Learn About Olympic Wrestling

Olympic Wrestling – From Ancient Greece to Today

The history of wrestling can be traced all the way back to the ancient Greeks when wrestling was a headliner sport that claimed the attention of athletes and spectators alike. It is even said that the renowned philosopher Plato was not only smart, but strong and savvy enough to get himself out of a clinch hold in a wrestling match. Greek mythology is full of epic wrestling tales among the gods as well as mortals, sometimes gods against mortals even. Olympic wrestling stories begin from the first Olympic games.

Amateur wrestling is an athletic sport that is practiced all over the world in many age groups and weight classes. The goal of wrestling is always to pin the competitor to the mat. Pinning the opponent equals an instant win of the wrestling match. There are several different types of wrestling. Free style wrestling matches allow competitors to use their entire bodies for different types of holds and attacks on their opponents. There is now a category in the Olympic games for freestyle wrestling as well as the other style, Greco-Roman wrestling.

Greco-Roman wrestling is the wrestling style that is used in most amateur sports programs as well as in the Olympic wrestling arena. This type of wrestling style does not allow athletes to use their legs in any way during a match and they may not take any holds on their opponent below the waist. This makes for a much bigger challenge in getting one’s opponent successfully pinned to the mat for a match win.

Wrestling in general has taken on a life of its own, from elementary age matches to high school sports to the extravagant show stopping celebrity wrestling matches that many believe are more flash and dash with body building show offs than actual wrestling matches. That being said, there are numerous wrestling spectators in the country, whether it be for school athletics, showmanship fun and entertainment or the avid following of the Olympic wrestling athletes from year to year, competition to competition. Whatever the specific case may be, there is no doubt that body builders who choose wrestling as a competitive sport can find an arena in which to perform both athletically and for entertainment if they wish to do so. Olympic wrestling athletes often go on to be coaches or mentors as opposed to body builders or showmen. This is a positive thing for the wrestling youth of the country, to have quality coaches and experienced mentors.