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How to Wear Long Hair in Athletics
Long Hair in Athletics: Go-To Styles for Different Sports
Have you noticed a proliferation of long hair in athletics? And especially in professional sports? We have, and we find it fascinating here at The Longhairs global headquarters. It’s like every season there are exponentially more longhairs in every sport than the previous season. Pretty sure they plan their respective awkward stages in the offseason.
While the pros are out there demonstrating the appropriateness of long hair in sports, avid amateur athletes like ourselves must find a way to master our manes through various athletic endeavors.
Fortunately we’ve compiled this handy guide on how to wear long hair in athletics—whatever your favorite sport is, sport. So get out there and get after it.
Skiing and Snowboarding
Snowsports are an activity where you probably want to let it fly, particularly at high speed.
A bandana can be useful to keep things in place underneath your helmet, if you’re a safety type of guy that is.
Baseball/Softball
The ball cap is part of the requisite uniform, alleviating the problem of hair in your face—at least until it’s 6 inches+ past your shoulders, when it can start to become a problem if it’s a little breezy out there.
Football
We’d all love to flow like Clay Matthews, but unless you’re playing full tackle you’re probably not wearing a helmet to keep things intact.
The high rope is money in this situation, potentially with a headband to keep the sides clean while you’re juking fools on the proverbial gridiron.
Surfing
If you have long hair when you’re new to surfing, this one can be a pain. Dealing with the ocean is a matter unto itself, exacerbated when you’re blinded and gagging on a wet mop.
That being the case, you pretty much have to let it ride with no restrictions in all surfing scenarios.
Working Out
Whether you crossfit bro, go to the gym, or exercise elsewhere, working out is typically an activity where function trumps fashion and you don’t care what your hair looks like.
A standard tight foldover can be effectively augmented with a championship headband holding your tail end in place.
Cycling
The helmet comes into play. You may or may not care about the letting the flow free, in which case a standard low rope is your play.
Running
Another activity where you probably want your locks out of the action: get the damn hot sweaty hair off my neck. You also want to keep it tight, calling for a standard low ball with 1 or 6 hair ties, just to be safe.
Golfing
In a game historically characterized by a conservative appearance, our boy Miguel Ángel Jiménez almost single-handedly made it cool to wear long hair on tour.
There's no better venue than a friendly round of 18 for the super double high ball visor combo. Alternatively, if you really want to keep the marshall on his toes, we recommend a dignified full flow with championship headband with a Romeo y Julieta sidecar.
Yoga
A unique environment for men who are new(er) to yoga, this one can be baffling.
Anything on the back of the head in the shape of a ball can be prohibitive to the practice, making the super front ball a superior zen option.
Hiking
Finally something useful for all those t-shirt sleeves you cut off. Hair out of your face while maintaining neck shade = genius.
And that right there, boys, is how to wear your long hair in athletics. But you might be asking yourself, "what on earth should I use for all these excellent tie-ups, braids and hair-securing options?
We've got you covered. Or should we say...tied up, with Hair Ties For Guys, the finest hair ties in the world.
Also, notably absent are The Longhairs headwraps and headbands. Why? We made this blog post long before we had any of those products, but rest assured: these are playmakers.
Get yours. Then get out there.
Comments
Just an observation. For each thing that we do, there is always at least style that is considered to be the best. I imagine, however, that always changing everything up during the course of the day is a hassle. So maybe it is best to find out what is on the daily agenda, choose the best style accordingly, and kill at least a couple of birds with one stone.
That should read,” for each thing that we do, there is always at least one hairstyle that is considered to be the best.” The point I am trying to make is to think ahead and choose a style that would prevent at least a couple problems at once. That would be for the best.
Yo longhairs! This is awesome, but a lot of the pics might be out of date or taken down, do you think we could get a refresh on some of these?
Good point. Yes absolutely!
Thank you!! Just got my Hairties, can’t wait!!
SICK!
Wish I knew this post was around. You could add one for motorcyclists, nothing like hair in your visor, or helmet hair after, particularly if you ride to work or to hang out. bandana is good for chopper riders, maybe I’d say the longhairs headband. Beats trying to tie up after getting where you’re going.
GREAT CALL ROBERTO!
So I am gonna go ahead and ask what everyone is too afraid to ask. What tips do you have for long hair in the bedroom? Obviously not an issue if I’m on the bottom, but if I’m on top or visiting her down below, my hair is always an issue, and I don’t want to fumble when it’s go-time.
You must have a hair tie! Critical.
Hair styles while training jiu jitsu?
Absolutely man! Check out The Ninja Roll Choke With Mike ‘Spider Ninja’ Bidwell and Rolling With a Master in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Also Selecting a Weapon of Choice
How do you do a super double Highball el Moreno?
Check this out Jack: https://youtu.be/tIvCgM8hAbM
Can’t imagine I’m your typical reader- 40-something year old mom. I’m here because my 7 year old son is rocking long-ish hair right now and he front of his hair is creating a huge problem for me! His bangs have grown out and now reach his lips if brushed forward…. it’s not long enough to wear a ponytail at the back of his head or base of his neck and a ponytail on top of his head makes his helmet not fit right…and I’m having a hard time keeping the very long “bangs” out of his eyes while he is playing lacrosse (under his helmet they fall out of a ‘dew-rag’ and if he wears something like a t-shirt sleeve that slips too far down his forehead over the hour or so he is playing… I’ve tried an elastic thin band with grips on one side- he says it makes his helmet too tight)…. since he is 7, he isn’t great at adjusting anything on the sidelines…. so I need something that works for the whole game! Would love any thoughts from long-bangs-helmet-wearing-guys…. many thanks!
