlers Train in Sweats?

Have you ever wondered why so many wrestlers train in sweats? Since wrestling has been around for so long, there have been many changes to the typical attire for training and competition. Most wrestlers prefer to wear sweatpants because of the benefits they get when wearing sweats. But why?

Generally speaking, sweats are worn during wrestling practice because it helps wrestlers sweat and cut weight. It is also a great way to be warm when training in cold weather. However, some say that wearing it improves their athletic performance. Due to these benefits, wrestlers occasionally opt to practice in sweats.

This blog will talk about wrestling attire and how training in sweats affects your body. We will also cover some other common wrestling questions you may have when it comes to working out in sweatpants.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Does Working Out in Sweats Help in Training?

Working out in sweat certainly helps in your training. It keeps your body warm and accelerates weight reduction by helping your body produce more sweat. Some say that the heat generated is a game changer to warm-ups. The best part is that they have these benefits while comfortable and stretchy.

Sweats are extremely helpful in training as it helps you cut weight due to increased sweating.

As we all know, weight management is a massive part of training since we have to be on our optimal weight classes.

For instance, here is a sample photo of my sweats.

You can get the sweatpants I’m using in the photo on Amazon here: Sweatpants.

Going back, training in sweats is important as it helps us lose weight to get to our optimal weight classes.

But what’s the deal with weight classes?

As my coach puts it, getting into the lowest weight possible gives you the advantage as you can be a bit stronger than the competition.

Generally speaking, strength is directly correlated with weight, meaning people in a heavier class tend to use more strength in competitions.

The advantage of getting to a lower weight class is that you will be matched with people with equal or less strength than you.

The great thing about sweating is we only lose water weight, and we can instantly get those weight back on the competition by drinking water.

That’s why sweating is a great way to lose weight for competitions, as its effect is only temporary.

Basically, you can get to a lower weight class which gives you an advantage regarding strength.

Recommended Read: For more information about wrestling weight classes and their purpose, you may check this post: How do Wrestling weight classes work?

Basically, losing weight through sweat gives an advantage to matches. That’s why wrestlers choose training regimens that increase sweating, such as doing sauna baths and wearing sweats.

If you ask me, the primary purpose of these sweats is to lose weight, which gives you an advantage during competitions because of weight classes.

However, I also know that other people swear on other benefits, which I will discuss because I want this post to be as comprehensive as possible.

So, what other benefits could we get from wearing sweats during training?

Some say that wearing sweats help speed up their warm-ups because sweatpants trap your body heat which in turn helps you get warmer.

Others say sweatpants make warmups faster because it increases blood circulation, but honestly, I don’t have any proof.

I prefer saying that it could accelerate the warmup process since it traps our body heat.

But why is it helpful?

Well, we tend to be more athletic after warmups. Some say warmups reduce injuries as the muscles slowly adjust to the increasing stimuli.

In my case, I do warm-ups as it helps me prepare for more challenging workouts, and they say that wearing sweats could accelerate the warmup process.

Additionally, if you’re training in cold weather conditions, such as winter, you will appreciate training in sweats.

As I said, sweatpants help trap heat generated by your body. This means you could feel warmer rather than practicing in shorts.

This is an additional bonus for training in sweats.

You should also understand how hard it is to sweat during cold seasons, so whatever we can do to accelerate sweating, such as wearing sweatpants, is a win.

The benefits of wearing sweatpants don’t stop there. Some say that since sweats help accelerate the warmup process, it helps the muscles become more malleable. This means less muscle stiffness.

Your muscles are more malleable as you warm up faster, which makes it simpler to feel loose.

Muscle stiffness is a result of not doing warmups. This is another reason why wrestlers who stay injury-free perform 5 minutes of light cardio, stretching, and lifting.

Almost all successful athletic programs, whether pro or collegiate wrestlers, must do warmups, and sweats could make it easier.

The benefits of wearing sweats don’t stop there.

Did you know that the NWCA reported numerous skin infections caused by wrestling?

As we know, wrestling is a contact sport. Thus, infections caused by skin contact, such as ringworms, are common.

For a list of skin infections reported by NWCA, you may check their post here: Most Common Wrestling Skin Infections.

So, what’s the deal with sweats? Well, wearing sweats reduces skin exposure. Thus, it could reduce the likelihood of these infections.

Reducing infections from wrestling mats is another reason you see wrestlers wearing sweats.

While Wrestling mats should often be disinfected, we don’t know how often they are disinfected in gyms.

These mats could become breeding grounds for bacteria that leads to skin infections like ringworm and cystic acne, so reducing skin-to-skin contact by wearing full sweats is a wonderful idea.

Lastly, I am putting it here to make this post as complete as possible; sweats are an excellent way to add style.

With various styles and designs, sweats look great on someone with a sculpted body – quite typical for wrestlers.

However, this depends on your style preferences.

With these benefits, we know that sweatpants are great for training. But how about when sparring? Let’s talk about that next.

Can You Wrestle In Sweatpants?

You can wrestle in sweatpants. Wrestling in sweatpants is a great idea because they make you feel warm and comfortable. Most wrestlers prefer training in sweatpants because of how much it makes them sweat – helping them lose weight. Furthermore, sweats reduce skin contact, which could help reduce skin infections.

Wrestlers should wear shoes, socks, sweatpants, or athletic shorts during practice.

Headgear is available as optional equipment to lower the risk of ear injuries. Depending on where classes are held, different standards for attire apply.

Recommended Read: When talking about ear injuries, have you heard about cauliflower ears? This is common among wrestlers. You may find more about it in my article here: Why do wrestlers get cauliflower ears?

With these in mind, I would want to give you a bonus. Have you ever wondered why wrestlers tuck their sweatpants? Why do they have this unique style? Let’s discuss that before ending this post.

Why Do Wrestlers Tuck in Their Sweatpants?

Tucking your sweatshirt into their sweatpants keeps the heat in when you’re trying to get warmed up or control weight. It is also a useful hack for ensuring that fingers don’t get caught in clothing during practice.

As I said earlier, sweats help train the heat. The trapped heat could reach our torso by tucking, inducing more sweat in these areas.

It’s that simple.

This is also why wrestlers tuck their pants inside their socks.

What’s Next? What? Wrestlers tuck their pants inside their socks because it traps heat? Well, yes. Tucking the pants under the socks is not only for a show. For more information, you may check my post here: Why do wrestlers tuck their paints in their socks?