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Wrestling

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Sports

   Wrestling is an ancient physical combat sport in which two opponents
   attempt to control the other through grappling techniques without the
   use of striking. In modern systems, wrestlers score points for various
   accomplishments including, depending upon the style, takedowns,
   reversals, escapes and near-falls. Besides winning a match by points, a
   wrestler can win at any time during a match by turning his opponent to
   his back, known as a pin.

   Wrestling is often categorized as one of the martial arts; its virile
   image and usefulness as military training helped generate such
   multi-cultural evolutions. Some evidence suggests that wrestling may be
   the oldest sport known to man. A large amount of early artwork, for
   example, depicts matches between two opponents. One of the most famous
   wresting matches appears in the book of Genesis where Jacob wrestles an
   angel and is renamed Israel for his struggle, which translates to
   "Wrestles (or struggles) with God". Wrestling has evolved into many
   different styles and forms, ranging from world-wide, commercialised
   stadium events to less publicized, local amateur competitions.

   Some sports commentators have observed that wrestling may be the most
   demanding athletic sport physically and mentally, combining a need for
   incredible strength, speed, conditioning and the memorizing of at least
   dozens and sometimes hundreds of offensive and defensive moves.
   Participants who are competitive in the sport typically train
   year-round and many lose weight to become even more competitive by
   participating at lower weight classes.
   "The Wrestlers" -Pankratiasts- from Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
   Enlarge
   "The Wrestlers" - Pankratiasts- from Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

   According to the International Federation of Associated Wrestling
   Styles (FILA), the governing body of international amateur wrestling,
   the four main forms of amateur competitive wrestling practiced
   internationally today are Greco-Roman wrestling, Freestyle wrestling,
   Judo and Sambo. Staged grappling is commonly called professional
   wrestling.

Geographic popularity

   Wrestling is a major sport in the United States and Canada and most
   nations in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. In Asia, it is
   particluarly prominent in traditional nomadic warrior cultures, such as
   the Turkic and Mongolian steppe peoples.

   In the United States, there are several geographic pockets in the
   nation where the sport is particularly advanced, competitive and
   popular, including areas of Illinois, California, Iowa, Nebraska, New
   Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Among
   these, many of the sport's best competitors have come from northeast
   Ohio, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania (especially the Lehigh Valley
   and Coal Regions).

   The sport is also one of many athletic competitions in the Summer
   Olympic Games.

Collegiate wrestling

   On the collegiate level, several universities are known for regularly
   having competitive wrestling teams, including Iowa State, Lehigh
   University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Iowa, the
   University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the University of Oklahoma, the
   University of Minnesota, & Oklahoma State University. For a discussion
   of the style used in American college competition, see Collegiate
   wrestling.

Styles

   In international competition, wrestling is conducted under either
   freestyle or Greco-Roman rules. Historically, there are almost as many
   wrestling styles as there are national traditions. A traditional form
   of wrestling is called a folk style. Folk wrestling styles include
   Schwingen in Switzerland, Glima in Iceland, Shuai jiao in China, Böke
   in Outer and Inner Mongolia, Tuvan Khuresh, Ssireum in Korea, Native
   American wrestling, Pehlwani in Iran and India, Sumo and Judo in Japan,
   and Yağlı güreş, a type of "oiled" wrestling (common in Ancient
   Mediterranean cultures) still popular in Turkey.

   In addition to its sporting nature, wrestling has often been utilized
   as the basis for popular spectacle, or theatrical drama. Circus and
   similar shows worldwide have historically included sideshow wrestling
   matches involving monetary wagers and even people competing against
   animals (particularly bears or kangaroos). Such "show wrestling" has
   continued to this day in professional wrestling spectaculars
   choreographed for maximum auditory, visual, and dramatic effects. Often
   the winner of commercial contests is determined in advance, but some
   styles such as Sumo, Mixed Martial Arts and Real Pro Wrestling remain
   true sporting contests while technically meeting the definition of
   wrestling that is professional.