Hey there! Thanks for writing in, glad you found us! We actually have a lot of moms write in, but this is the first question like this one, and an interesting problem you’re facing.
Have you tried braids? Like corn rows? Might not be practical to do before EVERY game, but it would keep the hair out for sure. You might also experiment with some different brands of headbands that don’t have the grippy inside and make the helmet too tight.
Beyond those suggestions, we also have a lacrosse player who does some guest writing for us, I’ve asked him if he has any tips he can share. Will let you know if he comes up with anything.
Hope this helps!
PS: did you see the post about Arthur? It’s about little guys with long hair, right up your alley.
Wow!!! Ok!!! I never cared about how I looked during it, but the feeling and the overall heat around is just difficult. I will probably find myself tieing my hair up most of the time anyway.
Awesome!!! When do you consider long hair? I have been growing mine for over 8 1/2 months and the sides go down to about my jawline or even lower. The back is starting to go down my back. And the front goes down to my top lip.
You’re gettin close Jack! The internationally recognized benchmark is when you can tie it all up. Usually it takes 12-18 months to get there, if you’ve started from really really short.
Is there just a front ball? Or Is it just the super front ball?
In a slight breach of etiquette, we go straight from high ball to super front ball.
What about Basketball?
That high ball mang!
Here’s a solution while playing baseball/ softball for hair that is over six inches past the shoulders; the combination baseball cap with either rope or snake. I think that would reduce what problems exist if it gets breezy out there.
NAILED
Thanks.
And in the wind, it would look like one badass dragon’s tail. Awesome!
What Do You Do For Basketball?
Just smashed 6 miles running with a standard lowball + headband. Not one hair moved and no bouncing ball of flipping all over the place on the back of my head. Legit power play.
STRONG!
Hey Long Hairs! My name is Jacob. I am eighteen years old, and have been growing out my hair for barely over 2 years now. Currently, it is a few inches below shoulder length, though I still plan to let it grow out farther.
I’m really enjoying your site and have found it to be rather helpful. I have definitely learned a lot from reading over the various articles and posts, as well as watching the videos.
One question that I found myself asking, and which wasn’t directly covered here, is: What’s the best way to manage my hair and keep it out of my face while swimming? I’ve tried simply tying it back in a low-ball, but it usually slips out and finds its way into my face anyway.
Also, I know you’ve mentioned your working on putting out more patterns for your hair ties, but do you have an estimation of when they might be available? I would love to see some solid colors and simple patterns. I particularly liked the red with black design of the second stage prototype you showed in your video about Hair Ties For Guys.
Anyways, thanks.
As you guys have said, long hair is a community, and it’s great to have a place where we can come together in unity.
Let it Ride!
~Jacob.
Yo Jacob! Glad you like the site and the community, we’re pumped to have you here!
Great question about swimming, it’s something we haven’t really covered. Just watching the Olympics here the last couple days my first response is using a cap…but how cool are swimming caps…wah wah waahhh.
My next suggestion is to braid it. There may be further implications here, but worth trying. What do you think, give it a try?
New hair ties will be coming this year. I can’t get more specific but we have samples and we’re working through production. You will see black and plenty of solid colors.
Thanks for your questions, comments and following along, hombre. We are lettin it ride!
C’YA!
Definitely a most amusing site you have here. I’m having a hoot of a time perusing the content. I’ve had, more or less, waist length hair since the 70’s. Presently I’m about 3 inches shy of my belt. To be quite honest, I really don’t think too much about it. Got used to a single braid from riding motorcycles but I pretty much just wear it however I feel at a particular moment in time and space. Often I am just to dang lazy to braid it.
I’m a hat guy and really don’t put too much thought into that either. I just plop a hat or cap on my noggin and go about my business. One braid, two braids, loose, a pony tail, it is just what it is when I don a chapeau.
I’ve dealt with being a hair boy for a long time. Played football, rugby, ultimate frisbee, camped, hiked, hunted Elk or Muley’s or White tail, logged, ride motorcycles, worked wood, chased women, ran from a few, done Vol Fire and Search and Rescue, etc etc etc. Other than keeping it out of the way or avoiding being drug around with a braid trapped in a wing forwards armpit I still never thought about it much. At least in as far as looks went.
Anyhow, your site has some interesting shyte rolling around in it and a thanks for posting such. Some good tips here I might use but, more than likely, sloth will keep me from experimenting too much. Thanks anyhow. Much fun had by all in the visit.
Tex
Yo Tex! Great to hear from you sir, thanks for your comment. Thrilled you’ve found our site entertaining. We’ve often wondered what 40-year longhair veterans like yourself would think, having probably not seen anything like this in your time. So glad you got a laugh out of it, and maybe even give some of the tips a try.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with long hair. You’re a forefather among us, and we got a good laugh from your comment.
I’d tell you to keep lettin’ it ride, but I think you’re gonna do that regardless. Stay tuned!
you can so protect a ponytail with a hair glove as the motor riders
Hey, just found this site and I’m keen to get my hair looking manly again. I would say that im still in the awkward stage where I can only just tie it back and I constantly have my fringe slipping out. I generally wear it down because its too difficult to tie up. However I play a lot of volleyball and that means a lot of jumping, with jumping comes a lot of hair in my face. Is there any way I could just tie my fringe back? Also I have fairly thick and wavy hair so the sides dont sit close to my head, they sort of puff out a little. Thanks in advance!
Have you tried a head band?
This is an awesome post! Love the t-shirt sleeve idea and the photos are great…especially the surfing one. <3
Helpful
I love it! You guys nailed it!
BOOM!