Grappling Facts for Kids

Grappling is a type of martial art, combat, or combat sport where you try to control your opponent without hitting them or using weapons. Instead, you use holds, throws, and joint locks. It's all about using your body to get an advantage over the other person. Some sports like sumo, wrestling, or judo are only about grappling.

What is Grappling?
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What is Grappling?

Grappling is a way of fighting that focuses on getting close to your opponent and controlling them. It's different from striking arts like boxing or karate, where you hit with punches and kicks. In grappling, you learn to use your strength, balance, and technique to take your opponent to the ground, hold them there, or make them give up using a special hold.

Types of Grappling Sports

Many sports and martial arts use grappling as their main focus. They each have their own rules and techniques.

Wrestling

Wrestling is one of the oldest forms of combat. It involves two people trying to gain control over each other, often by taking them to the ground. There are many styles of wrestling around the world, like folkstyle wrestling (common in schools), freestyle wrestling, and Greco-Roman wrestling. The goal is usually to pin your opponent's shoulders to the mat or score points by controlling them.

Judo

Judo is a Japanese martial art and Olympic sport created by Kanō Jigorō in 1882. It focuses on throws and takedowns, where you use your opponent's own movement and balance against them. Once on the ground, judo also includes holds, pins, and submission techniques like chokes and joint locks. The idea is to use skill and technique rather than just brute force.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that grew from judo and traditional Japanese jujutsu. It's famous for its focus on ground fighting. BJJ teaches that a smaller, weaker person can defend themselves against a bigger, stronger attacker by using good technique, especially by taking the fight to the ground and applying submission holds.

Sumo

Sumo is a traditional Japanese wrestling sport. Two large wrestlers try to force each other out of a circular ring or make them touch the ground with any part of their body other than the soles of their feet. Sumo matches are often very quick and powerful, relying on strength, balance, and quick movements.

Ancient Grappling

Grappling has been around for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Greeks practiced forms of wrestling. The ancient Greek sport of Pankration combined wrestling and striking, showing how important grappling was even in early combat sports.

Common Grappling Techniques

Grappling involves many different moves to control an opponent.

Takedowns and Throws

These techniques are used to bring an opponent from a standing position to the ground. A takedown might involve grabbing a leg or wrapping your arms around their body to force them down. A throw uses leverage and balance to lift or spin an opponent, sending them to the ground with force.

Holds and Pins

Once an opponent is on the ground, holds and pins are used to keep them there. A pin aims to control the opponent's body, often their shoulders, against the mat. This prevents them from moving or escaping. These are common in wrestling and judo.

Submission Holds

Submission holds are techniques designed to make an opponent give up. They usually involve applying pressure to a joint (like an arm or leg) or restricting blood flow to the brain (a chokehold). When applied correctly, these holds can be very effective and force an opponent to "tap out" (signal surrender) to avoid injury.

Grappling in Self-Defense and Sports

Grappling is very useful for self-defense. It teaches you how to control a situation without needing to throw punches. If someone tries to grab you, grappling skills can help you escape or take control.

In sports, grappling requires a lot of strength, endurance, and strategic thinking. Athletes train hard to master the complex techniques and understand how to react to their opponent's moves. It's like a physical puzzle where you're always trying to find the best way to control the other person.

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Masahiko Kimura vs. Hélio Gracie was a high-profile 1951 bout between two grapplers, Japanese judo fighter Masahiko Kimura and Brazilian jiu jitsu founder Hélio Gracie, in Brazil.
Hawaiian State Grappling Championships, August 2004.
Ancient Egyptian wrestling
A Greek bronze statue from 2nd century BC depicting Pankration. The standing fighter is applying an armlock, a grappling technique. From the Staatliche Antikensammlungen in Munich.
Two wrestlers engaging.
In judo, the aim of ground techniques (ne-waza) is to obtain a chokehold, joint lock or to pin the opponent.
A Roman statue portraying grapplers.