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How to Learn Greco-Roman Wrestling

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(3 Ratings)

Originating from ancient Greece, Greco-Roman wrestling is one of four styles of competitive wrestling practiced internationally. It combines strength and agility, and encourages throws since it forbids attacks below the waist. To learn Greco-Roman wrestling, you must understand the format of a match period, the scoring and the victory conditions.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Book on Greco-Roman wrestling
  • Singlet
  • Wrestling shoes
  • Handkerchief
  • Headgear
  1. Step 1

    Understand the period format. Each period consists of three 2-minute periods. Each period is divided into a 60-second standing phase and two or more ground phases of 30 seconds each. During the standing phase, opponents try to score points from a neutral position. The 30-second ground phases involve achievement of points from a defensive position, and they get reversed. Ties are resolved by a coin toss.

  2. Step 2

    Become familiar with the scoring. There are four ways in which points can be scored in Greco-Roman wrestling. Takedown: the opponent is beaten from a neutral position. Reversal: the opponent is beaten from a defensive position. Exposure: the opponent's back faces the mat at an acute angle. Penalty points: these are awarded to a wrestler when the opponent steps outside the boundaries, causes injury or performs illegal grabbing.

  3. Step 3

    Know the basics of winning. There are five ways a match can be won. Win by fall: a wrestler pins the opponent's shoulders on the mat for 2 seconds. Win by technical fall: one wrestler gains 6 points over the other wrestler. Win by decision: the winner is declared based on who has accumulated more points at the end of the match. In a tie, wrestlers do overtime called the "clinch." Win by injury: the wrestler wins because the other wrestler bleeds uncontrollably. Win by disqualification: a wrestler breaks the rules, and victory is awarded to the other wrestler.

  4. Step 4

    Buy "Greco-Roman Wrestling" by William A. Martel to learn more about Greco-Roman wrestling. It has received 5 stars at Amazon.

  5. Step 5

    Assess your suitability for Greco-Roman wrestling. Visit a local martial arts academy that offers the sport and speak to a trainer to gain an evaluation. It may be possible that you don't have a body type or personality type suitable for Greco-Roman wrestling.

  6. Step 6

    Purchase the equipment if you decide to undertake Greco-Roman wrestling. That includes a singlet (a garment made of spandex that is both tight and comfortable), a pair of light wrestling shoes, a handkerchief (called "blood rag") to stop bleeding and optional headgear for the prevention of cauliflower ear. Start your drills.

Tips & Warnings
  • The most famous practitioners are the American Rulon Gardner and the Russian Alexander Karelin.
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