Wrestling facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wrestling

Wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Focus	Grappling
Olympic sport	Freestyle, Greco-Roman, Judo and Sambo

Wrestling is a martial art and combat sport where two people try to gain an advantage over each other. They use different moves like grappling, throws, and takedowns. Wrestlers also use pins to hold their opponent down. Many wrestling moves are used in other martial arts, combat sports, and even military training. It's important to know that real wrestling is a competition, but professional wrestling is more like a show or athletic theater.

There are many different types of wrestling around the world. Some popular styles include freestyle, Greco-Roman, judo, sambo, sumo, and folkstyle. Wrestling is a very old sport. It first appeared in the ancient Olympic Games way back in 708 BC. Each style has its own special rules, some are very old and traditional, while others are more modern.

The History of Wrestling

Ancient Egyptian wrestlers shown in a tomb painting from around 2000 BC.

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports known to humans. We've found cave drawings in France from about 15,000 years ago that show people wrestling! Old pictures from Babylonia and Egypt also show wrestlers using moves that are still used today.

Wrestling is mentioned in very old stories and books. In the Book of Genesis from the Bible, it talks about Jacob wrestling. The famous Greek story, the Iliad, also mentions wrestling. Ancient Indian stories like the Ramayana and Mahabharata include wrestling too. In China, a very old style called Shuai jiao was used in battles over 4,000 years ago.

Wrestling in Ancient Times

In Ancient Greece, wrestling was a very important sport. It was the main event at the ancient Olympic Games. The Romans later adopted Greek wrestling, but they made it less brutal by changing some rules. Many famous thinkers and leaders, like Plato and Socrates, practiced wrestling or wrote about it. Plato even wrestled in the Isthmian games!

During the Middle Ages (from the 5th to the 15th century), wrestling stayed popular. Many royal families in places like England, France, and Japan enjoyed and supported the sport.

Wrestling Comes to America

When British settlers came to America, they brought their wrestling traditions with them. They also found that Native Americans enjoyed wrestling. It became a popular activity at fairs and celebrations. The first big wrestling tournament in the United States happened in New York City in 1888.

Wrestling has been part of almost every modern Olympic Games since 1896. The main group that organizes international wrestling, United World Wrestling (UWW), was started in 1912. In the U.S., USA Wrestling was formed in 1983 to manage amateur wrestling.

Wrestling Around the World

• In Ancient Egypt, we see wrestling pictures on tombs from around 2300 BC.
• Oil wrestling is the national sport of Turkey. Wrestlers cover themselves in olive oil!
• Shuai jiao is a Chinese wrestling style said to be over 4,000 years old.
• In England, the Lancashire style of wrestling helped create Catch wrestling, a very popular style.
• Greco-Roman wrestling became popular in Europe and was one of the first styles in the modern Olympics in 1896.
• Freestyle wrestling became an Olympic sport in 1904. Women's freestyle wrestling was added to the Olympics in 2004.
• Celtic wrestling styles, like Cornish wrestling, have a long history in places like Ireland and Scotland.
• In Switzerland, a folk sport called schwingen is very popular, with local festivals where people compete.

Historical Wrestling Images

• Historical wrestling in art and photography
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  Statuette Karajà, wrestlers

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  Jacob Wrestling with the Angel illustration by Gustave Doré, 1855

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  Cornell wrestling meet, 1923

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  Tibetan wrestlers, 1938

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  Indian wrestler exercising near Varanasi, 1973

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  Wrestlers on Greek coin, 400–300 BC

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  A 1904 illustration of Abraham Lincoln wrestling

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  Wrestling match during 1908 Summer Olympics

Modern International Wrestling Styles

The United World Wrestling (UWW) group organizes many wrestling styles. Three of these are Olympic sports: Greco-Roman wrestling, men's freestyle wrestling, and women's freestyle wrestling. UWW also supports other styles like grappling, amateur pankration, belt wrestling alysh, pahlavani wrestling, and beach wrestling.

Greco-Roman Wrestling

A Greco-Roman wrestling match.

Greco-Roman (GR) is an Olympic wrestling style. In this style, wrestlers can only attack the upper body. They are not allowed to grab or trip their opponent's legs. This style focuses on powerful "high amplitude" throws. Wrestlers score points by throwing their opponent, exposing their back to the mat, or if their opponent is passive. A wrestler can win instantly by pinning both of their opponent's shoulders to the mat, which is called a "fall." A famous Greco-Roman wrestler is Alexander Karelin from Russia.

Freestyle Wrestling

Women's freestyle wrestling.

Freestyle wrestling (FS, WW) is another Olympic style for both men and women. Unlike Greco-Roman, this style allows wrestlers to use their legs to attack or defend. It came from a style called catch-as-catch-can. Points are given for throws, exposing the opponent's back, and opponent passivity. Just like in Greco-Roman, a wrestler can win instantly with a "fall" by pinning both shoulders to the mat. This style is similar to American school and collegiate wrestling, but freestyle puts more emphasis on big throws.

Submission Wrestling

Submission wrestling uses moves and holds from many different wrestling styles. It has two main types: no-gi and gi. In no-gi, athletes wear shorts and a tight shirt. In gi grappling, they wear a special uniform called a kimono or gi. The main goal is to take your opponent down, control them on the ground, and try to win by making them "submit" using chokes or joint locks.

Amateur Pankration

Pankration (PK) is an ancient Greek martial art that means "all of power." It was part of the Ancient Olympic Games in 648 BC. Modern amateur pankration is a type of mixed martial arts (MMA) that combines both grappling (wrestling) and striking (punching and kicking) techniques.

