Greek wrestling
Greek wrestling is a grappling art with origins in ancient Greece, where it was practiced as part of the ancient Olympic Games. Its training focus centers on upright wrestling, meaning that practitioners work from a standing position with the primary objective of taking an opponent to the ground. The style falls within the broader family of wrestling-based grappling arts and is oriented around controlling, unbalancing, and bringing down an opponent through holds and body manipulation while remaining on one's feet.
As a grappling art with an emphasis on upright wrestling, training in this style generally involves developing physical conditioning, balance, and positional control. Practitioners typically drill takedowns, clinch work, and techniques for disrupting an opponent's base, as these are the core concerns of standing grappling systems. Strength, leverage, and timing are commonly developed through partner-based drilling and live practice.
Anyone considering Greek wrestling is encouraged to visit local schools offering this or related wrestling-based grappling arts, observe a class in person, and speak with instructors before making any decisions about participation. Each school may approach training somewhat differently, so direct observation is the most reliable way to assess whether a program suits individual goals. Related grappling styles are linked 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.
Greek wrestling on Wikipedia →
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