Wrestling is one of the world's most ancient combat sports and was one of the sports in the ancient Olympic Games. Recently, wrestling was unceremoniously eliminated from the modern Summer Olympics. A huge outcry followed this decision and after months of protest, the sport was reinstated. This popular sport comes in a variety of forms and styles.
While there are many different types of wrestling, one of the types you see during the Olympics is Greco-Roman wrestling. The other type of wrestling displayed at the Olympic Games is freestyle wrestling. These two types of wrestling have some key differences. Holds below the waist are not allowed in Greco-Roman wrestling, but they are part of freestyle wrestling. Freestyle wrestlers are allowed to use their legs to takedown an opponent, while Greco Roman wrestlers cannot.
Freestyle wrestlers also can apply a throwdown maneuver and then a hold after their opponent is on the ground. In Greco-Roman wrestling, the wresters must remain in contact with the opponent during the entire takedown or the hold is not legal. Greco-Roman wrestlers basically must use only their arms and upper body to overcome an opponent, and while Freestyle wrestling certainly isn't easy, the wrestlers do have a few more options than they do with traditional Greco-Roman techniques.
In 1896, the first Olympic games of the modern era were held. These games included all of the ancient sports as well as some more modern additions such as cycling. However, there was one notable exception. The sport of pankration, which had been a part of the ancient games, was not included. This combat sport, which was no doubt a precursor to mixed martial arts, is a sort of anything-goes type of sport that included many wrestling elements as well as boxing, kickboxing, striking and a variety of chokes. Actually, fighters really could do just about anything they wanted in order to win the fight. You couldn't bite nor could you gouge someone's eyes, but pretty much everything else was fine. While it is not an Olympic sport, the world's main wrestling organization, FILA, recognizes the sport.
FILA grappling is yet another type of wrestling, which is similar in many ways to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. It is basically a hybrid of the two aforementioned martial arts as well as wrestling and sambo. Again, it is quite similar to MMA, but striking is not allowed, nor is kicking and as the name suggests, the emphasis is on grappling skills. There are two styles of FILA wrestling, Gi and No-Gi, which simply means that either the fighters wear the Gi or they don't.
These are just a few of the many forms of wrestling you can find all over the globe. There are few countries or cultures that do not have their own form of wrestling. In the Soviet Union, sambo was created and has continued to gain in popularity. This sport contains elements of Judo as well as wrestling. If you live in the nation of Turkey, you probably are quite familiar with grease wrestling, which is just about what it sounds like. Wrestlers coat themselves with olive oil and try to gain a hold of one another. While baseball might be the national pastime in America, in Turkey, it's grease wrestling.
While there are many different types of wrestling, one of the types you see during the Olympics is Greco-Roman wrestling. The other type of wrestling displayed at the Olympic Games is freestyle wrestling. These two types of wrestling have some key differences. Holds below the waist are not allowed in Greco-Roman wrestling, but they are part of freestyle wrestling. Freestyle wrestlers are allowed to use their legs to takedown an opponent, while Greco Roman wrestlers cannot.
Freestyle wrestlers also can apply a throwdown maneuver and then a hold after their opponent is on the ground. In Greco-Roman wrestling, the wresters must remain in contact with the opponent during the entire takedown or the hold is not legal. Greco-Roman wrestlers basically must use only their arms and upper body to overcome an opponent, and while Freestyle wrestling certainly isn't easy, the wrestlers do have a few more options than they do with traditional Greco-Roman techniques.
In 1896, the first Olympic games of the modern era were held. These games included all of the ancient sports as well as some more modern additions such as cycling. However, there was one notable exception. The sport of pankration, which had been a part of the ancient games, was not included. This combat sport, which was no doubt a precursor to mixed martial arts, is a sort of anything-goes type of sport that included many wrestling elements as well as boxing, kickboxing, striking and a variety of chokes. Actually, fighters really could do just about anything they wanted in order to win the fight. You couldn't bite nor could you gouge someone's eyes, but pretty much everything else was fine. While it is not an Olympic sport, the world's main wrestling organization, FILA, recognizes the sport.
FILA grappling is yet another type of wrestling, which is similar in many ways to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. It is basically a hybrid of the two aforementioned martial arts as well as wrestling and sambo. Again, it is quite similar to MMA, but striking is not allowed, nor is kicking and as the name suggests, the emphasis is on grappling skills. There are two styles of FILA wrestling, Gi and No-Gi, which simply means that either the fighters wear the Gi or they don't.
These are just a few of the many forms of wrestling you can find all over the globe. There are few countries or cultures that do not have their own form of wrestling. In the Soviet Union, sambo was created and has continued to gain in popularity. This sport contains elements of Judo as well as wrestling. If you live in the nation of Turkey, you probably are quite familiar with grease wrestling, which is just about what it sounds like. Wrestlers coat themselves with olive oil and try to gain a hold of one another. While baseball might be the national pastime in America, in Turkey, it's grease wrestling.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine likes blogging about MMA benefits. For more details about San Diego wrestling classes or to find a San Diego martial arts gym, click here now.
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