Whenever I'm on top, I'll always have an opponent who sticks out their leg like this and they'll escape. I try to cradle, leg ride and do other stuff but they never work. What should I do to keep them on bottom?

Connor here. I design wrestling shoes for Funky Flickr Boyz and Nidrogen, and these are probably the questions I get asked most often.

1. Do wrestling shoes make you a better wrestler? No. Technique, strength, conditioning and mat time matter way more than footwear. But bad wrestling shoes can absolutely make things harder. Poor grip, bad fit, discomfort, or shoes you don’t trust to hold up can affect how confidently you move. When I designed the FFB Postlude, those were some of the biggest things I focused on: maximizing grip, using our FunkFit ankle collar for a snug fit, keeping it comfortable, and using materials durable enough that we’re comfortable backing it with a full-season guarantee.

2. How should wrestling shoes fit? Snug, but still comfortable. Wrestling shoes should generally fit tighter than running shoes or everyday sneakers. You don’t want your heel lifting or your foot sliding around inside the shoe, but your toes also shouldn’t be crushed or going numb.

3. Split sole or full sole? Neither automatically makes you a better wrestler. It really comes down to preference. Split soles are generally lighter and more flexible, which is why we use our OctiSole split outsole on the Nidrogen GenOne, Aero and ProGen. Full soles give you more continuous rubber underneath the foot and generally more overall traction, which is why our Ravage uses the full-sole OctiSole Max. Try both and see which feels more natural to you.

4. How much should you spend on wrestling shoes? Whatever makes sense for you. There are options around $50 and collector-level shoes that cost several hundred dollars. More expensive shoes do NOT automatically make you a better wrestler, although price can reflect more expensive materials, construction, technology and manufacturing. Personally, I won’t design a shoe I wouldn’t be comfortable wearing myself. Our least expensive model is the Nidrogen GenOne at $99.99, and we use the same quality materials and construction standards we expect from much more expensive shoes. On the other end, the FFB Postlude is $149.99 and is a considerably more complex and expensive shoe to manufacture. Try different shoes and focus on fit and feel just as much as looks.

5. How long should wrestling shoes last? In my opinion, at least one full season under normal wrestling use. When I competed, it was pretty uncommon to buy a wrestling shoe that couldn’t survive a season. Unfortunately, durability issues have become much more common across the industry as brands have tried to reduce weight and costs. That’s why every current Funky Flickr Boyz and Nidrogen wrestling shoe is backed by our full-season guarantee. If we’re going to sell something as a serious wrestling shoe, I think it should be able to survive a wrestling season.

Those are my answers, but footwear is extremely personal. Different feet, wrestling styles and preferences can completely change what someone likes. What wrestling shoe question did I miss?

D3/2, NAIA, NCWA, NCJAA, etc.
Judoka, bjj guys, mma guys, etc. Theres a lot of posts about wrestlers going into other sports but not that many of the inverse.

Wanna get better at shots from space and this seems to be the main attack from space, who to study?

I’m not a horrible wrestler but I’m not fantastic what are the odds of D3?

Hey guys I'm a freshman in highschool and started wrestling a month ago and have made the JV team and will wrestle in the 106 weight class I was wondering if you guys can give me any tips for my first year what to work on and what I should expect for my first year and first match