Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a grappling art with origins in ancient Greece. It is classified as an Olympic competitive sport and focuses on upper-body engagement, requiring practitioners to execute throws and locks using only the arms, shoulders, and torso. Holds or attacks below the waist are not permitted within its competitive ruleset, making the upper body the sole instrument of control and takedown in this style.
Training in Greco-Roman wrestling generally centers on developing upper-body strength, balance, and positional awareness. Practitioners drill clinch work, grip fighting, and throwing mechanics repeatedly to build technical consistency. Because leg attacks are excluded, a significant portion of conditioning and skill work is directed toward the chest, arms, and core, along with the body awareness needed to off-balance an opponent and bring them to the mat using only upper-body contact.
Individuals new to grappling arts who are considering Greco-Roman wrestling are encouraged to visit local clubs or school programs, observe a practice session, and speak with coaches before committing. Seeing the training environment firsthand provides a reliable sense of whether the style suits a given person's goals. Other grappling arts in this same category are listed and linked in the section below.
Gear to expect. Grappling training typically calls for a gi or no-gi rashguard, and quality mats for home drilling — your school will tell you exactly what, and when. New students rarely need to buy anything for a trial class.
Greco-Roman wrestling on Wikipedia →
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