Editing Jockstrap (section)

== Protective cup ==
{{more citations needed|section|date=May 2025}}
{{main|Protective gear in sports}}
[[File:Protective cup.jpg|thumb|125px|Banana-style cup, down position]]
[[File:TradCup.jpg|thumb|125px|Traditional cup, up position]]
Optional ''cups'' offer additional protection for contact sports and are made of hard plastic or steel, perforated for ventilation.<ref name="web.archive.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.jockstrappedstuds.com/pages/news/jock_cup_hist.htm |title=Jockstrap and Cup Historical Background |date=2007-08-21 |website=The Jockstrap and Cup Site |access-date=2021-07-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821141215/http://www.jockstrappedstuds.com/pages/news/jock_cup_hist.htm |archive-date=August 21, 2007}}</ref> A more flexible and comfortable ''soft cup'' is also offered for low contact sports such as soccer. A ''flex cup'' variation features a hard exterior melded with a soft lining.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

A similar piece of protective equipment in the sport of [[cricket]]  is known as a ''[[Box (cricket)|box]]''. In cricket, a box is usually worn by only a batsman, a wicket-keeper, and sometimes other close-up fielders. For fielders farther from the batsman (where such protection is generally unnecessary), the wearing of a box would impede their movement and running (for batsmen the benefits outweigh the disadvantages).{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

An abdominal guard (also called "compression cup", "box", or "L Guard") is a hard usually plastic cup that is inserted in a jockstrap to protect [[human male genitalia|male genitalia]]. Some jockstraps have a lined front pouch for this purpose. The abdominal guard is usually constructed from high density plastic with a padded edge, shaped like a hollow half-pear, and inserted into the jockstrap or jockstrap-style underwear of the batsmen and wicket-keeper. This is used to protect the genitals against impact from the ball.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Many sports require the use of an athletic cup. These include [[cricket]], [[fencing]], [[martial arts]], [[boxing]], [[lacrosse]], [[hockey]], [[baseball]], [[paintball]], [[football]] and many others.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Fashion jocks often incorporate soft-lined front pouches or they may be designed to bring the male genitalia forward or upward. The purpose of these modifications is to enhance the masculine appearance of the wearer. Wearers of fashion jocks may also wear abdominal guards for the same purpose.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

With the decline in the use of jockstraps in sports, the use of the necessary abdominal guard has also declined despite the safety implications. Typically cups are worn in the pouch of a jockstrap which may be double-lined to hold the cup, or in [[compression shorts]] or sport-specific briefs.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Cups for some combat sports (e.g. mixed martial arts, kick boxing) have a waistband and straps attached directly to the cup designed to be worn over a regular jockstrap or briefs. Some sports such as [[boxing]] use an oversized cup and jock combined into a single item which has layered foam padding that protects the groin, kidneys and abdomen.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}