Belt Wrestling Alysh

Alysh is a style of wrestling from Central Asia. Wrestlers wear special jackets, trousers, and thick belts. They must hold onto each other's belts throughout the match. That's why it's also called 'belt wrestling alysh'.

Pahlavani Wrestling

Pahlavani wrestling comes from ancient Persia. It's said that legendary Iranian heroes practiced it. This style mixes martial arts, exercises, strength training, and music. It was originally used to train warriors. It's one of the oldest sports in the world! The best wrestlers are called pahlevan (hero). It's similar to freestyle wrestling, but wrestlers wear special pants and a belt, which they can grab for holds.

Beach Wrestling

Beach wrestling is a fun style done on sand.

Beach wrestling (BW) was made an official style by UWW in 2004. It's done by male or female wrestlers inside a sand circle. Wrestlers wear swimsuits or athletic shorts instead of special uniforms. This style is thought to be the oldest form of international wrestling.

In beach wrestling, you score points by taking your opponent down, pushing them out of the circle, or bringing them down onto their back. Besides the yearly World Beach Wrestling Championships, beach wrestling is also played at events like the Youth Olympic Games.

Folk Wrestling Styles

Khuresh (Tuvan wrestling).

Indian wrestlers from Davangere in 2005.

Folk wrestling refers to traditional wrestling styles that are unique to a specific culture or region. UWW does not set rules for these styles. Some examples include Cornish wrestling from Europe, kurash from Uzbekistan, pehlwani from India, schwingen from Switzerland, and ssireum from Korea.

Even though they are "folk" styles, many of them have been played internationally. For example, Cornish wrestling has had tournaments in the US, Australia, and other countries.

Oil Wrestling

Oil wrestling (yağlı güreş) is the national sport of Turkey. It's called "grease wrestling" because wrestlers cover themselves in olive oil! They wear special hand-stitched leather pants called kispetler.

Unlike Olympic wrestling, oil wrestling matches can be won by getting a strong hold on the kispet. A wrestler might try to put their arm through their opponent's kispet to control them. This move is called paça kazık. In the past, matches could last for days, but now they have time limits.

The yearly Kırkpınar tournament in Edirne, Turkey, has been happening since 1362. It's the oldest sports competition that's still going on in the world!

American Collegiate Wrestling

Two collegiate wrestlers competing.

Collegiate wrestling, also known as folkstyle wrestling, is the main style of wrestling practiced in U.S. colleges and universities. This style, with some changes, is also used in high schools, middle schools, and for younger kids. It's different from the Olympic styles like Greco-Roman and freestyle.

There are several groups that organize college wrestling competitions, like the NCAA. NCAA Division I wrestling is considered the highest and toughest level of competition. The college wrestling season usually starts in the fall and ends with a big national championship tournament in March.

Professional Wrestling

Professional wrestling is often performed in a raised ring, similar to boxing. While it looks like a real competition, the winners are usually decided beforehand. This is done to make the show more exciting and entertaining. Even though it's a show, professional wrestlers are still amazing athletes with real wrestling skills.

Professional wrestling started from the catch-as-catch-can contests of the late 1800s. In the early days, professional matches were very similar to amateur ones, but they allowed more holds and had no time limits. Over time, professional wrestling became more theatrical and focused on entertainment.

Sports Entertainment

Companies like WWE and AEW put on professional wrestling events all over the world. These matches are very theatrical, with exciting stories and rivalries between the wrestlers. These stories help build excitement for the matches.

British and European Wrestling

A different style of professional wrestling grew in the United Kingdom and spread across Western Europe. This style traditionally had fewer big storylines and felt more like a real wrestling competition. It was very popular on TV in the UK and France from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Puroresu (Japanese Wrestling)

Japanese professional wrestling, called puroresu, is also treated more like a real sport than the entertainment style seen in North America. There are fewer made-up stories, and the matches feel more like true competitions. This style was influenced by European catch wrestlers. Famous Japanese wrestlers include Rikidozan and Giant Baba.

Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling)

Mexican professional wrestling, known as lucha libre, uses special high-flying moves and holds. Most performers, called luchadores, start their careers wearing masks. Matches traditionally have three rounds with no time limit. Each luchador has their own unique style, with aerial attacks, strikes, and complex submission holds. Famous luchadores include El Santo and Rey Mysterio.

Circus Wrestling

In 19th-century France, early professional wrestling shows were often performed in the circus by strongmen. This style later became popular in circuses in Eastern Europe, especially in Russia, where it was called "French wrestling."

Judo

A Judo throw.

Judo is a wrestling style that comes from jujitsu, a Japanese martial art. Judo wrestlers, called judoka, wear a heavy jacket and trousers called a gi, along with a belt. They use the gi to grip their opponent and throw or choke them. Judo also allows some joint locks, but these are usually not allowed for children's competitions. Judo is very popular in Japan, France, and Russia.

Sambo

Sambo is a martial art that started in the Soviet Union (now Russia) in the 20th century. Its name means "self-defense without weapons" in Russian. It was created for the Soviet armed forces. Sambo combines techniques from many styles, including Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling, judo, and other folk wrestling styles. The rules for sport sambo are similar to judo, allowing various leg locks but not chokeholds.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

Pankration, an ancient Greek martial art similar to MMA, was popular at the Ancient Olympic Games.

Two MMA fighters grappling in an event.

The sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) has become very popular, and this has made people more interested in wrestling. Wrestling is considered one of the most important skills in MMA, along with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, and kickboxing.

Many MMA champions started as wrestlers. Famous MMA fighters with strong wrestling backgrounds include:

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