Wrestling as military training

   Wrestling has historically been used by militaries as a part of
   training. Armies in China have used it for several thousand years.

   The most detailed description of wrestling used in actual warfare comes
   from the historian Procopius, writing of the Roman versus Persian war
   in the 6th Century A.D. The following is his remarkable account of two
   duels between a Roman wrestling teacher and two Persian professional
   soldiers ( Procopius, History of the Wars I.XIII.29):

     "But one Persian, a young man, riding up very close to the Roman
     army, began to challenge all of them, calling for whoever wished to
     do battle with him. And no one of the whole army dared face the
     danger, except a certain Andreas, one of the personal attendants of
     Bouzes, not a soldier nor one who had ever practised at all the
     business of war, but a trainer of youths in charge of a certain
     wrestling school in Byzantium. Through this it came about that he
     was following the army, for he cared for the person of Bouzes in the
     bath; his birthplace was Byzantium. This man alone had the courage,
     without being ordered by Bouzes or anyone else, to go out of his own
     accord to meet the man in single combat. And he caught the barbarian
     while still considering how he should deliver his attack, and hit
     him with his spear on the right breast. And the Persian did not bear
     the blow delivered by a man of such exceptional strength, and fell
     from his horse to the earth. Then Andreas with a small knife slew
     him like a sacrificial animal as he lay on his back, and a mighty
     shout was raised both from the city wall and from the Roman army.
     But the Persians were deeply vexed at the outcome and sent forth
     another horseman for the same purpose, a manly fellow and well
     favoured as to bodily size, but not a youth, for some of the hair on
     his head already shewed grey. This horseman came up along the
     hostile army, and, brandishing vehemently the whip with which he was
     accustomed to strike his horse, he summoned to battle whoever among
     the Romans was willing. And when no one went out against him,
     Andreas, without attracting the notice of anyone, once more came
     forth, although he had been forbidden to do so by Hermogenes. So
     both rushed madly upon each other with their spears, and the
     weapons, driven against their corselets, were turned aside with
     mighty force, and the horses, striking together their heads, fell
     themselves and threw off their riders. And both the two men, falling
     very close to each other, made great haste to rise to their feet,
     but the Persian was not able to do this easily because his size was
     against him, while Andreas, anticipating him (for his practice in
     the wrestling school gave him this advantage), smote him as he was
     rising on his knee, and as he fell again to the ground dispatched
     him. Then a roar went up from the wall and from the Roman army as
     great, if not greater, than before; and the Persians broke their
     phalanx and withdrew to Ammodios, while the Romans, raising the
     pæan, went inside the fortifications; for already it was growing
     dark. Thus both armies passed that night."

   The main objectives of wrestling in military training are:
     * Superior balance developed from trying to keep one's balance while
       at the same time trying to upset the opponent's. In war, falling to
       the ground can quickly make one vulnerable to weapon thrusts, so
       good balance is a must for warriors.

   Khuresh (Tuvan wrestling)
   Enlarge
   Khuresh (Tuvan wrestling)
     * Grip strength and manual dexterity, for the use of weapons and
       combat gear
     * Focused and powerful pushing-power. In combat one must smash or
       thrust weapons forward at one's adversary.
     * The ability to get up quickly if fallen down, a very important
       survival skill on the battlefield (see above).
     * Improved stamina, endurance and strength.
     * Physical skills to control prisoners, or to carry wounded comrades.
     * Cultivation of aggressiveness and improved reaction time.
     * Camaraderie, diversion and entertainment.

   Wrestling is a safe way to achieve the above goals since it does not
   use dangerous objects or weapons.

Wrestling and mixed martial arts

   Wrestling has gained tremendous respect among martial arts
   practicioners, especially with the advent of mixed martial arts
   competition. Many fighters identify wrestling itself or Submission
   wrestling as their style of fighting. Wrestling forms the base of some
   of the most respected self-defense and mixed martial arts systems in
   the world, such as Shootfighting.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling"
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