The Rules of Roman Wrestling

The sport of wrestling was influenced by the Greeks and had been developed for over 5,000 years. It is believed that wrestling started out as part of a soldiers training, mainly practiced by Roman soldiers.

Roman style wrestling, or Greco-Roman as is most commonly called, came about from a form of French wrestling in the 19^th century, because of its high throw popularity. Greco-Roman wrestling is one of the four main types of amateur wrestling that is practiced today. The other three being sambo, judo and freestyle wrestling.

For the most part Greco-Roman style wrestling is the same as freestyle wrestling. They mainly differ in what holds are allowed. In Greco-Roman wrestling attacks and holds below the waist are not allowed. Due to this rule, upper body throws are encouraged, as long as legs are not used. Wrestlers may not attack their opponent's legs or use their own legs to take their opponent down. They must wrestle from a standing position, which will result is a call of contact. Wrestlers that constantly avoid contact may be called for fleeing the hold.

Each match consists of three rounds, with each round lasting two minutes with a minute between rounds. A wrestler wins the match by winning two of the three rounds. Points can be awarded for a takedown (one wrestler gains control from a neutral position), a reversal (wrestler gains control from a defensive position), exposure or danger position (a wrestlers back is exposed to the mat for several seconds), and a penalty (using illegal holds, trying to injury or strike the opponent).

Matches can be won by pinning the opponent, technical superiority (one opponent has a 15 point lead over the other opponent), win by decision, win by default or forfeit, win by injury or they can win by a disqualification.

Illegal moved include biting, punching, hitting, pinching or poking or fish hooks in the mouth and eyes. Hair pulling, kicking, grabbing the mat, arm locks, leg locks, joint manipulation (bending at more than a 90 degree angle), smothering, strangling, grappling holds, grabbing genitals and spiking (slamming opponent head first into the mat) are also not allowed.

Wrestlers are to wear a wrestler's singlet (tight fitting, colored, one piece uniform of lycra), wrestling shoes with covered laces if there are any. Headgear is required for American high school and college wrestling. Each wrestler will be placed in a category depending or age and weight and only wrestle those within the same category.