Types of Wrestling
- Greco Roman Wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908.Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can be terminated early by a pin fall. This style of wrestling forbids holds below the waist which is the major difference between itself and freestyle wrestling, the other form of wrestling at the Olympics. This restriction results in an emphasis on throws, since a wrestler cannot use trips to take an opponent to the ground or avoid throws by hooking or grabbing their opponent's leg.
The origins of Greco-Roman wrestling should not be sought in ancient times, since the style practised by the Greeks and the Romans was actually similar to freestyle wrestling. This style has its origins in the 19th century and was created by a Napoleon soldier named Exbroyat. He performed in Lyon fairs what he called “flat hand wrestling” to differentiate it from other combat sports where hitting his opponent was allowed. In 1848, he established as a rule, not to execute holds underneath the waist, and forbid holds and painful torsions that could hurt the adversary. “Flat hand wrestling”, also called “French wrestling” developed all throughout Europe and became the most important sport of the 19th century. The person who created the expression “Greco-Roman” was the Italian wrestler Basilio Bartoli, who wanted to underline the interest for Ancient values.- FolkStyle/ Freestyle Wrestling
Folkstyle/Freestyle Differences
Freestyle is similar to the "folkstyle" wrestling popular in American schools and universities, but with different scoring, match procedures, and strategies. Freestyle and Greco-Roman place little emphasis on control, while folkstyle, control is very important. In freestyle, wrestlers are brought to their feet after about 15 seconds of no scoring. Since control isn't important, the bottom wrestler isn't expected to do anything but stall. Only at the college level does folkstyle control time equate to extra points.
Another difference related to control is the ability in freestyle to score points without having control of your oponent. Some moves such as tilts, front headlocks from the knees, and crotch lifts while under attack can score continuously without ever gaining control. The pictures show first a common set-up for a front headlock without being in control while the second picture shows a crotch lift being used to counter a leg attack.
Slips are another major difference between freestyle and folkstyle. In freestyle, the attacker is not penalized for attempting a move provided he can make it to his knees (belly facing the mat) on the mat after a failed attempt. Also, for this reason, the attacker's move does not end until there is a slip or the referee blows the whistle. The wrestler being attacked must actually take the move away by reversing direction or preventing the attacker from making it back to his belly. Simply stopping a move with the attacker exposed does not constitute an exposure. Current rules allow the wrestling to continue after a slip with no points scored to the person on top.
- Beach Wrestling
Apparently in a bid to give wrestling greater appeal to television audiences, FILA adopted beach wrestling as an official discipline during 2004–2005. Beach wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers, male or female, inside a sand-filled circle measuring 6 meters (20 ft) in diameter with only two weight categories, heavy and light. The objective is to throw an opponent or take the opponent to their back. The wrestlers wear swimsuits rather than special wrestling uniforms. Wrestlers may also wear spandex or athletic shorts.
The beach wrestling usually comes with a constant and unchangeable rules which commonly can be read as :
Competition Dress:
1. Trunks for men without any accessory.
2. Swimsuit in one piece or two pieces for women without other accessory.
Competition Surface:
1. On sand, inside a circle 6 meter (~ 20ft) in diameter.
Duration Of The Matches:
1. One period of maximum three (3) minutes.
Officiating:
1. The person in charge acts as referee and his decisions cannot be
questioned.
Kind Of Victories:
1. By fall when a wrestler touches both shoulders on the ground.
2. By throw when a wrestler has succeeded in having his opponent touch
twice during the match a part of his body on the ground. In the action
the attacking wrestler can put one or both knees on the ground.
3. By leaving the competition area if a wrestler has succeeded in pushing
twice one foot of his opponent out of the competition area.
4. By adding to a throw a leaving of the competition area.
5. By decision of the person in charge when at the end of (3) minutes no
action was executed by one wrestler compared with the activity of the
other wrestler.
Prohibitions:
1. Kick or punch.
2. Attack the face or the hair.
- Professional Wrestling
Professional wrestling (often referred to as pro wrestling or wrestling) is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance. It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport. The unique form of sport portrayed is fundamentally based on classical and "catch" wrestling, with modern additions of striking attacks, strength-based holds and throws, and acrobatic maneuvers; much of these derive from the influence of various international martial arts. An additional aspect of combat with improvised weaponry is sometimes included to varying degrees.
The matches have predetermined outcomes in order to provide entertainment value, and all combative maneuvers are worked in order to lessen the chance of actual injury. These facts were once kept highly secretive but are now a widely accepted open secret. By and large, the true nature of the performance is not discussed by the performing company in order to sustain and promote the willing suspension of disbelief for the audience by maintaining an aura of verisimilitude.
Originating as a sideshow exhibition in North American traveling carnivals and vaudeville halls, professional wrestling grew into a standalone genre of entertainment with many diverse variations in cultures around the globe, and is now considered a multi-million dollar entertainment industry. In North America, it has experienced several different periods of prominence in cultural popularity during its century and a half of existence. The advent of television gave professional wrestling a new outlet, and wrestling (along with boxing) was instrumental in making pay-per-view a viable method of content delivery.
